"I have a good mind to deprive you both of your ride this afternoon as a punishment for your silly conduct. Go upstairs and let me hear no more quarreling." After Aunt Lucy and Amy had gone, Bo went into the kitchen to get Hetty's sympathy, she was always willing to listen to her boy, although she was provoked sometimes by his mischievous tricks. "Hetty, dear, don't you think Amy is an antiquated monkey?" "Oh, honey, don't call sister names." "Yes, I will; 'Monkey' is too good for her, I wish I knew of the horriblest animal ever was, I'd call Amy after it." "Now be a good boy, don't fight no more, and--" "Yes, I will fight; sister is so wicked; she's just a Mannypochia cobra." "Oh, law! Massa Bo, that's a awful name. What kind of a animal is it?" "Well, it's something like a big snake, only fifty times bigger, and it hisses and cracks your bones and--" "What you gwan do when you go to confession; you got to tell the names you call, and you ain't gwan to 'member dat big word." "Oh, I'll remember; I'll just say 'Father, my sister was so dreadful, she most broke my bones, so I called her the name of a snake that breaks bones.'" Hetty laughed, and asked Bo if he was "most ready for his first confessin," telling him he "better don't have too many bad things to tell on other people; Father gwan to tell you: 'Say child you come to tell you' own sins; I don't want to hear what you' sister done did.'" "But," insisted Bo, "the priest will listen when I tell him how Amy fights over the puppies." "Better don't, 'cause if you do, Father gwan give you two penances, one for your sins, and another for Amy's sins." BOLAX'S FIRST CONFESSION. Bolax having passed his ninth birthday, his mother thought it time he should make his first confession. Although well instructed and prepared for the great event, he had a dread of going to confession. It was September 8th, the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin; Mrs. Allen called her boy and told him she had decided on taking him to see a Jesuit priest. Bolax was delighted with the trip to town, but when he got near the church he wanted to run away. "Oh Mamma, dear," cried he, "I'll go some other time." Notwithstanding his resistance, his mother compelled him to enter the church. As soon as the child caught sight of the imposing interior, with its Altars, statues and pictures, he seemed suddenly overcome with awe, his whole manner changed, and dropping on his knees, he whispered: "Oh, Mamma, this is a very holy place! Oh, I can feel God right near me!" One of the Fathers came down the aisle and entered the confessional; Bolax followed him without any compulsion, and seemed thoroughly impressed with the sanctity of the act he was about to perform. There happened to be no other penitents, so the good Father came out of the box and spoke to the boy. "So this is your first confession," said he. "Well, my child, God bless you, and keep your soul ever as pure as it is today."