to his head, as if to ascertain whether he was in a sound sleep. She
then took a knife from off the table, felt the edge, looked at my
prostrate father, and raised it. I would have screamed, but my tongue
was glued to my lips with horror. She appeared to reflect, and, after a
time, laid the knife down on the table, put the palm of her hand up to
her forehead, and then a smile gleamed over her moody features. "Yes, if
he murders me; but they will be better," muttered she at last. She went
to the cupboard, took out a large pair of scissors, and, kneeling down
by my father, commenced severing his long pigtail from his head. My
father was too sound asleep to be roused: in a minute the tail was off,
and my mother rose up, holding it, with an expression of the utmost
contempt, between her finger and thumb. She then very softly laid it
down by his side, and replaced the scissors in the cupboard. As I
expected that she would go upstairs again, I concealed myself in the
back kitchen. I was correct in my supposition. A moment afterward I
heard her ascending the stairs and go into her own room.

I must say that I felt indignant at this conduct of my mother's, as, so
far from provocation, she had hardly received the reward of previous
treachery. I believe, however, that, like most people, I was actuated by
my own feelings toward my mother, who had treated me so unkindly. I
thought for a little while--what would my mother do? She would hardly
remain in the house, to meet the wrath of my father, when he made the
discovery. She would escape him; this I had no wish that she should do;
so I went softly into the front parlor and pushed my father to awake
him. For some time this was useless; he muttered and growled, but it
appeared impossible to rouse him. There were the remains of a jug of
water on the table; and, as I had seen the same thing done before to a
drunken sailor, I took the jug, and poured the water softly on the nape
of his neck. In a minute or two this had the effect of waking him. He