Be Slow To Accuse.


"MOTHER,  I can't find my seventeen

cents anywhere," said Arthur, coming into

his mother's room with quite an anxious

face. "I put it right here in my pocketbook, 

and that into my overcoat pocket.

It has been hanging up in the hall all day;

and I do believe that new girl has taken it

out. She saw me have it last night and put

it away." 

"Look in your other pockets, Arthur.

A little boy who is so apt to forget things

must not be too positive that he put his

money in his pocket-book. And never

accuse any person of stealing without a

shadow of evidence. That is very sinful

as well as very unkind. What if Susan

should lose her money and accuse you of

stealing it? Would you feel very pleasant

about it? Remember the golden rule."

"But, mother, she looked guilty when I

said I had lost it, and that I knew some

one had taken it out of my pocket."

"Very likely she did look confused on

hearing you make such an unkind speech.

She knew very well there was no one in

the house you could suspect of taking it

but herself. You might as well have said

so in plain words. An innocent person is

more apt to look guilty, when accused of

crime, than one who is hardened in wrongdoing.

The latter usually has a face ready

made up to suit any occasion. A gentleman

once said that the most guilty looking

person he ever saw was a man arrested for

stealing a horse which afterward proved

to be his own."

"But what has become of my money,

mother? It is gone, that is certain."

"I believe you lost a fine top once, that

it was supposed a little neighbor had stolen,"

said his mother with a smile.

"But I can't have left this down in the

grapevine arbor this winter weather."

"But there are plenty of other losing

places about. Did you have on that jacket

last evening?"

"No, mother, I believe I had on my gray

one, but then I know I put it into my pocketbook."

"Don't say you know, dear; for it may

be an untruth. Please bring me your gray

jacket."

Arthur walked slowly up to his room; but

he walked back slower still, and looked very

foolish, when he came into his mother's

room again.

Mother comprehended it all at a glance,

and smiled as she said,

"I wonder who looks guilty this time!"

"Oh, mother I am sorry, but I did not

mean to accuse Susan so wrongly. I remember

now just as plainly as can be,

wrapping up those three five cent pieces

and two pennies in that bit of paper, and

putting it into my jacket pocket."

"It is a very serious thing, Arthur, to

make such charges as you did a few moments

ago against an innocent person.

What if you had mentioned it among your

school-mates? It would not be long before

it would be told all about  Susan, at Mr.

Reynold's, steals. I wonder they keep

her.' If she ever wished to get another

place it might be a very difficult matter.

Though you contradicted the story afterward,

it would never undo the mischief.

Many will repeat an injurious story, who

will never take the trouble to correct it.

I will pray for you, dear boy, that you may

learn to correct this sinful habit; and I

hope you will pray with me. You never

will improve a bad habit until you pray

over it. Run now and tell Susan you have

found your money; and try to make some

amends for your injustice, by being more

than usually thoughtful and obliging."



The Methodist Protestant.