bear this provoking invasion of her realm with patience. In an angry
tone, she ordered the intruder to leave the closet, but he took no
notice of the command. She repeated the order, making it more emphatic
by calling him a "plague" and a "torment," but he did not heed it.
Then she threatened to tell his parents of his misconduct, but this had
no effect. Oscar continued his search for some minutes, but without
success; and he finally concluded to make his supper of bread and
butter, since he could find nothing more tempting to his appetite.

The fact was, Oscar was getting in the habit of being absent from his
meals, and calling for food at unseasonable hours, much to the
annoyance of Bridget. She had complained of this to his mother several
times, without effect; and now she thought she would try a little
expedient of her own. So, when she cleared away the supper-table that
evening, before Oscar came home, she hid away the cake and pies with
which the others had been served, and left only bread and butter in the
closet. She gained her end, but the boy, in rummaging for the hidden
articles, had made her half an hour's extra work, in putting things to
rights again.

As Oscar stepped out of the closet, after his solitary supper, he moved
towards the youngest of the other boys, saying:

"Here, George, open your mouth and shut your eyes, and I 'll give you
something to make you wise."

George declined the gift, but Oscar insisted, and tried to force it
upon him. A struggle ensued, and both rolled upon the floor, the one
crying and screaming with anger, and the other laughing as though he
considered it good fun. George shut his teeth firmly together, but