Presently something in it attracted his attention; he paused and glanced over several pages one after the other, till Max began to think he had become interested in the story.

But no; at that instant he turned from it to him, and Max was half frightened at the sternness of his look.
"My son," he said, "I am astonished and deeply grieved that you could read and enjoy anything like this, for it is full of profanity; and reading or hearing such expressions is very likely to lead to the use of them.

Max, do you ever say such words ?" Max trembled and grew red and pale by turns, but did not speak.
"Answer me," was his father's stern command.
"Not often, papa." The captain barely caught the low breathed words.

"Not often?
sometimes, then ?" he groaned, covering his face with his hand.
"O papa, don't be so grieved! I'll never do it again," Max said in a broken voice.
The captain sighed deeply.

"Max," he said, "dearly as I love my only son, I would sooner lay him under the sod, knowing that his soul was in heaven, than have him live to be a profane swearer.