Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1853-10-15
Thc Honest BOY.

recoIloct Saturday afternoon when we
were all off in the woods gathering chrstn"ls,
and had received permission 10 get as many
as we wanted in The woods OF Mr. Richards;
bat not finding them as abundant there as
We expected. we were quito dispose TO cross
tho hill, and try the trees on the farm OF an
other man, 10 whom we had made no appl.
cLon The whole party agreed 10 il ex-
crp' James and one other. They stood out
decidedly; and when il was urged that the
owner would have no objection TO oar get
llng them, James, who WAS always ready
wah a rcasoa, sad that WAS an argument
against stealing them. II would be wrong
To take them, Il" sad, from min who was
sugy, and surely IT would be wrong and
very mean 10 take them without leave from
man vino would give them TO us il we
ask him.
Yes" the res, said; "but who is going 10
ask him! 1t IS mure than mile down to his
house, and nobody will go that far 10 ask for
chestnHts' 4.r
IL will go," said James, "if you will all
promise 10 slay here till come lack; or il
you are in such hurry TO get The nuts. jus.
lock out for me, and WHEN come out of the
lane down there a, the foot of the hill, if
swing my cap you may s,arb and will come
on and get as many rs | want" ......
agreed agreedl'' they all cried, and
away went James on the full run down the
hill. He was not long on the way; he did
MOI lot the grass grow Inder his feet; and il
was not more than twenty minutes before
he made his appearance, swinging his hal
with all his might. The boys set up shout
that he might have heard, and were Just
starting of inr The woods when one of them
said he thought il too bad I" leave Jimmy
10 come on alone. whrn he had taken so much
irnuble for them. This was received ~iIl
general appl lius,, aud We all ran down to
tnrl, him, aud when We met MIN, his face
was all bcamng with smiles, and he sad The
old tlrmor told him we might got as nlny
as Wo liked, cnly we must moi break our
necEa Th,s we had no notion of doing,
snd aft'r We had picked IS many as We cuuld
wcii cary hom,, we left, and, tired with our
afIctnoon's work, trudgrd back 10 school,
As we weIe walking homeward, with less
cxcitem than when we came up, one oI
ihe boys sad the chestnuts were very heavy.
"But they are not 81 heavy" said James
Simpson, las they would have been il wo had
hooked them" .... .....
Right for you, and you are always right,
or about right" The nlher answered. and by
common consent il was agreed that in all
future cxpaduinns W. would respect the
righ' of property. and never enlcr even The
woods OF "a MIN 10 get his fruit without irsl
g .nng his permission
Now tbs incident was very simple one;
hut IT hid II very strong aud lasting effect
upon tho who!e schonl. Not one of those
boys bur thought moro of James Simpson
,nan they did b.i.'re; and all of them felt iha,
iho way 10 ba happy, and take real comfort
IN the pursuit Of ri asure, was 10 do right,
But james aud The rest Of us--cxcept one
b ight fellow, III merriest Of that chrslnui
party, who died in Tho South, where he wrni
aI IA ccIk when he WIS sixteen years old
with lhs exception, (and drop tear as I
wrto,) we all grew up To be men. James
went lnio business, and the same strict re-
gard for tho rights Of others has marked him
all lha way through life, and gained for hin,
Tho confidence OF the whole community -
H. gave his time to his employers with The
most scrupillous integrity, for he said to him.
self, and sometimes he veniured Ia make the
remark TO tlooe who were with him in the
IIore, il was quite as wrong TO take an em.
'loyer' time as il was 10 take his money.