Charles Hart had once the folly to steal his father’s penknife; he
had sold it for six cents to one of his schoolfellows; and he had
employed the money in purchasing cherries, which he ate with much
appetite.
But this little pleasure, which lasted but a few minutes, was
followed by sorrow and regret, that continued a long time.
In short, Charles’s theft was not long in being found out. His
schoolfellow’s father, having seen the penknife in his son’s hand,
and having learned of whom he had bought it, sent it back immediately
to Charles’s father, with a polite message to know if he had given
his son leave to sell it.
You may easily conjecture that young Charles was severely punished;
but the punishment which he received from his father was trifling in
comparison with what followed.
All those who lived in the same house with him suspected him the
moment that they happened to miss any thing; and each accused him of
having taken it. They rummaged his pockets, room, books, and carried
their suspicions so far, as to inquire at the school where Charles
went, if he had not shown any suspicious thing there.
Judge if this sort of distrust did not cause him uneasiness. He
often cried most bitterly at the injustice they did him; though he
felt that he had but too well deserved it. Let him say what he would
of their wronging him, or let him assert that he was incapable of
doing what they accused him of, they did not continue to mistrust him
the less; nor was it till after many years, and that he had given
strong proofs of his amendment, that the people with whom he lived
restored him their confidence.
[Illustration: Lone tree.]
[Illustration: Boy playing with loop.]