Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1908-01-24
RIGHT SORT OF PLUCK.

who1 their Scotch cousin Willie came to
live with them. He was little, but
bright and full of fun. He was as far
advanced in his studies as they were,
and the first day he went 70 school they
thought him remarkably good.
At night, before close of school, the
tie chercalled the roll and the boys began
to answer, Ten" When Willie under
stood that he was to say ten, if he had
not whispered during the day, he replied,
81 have whispered"
More than once?" asked the teacher.
Yes, sir, answered Willie.
CAS- many as ten times?"
Maybe | have" faltered Willie.
Then shall mark you Zero" said
the teacher, sternly, land that is great
disgrace.
why, l didn't see you whisper once. Z"
said Johnnie that night after school.
well, did," said Willie; 81 saw
others doing it, and so | asked to bor-
row book; then lent a slate pencil.
and asked boy for knife, and did
several things. l supposed it was al
lowed"
''Oh, we all do it," said Burt, REDEEM
1911 any sense In the old
Does
81 will, or else l will say l haven t. :"
said Willie. "Do you suppose l would
tell ten lies in one heap?"
"Oh, we don't call them lies." NUT
tured Johnnie. There wouldn't be a
credit among US at night, if we were so
what of that, if you told the TRUTH"
laughed Willie, bravely.
In short time the boys all saw how
1T was with him. He studied hard
played with all his might in playtime;
but, according to his account, he lost
more credits than any of the rest.
After some weeks the boys answered
mine" and eight" oftener than they
used to. Yet the school-room seemed
to have grown quieter. Sometimes
when Willie Grants mark was even
lower than usual, the teacher would
smile peculiarly, but said no more of
disgrace. Willie never preached to them
or told tales; but, somehow, it made
the boys ashamed of themselves, lust
the seeing that this sturdy, blue-eyed
boy must tell the truth. 1t was putting
the clean cloth. by the half-soiled one.
you see; and they felt cheats and story
tellers. They talked him all over, and
loved him, il they did nickname him
Scotch Granite" he was so firm about
a promise.
Well, at the end of the term Willie's
name was very low down on the credit
list. When it was read he had hard
work not to cry, for he was very sensi-
tive, and he tried hard to be perfect.
But the very last thing that day was
speech by the teacher, who told of once
seeing man muffled upin cloak. He
was passing him without a look, when
he was told the man was General.
the great hero.
''The signs of his rank were hidden.
but the hero was there just the same
said the teacher. "And, now, bows.
you will see what mean when l give
little medal to the most faithful boy
the one really the most conscientiously !
perfect IN his department among you |
Who shall have it?''
Little GraniteI' shouted the FORTY |
boys at once; for the child whose name
was so low on the credit list had made |
truth noble in their eyes. The British
Evangelist.
FRIEND OYSTER MAN:
Have you read the foregoing? If not,
let us pause right here until you do; the
rest of this dissertation will hold, yea.
well wait until you 80 back andread.
Now, that you have read it, cannot
you take it to yourself in your business
be you longer buyer or planter, or all
three? In fact, we might apply it to
every one of ourselves, to every walk
in life, but more particularly to the
very common instances of liquor selling
and oyster dealing, which two seem to
call for so much false testimony, so
much false swearing in court the dam
gerous tendency to bring our youth up to
think Cike Burt and Johnnie above)
that it is no harm to cheat, lie, steal
or violate the laws of God and man
under some circumstances and in GER
tain businesses.
We do not here plead with the rum
seller or his illicit buyer, because such
are almost past redemption, but we
do plead with our otherwise honest
oyster people such as think it no harm
to take or buy oysters unlawfully and
hardly hesitate to perjure themselves
to save miserable little fine! Think |
on these things, my countrymen, and
let us mend our ways. A FRIEND.