The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1916-07-06

EXTRAORDINARY asset.
In my home neighborhood there
is school boy who one time told.
lie. Now, 1 doubt if there are
many of us in this life who at some
time or another has not told lie.
That is not the point. 1t would have
been better if we had not told it,
but the great question is-what
did we do after we knew we were
guilty?
There is nothing in this world,
not even an airship, that seems to
travel quite as quick as lie: l
know of nothing quite as hard to
call back and destroy as the effect
of lie. One of its worst features
is that it usually strikes the inno-
cent almost as severely as the
guilty
This boys lie happened in it's
travelling to involve two of his
schoolmates who were wholly in.
nocent of any connection with the
incidents that led up to the lie.
The boy knew they were innocent;
he knew that he held the key to
the mystery. He knew if he
opened his lips and told the truth
everything would be satisfactorily
explained, but that meant shame
and possible disgrace for himself,
since he had started the trouble.
| happen to know that for three
days that boy wrestled with his
own conscience. The example of his
parents, his church and his school
spoke to him to be the man and
admit his wrong. Pride, the fact
he had not been accused of the lie,
fear of ridicule and punishment,
urged him to hold his peace.
Finally he adopted the simplest,
easiest way out of the whole mat
ter. He visited his teacher and
told the truth, faced his punish
ment, accepted it and ceased to
have any care for a lie from that
day on. From my viewpoint he
proved that his character was an
asset with him; something he in
tended to keep adding to all the
remainder of his days.
One time in Italy l accidentally
lost my purse and tiny messen-
ger boy found it, and with a little
difficulty discovered it belonged to
me. When he returned it with an
exceedingly grave bow, 1 offered
him reward, but he refused it.
[ thought possibly / had not
offered him enough and doubled
the amount, but he again refused.
Then my curiosity got the best
Of me, as it always does, and 1
pressed him for the reasOn-why
did he refuse?
'Signor," he replied, you
would not have kept anything of
mine you had found. l do for you
what you would have done for
me-"
1t was the reply of nobleman;
it was the reply of a humble heart
that placed character higher than
jewels and crowns. In his heart
he was not beggar, a pauper, or
a seeker of charity, but as much a
gentlemen as he deemed me to be.
Hence, out of these brief stories
and many others which have come
to my knowledge, l have drawn
much of my belief that character
is the most valuable asset of boy
(or NAM can face life with. He
may have robust health. He may
have parents and friends of great
responsibility and wealth. He may
be the finest dressed lad on the
avenue or in the country way, but
he is penniless, bankrupt, if back
of all this he has not heart which
rings true.
Emperors and kings without
character, fail, their thrones totter
and disappear. Bankers and mer-
chants come to untimely ends who
do not support their purposes with
lofty characters--ideals that seek
always the truth in living and do
ing. The boy on the threshold of
life has their examples before him.
Bankrupt people lack character
assets.