Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1873-03-13

"Boy, do you ever tell lies?"
eyes, sir" answered, without hesi-
tation.
"You do? Then why didn't you lie
when I asked you the question:"
"Because 1 never lie except to please
people," I replied.
"Oh! you are one of the storytellers,
are you?" he said, in tone of severity.
"Yes, sir"
"Well, then, you ought to be flogged.
If I had story telling boy I would fog
it out of him. Truth, boy-always stand
by the truth! 1t was only this time
! last year that I was carrying load of
goods down the mountain for family
the same as yours, and there was little
boy who went with me the same as you
are going now. Said I, Il smell tobac-
co.. He grew red in the face, and I
charged him with having some in his
pocket. He declared he had none, and
said, 'We shall see what will come to
liars I pitied him, for I knew some
thing terrible would happen. A strap
broke, and the horses started on a run,
and off went the boy. l stopped them
as soon as I could, ran back and picked
him up insensible, with as handsome a
plug of tobacco in his pocket as you
ever saw, and the rascal had stolen it
from his grandmother Always speak
the truth, boy, always speak the
truth %
"And did you steal the tobacco from
him? ?" asked.
"No, lad, took it and used it, be-
cause I knew it would hurt him, and 1
couldn't bear the thought of exposing
him to his grandmother"
"Do you think lying is worse than
stealing?" I asked.
"That is something we can't settle.
Tobacco is very preserving and cleans
ing to the teeth, and I am obliged to
use it. Do you see that little building
we are coming to? That is Shows
store, and now, if you are boy that
has any heart--any real heart-and if
you have saved up few pennies, you
will go in there and get stick of can
DIV for yourself and plug of tobacco for
me. That would be the square thing
for boy to do who stands by the truth,
and wants to do a good turn to man
that helps him along;" and he looked
me in the eye SO steadily and persua-
sively that resistance was impossible,
and my poor little purse went back
into my pocket painfully empty of that
which had seemed like wealth.
We rode along quietly after this until
my companion asked me if / knew
how tall / was. Of course I did not
know anything about it, and wished
to learn the reason of the question. He
had little boy of his own at home-a
very smart little fellow-who could ex-
actly reach the check-rein of his lead
ing horse. He had been wondering if
l could do the same. He should think
we were about the same height, and, as
it would be tiptos stretch, the per-
formance would be matter of spring
and skill. At that moment it happen
ed that we came to watering-trOugh,
which gave me the opportunity to sat
isfy his curiosity; and he sat smiling
appreciatively upon my frantic and at
last successful efforts to release the
leaders, head and lift it again to its
check.
We came to a steep activity, and,
under the stimulating influence of the
teamster's f1attery, carried stone as
large as my head from the bottom to
the top, to stay the wheels when the
horses paused for breath.
Irecall the lazy rascal's practice upon
my boyish credulity and vanity more
for my interest in my own childish
ness than for any interest l still have
in him: though cannot think that the
jolly old joker was long ago dust with.
out sigh. He was great man to me
then, and he stirred me with appeals tC
my ambition as few have stirred me
since. And standing by the TRUTH
as he so feelingly adjured me to stand
l may confess that his appeals were no
the basest to which my life has re
sponded.
The forenoon was long, hot an(
wearisome, but at its close we emerged