for the holidays; but I will not catch the birching...

'So believe me your dear Son,

'J. C. PATTESON.'


On the flap of the letter 'Uncle Frank' writes to the mother:--


'My dear Fanny,--I had Coley in my room to-day, and talked to him
seriously about his misdeeds, and I hope good has been done. But I
could scarcely keep my countenance grave when he began to reduce by
calculation the exact number of fibs he had told. He did not think
it was more than two or three at the utmost: and when I brought him
to book, I had much to do to prevent the feeling that the sin
consisted in telling many lies. However the dear boy's confession
was as free as could be expected, and I have impressed on his mind
the meanness, cowardice, and wickedness of the habit, and what it
will end in here and hereafter. He has promised that he will never
offend in future in like manner, and I really believe that his desire
to be away from the school and at ease among his friends induced him
to trump up the invitations, &c., to Mr. Cornish, in which consisted
his first fibs. I shall watch him closely, as I would my own child;
and Cornish has done wisely, I think, by giving the proper punishment
of confining him to the school-court, &c., and not letting him go to
his friends for some time. The dear boy is so affectionate, and has
so much to work on, that there is no fear of him; only these things
must be looked after promptly, and he must learn practically (before
his reason and religion operate) that he gains nothing by a lie... He