ver _touched_ the hatchet.'"

"Makes me think of that play, 'My father's lost his hatchet,'"
whispered Susy to Grace.

"Every one tried to amuse me while I was sick, but there was always a
thorn in my pillow."

"A thorn?" said Prudy.

"Not a real thorn, dear. I mean I had told a wrong story, and I
couldn't feel happy."

Here Susy turned away her head and looked out of the window, though
she saw nothing there but grandpa coming in from the garden with a
watering-pot.

"Whenever father looked at me, I felt just as if he was thinking,
'Margaret doesn't tell the truth;' and when mother spoke my name
quick, I was afraid she was going to say something about the hatchet."

"I got well, only I limped a little. Then it was almost time to think
of making presents for the Christmas tree. I didn't like to have
Christmas come while I was feeling so. People are so good that day, I
thought. That is the time when every body loves you, and spends money
for you. I wanted to confess, and feel _clean_; but then I had told
that lie over so many times that I thought I _couldn't_ take it back."

"I talked it over with myself a great while though, and at last said
I, 'I _will_; I'll do it!' First, I asked God to forgive me and help
me, and when I had got as far as that, the thing was half done,
children."

"I went into the parlor where your grandfather was--he wasn't deaf
then. I thought I should choke; but I caught hold of one of the
buttons on his coat, and spoke as fast as I could."

"'O father,' said I, 'I've told more than a hundred thousand lies. I
_did_ take that hatchet! Will you forgive me?'"

"Did he?" asked Susy.

"Forgive! I guess he did! My dear child, it was just what he had been
waiting to do! And, O, I can tell you he talked to me in such a way
about the awful sin of lying, that I never, never forgot it, and
shan't, if I live to be a hundred years old."

"My father had forgiven me: I was sure God had forgiven me too; and
after that, I felt as if I could look people in the face once more,
and I had a splendid time Christmas.--I believe that's about all the
_story_ there is to it, children."

"Well," said Grace, "I'm much obliged to you, auntie; I think it's
just as nice as a fairy story--don't you, Susy?"

"I don't know, I'm sure," replied Susy, looking confused. "See here,
auntie, I've lost your gold ring!"

"My ring?" said aunt Madge. "I forgot that I let you take it."

"Don't you know I asked you for it