University of Virginia Library

MORAL TRAINING.

MORAL training," said Mrs. Partington, "is the best, arter all." She had heard some one in the omnibus speaking of moral training, and her benevolence gave it into the charge of memory until she got home, and memory revolved it, and pondered it, and reviewed it, and fancy construed it to mean something about the military training that was to come off the next day.

"I hope it will be a moral training, I'm shore," said she; "for I see tho Gov'nor is to be there in his new suit, and I hope they'll make their revolutions well before him. I do admire the millintery, where the sogers in their fancy unicorns look jest like a patchwork quilt. They was n't moral trainings in old times, when men put 'enemies into their heads to steal away their hats,' as Mr. Smooth, the schoolmaster, used to say. Your Uncle Paul had a good deal of millintery sperrit sometimes, Isaac."

Ike had remained very quiet while she was speaking.

"What upon airth are you doing there, Isaac?" cried she.

The young gentleman readily told her he was painting a horse, at the same time displaying an animal, nominally of that description, done beautifully in blue, which he appeared to look on with much satisfaction.

"But what are you painting it with? As true as I'm alive you've got your Uncle Paul's tompion that he used to wear in his cap so long ago, and you're using up all my bluing!"

That pompon, saved for so many years, to be used for such a purpose! Ah, Ike, Ike! we fear the old lady will have sad times with thee yet. Why didst thou, yester even, secrete the large ball of yarn for thine own purposes, which to-morrow she will seek for in vain? Say, why?