The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1892-08-31
He Dared 10 Tell the Truth.

\ boy went to live with IL man who
was accounted hard master. He nev'
er kept his boys, +,-they ran away, or
gave notice they meant to quit: so he
was half his time without or in search
of boy. The work was not very hard
opening and sweeping out the shop
chopping wood, going errands, and
helping round. AT last Sam Fisher
went to live with him. "Sam's Il good
bow" said his mother. II should like
to see a boy nowadays that had a spark
of goodness i'm him." growled the new
master.
1t is always bad to begin with man
who has no confidence in you, because,
do your best, you are likely to have lit
little credit for it. However,, Sam
thought he would try. The wages were
good and his mother wanted him to
20. Sam had been there but three days
before, in saving cross grained stick
If wood, he broke the saw. He was a
little frightened. He knew he was
careful, and he knew he was a pretty
good sawyer, too, for boy of his age;
nevertheless, the saw. broke in his
hands.
"Mr. Jones will thrash you for it,"
said another boy who was in the wood
house with him.
"Why. of course I didn't mean it,
and accidents will happen to the best
of folkes," said Sam, looking with a
very sorrowful air on the broken saw.
Mr.. Jones never makes allow
ances," said the other boy. II never
saw anything like him, That Bill
might have stayed, only he jumped in
TO a hens nest and broke her eggs.
He daren't tell of it; but Mr.. Jones
kept suspecting, and suspecting, and
suspecting, and laid everything out of
the way to Bill. whether Bill was to
blame or not, till Bill couldn't stand
it, and Wouldn't
Did lie tell Mr.. Jones about the
eggs" asked Sam.
"No," said the boy, "he was afraid,
Mr.. Jones has got such u temper
II think he'd have better owned up
at once" said Sam.
"I sus spect you'll find it better to
preach than to practice" said the boy.
"I'd run away before I'd tell him."
And he soon turned on his heel, anu
left poor Sam alone with his broken
saw.
The poor boy did not feel very COM
Portable or happy. He shut up the
woodhouse, walked out in the garden,
and went up to his little chamber un-
der the caves. He wished he could tell
Mrs. Jones, but she wasn't sociable.
When Mr.. Jones came into the house,
the boy heard him. He got up, crept
downstairs, and met Mr.. Jones in the
kitchen. Sir" said Sam broke your
saw, and | thought I'd come and tell
YOU before you saw it in the morning.
"What did you get up to tell me for?"
asked Mr.. Jones'. 81 should think
morning would be time enough to tell
of your careiessness."
"Because, said Sam, II was afraid,
if put it off, might be tempted to
lie about it. i am sorry | broke it but
tried to be careful"
Mr.. Jones looked ut the boy from
head to foot, then, stretching out his
hand, "There Sam" he said heartily,
"give me your.hand, shake hands. I'll
trust you, Sam. That's right, that's
right. Go to bed, boy. Never fear.
Pm glad the saw broke; it shows the
mettle's in you. God to bed.'
Mr.. Jones was fairly won. Never
were better friends after that than Sam
and he. Sam thinks justice had not
been done Mr.. Jones. If the boys had
treated him honestly and "above
board" he would have been a good
man to deal with. 1t was their conduct
which soured and made him suspi.
cious. do notknow how that is |
only know tina, Sam Fisher finds in
Mr.. Jones kind master and q faith
full friend.-Scotch Tract.