ending
over the bed she had quickly seized a pair of gloves and a ribbon, which
were lying on the dressing-table, and slipped them up her sleeves. When
Miss Ophelia looked up again, the naughty little girl was standing with
meekly-folded hand as before.

'Now, Topsy, let me see you do this,' said Miss Ophelia, pulling the
clothes off again and seating herself.

Topsy, looking very earnest, did it all just as she had been shown. She
did it so quickly and well that Miss Ophelia was very pleased. But,
alas! as she was finishing, an end of ribbon came dangling out of her
sleeve.

'What is this?' said Miss Ophelia, seizing it. 'You naughty, wicked
child--you have been stealing this.'

The ribbon was pulled out of Topsy's own sleeve. Yet she did not seem a
bit ashamed. She only looked at it with an air of surprise and
innocence.

'Why, that's Miss Feely's ribbon, an't it? How could it a got into my
sleeve?'

'Topsy, you naughty girl, don't tell me a lie. You stole that ribbon,'

'Missis, I declare I didn't. Never seed it till dis blessed minnit.'

'Topsy,' said Miss Ophelia, 'don't you know it is wicked to tell lies?'

'I never tells no lies, Miss Feely,' said Topsy. 'It's jist the truth
I've been, tellin' now. It an't nothin' else.'

[Illustration]

'Topsy, I shall have to whip you, if you tell lies so.'

'Laws, missis, if you whip's all day, couldn't say no other way,' said
Topsy, beginning to cry. 'I never seed dat ribbon. It must a caught in
my sleeve. Miss Feely must'a left it on the bed, and it got caught in
the clothes, and so got in my sleeve.'

Miss Ophelia was so angry at such a barefaced lie that she caught Topsy
and shook her. 'Don't tell me that again,' she said.

The shake brought the gloves on the floor from the other sleeve.

'There,' said Miss Ophelia, 'will you tell me now you didn't steal the
ribbon?'

Topsy now confessed to stealing the gloves. But she, still said she had
not taken the ribbon.

'Now, Topsy', said Miss Ophelia kindly, 'if you will confess all about
it I won't whip you this time.'

So Topsy confessed to having stolen both the ribbon and the gloves. She
said she was very, very sorry, and would never do it again.

'Well, now, tell me,' said Miss Ophelia, 'have you taken anything else
since you have been in the house? If you confess I won't whip you.'

'Laws, missis, I took Miss Eva's red thing she wears on her neck.'

'You did, you naughty child! Well, what else?'