In Ross-shire, Scotland, there is an immense mountain gorge. The rocks
have been rent in twain, and set apart twenty feet, forming two
perpendicular walls two hundred feet in height. On either side of these
natural walls, in crevices where earth has collected, grow wild flowers
of rare quality and beauty. A company of tourists visiting that part of
the country were desirous to possess themselves of specimens of these
beautiful mountain flowers; but how to obtain them they knew not. At
length they thought they might be gathered by suspending a person over
the cliff by a rope. They offered a Highland boy, who was near by, a
handsome sum of money to undertake the difficult and dangerous task. The
boy looked down into the awful abyss that yawned below, and shrunk from
the undertaking; but the money was tempting. Could he confide in the
strangers? Could he venture his life in their hands? He felt that he
could not; but he thought of his father, and, looking once more at the
cliff, and then at the proffered reward, his eyes brightened, and he
exclaimed: "I'll go if my father holds the rope." Beautiful illustration
of the nature of faith.
557
Faith builds a bridge from this world to the next.
--_Dr. Young._
558
To be trusted is perhaps a greater compliment than to be loved.
559
He who believes in nobody knows that he himself is not to be trusted.
--_Auerbach._
560
Trust not him that hath once broken faith.
--_Shakespeare._
561
It goes a great way toward making a man faithful, to let him understand
that you think him so.
--_Seneca._
562
All that a man gets by being untruthful is, that he is not believed when
he speaks the truth.
563
Telling an untruth is like leaving the highway and going into a tangled
forest. You know not how long it will take you to get back, or how much
you will suffer from the thorns and briers in the wild woods.
564
There is no greater mistake in social life than indulging in
over-familiarity. Intercourse, even between intimate friends, should
have some dignity about it.
565
A family is a little world within doors; the miniature resemblance of
the great world without.
--_J. A. James._
566
Where can one be happier than in the bosom of his family?
--_Young._
567