tors, "and now have the satisfaction of presenting him before this honorable Society." 3. "The prisoner will stand in the middle of the room, and look at me," said the presiding officer, in a tone of dignified severity. I was accordingly marched to the middle of the room and left alone, where I stood with folded arms, as became the grand occasion. 4. "Arthur Bonnicastle," said the officer, before mentioned, “you are brought before The High Society of Inquiry on a charge of telling so many lies that no dependence can be placed upon your words. What have you to reply to this charge. Are you guilty or not guilty?" 5. "I am not guilty. indignantly. Who says I am?" I exclaimed 6. "Henry Hulm, advance!" said the officer. Henry rose, and, walking by me, took a position near the officer, at the head of the room. 66 Henry Hulm, you will look upon the prisoner and tell the Society whether you know him." He is my chum," replied 7. "I know him well. He is Henry. 8. "What is his general character?" 9. "He is bright and very amiable." 10. "Do you consider him a boy of truth and veracity?" 11. "I do not." 12. What is the character of his falsehood?" 13. "He tells," replied Henry, "stunning stories about himself. Great things are always happening to him, and he is always performing the most wonderful deeds." 14. I now began, with great shame and confusion, to realize that I was to be exposed to ridicule. The tears came into my eyes and dropped from my cheeks, but I HIGH COURT OF INQUIRY. 35 would not yield to the impulse, either to cry, or to attempt to fly. 15. "Will you give us some specimens of his stories?” said the officer. 16. "I will," responded Henry, "but I can do it best by asking him questions." 17. “Very well," said the officer, with a polite bow, "pursue the course you think best." 18. " Arthur," said Henry, addressing me, directly, "did you ever tell me that, when you and your father were on the way to this school, your horse went so fast that he ran down a black fox in the middle of the road, and cut off his tail with the wheel of the chaise, and that you sent that tail home to one of your sisters to wear in her winter hat?" 19. “Yes, I did," I responded, my face flaming and painful with shame. 20. "Did your said horse really run down said fox in the middle of said road, and cut off said tail; and did you send home said tail to said sister to be worn in said hat?" inquired the judge, with a low, grum voice. "The prisoner will answer so that all can hear." 21. 66 No," I replied; and, looking for some justification of my story, I added, "but I did see a black fox a real black fox, as plain as day." 22. “Oh! Oh! Oh! ran around the room in chorus. "He did see a black fox, a real black fox, as plain as day!" 23. "The witness will pursue his inquiries," said the officer. 24. "Arthur," Henry continued, "did you tell me that, when on the way to this school, you overtook Mr. and Mrs. Bird in their wagon, that you were invited into the wagon by Mrs. Bird, and that one of Mr. Bird's horses chased a calf on the road, caught it by the ear, 3:4 ovon the fonco and broke its leg ?” 25. "I s'pose I did," I said, growing desperate. 26. "Did said horse really chase said calf, and catch him by said ear, and toss him over said fence, and break said leg?" inquired the officer. 27. "He didn't catch him by the ear," I replied doggedly, "but he really did chase a calf." 28. "Oh! Oh! Oh!" chimed in the chorus again. "He didn't catch him by the ear, but he really did chase a calf!" 29. "Witness," said the officer," you will pursue your inquiries." 30. "Arthur, did you, or did you not tell me," Henry continued, "that you have an old friend who is soon to go to sea, and that he has promised to bring you a male and female monkey, a male and female bird-of-paradise, a barrel of pine-apples, and a Shetland pony?" 31. "It doesn't seem as if I told you exactly that,” I replied. 32. "Did you, or did you not tell him so? said the officer, severely. 33. " Perhaps I did," I responded. 34. Did said friend, who is soon to go to said sea, really promise to bring you said monkeys, said birds-ofparadise, said pine-apples, and said pony? 35. "No," I replied, "but I really have an old friend who is going to sea, and he'll bring me anything I wish." 36. “Oh! Oh! Oh!" swept round the room again. "He really has an old friend who is going to sea, and he'll bring him anything he wishes." 37. Did you, or did you not," said Henry, turning to me again, “tell me that one day, when dining at your Aunt's, you saw a magic portrait of a boy, upon the wall, that came and went, and came and went, like a shadow HIGH COURT OF INQUIRY. 37 Oh! it did, it did, it did! little more that way-so! There- turn your head a volunteered Jack you, Henry. You never could imagine such a likeness." “Order! Order! Order!" swept around the room. 40. At this moment, a strange silence seized the assembly. All eyes were directed toward the door, upon which my back was turned. I wheeled around to find the cause of the interruption. There, in the door-way, towering above us all, and looking questioningly down upon the little assembly, stood Mr. Bird. 41. "What does this mean?" inquired the master. I flew to his side and took his hand. The officer who had presided, being the largest boy, explained that they had been trying to break Arthur Bonnicastle of lying, and that they were about to order him to report to the master for confession and correction. 42. Then, Mr. Bird took a chair, and patiently heard the whole story. Without a reproach, further than saying that he thought me much too young for experiments of the kind they had instituted in the case, he explained to them and to me the nature of my misdemeanors. 43. "The boy has a great deal of imagination," he said, “and a strong love of approbation. Somebody has probably flattered his power of invention, and, to secure admiration, he has exercised it, until he has acquired the habit of exaggeration. I am glad if he has learned, even by the severe means used, that, if he wishes to be loved and admired, he must always tell the exact truth, neither you had come to me, I could have told more nor less. If you all about the lad, and instituted a better mode of dealing with him. But I venture to say that he is cured. And he stooped, and lifted me to Aren't you, Arthur?" and looked into my eyes. 44. “I don't think I shall do it any more," I said. Bidding the boys disperse, he carried me down stairs into his own room, and charged me with kind counsel. I went out from the interview, humbled, and without a revengeful thought in my heart toward the boys who had brought me to my trial. I saw that they were my friends, and I was determined to prove myself worthy of their friendship. 66 45. Jack Linton was waiting for me on the piazza, and wished to explain to me that he hadn't anything against me. 'I went in with the rest of 'em, because they wanted me to," said Jack, "and because I wanted to see what it would be like; but, really, now, I don't object so much to 'blowing,' myself.” 46. I told him that I wasn't going to "blow" any more, and that I had arranged it all with Mr. Bird. He shook hands with me, and then stooped down and whispered, "You don't catch me trying any High old Society of Inquiries on a chap of your size, again.” J. G. Holland. VIII. THE YELLOW-BIRD'S NEST. HE skipped about in the aspen tree, And talked to himself, and blinked at me ; And, all the trembling foliage through, His under-dress was satin of gold; And, over his back, in graceful fold, He flapped the skirts of his fine black coat, And darted aloft, repeating his note, "I cheat-ed ye! I cheat-ed ye! I cheat-ed ye!" 2. I watched his flight. as, toward the dell, His graceful motions rose and fell; |