Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-08-10
The Broken Saw.

A boy went to live with a man who was
accounted hard master. He never kept his
boys they ran away or gave notice they
meant to quit so he was half his time with
out, or in search Of boy The work was
not very hard, opening and sweeping out the
shop chopping wood, going errands, and help
ing round. At last Sam Fisher went to live
with him Sans a good boy" said his
mother should like to see a boy now
-O-days that had a spark of goodness in him"
growled the new master.
1t is always bad to begin with man who
has no confidence 10 you because, do your
best you are likely to have little credit for
it, However, Sam thought he would try /;
the wages were good, and his mother wanted
him to 90. Sam had been there but three
days, before, in saving a cross-grained stick
of wood he broke the saw. He was little
frightened lie knew he was careful and he
knew he was pretty good sawyer too, for a
boy Of his age nevertheless, 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. d" Why, of course | didn't mean
it, and accidents will happen to the best of
folks said Sam, looking with very sorrow
ful air on the broken saw. Mr.. Jones never
makes allowances" said the other boy |
never saw anything like him. That Bill might
have stayed, only he jumped into hens nest
and broke her eggs. lie daren't tell Of it
but Mr.. Jones kept suspecting and suspect
ing, and suspecting, and laid everything out of
the way to Bill, whether Bill was to blame or
not, till Bill couldn't stand it, and wouldn't"
" Did he tell Mr.. Jones about the eggs ?"
asked Sam No. said the boy, " he was
'frad Mr.. Jones has got such temper.
" l think he'd better owned just at once
said Sam. | suspect you'll find it better
to preach than to practice" said the boy,
" I'd run away before I'd tell him = and he
soon turned on his heel and left poor Sam
alone with his broken saw.
The poor boy did not feel very comfortable
or happy. He shut up the wood-house,
walked out into the garden, and then went up
to his little chamber under the caves. He
wished he could tell Mrs. Jones but she
wasn't socabe aud he had rather not. "Oh,
my God" said Sam, falling on his knees,
" help me to do the thing that is right"
do not know what time it was, but when
Mr. Jones came into the house the hoy heard
him. He got up, crept down stairs, and met
Mr. Jones in the kitchen. Sir" said Sam,
+" broke your saw, and | thought I'd come
and tell you fore you saw it in the morning" "
+" What did you get up to tell me for ?" asked
Mr. Jones al should think morning soon
enough to tell of your carelessness" Be
cause" said Sam, al was afraid if put it
off, might be tempted to 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, "giye me your hand.
Shake hands, I'll trust you, Sam. That's
right; that's right. Go to bed boy. Never
fear. I'm glad the saw broke it shows the
mettle's in you. Go to bed
Mr.. Jones was fairly won Never were
better friends after that than Sam and he.
Sam thinks justice has not been done Mr..
Jones. If the boys had treated him honestly
and "above.board," he would have been n
good man to live with. Ii was their conduct
which soured and made him suspicious. do
not know how this Isl Ionly know that Sam
Fisher finds in Mr., Jones kind master and
faithful friend.