"First tell me, Ellen," said her aunt, "what is a lie?"
The young girl shook her head, while Frank, in rather a condescending tone, explained,—
"That which is not true, of course."
"I beg pardon, my son," suggested the doctor, smiling. "Suppose, for instance, Mrs. Holmes, whom I left very ill, should die suddenly, without my knowledge. Your mother asks, 'Is Mrs. Holmes living?' I say, 'Yes;' and I say it honestly, believing it to be true; and yet it may not be true after all. Still I do not tell a lie."
"What is a lie, then, sir?"
"A lie is an intention to deceive. The words are spoken, or the motions made, for the purpose of deceiving. If, as Mary says, not a word is spoken, by a nod of assent, or a shake of the head, you may give and intend to give a false impression, and thus be guilty of lying."
"Do you remember, father," asked Mary, "how dreadfully Abby Jones's brother was whipped at school, because she nodded her head to assure the teacher that he took her dinner out of the pail?"
"Yes; they had quarrelled, and she had threatened to be revenged on him. So when the teacher, who had forbidden such thefts, repeatedly questioned her as to her brother's fault, and whether he did it, she, by a nod, gave her testimony against him."
"Oh, what an ugly girl!" exclaimed Ellen, warmly.
"But you are not under oath, and therefore, not obliged to say all you think of her conduct," whispered Frank, with a laugh.