The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-09-09
Little Thllgs.

wonder, many times, if boys and
girls think about the importance OF
"little things"
Do they think that little thing may
have All influence over a whole life
time, when that "little' happens in
childhood?
Great crimes grow from little seeds
of wrong thoughts and actions, planted
in the mind in youth. The man who
steals large amount of money, was
not trained right when he was child ;
some little thing" was not as it ought
to have been in his character. If il
had been corrected while his mind vas
plastic and pliable, the great crime OF
his after-life might have been avoided.
l have story to tell you about such
a man.
Most boys and girls have, hope, a
mother to watch over ana guide them
i'm the paths of right. This man of
whom / am going to tell yol, had none.
She died when he was very small, and
he grew up without her lender love
and care. Perhaps, after all, he was
not SO much to blame for what he did,
for he never knew the restraining influ-
ence of a mothers prayers. If he had
he might have been a better man. l
am sure he would.
When lie got large enough, he was
placed in a store, at first as sort of
errand boy, and aftera whiless a clerk.
He was trusted by his employer, and
considered perfectly honest and reli-
able.
A great deal of money passed through
his hands. AT first he left it Untouched
so far as apprOpriatiDg it to his own
uses was concerned. He knew that
they trusted and had confidence in
him, and he ought to have been proud
of this, and tried to have lived up to
their faith in him. But after awhile
he began to use some of the pennies
which were taken in for change His
conscience told him all the Will, that
he was stealing, but he gave il little
heed. From pennies he got to hiking
larger sums of money.
No one suspected him for a long
time. They trusted him, and coud not
think boy of such great promie for
the future would stoOp from the high
manhood just opening before hin, to
commit such petty thefts.
So it went along till he was twnty-
one years old. One of the older derks
had been caught in pilfering q mall
sum from a money drawer, and allthat
had been missed before was supposed
to have been taken by him. Hewas
dismissed, and the gIiltier one left b go
OH alone i'm his wicked career, without
a doubt to cast q shadow on his name,
and with not the least suspicion pont-
ing at him as thief.
But he had got so habituated to hk-
ing money, that he could not leaveOff
now. The "little thing" had grown
and become strong habit.
Well, one night be opened the grat
iron safe, and took from it fifty th'u-
sand dollars. A great sum, wasn't t?
He intended to sail for Europe in tie
morning, but the robbery was fouid
out before the steamer left the What,
and everybody knew he had taken tie
money at once. Just as he was ste,-
ping from shore, he was arrested and
taken to prison. The money ws
found on his person, and he was cOl-
demned by every honest man rs /
vile, wretched criminal, unfit for asse
citation with good society. He was triel
and sententenced to ten years solitar,
confinement in the penitentiary.
And all this came about through ait
tie habits" Be careful about "littl,
things" guard well the trifies, ant
watch the little places of weakness in
your character, and strengthen then
while you CAM. Z. Rc.ford in tn
JjcstcIn World.
4 gentleman in Galena. ILL.,. keeps al
ordinary tree toad in glass jar halt file,
with water. Inside the jar is diminu
tive ladder, from the bottom of the YES
sci to the top. Just above the water lin
is perch. OH which his frOSship is to b.
seen sitting perfectly motionless as lon:
as the dry season lasts. On the slightes
Indication of change in the atmospler
the frog quits his perch and takes to th'
water, returning to the landing only ii
intervals to feed upon the flies that ar
thrown into the jar.