THE GRATEFUL DOG.
MANY people wondered by what piece of good luck so young a boy as Fred Carleton was taken into the most prosperous store in town.
The mother and son did not fail to ascribe it to the over-ruling care of their heavenly Father.
They recognized in this event a new source of gratitude; for they knew he put the kind thought into ’Squire Long’s heart.
Fred entered into his new employment with all the energy of his character, and soon convinced the other partners that he meant to do his part faithfully.
Even here his quick appreciation of kindness and the heartiness with which he said “thank you” for the least favor, won him many friends. The idea of his having gained his present situation, merely by showing his gratitude, caused him to think much on the subject, both of his indebtedness to God and to his Christian parents.
One Sabbath day he and his mother passed all their time out of church in looking up instances in the Bible where gratitude for kindness was shown from man to man; as, for instance, David’s friendship to Jonathan’s family, on account of their former kindness to himself. Also his kindness to Barzillai, in allowing him to live where he pleased, because the old man had provided him food when he lay hid at Mahanaim.
They read the account of Joseph in prison, and the ingratitude of the chief butler, who forgot his promise to plead for Joseph with Pharaoh.
Soon after this time, a packet of letters was received from Captain Carleton, by a schooner the Adolphus had met on her passage out. Curiously enough, Frederick’s letter contained an incident on the very subject which of late had occupied so many of their thoughts.
As I have no doubt it will please my young readers, I shall copy it.