Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1858-02-12
miscellaneous.
A SHORT PRESIDE STORY ABOUT
HONESTY

HON ESI1.
One evening, poor man and his SON. lit
tic boy, sat by the wnyside, near the gate Of
an old town in Germany. The father took
loaf Of bread which he had bought in town,
and broke it, and gave half to his son.
Not so, father said the boy 81 shall
not cat until after you. You have been work
ing all day. for small wages, to support me,
and you must be very hungry. ] shall wait
until you are done
"You speak kindly, my son. replied the
pleased father your love to me does me
more good than my food and your eyes re-
mind me Of your dear mother who left us,
who told you to love me as she used to do
and indeed my boy, you have been great
strength and comfort to me. But now have
eaten the first morsel to please you, it is your
turn now TO cat
"Thank YOU fathers but break this piece
in two, and take little more you see the
loaf is not large, and you require much more
than do
81 shall divide the loaf for you. my boy.
but cat it shall not have abundance. and
let us thank God for his goodness in giving
MS food, and in giving us, what is better still.
cheerful and contented hearts. lie who gave
us the living bread from Heaven to nourish
all other food which is necessary to support
our mortal bodies.
The father aud son thanked God. and they
began to cut the loaf in pieces, to begin their
frugal meal. But as they cut one portion of
the loaf, there fell out several large pieces of
gold Of great value The little boy gave a
shout Of joy, and was springing forward TO
grasp the unexpected treasure, when he was
pulled back by his father.
MY son, my son e. he cried, "do not touch
that money; tits not ours :!
But whose is it, father, if 10 is not ours -
81 know not as yet TO whom it belongs, but
probably it was put there by the baker,
through some mistake. We must inquire.
Run !'
But, father, interrupted the boy, "you are
poor and needy, and you have bought the
loaf, and then the baker may tell lie. and
81 will not listen to you, my boy; | bought
the loaf, but did not buy the gold in it. If
the baker sold il TO me in ignorance, 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 do to US.
The baker may possibly cheat us | am poor,
but that's no sin. If we share the poverty OF
Jesus, Gods own Son, o, let us share, also.
His trust, His love, and His goodness in God,
We may never be rich, but we may be honest.
We may die in starvation. but Gods will be
done should We die in doing it, Yes, my
boy, trust in God and walk in His ways, and
you shall never be put TO shame Now run
to the baker and bring him here and will
watch the gold until he comes
So the boy ran after 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 how it had been found
as it thine :" asked the father. eff il is,
take it away"
my father, baker, is very poor, and"
"Sllcnce my child put me not to shame
by thy complaints | am glad we have saved
the man from losing his money"
The baker had been gazing alternately at
the honest father and eager boy. and the gold
which lay glitteriug on the green turf. Thou
art indeed an honest fellow said the baker
land my neighbor, David the fax dresser,
spoke the truth when he said thou vert the
most honest man in the town. Now | shall
tell the all about the gold. A stranger came
to my shop three days ago, and gave me that
loaf, and told me to sell it cheaply, or give it
to the most honest poor man whom knew in
the city. told David to send thee to me as
a customer this morning as thou would not
take the loaf for nothing, | sold it to thee, as
thou knowest, for the last penny in thy purse,
and the loaf with all its treasure-and GER
tainly it is not small lit is thine and God
grant thee blessing with it.
The poor man bent his head to the ground,
while the tears fell from his eyes. His boy
ran and put his arms around his neck, and
said
Il shall always, like you, my father, trust
in God, and do what is right for | am sure
that it will never put us to shame. '-Edip-
bugh Christian Nagqame