Can any one who was present ever forget the broken voice and streaming
tears with which he (Dean Stanley) told the story of two little Scotch
boys, Reuben and Sandy? The story was as follows: "On a cold winter day,
a gentleman in Edinburgh had, out of pity, bought a box of matches from
a poor, little, shivering boy, and, as he had no pence, had given him a
shilling, of which the change was to be brought to his hotel. Hours
passed by, and the boy did not return. Very late in the evening a mere
child came to the hotel. 'Are you the gentleman that bought the matches
frae Sandy?' 'Yes.' 'Well, then, here's fourpence out o' yer' shillin';
Sandy canna come. He's verra ill. A cart ran over him and knocked him
doon, and he lost his bonnet and his matches and yer sevenpence, and
baith his legs are broken, and the doctor says he'll dee; and that's
a'.' And then, putting down the fourpence on the table, the poor child
burst into great sobs. 'So I fed the little man,' said the narrator;
'and I went with him to see Sandy. The two little things were living
almost alone; their father and mother were dead. Poor Sandy was lying on
a bundle of shavings. He knew me as soon as I came in, and said, 'I got
the change, sir, and was coming back, and then the cart knocked me down,
and both my legs were broken; and oh, Reuby, little Reuby, I am sure I
am dying, and who will take care of you when I am gone? What will ye
do?' 'I took his hand, and said I would always take care of Reuby. He
understood me, and had just strength enough to look up as if to thank
me; the light went out of his blue eyes. In a moment,
He lay within the light of God,
Like a babe upon the breast,
Where the wicked cease from troubling
And the weary are at rest.'"
910
_Honesty._--If he does really think that there is no distinction between
virtue and vice, why sir, when he leaves our houses let us count our
spoons.
--_Dr. Johnson._
911
The birthplace of a man does him no honor,
But a man may do honor to his birthplace.
912
He, the Duke of Devonshire, was not a man of superior abilities, but was
a man strictly faithful to his word. If, for instance, he had promised
you an acorn, and none had grown that year in his woods, he would not
have contented himself with that excuse: he would have sent to Denmark
for it, so unconditional was he in keeping his word--so high as to the
point of honor.
--_Boswell's Life of Johnson._
913
Honor is like the eye which cannot suffer the least injury without
damage; it is a precious stone, the price of which is lessened by the
least flaw.
--_Bossuet._
914