Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-07-04
THE FoRTUNATE LOAF.

-
One evening poor man and his son,
little boy, sat by the wayside, near the
gate of an old town in Germany. The
father took loaf of bread, which he had
bought in the town. and broke it and
gave one half to his boy. :. Not SO fa-
ther," said the boy 3" shall not eat
until after you. You have been working
hard all day for small wages. to support
me and you must be very hungry l
shall wait till you are DONE"
% You speak kindly. my son." replied
the pleased father your love to me
does me more good than my food. and
those eyes of yours remind me of your
dear mother who has left us, who told
you 10 love me as you used to do; and,
indeed, my boy. you have been a great
strength and comfort to me F.; but | have
have eaten the first morsel to please you,
Il is your turn to eat"
a. Thank you father; but break this
piece in two. and take little more for
you see the loaf is not large. and you re-
quire much more than do.''
- shall divide the loaf for you. my
boy, but eat it. shall not | have an
abundance and let US thank God for his
great goodness in giving US food, and in
giving US what is better still, cheerful
and contented hearts. He who gave us
the living bread from heaven. to nourish
our immortal souls, how shall he not give
us all other food which is necessary to
support our mortal bodies 9" The father
and son thanked God, and then began to
cut the loaf in pieces. to begin their fru-
ual meal. But they cut one portion of the
loaf there fell out several pieces Of gold,
of great value. The little boy gave
shout of joy. and was 81 ringing forward
to grasp the unexpected treasure, VIXEN he
was pulled back by his father. ''My son.
my son !" he cried, Z" do not touch the
money. it is not ours" But whose is
it father, If it is not ours % 81 know
not yet to whom it belongs; but, proba-
bly,, it was put there by the baker through
some mistake. We must enquire. Run"
I" But father" interrupted the boy, 'you
are poor and needy. and you have bought
the loaf. and then the baker may tell lie.
and" IL will not listen TO you. my boy.
bought the loaf. but did not buy the gold
in it. If the baker sold it to me in iguo-
rance. Il shall not be SO dishonest as to
take advantage of him remember Him
who told US to do to others as we would
have others to do to US. The baker may
possibly cheat us: L am poor indeed. but
that is no sin. If we share the poverty
of Jesus, Gods own Son. o let US
share also this goodness and his trust in
God. We may never be rich, but we
may always be 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 ways. and you shall
never be put to shame. Now. run to the
baker. and bring him here and shall
watch the gold until he comes" So the
boy ran for the baker.
Brother workman" said the old man.
you have made some mistake, and almost
lost your money :" and he showed the
baker the gold, and told him how it had
been found.
is it thine 2" asks the father; "if ii
is take it away.
MY father. baker. is very poor.
and"
Silence. my child put me pot to
shame by thy complaints. am glad we
have saved the man from losing his mo-
new"
The baker had been gazing alternately
upon the father and his eager boy, and
upon the gold which lay gliItering upon
Nne green turI.
- Thou art. indeed. an honest fellow, I"
said the baker land my neighbor, Da-
Vid the flax dresser, spoke but the truth
when he sail thou vert the honestest
man in town. Now l shall tell thee
about the gold stranger came to my
shop three days ago. and gave me that
loat. and told me To sell it cheaply. or
give 1t to the honestest poor man in the
city. l told David to send thee to me,
as customer, this morning; as thou
wouldst not take the loaf for nothing,
sold it to thee as thou knowest for the
last pence 10 thy purse and the loaf
with all its treasure-and certain, it is
not small it is thine E; and God grant
thee blessing with it !"
The poor man bent his head 10 the
ground while tears fell from his eyes,
His boy ran aud put his hand about his
neck, and said " shall always do like
you. my father: trust God and do what
Is right for am sure ii will never put
us 70 shame."-EdiH6urgh Ctristian Ad-
gOcGts.
A STEADY DIET.-An old lady down
East having kept hired man on liver for
nearly month. said to him one day:
Why, John, don't think you like
liver"
"oh yes" said john, al like it very
Wen Tor fifty or sixty meals. but l don'i
1hlnk I'd like it as steady Diet
1oA E,oI r