The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-02-11

In the third place, got a stronger
hold on their feelings, and acquired a
new power of cultivating and directing
them.
In the fourth place, had the satisfac-
ton of seeing them become more truth
full, honest, trustworthy and manly in
their intercourse with me, with their
friends and with one another.
Once, however, was sadly puzzled by
an application Of the principle by one of
my scholars. George Jones was large
boy, who, partly through false feeling
of honor, and partly from feeling of
stubbornness, refused to give me some
information. The circumstances were
these:
A scholar had played some trick which
interrupted the exercises. As was nv
costume, called on the one who had
done the mischief to come forward. As
no one started, | repeated the request,
but with no success. Finding that the
culprit would not confess his guilt, I
asked George if he knew who committed
the offense.
II did not do it, was the reply.
But do you know who did,"
Eyes, SIR"
"Who was it,"
| II do not wish to tell"
But you must tell. It is my duty to
| ask and yours to answer me-"
| cannot do it," said George firmly.
"Then you must stop with me after
school,"
He stopped as requested, but nothing
which could urge would induce him to
reveal anything. At last, out of patience
with what believed to be the obstinacy
Of the boy, said:
| Well, George, have borne with YOU
as long as can, and you must either tell
me or be punished"
With triumphant look, as though
conscious that he had the better of me
by an application of my favorite rule, he
replied: II can't tell you, because it
would not be right. The boy would
not like to have me tell of him, and I'll
do as I'd be done by"
A few years earlier I should have
deemed reply thus given me an insult,
and should have resented it accordingly;
but experience and reflection had taught
me the folly of this, and one of the most
important applications of my eft-quo.ed
rule was-to judge of the nature of 9TH
ers as would have them judge of mine
Yet for the moment l was staggered.
Ills plea was plausible; he might be
honest in making it. l did not see in
what respect it was fallacious. l felt
that it would not do to retreat from my
position and suffer the offender to escape,
and yet that should do great injustice
by compelling boy to do thing If he
really believed it to be wrong.
After little pause l said: "Well,
George, l do not wish you to do anything
which is wrong, or which conflicts with
your golden rule. We will leave this for
tonight and perhaps you will alter your
mind before tomorrow"
saw him privately before school and
found him more firm in his refusal than
ever. After the devotional exercises of
the morning l began to question the
scholars, as was my wont, on the various
points OF duty, and gradually led the
conversation to the golden rule.
Who" asked, "are the persons to
whom, as members of this school. YOU
ought to do as you would be done bys
Your parents, who support and send you
here; your schoolmates, who are en-
gagged in the same work with yourselves;
the citizens of the town who, by taxing
themselves, raise money to pay the ex-
penses Of this school; the School Com.
mittee, who take so great an interest in
your welfare; your teacher; or the
scholar who carelessly or willfully COM
mits some offense against good order?
A hearty "yes" was responded to
every question except the last, at which
| they were silent.
Then, addressing George, said: Yes
terday asked you who had committed
certain offense. You refused to tell me
because you thought it would not be do
ing as you would be done by. now
wish you to reconsider the subject. On
one side are your parents, your school
mates, the citizens of this town, the
School Committee, and your teacher, all
deeply interested in everything affecting
the prosperity of this school. On the
other side is the boy who, by this act,
has shown himself ready to injure all
these. To which party will you do as
you would be done by?"
After moments pause he said: "To
the first; it was William Brown who did
it,"
My triumph, or rather the triumph uf
principle, was complete; and the lesson
was as deeply felt by the other members
of the school as by him for whom it was
specially designed.