Ella Clinton

rn my book," said Sallie Barnes, displaying her

it was Ella that did i

hing to spite me, and when I came to school this morning, she was standing right beside my desk, and

l I can hardly believe Ella would do such a thing. Come here,

ntly, "I didn't touch it, and I

nd turn over her things, this m

her desk, and looked in her pencil box to see if my sla

of looking for your p

ed, and rem

n. "You must have had some reason for sup

y I told her something she said was a lie, and she was ve

ons correct? did you f

'am," sa

ut it there first, for I nev

you sure it was your pencil? slate pencils ar

ne, because I had cut some l

on," said Sallie, "and see if she hasn't

them, and which, on being compared with Sallie's book, proved to be evidently the missing portion; though one of them had been torn in half, and, from the stains of ink upon it, seemed to have been used for wiping a

Sallie, "she's always wanting a piece of paper to wipe her p

ong circumstantial evidence agai

id Ella, with a bewildered look. "I've been in the school-room ever sin

for whatever other faults you may have, I

Sallie, tossing her head. "You'd be ready enough to believ

have not established the same character for truth. I have more than once had great reason to doubt

e's your favourite,"

d shall mark you for it in your weekly report. Can any of the rest of you th

aps Sallie tore her book herself, for I heard her say yesterday, th

w her lessons. "Yes, and I was going after the cows," said Charley Owen, "and I saw the school door open, and I thought may-be somebody was breaking in, so I ran and looked in at the door, and I saw Sallie sitting by Ellie's desk a writin

allie; "there was nobody here

, and then I ran off, and she

d Miss Layton, turning to the now abashed and confused Sallie.

d itself to Miss Layton's mind, while engaged in the duties of the day; and many a sile

nement, were not long in leaving the teacher alone with her refractory pupil. "Sallie," said Miss Layton, "you know tha

ing? you won't believe me, i

liged to inform your parents of your very bad behaviour. I wish you now to answer

"I didn't put it there, and if Ella Clinton found

rched me and known me. Thou knowest my down sitting, and mine uprising; thou understandest my thought afar off. Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways, for there is not a word in my tongue, but lo! O Lord, thou knowest it altogether.' God,

Sunday, when I can't fin

Book of books and the one which we should value above all others. But it seems y

mber," said S

ave all read this sad story, I shall not repeat it here; but if they have not read it, they will find it in the fifth chapter of Acts, and I hope they will

's hatred of that sin, such as, "Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord," "The lip of truth shall be established for ever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment," "A false

d whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.' You would look with abhorrence upon a murderer-one who had dipped his hands in the blood of his fellow-man-and yet you see that liars are put in the same catalogue, as being no better than they. But have you not really been a murderer in heart this day, Sallie? Have you not felt hatred to Ella, and a desire to do her harm? and is not that the

I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; but ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof: I also will laugh at your calamity: I will mock when your fear cometh.' But again, he tells us, 'I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, but rather that he turn from his evil way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die, O house o

home that night with a sad heart, for she could n

ther day, because you talked to her just as if she was the greatest sinner in the world, and she's just as good as other folks. And she's not going to have her abused; she won't let her stay where she's called a liar and a murderer. And Mrs. Barnes says, Sallie never told a lie in all her life, for she knows she'd get half ki

ommunications corrupt good manners,' and I fear she might have made some of the rest of you as bad as herself. But if Sallie has such a wicked mother, there is great allowance to b