d she read bits here and there. She was so fond of reading
and she would piece out the page she read with her own imaginings. She
always staid out two hours, more when it was pleasant, and brought
back the babies, rosy and bright eyed.

"Jack," and his father took him on his knee that evening, "you have
been a very bad boy today. You have been a thief. Suppose the man had
sent you to the Station House?"

"I wouldn't a' gone."

"Well, you would have had to. Thieves break laws and are sent to
prison. And there you broke up the toys. You must never go in a store
again without your mother."

"M'rilla took me in."

"And mother and Auntie supposed they could trust you. Now they can't.
You will have to be watched and punished, and I am going to do it.
There'll be no more Sunday walks with me, either."

"Can't I go alone?"

"Not until you are a good boy."

Jack looked rather sober, but his father saw he was not making much
impression. And presently his mother put him to bed.

"I really don't know what to do with Jack," his mother said on her
return, taking up her sewing.

"Listen to this," and Mr. Borden read from the paper an account of
three boys who had managed to enter a grocery store and steal some
quite valuable stock. Ages, seven, nine and ten.

"I'd rather bury Jack tomorrow than have such a thing published about
him," he said.

"And Jack used to be so nice," returned his mother with a sigh.

"We've indulged him too much, and we have idealized childhood too
much; we've laughed at his smart tricks and his saucy replies, and
tried high moral suasion, but we must turn over a new leaf. When he is
bad he must be punished severely enough to make an impression. Are
you sure of that girl, Marilla?"

"Yes. She's truthful and so sweet to the babies. Bridget says she
wouldn't even touch a piece of cake without asking for it. But I think
she does sometimes shield Jack. He has a nasty way of pinching and I
do slap him for it. I'm afraid of his pinching the babies. But we
never do leave him alone with them."

"See here," began Florence, "why not send him to Kindergarten. The new
term is just beginning. I think boys ought to be with other boys. And
those classes are made so entertaining. The many employments take a
child's mind off of mischief, and they are trained in manners. Oh
dear! think, what a blessed time we should have!"

"I don't know but it is a good idea," said Jack's father. "He will
have to mix with