A poor chimney sweeper's boy was employed at the house of a lady of rank to sweep the chimney of the room in which she usually dressed. When finding himself on the hearth of a richly-furnished dressing room, and perceiving no one there, he waited a few moments to take a view of the beautiful things in the apartment.
A gold watch, richly set with diamonds, particularly caught his attention, and he could not forbear taking it in his hand. Immediately the wish rose in his mind, "Ah! if you had such a one!" After a pause, he said to himself, "But if I take it I shall be a thief; and yet," continued he, "nobody would know it; nobody sees me—nobody! Does not God see me, who is present everywhere?" Overcome by these thoughts, a cold shivering seized him. "No," said he, putting down the watch, "I would much rather be poor, and keep my good conscience, than rich and become a rascal." At these words he hastened back into the chimney.
The lady, who was in the room adjoining, having overheard the conversation with himself, sent for him the next morning, and thus accosted him: "My little friend, why did you not take the watch yesterday?" The boy fell on his knees, speechless and astonished. "I heard every thing you said," continued her ladyship; "thank God for enabling you to resist this temptation, and be watchful over yourself for the future: from this moment you shall be in my service: I will both maintain and clothe you: nay, more, procure you good instruction, which will assist to guard you from the danger of similar temptations."
The boy burst into tears; he was anxious to express his gratitude, but could not. The lady strictly kept her promise, and had the pleasure of seeing this poor chimney-sweeper grow up a good, pious and intelligent man.
An Indian, being among his white neighbors, asked for a little tobacco to smoke, and one of them, having some loose in his pocket, gave him a handful. The day following the Indian came back, inquiring for the donor, saying he had found a quarter of a dollar among the tobacco. Being told that as it was given him he might as well keep it, he answered, pointing to his breast, "I got a good man, and a bad man here, and the good man say, 'It ain't yours; you must return it to its owner:' the bad man say, 'Why, he gave it to you, and it is your own now:' the good man say, 'That's not right; the tobacco is yours, not the money:' the bad man say, 'Never mind, you got it, go buy some dram:' the good man say, 'No, you must not do so:' so I don't know what to do, and I think I go to sleep; but the good man and the bad keep talking all night, and trouble me; and now I bring the money back I feel good."
Another Indian related, that, having got some money, he was, on his way home, tempted to stop at a tavern and buy some rum; "But," said he, pointing to his breast, "I have a good boy and a bad boy here; and the good boy say, 'John, don't you stop there: the bad one say, 'Poh, John, never mind, you love a good dram:' the good boy say, 'No, John, you know what a fool you made yourself when you got drunk there before, don't do so again.' When I come to the tavern, the bad boy say, 'Come, John, take one dram; it won't hurt you:' the good one say, 'No, John, if you take one dram, then you take another:' then I don't know what to do, and the good boy say, 'Run, John, hard as you can'—so I run away, and then, be sure, I feel very glad."
THE GOOD OLD INDIAN.
Captain James Smith relates, that he was taken prisoner by the Indians in the year 1755, and lived several years among them. At one time, he lived with an old man named Tecaughretanego, and his little son, Nunganny; they were quite alone, and there were not any inhabitants for many miles around. The old man was too lame to go out hunting; it was winter; they had no victuals; the snow was on the ground, and so frozen as to make a great noise when walked on, which frightened away the deer, and the captain could not shoot anything for some time.