After that I was more careful, and got on better, for I feared the big scissors.

Yet the dear grandmother was most kind to me in all things, and when she lay dying far away in Nuremberg, she prayed that little Fritz might love God and tell the truth." "I never had any grandmothers, but if you think it will cure me, I'll let you snip my tongue," said Nat, heroically, for he dreaded pain, yet did wish to stop fibbing.
Mr.Bhaer smiled, but shook his head.
"I have a better way than that, I tried it once before and it worked well.

See now, when you tell a lie I will not punish you, but you shall punish me." "How ?" asked Nat, startled at the idea.
"You shall ferule me in the good old-fashioned way; I seldom do it myself, but it may make you remember better to give me pain than to feel it yourself." "Strike you?
Oh, I couldn't!" cried Nat.
"Then mind that tripping tongue of thine.

I have no wish to be hurt, but I would gladly bear much pain to cure this fault." This suggestion made such an impression on Nat, that for a long time he set a watch upon his lips, and was desperately accurate, for Mr.Bhaer judged rightly, that love of him would be more powerful with Nat that fear for himself.

But alas! one sad day Nat was off his guard, and when peppery Emil threatened to thrash him, if it was he who had run over his garden and broken down his best hills of corn, Nat declared he didn't, and then was ashamed to own up that he did do it, when Jack was chasing him the night before.
He thought no one would find it out, but Tommy happened to see him, and when Emil spoke of it a day or two later, Tommy gave his evidence, and Mr.Bhaer heard it.