When Lulu reached her fifteenth birthday she had a watch given to her.
One afternoon she was walking through a wood, up a steep and rocky path,
and when she reached the top she stood for a few moments to rest.
Looking back down the wood she saw a boy coming by the same path, and
when about half-way up he stooped down as if to raise something from the
ground, but the thought did not occur to Lulu that it might be anything
belonging to her.
When she was rested she walked on until she came to a house just outside
the wood, where she was to take tea with a friend.
After tea they sat and worked until the sun began to go down. Then Lulu
said, "I think I must be going home; I will see what time it is," and
she was going to take out her watch, when, alas! she found it was gone.
"Oh, dear!" said she, "what shall I do? How careless of me to put it in
my belt; it was a present from my brother!" Then she suddenly remembered
standing at the top of the path and seeing the boy pick something up.
"That would be my watch," said she. And so it was.
The boy had followed her up the wood, and had seen her go into the
house, but he did not give up the watch. He waited until some bills were
posted offering a reward of L1, then he brought the watch and took the
sovereign. If he had been an honest boy he would not have waited, but
would have given up the watch at once. We ought not to wish any reward
for doing what is right. It is quite enough to have the happiness that
comes from obeying the Good Voice. We cannot build up a good character
without honesty.
Do right because you =love= the right,
And not for hope of gain;
A conscience pure is rich reward,
But doing wrong brings pain.
(Blackboard.)
When you Find Anything, try to Discover the Owner, and
give it up at once.