om his unsatisfying replies that the rebbe was but a
barren branch on the tree of knowledge, the good little girl never
betrayed to the world, by look or word, her discovery of his
limitations, but continued to accord him, outwardly, all the courtesy
due to his calling.

Her teacher having failed her, the young student, with admirable
persistence, carried her questions from one to another of her
acquaintances, putting their answers to the test whenever it was
possible. She established by this means two facts: first, that she
knew as much as any of those who undertook to instruct her; second,
that her oracles sometimes gave false answers. Did the little
inquisitor charge her betrayers with the lie? Magnanimous creature,
she kept their falseness a secret, and ceased to probe their shallow
depths.

What you would know, find out for yourself: this became our student's
motto; and she passed from the question to the experiment. Her
grandmother told her that if she handled "blind flowers" she would be
stricken blind. She found by test that the pretty flowers were
harmless. She tested everything that could be tested, till she hit at
last on an impious plan to put God Himself to the proof.

The pious little girl arose one Sabbath afternoon from her religious
meditations, when all the house was taking its after-dinner nap, and
went out in the yard, and stopped at the gate. She took out her pocket
handkerchief. She looked at it. Yes, that would do for the experiment.
She put it back into her pocket. She did not have to rehearse mentally
the sacred admonition not to carry anything beyond the house-limits on
the Sabbath day. She knew it as she knew that she was alive. And with
her handkerchief in her pocket the audacious child stepped into the
street!

She stood a moment, her heart beating so that it pained. Nothing
happened! She walked quite across the street. The Sabbath peace still
lay on everything. She felt again of the burden in her pocket. Yes,
she certainly was committing a sin. With an access of impious
boldness, the sinner walked--she ran as far as the corner, and stood
still, fearfully expectant. What form would the punishment take? She
stood breathing painfully for an eternity. How still everything
was--how close and still the air! Would it be a storm? Would a sudden
bolt strike her? She stood and waited. She could not bring her hand to
her pocket again, but she felt that it bulged monstrously. She stood
with no th