The Charlotte journal. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1835-1851, 1849-06-08
Kindness. tic Best E'unislirncn

A Quaker Of most exemplary character,
was disturbed one night b. footsteps around
his dacllIng aud he arose from his bed,
and cautiously opened back door to re-
connoitrc. Close by was On out house,
and under it cellar, near window Of
which he saw man busily engaged in
receiving the contents Of his pork, barrel
from smother within the cellar. The old
man approached, and the msT outside fed.
lie stepped UP to the. cellar window and re.
ce'red The pieces Of pork from the thief
within, Who, after a ltile while, asked his
supposed accomplicr, 10 a whisper, Shall
We take it ali = The owner Of The pork
said softly. Yes, take II ALL and the thief
indus,riously handed up The balance through
the window, and then came up himself
Imagine his CONSERVATION when, Instead of
greeting his companion in crime, he was
confronted by The Quaker. Both were
asronshed, for the thief proved TO be
near ne,ghbor Of whom none would have
suspected such conduct, He plead for
mercy, begged the old man no, to expose
hun, spoke Of The necessities Of poverty,
and promised faithfully never 10 steal a.
gan.
II thou bads, asked me for meat, sold
The old Wan, At would have been given
'hee. | PITY thy poverty and thy weakness,
The thief was greatly uJniced, and was
abou, 10 depart, when the old man said,
: take the pork, neighbour
No, no, SAID the thief, : don. want
the pork
Thy necessity was SO grca, that i, led
bee to steal, One half of the pork thou
must take with thee
The thief insisted he could never ca,
motsel Of it. The thoughts of the crime
would make i, choke hm. IL begged The
privilege letting 1t alone. But the old man
wss lucotrgrble, and, furnishing the thief
with a bag, had half the pork pu, therein,
aud laying II upon his back, sen, him home
with il. lilo met his ne ghbor daily for many
years aiiersatd, ard their families visited
together, but the matter was kept a secre,
and though in after tune the circumstance
was mentioned, the name of the delinquent
was never known. The punishment, was
severe and eiiec,ua!. II was probably his
first, it was certainly his last attempt to
steal.
Had tho man been arraigned before
court OF justice, and imprisoned for The .
petty THEFT, how d'1ereLt nigh, have been
The result. His family d,sgraccd, their
peace destroyed, tho mans character ru
med and bis spiri, broken. Revenge, not
penilence, would have swayed his heart
The scorn of the world would have black.
ened his future, and in all probability he
would have entered upon course Of crime
at Wbich, when The frs. offence was com.
united, his soul would have shuddered.-
And wha, would the owner Of the pork
have gained Absolutely nothing. Kind.
ness was the best punishment, for it saved
while i, punished.
The following illustration in poih, is 60.
ing the rounds Of the newspapers:
Isaac Hopper, who was a member of
the Friends Society in Philadelphia, cnce
heard coloted man, a printer, by the
name Of Cain, hardened wretch, using
prolane language, and the most horrid
oatbs, while engaged in stree. fight and
supposiug persuasion would have no effec.
upon him, he took him before magistrate
who fined him for biasphemy. Twenty
years after, Isaac met Cain, while travel.
ling, aud observed that his appearance was
very much changed that his dress was
tauercd, and his counienance cure.worn.
This touched the Friends heart, and be
stepped up and shook hands with, and
spoke kindly to the foloIn being. At FIRST
Cam did not recognise him, when the Qua.