A BOY stole a lesson-book from one of his schoolfellows and took

　　it home to his Mother. She not only abstained1 from beating him,

　　but encouraged him. He next time stole a cloak and brought it to

　　her, and she again commended him. The Youth, advanced to

　　adulthood, proceeded to steal things of still greater value. At

　　last he was caught in the very act, and having his hands bound

　　behind him, was led away to the place of public execution. His

　　Mother followed in the crowd and violently beat her breast in

　　sorrow, whereupon the young man said, "I wish to say something to

　　my Mother in her ear." She came close to him, and he quickly

　　seized her ear with his teeth and bit it off. The Mother

　　upbraided him as an unnatural2 child, whereon he replied, "Ah! if

　　you had beaten me when I first stole and brought to you that

　　lesson-book, I should not have come to this, nor have been thus

　　led to a disgraceful death."