corner with a challenge to a competitive show for
tops. The silver "quarter" was in the same pocket with Robby's new air
top and card, the pride of his soul. He may have drawn it out with his
handkerchief when he wiped his face after the game. The tempter may
have known more about it than the tempted suspected. At any rate, the
money was not to be found, and he was close by and ready with his
proposition when Robby discovered the loss.

"Mamma will certainly scold me this time," he subjoined, turning every
pocket inside out, and staring distractedly up and down the street. "I
lost ten cents last week, and she told me to be more careful."

"Don't tell her! And don't pay for the lemons. When the bill comes in,
your mamma will have forgotten all about sending you for them, or she
will think the lemon-feller made a mistake. I know lots of real gamey
fellers who get out of scrapes that way. It's only milk-sops who run
to mammy with every little bother."

The experiment thus suggested and urged, was a success until mamma
demanded the change.

"He said there wasn't any!" faltered the errand-boy.

"No change! out of twenty-five cents!" Then with a searching look at
the scarlet face painfully averted--"_Robby!_"

The "milk-sop" bethought himself of the "gamey fellers."

"Honest-true, mamma!" he plucked up courage to say.

"Put on your hat, my son, and go with me to the store where you bought
the lemons. There is something wrong when my boy cannot look me in the
eyes!"

Thus came about the tragedy that darkened the June day for the whole
Wilcox household. It was at nine o'clock on Saturday morning that the
falsehood was detected. At two P.M. Mrs. Wilcox brought up the
prisoner's dinner. Only bread and water! He had smelled the savory
soup and roast lamb, and the cook had hinted at strawberry short-cake
when he passed, whistling, through the kitchen, turning the silver
quarter over in his pocket. That was almost five hours ago, and he was
to lie here until supper-time, _alone_! When he had eaten the bread of
affliction, seasoned with tears of self-pity and remorse, mamma
re-appeared with papa.

"My son!" said the latter, "I would rather have you die in your
innocent boyhood than grow up a _liar_! Tell the straight, simple
truth always and everywhere. No brave man will lie. Papa does not want
his boy to be a coward. No honest man will deceive or tell a
falsehood. Papa does not want his boy to be a cheat!"

Mrs. Wilco