hearing such expressions is very likely to lead to the use of them. Max,
do you ever say such words?"

Max trembled and grew red and pale by turns, but did not speak.

"Answer me," was his father's stern command.

"Not often, papa."

The captain barely caught the low breathed words. "Not often? sometimes,
then?" he groaned, covering his face with his hand.

"O papa, don't be so grieved! I'll never do it again," Max said in a
broken voice.

The captain sighed deeply. "Max," he said, "dearly as I love my only son,
I would sooner lay him under the sod, knowing that his soul was in heaven,
than have him live to be a profane swearer. Bring me that Bible from the
table yonder."

The boy obeyed.

"Now turn to the twenty-fourth chapter of Leviticus, and read the
sixteenth verse."

Max read in a trembling voice, "'And he that blasphemeth the name of the
Lord, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall
certainly stone him; as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land,
when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death.'"