"Kindness and persuasion often does--"

"I will hear no more of that!" quickly returned Mr. Howland; "and I
wish you, once for all, to understand, Esther, that I will not
consent to an interference on your part with what I believe to be my
duty. Thousands of children have been ruined by this weak kindness
and persuasion, but this shall never be the case with mine."

Mr. Howland did not observe that his wife caught her breath, as he
uttered the first few words of his harsh report. She made no further
answer, but passed on with her husband to the tea-room. But she ate
nothing. Dreamily rested her eyes on vacancy, as she sat at the
table. Her mind took no note of images pictured on the retina, for
her thoughts were in another place, and with her inner vision she
saw the sad form of her wronged and suffering child shrinking in the
lone chamber where he had been banished.

"Shall I take Andrew some supper?" she asked, as she arose, at
length, from the table.

"He can have some bread and water," was coldly and briefly answered.

Will any one blame the mother, that she went beyond this? A few
minutes afterward she entered the room in which Andrew had been
punished, bearing in her hands a small tray, on which was a cup of
milk and water, some toast, and a piece of cake. The twilight had
already fallen, and dusky shadows had gathered so thickly that the
eyes of Mrs. Howland failed to see her child on first entering the
room.