From the many years of difference between Ellen and Joseph, an infant brother having died between their ages, the boy was always petted and indulged by all. He was what would be called a smart child, and his sayings and doings were repeated and laughed at, until it was not strange, he considered himself a wonderful personage.
It was Joseph's great ambition to be old; and if money could have purchased him a dozen years, he would have given those around him no peace until he had added them to his life; but as even Aunt Clarissa, with all her desire that he should be gratified, could neither increase his stature, nor present him the moon for a toy—he was obliged to content himself with aping the dress and manners of a man. With this intent, he would often steal into his father's bedroom, and, arraying himself in stock and collar, would then mount his father's glasses on his nose, seize his cane, and with a rude, swaggering air saunter into the parlors.
"Joseph Saunders! I do believe there never was such a mischievous child!" Aunt Clarissa would exclaim. "How dare you take a clean collar, sir!" But at the same time, she would join most heartily in the shout of mirth with which his appearance was greeted by the others.
[CHAPTER II.]
GRIEF OVER YOUNG LIARS.
MR. SAUNDERS was a moral man, strictly honorable in his dealings with his fellow-men. He would have scorned the idea of cheating his patrons, or any one with whom he had to do; because such conduct was, in his opinion, mean and low. For a liar, he had the greatest contempt. Imagine, then, his horror when he found that neither of his daughters had the slightest regard for truth.
On one occasion he brought home a valuable book of engravings, lent him by a friend. For a few days, he was so much occupied, he had no time to examine it; but when he did, he found almost every page marred by marks of dirty fingers. Mortified and chagrined, he called, first, Alice and then Ellen, and holding up the volume, demanded an explanation. They both denied having touched the book, or even having seen it, and looked in his face, as they repeated the assertion, with such unblushing effrontery, he could not believe them to be the guilty ones.
A few days later, he met a young man at the bookstore who was on intimate terms in his family. Mr. Saunders was about purchasing a duplicate of the volume which had been so mysteriously injured, when the other remarked,—
"I told Ellen it was dangerous to handle a valuable book while eating fruit."
"What do you mean?" inquired the gentleman, a bright flush spreading all over his face. "Did you see Ellen with a book like this?"