ortant, as he sat
in the great rocking-chair by the fire. He breathed short, and his
words were disconnected as he spoke.

His mother, for answer, took the catechism from the shelf, and
extended it towards him with a decisive thrust of her arm.

"It is time you studied some more," said she.

Ephraim jerked himself away from the proffered book. "I don't want to
study any more now, mother," he whined.

"Take it," said Deborah.

Caleb was paring apples for pies on the other side of the hearth.
Ephraim looked across at him desperately. "I want to play holly-gull
with father," he said.

"Ephraim!"

"Can't I play holly-gull with father jest a little while?"

"You take this book and study your lesson," said Deborah, between
nearly closed lips.

Ephraim began to weep; he took the book with a vicious snatch and an
angry sob. "Won't never let me do anythin' I want to," he cried,
convulsively.

"Not another word," said Deborah. Ephraim bent over his catechism
with half-suppressed sobs. He dared not weep aloud. Deborah went into
the pantry with the medicine-bottle which the doctor had left; she
wanted a spoon. Caleb caught hold of her dress as she was passing
him.

"What is it?" said she.

"Look here, jest a minute, mother."

"I can't stop, father; Ephraim has got to have his medicine."

"Jest look here a minute, mother."

Deborah bent her head impatiently, and Caleb whispered. "No, he
can't; I told him he couldn't," she said aloud, and passed on into
the pantry.

Caleb looked over at Ephraim with piteous and helpless sympathy.
"Never you mind, sonny," he said, cautiously.

"She--makes--" began Ephraim with a responsive plaint; but his mother
came out of the pantry, and he stopped short. Caleb dropped a pared
apple noisily into the pan.

"You'll dent that pan, father, if you fling the apples in that way,"
said Deborah. She had a thick silver spoon, and she measured out a
dose of the medicine for Ephraim. She approached him, extending the
spoon carefully. "Open your mouth," commanded she.

"Oh, mother, I don't want to take it!"

"Open your mouth!"

"Oh, mother--I don't--want to--ta-ke it!"

"Now, sonny, I wouldn't mind takin' of it. It's real good medicine
that the doctor left you, an' father's payin' consid'able for it. The
doctor thinks it's goin' to make you well," said Caleb, who was
looking on anxiously.

"Open your mouth and _take_ it!" said Deborah, sternly. She presented
the spoon at Ephraim