THE little boy’s name was Harry; he has now grown to be a man, so what I am about to tell you occurred a good many years ago, when he was quite a boy.
Like most little fellows, he was fond of visiting the toy stores as well as candy stores. He was not only able to look through the windows and gaze at the pretty things exposed there for sale, but nearly every week he made a small purchase of his own account, because his kind mother used to give him a penny.
I do not think he had a missionary box, as many children have in these days, or else his penny might sometimes have found its way into the box, instead of the pocket of the woman at the store.
Well, one day, early in the week, he was looking in the woman’s window, and he saw a new kind of candy, and immediately he wanted to taste what it was like. Saturday was so long to wait for his penny, and he wanted to enjoy his treat at once. His mind was soon made up, and into the store he went to make a bargain with the woman and to go into debt for the first time in his life.
He told her he would have his money on Saturday, and then he would pay her. He did not stop to think if his mother would approve of his doing this, —all he wanted was to get the candy; and soon he came out of the store, with the prize in his hand. But candy soon disappears, especially with Harry, and before he reached home, all was gone.
I do not think he felt quite happy about the matter, for he did not mention at home what he had done, lest he should be scolded. Saturday will soon be here, and then I can pay her. But alas! when Saturday came, there was no penny for Harry, for he had been a bad boy in some way, and, as punishment, he was to have no money this week.
This made poor Harry feel very uncomfortable, for what would the woman say? Never mind, he would not go past that way till a whole week had gone, then, surely he could meet her, and settle her claims. However, he was not to get off like that, for the woman at the store came to wash, on Monday, for his mother, and she mentioned what Harry had done, and how he had forgotten to go on Saturday, as she supposed.
Here the story was all out. Mother now knew about it too, and when she looked grieved about it, the big tear, would come into Harry’s eyes, and trickle down his face, and he has never forgotten that day.
How well it was for Harry that his fault had not only been found out, but repented of! Faults are easily checked and broken off at the beginning, but if allowed to pass unnoticed, soon become habits which cannot so readily he laid aside.
When I heard him speaking about this incident, he finished up by saying.
ML 04/05/1925