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sliding of the short screen… curtains before the singers along by their clinking rings； and now and then a premonitory groan or squeak from bass…viol or violin； as if the instruments were clearing their throats； and finally the sudden uprising of that long row of heads in the 〃singing…seats。〃
My tallest and prettiest grown…up sister； Louise； stood there among them； and of all those girlish； blooming faces I thought hers the very handsomest。 But she did not open her lips wide enough to satisfy me。 I could not see that she was singing at all。
To stand up there and be one of the choir； seemed to me very little short of promotion to the ranks of cherubim and seraphim。 I quite envied that tall； pretty sister of mine。 I was sure that I should open my mouth wide； if I could only be in her place。 Alas！ the years proved that； much as I loved the hymns； there was no music in me to give them voice； except to very indulgent ears。
Some of us must wait for the best human gifts until we come to heavenly places。 Our natural desire for musical utterance is perhaps a prophecy that in a perfect world we shall all know how to sing。 But it is something to feel music； if we cannot make it。 That； in itself； is a kind of unconscious singing。
As I think back to my childhood； it seems to me as if the air was full of hymns； as it was of the fragrance of clover…blossoms； and the songs of bluebirds and robins； and the deep undertone of the sea。 And the purity； the calmness； and the coolness of the dear old Sabbath days seems lingering yet in the words of those familiar hymns； whenever I bear them sung。 Their melody penetrates deep into my life； assuming me that I have not left the green pastures and the still waters of my childhood very far behind me。
There is something at the heart of a true song or hymn which keeps the heart young that listens。 It is like a breeze from the eternal hills； like the west wind of spring； never by a breath less balmy and clear for having poured life into the old generations of earth for thousands of years； a spiritual freshness； which has nothing to do with time or decay。
IV。
NAUGHTY CHILDREN AND FAIRY TALES。
ALTHOUGH the children of an earlier time heard a great deal of theological discussion which meant little or nothing to them； there was one thing that was made clear and emphatic in all the Puritan training： that the heavens and earth stood upon firm foundationsupon the Moral Law as taught in the Old Testament and confirmed by the New。 Whatever else we did not understand； we believed that to disobey our parents； to lie or steal； had been forbidden by a Voice which was not to be gainsaid。 People who broke or evaded these commands did so willfully； and without excusing themselves； or being excused by others。 I think most of us expected the fate of Ananias and Sapphira； if we told what we knew was a falsehood。
There were reckless exceptions； however。 A playmate； of whom I was quite fond； was once asked； in my presence； whether she had done something forbidden； which I knew she had been about only a little while before。 She answered 〃No；〃 and without any apparent hesitation。 After the person who made the inquiry had gone； I exclaimed； with horrified wonder； 〃How could you？〃
Her reply was； 〃Oh； I only kind of said no。〃 What a real lie was to her； if she understood a distinct denial of the truth as only 〃kind…of〃 lying； it perplexed me to imagine。 The years proved that this lack of moral perception was characteristic； and nearly spoiled a nature full of beautiful gifts。
I could not deliberately lie； but I had my own temptations； which I did not always successfully resist。 I remember the very spot in a footpath through a green fieldwhere I first met the Eighth Commandment； and felt it looking me full in the face。
I suppose I was five or six years old。 I had begun to be trusted with errands； one of them was to go to a farmhouse for a quart of milk every morning； to purchase which I went always to the money… drawer in the shop and took out four cents。 We were allowed to take a 〃small brown〃 biscuit； or a date； or a fig； or a 〃gibral… tar；〃 sometimes； but we well understood that we could not help ourselves to money。
Now there was a little painted sugar equestrian in a shop…window down town； which I had seen and set my heart upon。 I had learned that its price was two cents； and one morning as I passed around the counter with my tin pail I made up my mind to possess myself of that amount。 My father's back was turned； he was busy at his desk with account…books and ledgers。 I counted out four cents aloud； but took six； and started on my errand with a fascinating picture before me of that pink and green horseback rider as my very own。
I cannot imagine what I meant to do with him。 I knew that his paint was poisonous； and I could not have intended to eat him； there were much better candies in my father's window； he would not sell these dangerous painted toys to children。 But the little man was pretty to look at； and I wanted him； and meant to have him。 It was just a child's first temptation to get possession of what was not her own；the same ugly temptation that produces the defaulter； the burglar； and the highway robber； and that made it necessary to declare to every human being the law； 〃Thou shalt not covet。〃
As I left the shop； I was conscious of a certain pleasure in the success of my attempt； as any thief might be； and I walked off very fast； clattering the coppers in the tin pail。
When I was fairly through the bars that led into the farmer's field； and nobody was in sight； I took out my purloined pennies； and looked at them as they lay in my palm。
Then a strange thing happened。 It was a bright morning； but it seemed to me as if the sky grew suddenly dark； and those two pennies began to burn through my hand； to scorch me； as if they were red hot； to my very soul。 It was agony to hold them。 I laid them down under a tuft of grass in the footpath； and ran as if I had left a demon behind me。 I did my errand； and returning； I looked about in the grass for the two cents； wondering whether they could make me feel so badly again。 But my good angel hid them from me； I never found them。
I was too much of a coward to confess my fault to my father； I had already begun to think of him as 〃an austere man；〃 like him in the parable of the talents。 I should have been a much happier child if I bad confessed； for I had to carry about with me for weeks and months a heavy burden of shame。 I thought of myself as a thief； and used to dream of being carried off to jail and condemned to the gallows for my offense： one of my story…books told about a boy who was hanged at Tyburn for stealing； and how was I better than he？
Whatever naughtiness I was guilty of afterwards； I never again wanted to take what belonged to another； whether in the family or out of it。 I hated the sight of the little sugar horseback rider from that day； and was thankful enough when some other child had bought him and left his place in the window vacant。
About this time I used to lie awake nights a good deal； wondering what became of infants who were wicked。 I had heard it said that all who died in infancy went to heaven； but it w