The Bloomfield times. [volume] (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1867-187?, 1871-08-15
SUN AY READING.
THE LOST PENKNIFE.
BY KATE SUTHERLAND.

one made his heart jump for joy. He
caught it up eagerly, pulled open the
bright blade, and feasted his eyes on the
white pearl handle and shining steel
'Im lucky fellow" he said to him
sell, and then he started for home at
full run to tell his brother and sister of
his good luck and show his beautiful
knife.
81 wonder who could have lost it ~
said brother Charley.
"It's more than l know or care either"
replied Richard Finding is keeping.
Suppose you had lost it," said grave
brother CHARLEY.
ooh, bother |" answered Richard with
some impatience. Charley's suggestion
had fallen like wet blanket, as we say
sometimes, on Richards self-satisfaction.
"Somebody must have lost it," said
Charley.
"Maybe it was Mr.. Ellis" suggested
sister Marion. 81 saw him going down
the road half an hour ago"
"I don't believe it's his knife" spoke
out Richard, who was not feeling quite
so comfortable as when he came in.
"I'd ask him if were you," said
Charley.
Richard made no reply to this sugges-
ton. Suppose he should ask Mr.. Ellis
if it was his knife, and he should say yes ?
He would of course have to give it up.
The thought was anything but agreeable.
Suppose" said Charley, looking up
from his book that evening as they sat
round table studying their lessons, "you
had lost that knife, Richard" 7"
"Why can't you let the knife rest"
answered Richard, half angrily. "It's no
concern of yours"
"But 1 can't help feeling sorry for the
one who lost it, said Charley. "Itssucha
beauty of knife, and maybe was gift
or keepsake. Or maybe, little boy or
girl bought it with the money saved up
for months" .,....
"Oh, bother!" exclaimed Richard,
using his favorite word when things
didn't go smoothly with him. "What's
the use of supposng all that? The knife
is mine now. If hadn't picked it up,
somebody else would. When a things
lost, it's lost, and there's the end of it.
If people are careless enough to drop their
things in the public road, they mustn't
expect the finders to run all through
creation to look them up. Findings
keeping the world over"
"It isn't according to the Golden
Rule" answered Charley, "Let me read
| it."
"Oh, never mind about the Golden
Rule What has that to do with my
finding penknife ?" returned Richard.
ave shall see )" and Charley, who had
opened a New Testament that was lying
on the table, read: Gas ye would that
men should do to you do ye even so to
them"
"Well l don't see anything about find
ing a penknife there" said Richard.
"Do you? 2"
EYES," answered Charley,
"Then your eyes are sharper than
mine"
eff you had lost penknife, and Tom
Link had found it, wouldn't you be glad
if he were to ask all round for the owner
instead of keeping the knife and not say
ing word about it? OF course you
would! And you would say that Tom was
nice fellow-so unselfsh and honorable
and all because he had done as he
would be done by-had kept the Golden
Rule" r...
Richard looked very sober at this, fol
it brought the matter home to him as he
had not seen it before. There was some
thing about this penknife in the Golden
Rule, and he was beginning to see it.
And now gradual change began tC
come over his feelings, for he was able to
put himselfin place of the one who had
; lost the knife, and to feel sorry for the
loss. He took it out of his pocket, nnG
turned it over in his hands
cit is beautiful" he said, "and the
person who lost it must feel very badly
1t isn't my knife, though | did find it
that's clear" rr
Sand you never could enjoy it," sale
sister Nell, "because you'd be always
thinking how sorry the person who lost il
must be-"
Maybe l would, Anyhow, I'm going
straight over to see Mr. Ellis in the
! morning, and ask him if he lost it."
And he aid So
"Why, Richard !" exclaimed Mr.. Ellis
. when he saw the knife, with glow Of sur
prise and pleasure on his face. " Where
4 did you find it 1t it one grandma SEN
f to Horace for birthday present, and
4 lost II on INV wav home This is hi.