Year: 1872

They were spending the summer ia the
country, aud the temptation Of the delicious
air aud the lovely green lawns was so great
that they almost lived out Of doors The
croquet ground was seldom unoccupicd by
the children, and even Mrs Richie, when
A.ec's papa returned from business in the
evening, liked TO share in the pleasant game
with him.


The great trouble however, was about the
mallets. There were two or three sets Of
children in The house, and some Of them were
very careless, aud some rather rough 10 their
sports and 10 one way or another several Of
the maliets had got broken, so that already
no more than four could play at time, and
if another should co. the game would be
nearly spoiled So an announcement had
been publicly made that the next child who
broke a malet could play no more all sum.
mer; aud this terrible decree had served to
make all the little mad-caps more careful
than they had ever been


Spite, however, Of the pains he really took
it was to Alec that the misfortune came at
last. lie happened to be alone on the ground ;
he had called to the rest to come and play,
but something detained them for while in
the barn, which was their special " indoor a"
piay-place, aud he picked up mallet and be-
gan 10 knock the balls idly around all by
himself Tired OF that presently, he stopped,
leaDed upon the mallet and waited, calling
meanwhile impatienty to his companions to
hasten when suddenly, snap went some
thing the support few from under his arm,
the mallet-head lay broken sheer from the
handle, at his feet


Alec loked down in CONSERVATION, in real
distress. How provoked and annoyed every
one would feel whei they found their iavorite
recreation spoiled, and all through his reck-
less want of care how displeascd his mother
would be, aud how hard that be himself would
be forbidden to share in even a half game
after this. Quite too hard it seemed to be
borne he was just beginning to play so nice
ly be liked it so much, better than bali, kite,
top, marbles, anything He could not give it
up away round I'LL next summer.


An evil spirit whispered something into
Alcc's ear, and quick as thought the boy laid
the brightly painted stick upon the ground
quite close to the fence, fitted the broken
head back to its place, aud leaving it there
looking just like the others, be picked up an
other and began knocking the balls about at a
great rate, till the rest Of the party came.
There was a general scattering then to pick
up balls and mallets, and the next moment a
general outcry Of surprise and distress.


Oh Oh J The yellow mallet is broken
And see, whoever did it fixed it to look all
whole and laid it away off here Oh, who
could be so mean"


OF course no one knew but Alec, and, Of
course, he did not choose to tell. Instead, he
was obliged to add to his deception, by pre-
tending to be as much astonished as the Others
aud by joiuing in their excamatious Of wonder
and anger


Mrs. Ritchie hearing the commotion as she
sat reading upon the piazza came out to see
what was the matter, but even she could dis
cover nothing. No one could suspect the
children, who seemed all equally surprised
aud it was concluded at last that ii must have
been the cowboy aud that the next day he
should be closely questioned about it,


Meanwhile, disappointed iu their favorite
sport, the children went of rather sulenly
to seek some other amusement, and Alec, to
avoid seeming singular, went with them. But
the pleasure Of the day was gone for him, and
for the night too. He knew that what he had
done was just the same as to have declared
that he knew nothing about tho accident
that TO act a lie was as bad as to tell one, and
he went to bed feeling guilty and unhappy
and mean enough. For long time he could
not go to sleep at all, and when he did bis
sleep was broken and wretched lie tossed
from side to side, and muttered and moaned
as though in an evil dream His mother,
who noticed that he did not seem quite like
himself when she was helping him to undress,
came up after while to SEQ if he was rest
ing well. just as she bent over his bed, his
lips moved and the words almost forced them.
selves out, didn't really tell a lie |
didn't say | didn't do it,"


All there was the whole sad story. And
how unhappy it made the loving mother feel
Where was her fond pride aud trust now 10
her boys truthfulness She could not sup.
press groan Of real suffering it startled
Alec from his uneasy sleep he opened his
eyes affrlghted, saw his mother, read in one
glance that she knew all, and burying his
head in the pillow burst into passion Of
bitter weeping. 1t was sad lesson to him
which he never forgot