onsequence was, that from time to time he was haled before the
magistrates, and cautioned, and even imprisoned, the justices of the
peace telling him that as he was so fond of disciplining he must receive
wholesome discipline himself, and considerately upon the last occasion
giving him a month.

Now Mrs Potts objected to marital punishment, but it was short if not
sweet, and when it was over Potts went to work. She objected, however,
much more to magisterial punishment, because it fell upon her. If Potts
was fined, she suffered in the housekeeping money by running short, and
if on the other hand he was sent to prison, while he was lying at ease
and fed on bread and water, a pleasantly lowering diet for a man of his
inflammatory nature, she had to set to work and earn by the hard use of
soap, soda, hot water, and much rubbing, the necessary funds to buy food
for the youngsters' mouths.

Discipline, then, had a very important ring to her ears, and she became
amenable directly to the quiet words of authority, following Hazel
meekly to the door, going through the process of wiping a pair of very
crinkly, water-soaked hands upon her apron the while.

"Another time, Mrs Potts, if you will knock at the door, I will come
and talk to you, for, as the mother of children, you must know how
necessary it is to preserve discipline amongst the young."

"Which well I know it, miss; but I'm that aggravated with that limb of a
gal, that if I don't take it out of her I shall be ill."

"What is the matter, then!" cried Hazel.

"Matter, nuss? Why, everything's the matter when that gal's got her own
way. Here did I tell her, only this morning, that, as I'd got to stop
at the wash-tub all day, she must stay at home and look after the little
bairn, and what does she do but take my scissors and cut off every
flower there was, and tie 'em up and slip off. I didn't know where
she'd gone to, till all of a sudden I thought it might be to school; and
here she is. And now I would like to know what she did with them
flowers."

"Flowers!" said Hazel, as a thought flashed across her mind.

"Well, there now, if that ain't them upon your desk, nuss! That's my
love-lies-bleeding, and London-tuft, and roses. Oh, just wait till I
get hold on her. Did she bring 'em to you, miss?"

"Yes, Mrs Potts; she brought me the nosegay. I am very sorry that she
should have done such a thing without asking leave."

"I ain't got much about the house th