The Placer herald., 1872-06-15
NUMBER 43.
TRUTHFUL SAM.

A boy went to live with a man who was
accounted hard master. He never kept
his boys; they ran away or gave notice that
they meant to quit, so he was half the time
without and in search of boy. The work
was not hard-opening and sweeping out the
shop, chopping wood, going errands and
helping around. AT last Sam Fisher went
to live with him.
"Sam's good boy" said his mother.
81 should like to see boy nowadays,
that had spark of goodness in him,
growled the master.
1t is always bad TO begin with man who
has no confidence in 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 60 Sam had been there but three
days, when, in saving cross-gralned stick
of wood, he broke the saw. He was
little frightened. He knew he was careful,
and he knew he was pretty good sawyer,
too, for 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.
"Why, | didn't mean to do it, and
accidents will happen to the best OF folks,
said Sam, looking with very sorrowful air
at the broken saw.
"Mr Jones never makes allowances"
said the other boy; =" ! never saw anybody
like him. That Bill Smith might have stayed
only he jumped into hens nest and broke
her eggs lie daren't tell it; but Mr.. Jones
kept suspeciing and suspeciing, and laid
everything out of the way that happened 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 eggsY
asked Sam.
"No," said the boy, "he was afraid
Mr. Jones has got such a temper"
81 think he had better owned up at once,
said Sam.
81 suspect you'll find it better to preach
than to practice" said the boy, "Td run
away before I'd tell him." and so he turned
on his heel and left poor Sam alone with the
broken saw.
The poor boy did not feel very comfortable
or happy. lie 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, and he had rather not.
ooh, my God," said Sam falling upon
his kness, "help me to do the thing that is
right"
don't know what time it 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 before
you saw it in the morning
"l should think in the morning would be
soon enough to tell Of your caressness.
Why do you come down tonight"
"Because," said Sam, "l was afraid, if
put it off, that might be tempted to tell
lie about it. am sorry l broke it; but |
tried to be careful.
Mr. Jones looked at the boy from head TO
foot; then, stretching out his hand, he said
heartily, "There, Sam, give me your hand.
Shake hands; III 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 is in you. Go to bed"
Mr.. Jones was fairly won. Never were
there better friends, after that, than Sam
and he Sam thinks justice has not been
done to Mr.. Jones If the boys had treated
him honestly and "above board" he would
have been good man to live with. 1t was
their conduct that made him suspicious. l
do not know how this is; | only know that
Sam Fisher finds in Mr.. Jones a kind and
faithful master.