Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1858-11-03
THE BROKEN SAW.

ave HOtlCe lHey Iuet.ht " quII, ~ hO
vas hall his time without, or in search
If boy. The work was not very hard
and sweeping out of the shop, |
shopping wood, going errands, and
helping round. At last Sam Fisher
went to live with him. "Sam's good
boy" said his mother. 81 should like
to see a boy now days that had a
spark of goodness in him." growled the
new master.
1t is always bad to begin with a man
htat has no confidence in you; because,
do your best, you are likely to get no
credit for it. However, Sam thought he
would try; the wages were good and his
mother wanted him to 60. Sam had
been there but three days, before in
saving a grained stick of wood,
he broke the saw. He was little
frightened. He knew he was careful,
and he knew he was pretty good saw
yer too, for boy Of his age; neverthe-
less the saw broke in his hands.
"And Mr.. Jones will thrash you for
it," said another boy who was in the
wood house with him. "Why, of course
1 didn't mean to. and accidents may
happen to tie best folks" said Sam,
looking with very sorry air on the
broken saw. "Mr. Jones neUer makes
allowances" said the other boy; al nev-
er saw anything like him. That Bill
might have stayed, only ne jumped into
hens nest and brok her eggs. He
dare'nt tell of it; but Mr.. Jones kept
suspecting, and suspecting. and suspec,
ting, and laid everything out of the way
to Bill, whether Bill was to blame OF
not, till Bill couldn't stand it, and
auould'nt." "Did he tell Mr.. Jones
about the eggs? asked Sam. "No,'
said the boy; che was 'fraid to. Mr.
Jones's got such temper" 81 think
he'd better own square up" said Sam
81 reckon you'll find it better to preach
than to practice" said the boy. "I'd
rr,; away before I'd tell him." and he
soon tursed on his heel and left pool
Sam alone with ms broken saw.
1t was after supper, ant, he was no
likely % see Mr.. Jones that night. The
shop was shut, and his master had gone
to some town meeting. The next morn
ing he would get up early, go ,"'o the
wood house, and see what was done,
for Sam would never hide the saw.
The boy did not feel very comforia.
bic or happy. He shut up the wood
house, walked out in the garden, and
then went up to his little chamber un-
der the caves. He wished he could tell
Mrs. Jones; but she wasn't sociable,
and he had rather not. "Oh, my God" T"
said Sam, falling on his knees, "help
ne to do the thing that is right" Sam
had always said his prayers, but he had
not put his whole heart into his
prayers as he did that night; that night
he prayed.
l do not know what time il was, but
when Mr.. Jones came into the house the
boy heard him. He got up, crept down
stairs, and met Mr. Jones in the kitchen.
"Sir," said Sam, 81 broke your saw,
and | thought I'd come and tell you
fore you saw it in the morning. p
"What did you get up to tell me for?"
asked Mr.. Jones; should think morn
ing would be time enough 10 tell me of
your carelessness." Because, said Sam,
81 was afraid if 1 put i! off l might be
tempted 10 lie about it. I'm sorry |
broke it, but tried to be careful"
Mr.. Jones looked at the boy from
head TO foot, then stretching out his
hand, "There, SAM" he said heartily,
"give me your hand. Shake hands
I'll trust you, Sam, That's right; Mars
right. Go to bed, boy. Never fear
I'm glad the saw broke; il shows the
mettle's in you.-Go to bed"
Mr.. Jones was fairly won. Never
were better friends after that than Sam
aud he. Sam thinks justice has not
been done Mr. Jones. Ii the boys had
treated him honestly and 'above-board,
he would have been good man to live
with. 1t was their conduct which sour
ed and made him suspicious. l do not
know how that is; | only know that
Sam Fisher finds in Mr.. Jones a kind
master and faithful friend CAId's Pa
per.
WIFE SwAPPING.-The Grand Jury
Of Pulaski County made some thirty
odd preseutments last week, one of
which at least is rather rare case,
Two men, one of them a Baptist preach
er of the old sort, and the other a mem
Der Of the same church, swapped wives,
which offence being considered contra
ry to the good morals Of the Common
wealth, they were all presented. So it
is clear that a mans wife is not an ar
ticIe of personal property that can be
traded off-PetersJurg { Va.) Paper.
A life Of leisure and a life of laziness
arc two different things.