72 THE PREVARICATION STORY.

an absolute lie.
“ At last, their father had to punish them,

and he did so once or twice, and determined
to do it more and more severely until this —

bad habit was broken up. While things
were in this state, their father told them, one
day, he wanted theif to go over to a neigh-

bor’s house at some distance, and lead a_

heiferthere. A heifer, you know, is a young
cow. ‘he farmer had fastened a_ halter
around the heifer’s neck, and then put the

end of the halter into the boys’ hands, for
them to lead her by. He charged them not |

to stop to play, but to come directly home,

and to bring the halter with them. So, one —

of the boys took hold of the halter and led
the heifer along, and the other walked by
his side.

“They did not stop to play by the way
as they went, but led the heifer on directly.
When they got to the house, they turned
the heifer out, and took the halter to return
home. But, unfortunately, there were some
boys there, and they asked them to go out
into the barn yard with them. The boys
thought they would go a few minutes, and

1

tioned them closely; for they would not tell |