“Then they must be unreasonable,” said Rollo.
“Not altogether,” said his father. “If you were lying down upon the ground, and I were to come up to you with an axe, and make believe cut your head off, it would make you very uneasy, though there would be really no danger.”
“But this is very different,” said Rollo. “That would have been as if I had made believe push mother off.”
“That would have been more like it, I confess. But I only meant to show you that it does not always require real danger, to make any one uneasy and anxious. When we see persons in situations which strongly suggest the idea of danger to our minds, it makes us uneasy, though we may know that there is no actual danger in the case. Thus it is painful to most persons to see a carpenter upon a very lofty spire, or to go very near a precipice, or see any body else go, even when there is a strong railing; and so in all other cases. Therefore, our rule ought always to be, when we are in company with others, not only not to go into actual danger, but not to go so near as strongly to bring up the idea to their minds, and thus distress them.”
“I never thought of that before,” said Rollo.
“No, I presume not. And I had not time to explain it to you when we were upon the cliffs, and so I simply directed you to keep back of us. That would have prevented all trouble, if you had only obeyed.”
Rollo was silent and thoughtful. He was sorry that he had disobeyed.
“However,” continued his father, “I am very glad I have had this opportunity to explain this subject to you. Now, I want you to remember, after this, that the best way, in all such cases, is to consider, not what the actual danger is, but what the feelings and fears of those who are with you may be. It is not your own safety, but the comfort of others, that you have to look out for.”
“Yes, sir,” said Rollo, “I will.”
“Once there were two young men,” continued his father, “taking a ride in chaises. Each had his sister with him. They came to an old bridge that was somewhat decayed, and it led across a very deep ravine which looked very frightful, though in reality the bridge was perfectly strong and safe. Now, when the first chaise came near, the girl who was in it cried out,