“What for?”
“Oh, to discipline us! Haven't I told you so, over and over again?”
“It's awful cruel, mama! And silly! and if I——”
“Hush, oh, hush! Do you want to bring the lightning?”
“You know the lightning did come last week, mama, and struck the new church, and burnt it down. Was it to discipline the church?”
(Wearily.) “Oh, I suppose so.”
“But it killed a hog that wasn't doing anything. Was it to discipline the hog, mama?”
“Dear child, don't you want to run out and play a while? If you would like to——”
“Mama, only think! Mr. Hollister says there isn't a bird, or fish, or reptile, or any other animal that hasn't got an enemy that Providence has sent to bite it and chase it and pester it and kill it and suck its blood and discipline it and make it good and religious. Is that true, mother—because if it is true why did Mr. Hollister laugh at it?”
“That Hollister is a scandalous person, and I don't want you to listen to anything he says.”