Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1850-05-22


lie medl,a,cd some minutes. Conscience
now became urgent in i,s demands. Bu'
he was ashamed to 60 back. lie wished
he had obeyed his first honest impulse
He felt very unhappy. Bot he must no
delay. He had already been good white
about his errand. He took up his jug.
He was undecided whether TO 90 forward
or to return. lie stood one moment, and
determlned-to 90 back.
/ |, was hard task 10 truds se back three
long squares, with heavy jig "nhou,
handle and more than once, he had al
most determined TO give up fI5 honest res
ouriun. Bu, h pcrsevercd, reached ihi
store, and set down his load. You have
given me too much change" said he. pre-
Sentng the four pIs,areeus 10 Mr.. W.. ;
- you have given me four quarter dollars,
instead Of three q" And how lar had
you got before you discovered the mls.akeF
said Mr.. ". This was a srumper ior
John had discovered il tefnre he left The
store, aud he now imagined that the drug
gi>, was acquainted with the whole circum-
stance. But such was no, the fact Mr..
" knew that from the time John had
been gone, he must have got 10 some dis.
,ance, and he wished to know how far.
Supposing, from his silence. tina. he did
not understand him, he repeated the ques-
ZION IN another shape say how far,
my boy, have you been since yon were
here,' John recovered from his emhar
rassmcn,. "To CaIowhil street, si-. "
Z" You think there IS a quarter too much do
you well YOU may have that for your
honesty" John thanked hit,, 1rd put.
ting the pjsiareens into his pocket. without
Susgccting the Joke, he resumed his burlhen,
with l,r different feelings from those that
had filed his bosom half an hour before.
As he vas about leaving the store, Stop.
nv man. said Mr.. w, 81 viii no! de-
ceive ,ou. You have your right change
The oil is twenty cents. and those four
pieces are not quarter dollars, they are
twenty ceat rieces." .'ilere Is quarter" ."
continued the benevolent store-keeper,
taking one from his drawer, which will
give YOU. You can notice the difference
between Them, as you 60 home and lie;
me advise you airays 10 deal as honestly
as you haze TO day"
Who can imagine the feelings CT the
bow, " hen he saw the real state OF the
matter and knew. in an instant, that,
had he pcrsevered in his sinful project, he
must, from the very nature Of The circum.
stances. have been discovered Had
carried ou, my frs, Intentions said he TO
me, when he related the anecdoIe, &"
should nave handed my brother three Of
the pislareens. He would of course have
asked for The balance. and | should have
been driven 10 add lslsehood To my cflmc,
by saying iha. was all hegave me. 10 all
probability | should have been detected.
aud sen, back 10 my father in disgrace. II
would have stamped my character with
dishonesty, from which nigh, never
have recovered" As it was, he picked
up his jug, and "ih ish, hear, and rapid
step proceeded up the street. He was so
rejoiced at the happy result, and so thank
ful for his preservation, that he set out Oh
a run, and did no, feel the old string cut
his fingers till he reached the third corner.
where he had resolved upon returning to
the store.
During thirty.fve years that he lived
after this event, he never forgot the lesson
it taugh, him +; and throughout his life, in
private business, and in public office, he
ever acted under the firm conviction that
/" honesty is the best policy"