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 but kneel right down in the aisle—she wuz next to the pew door—and right while the minister wuz talkin', prayed loud for the Lord to stop that boy that wuz plaguin' her, and, sez she, 'if he won't stop, dear Lord, kill him.' I thought I should die with shame, and you can't say you ever heard Whitfield or me pray to have anybody killed."

"No, Tirzah Ann, nobody ever heard that from you or Whitfield; but," sez I, "do you remember what part of the Bible you are reading now at mornin' prayers?"

"It is the Old Testament," sez she.

"Well, them old prophets used to git awful mad at their enemies and pray for the Lord to smite 'em hip and thigh, and kill 'em, etc. Of course Delight heard you read, she always listens to everything she hears, and I spoze she thought if that wuz Bible talk it wuz good enough for her."

"Well, what can we do, mother?" sez Tirzah. "You know we are reading it through by course, and we want to read every word of it or it won't be by course."

"Of course not," sez I.

"But is there any decree or law of Providence compellin' you to read the Bible by course at family prayers? The Bible is a precious mine of riches where each can get the wealth he or she needs and desires, but, as in the case of other mines where gold and jewels are found, there is some earth, some alloy with it. You wouldn't mount a slate stun and wear it on your bosom because it wuz found side by side with a diamond. In my opinion lots of the talk in the Old Testament, the breathin' of vengeance and slaughter and rapine, etc., is not exactly the food to bring up young children on."