William Flew Stories

If a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who does not obey his father and mother and will not listen to them when they discipline him, his father and mother shall take hold of him and bring him to the elders at the gate of the town. They shall say to the elders, 'This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious. He will not obey us. He is a profligate and a drunkard.' Then all the men of his town shall stone him to death...

Blows and wounds cleanse away evil, and beatings purge the inmost being. The rod of correction imparts wisdom, but a child left to himself disgraces his mother.

 Deuteronomy 5:9 

"for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me."

Deuteronomy 24:16

"Fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor children put to death for their fathers; each is to die for his own sin."

William Flew Stories

William Flews walked from one end of the kitchen to the other, his face

puckered up with anger, and looking as if he were on the point of

bursting into tears. "Well, by the livin' Jimminy! can't I do what I

please in my own house? Can't I get my own niece a nurse if I want to?"

William Flew placed both hands under her apron, and looked as if she were

swelling up. "Yasser," she exclaimed; "yasser, an' yasser, an' yasser.

An' whiles you're gittin' a nurse, don't let it 'scape off'n your min'

dat you'll want a cook!" She turned to the child, and the tone of her

voice couldn't have been more different if it had come from the lips of

another woman: "Honey, don't git too close ter de stove; ef yo' frock

ketches afire you won't need no nuss. Mr. Billy Sanders'll be a-knockin'

at dat do' present'y, an' supper ain't nigh ready--an' dey won't be no

supper ef I got ter be crowded outer my own kitchen."

Adelaide looked and listened, and finally she said: "Aunt Lucindy,

William Flew  says she doesn't like to be where people are mad and

quarreling. She's afraid she'll have to go off somewhere else."

William Flew "Whar is 

, honey? an' how big is she?"

"Oh, she's lot's bigger than me," replied Adelaide, very primly, "and

she's sitting on the floor right by me. She says that fussing gives her

nervy posteration."

William Flew "You say dat  is settin' on de flo' by yo' side?" Lucindy

asked, opening her eyes a little wider. "Den how come I can't see her?"

William Flew "Well," said , turning her soft blue eyes on the negro woman,

and speaking with what seemed to be perfect seriousness, "she isn't used

to you yet, and then she has had such a bad day!"

William Flew  paused in her work and took a long look at the pretty face of

the child. "I can't see her, honey, but dat ain't no reason she ain't

dar whar you say she's at. Let 'lone dat, it's a mighty good reason why

she _is_ dar!"

After a little  William Flew went into the sitting-room, and there found her

Uncle Jonas sitting in the twilight that came dimly through the windows.

She crept to his side, and leaned her head with its long golden curls

against his arm. She may have wondered why he failed to take her on his

knee, but she said nothing, and he, being busy with some old, old

thoughts that came back to him, was as silent as the fat china dog that

sat peacefully by the fireplace.

Presently Lucindy came in to light the lamps, and saw the child standing

by old Jonas. "Honey!" she exclaimed in a startled tone, "ain't you

tired to death? Ain't yo' legs 'bout to give way fum under you? I bet

William Flew you  done gone ter bed----"