Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1849-04-13
What Is Lief

Harry was in the garden one morning, play.
ing with his hoop. lie had been told not 70
play hoop in the garden, but perhaps he had for.
gotten that. Al last the hoop went on 10 flow
er bed, and broke very fine tulip that lIatry's
father set a great value upon.
Harry had heard him say that he priced this
tulip more than any other flower in his garden.
Father will be very angry, dare say said
Harry TO himself, but il cannot be helped now.
| wish | had not brought my hoop in the garden
at ALL
Just then his mother came into the garden.
Dear me- said she the high wind has broken
this beautiful tulip.
III was not the wind, mother; it was who
didh.'
You Harry, how could you do it, unless you
went on 'he bedl-which you ought not TO have
done.'
Il was rolling my hoop, mother, and it rolled
on the bed.'
4 think you have been told not to play your
hoop in the garden
Yes, mother; and am very sorry did so.'
And so am |, Harry; for your father will be
very much 'grieved at the loss of this flower
which he priced so highly. He will certainly
be very angry with you, and you deserve that he
should be so.
Then Harry's mother went in to breakfast
and he was going to follow her, when John, the
new gardner, came by.
why, master Harry said he, what need was
there to say you broke the tulipl If you had
held your tongue, your father would have tho't
the wind did it, and you would not have been
scolded; for should have SAID nothing about it
promise YOU
4 never tell a lie, John said Harry.
1T would not have been telling a lie, sir; you
had no occasion to say a word, when your mo.
ther said the wind had broken the tulip. How
could that have been telling lief
1T would have been just the same thing, said
Harry; 'Gor it is quite as bad to deceive any one
as to tell lie; and if had let my mother think
it was the wind that broke The tulip, it would
have been deceiving her,
And what did that signify? said John; sit
was not as if you had laid the blame on some
body else. | said it for your own sake, master
Harry, thinking it might have saved you a scol-
ding, that's all; but if you don't care about it
why we'll and good
w SdtS dUOut lhS SOuut ouu oOill
for what have dene; bnt it would be making
the matter great deal worse to tell my father
q lie about it,
The gardner muttered to himself in sulky
tone, that some folks were more nice than wise
and taking up his waterng.pot was turning away
when he heard voice calling him back.
1t was Harry's father who was on the other
side Of the garden wall. He had heard every
word that had passed, and now came in at the
gate. 4 am very glad Harry said he, that you
have so proper a sense of what is right.
Truth, my boy, is the best and nobest of all
virtues. Those who pay strict regard to truth
are sure to be esteemed and respected. would
rather lose all the flowers in my garden, than
have cause to think that my son would try to
deceive me. To deceive either by word or deed
IS to be guilty of Galsehood. Nothing is so mean
and base.
Il will not keep any person about me, whose
word | cannot trust; therefore, John, you must
lut my service this day.
'Now, Harry, let US go in to breakfast