Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-11-06
A Short Story about Honesty.

one evening poor man and his son, little bsy
sat by the way side, near the gate of an old town
in Germany The father took loaf of bread
which he had bought ia the town, and broke it, and
gave the half to his boy "Not so, father said the
boy: 81 shall not eat until after you. You have
been working hard all day. for small wages, to sup
port me; and you must be very hungry; shall wait
till you are done?'
@fou speak kindly, my SON. replied the pleased
father; 'your love to me does me more good than
my food; and those eyes remind me of your dear
mother who has left us, who told you to love me as
she used to do; and indeed, my boy you have been
q great strength and comfort to me; but now that
have eaten the first more to please YOU it is your
turn to eat"
"Thank yOu father; bat break this piece in two,
and take you little more; for you see the loaf is
not large, and You require much more than do
Il shall divide the loaf for yOn, my boy; but eat
it | shall not; have abundance; and let us thank
God for his great goodness in giving us food and in
giving us what is better STILL cheerful aud content
ed hearts. He who save Us the living bread from
heaven to nOurish our immortal souls, how shall he
not give al other food which is necessary to sup
port our mortal bodies?' The father and son thank
ed God and then began to cut the loaf in pieces
to begin their frugal meal But as they cut one
portion of the loaf, there fell ont several large
pieces of gold The litti'- boy gave shout Of JOY,
aud was springmg forward to grasp the unexpected
treasure when he was pulled ba ok by his father
''My son, my SON.. he cried do not touch the mon
ey; it is not ours i}ut whose Is it, father il it
is not ours" Il know moi as yet to whom it belongs
but, probably it was pat there by the baker, thro
some mistake We mnst inquire Run Bot
father" interrupted the boy. You are poor aud
needy and you have bought the loaf, and then the
baker may tell YOU a lie, and" - Il will not
listen to you, my boy; | bought the loaf but did
not buy the gold in it, II the baker sold it to me
in ignorance shall not be dishonest as TO take
advantage of him; remember him who told US to DO
to others as we would have others do to u.s. The
baker may possibly cheat US; am poor, indeed but
that is no sin. If share the poverty Of Jesus
Gods own Son, o! LET US also share his goodness
and trust in God. We may never be rich, but We
NAV always he honest We may die of starvation
but Gods will be done should we die in doing it,
Yes, my boy, trust God, and walk in his way, and
YOU shall never be put to shame. Now run to the
baker, and bring him here: ana | shall watch the
gold until he comes So the boy ran for the ba-
ker Brother workman said the old man, yon
have made some mistake, and almost lost your mon
ey:" and he showed the hoI-- ne gold. and told
how it had been found
"Is it thne?" asked the father "if it is, take it
away" My father, baker, is very poor, aud ~
"Silence, my cIild pat me not to shame by thy
complaints am glad that we have saved this man
from losing his money" The baker had been gaz-
inc alternately upon the honest father aud his eager
boy. and upon the gold which lay glitterinS upon
the green turf @ThOu art, indeed, an honest fri-
lew" said the baker; 'snd my neighbor. David the
flax dresser spoke but the truth when he said thou
vert the honestest man 10 our town. Now, shall
tell thee about the gold: stranger came to my shop
three lays ago and gave me that loaf and told me
to sell it cheapy or give it away to the houestest
moor man whom knew in the city. l told David
TO send thee to me- as a customer, this morning; as
thou wouldst not take the loaf for nothing, sold it
10 thee as thou knowest for the last pence in thy
purse: and the loaf with all its treasure eertes,
it is not sma-is thine; and God grant thee bless
ing with it,
The poor father bent his head to the ground.
while the tears fell from his eyes. His boy ran and
mt his hand about his neck, and said, 81 shall al
ways ike you my father trust God and do, what is
right, for am sure it win never put us to shame.
Ediuburg Christian Bagu>iae.