As she entered the house, she began to tell how she
came by the apples, but stopped in dismay, for she
saw her mother’s look of disapproval. Very
tenderly Mrs. Worthington took her little daughter
aside and, sitting down by her, said: “My
dear, you don’t understand what you’ve
done: those apples are as truly stolen as if you
had picked them from the tree. You must take
them to Mrs. S. and explain that you didn’t
know you were stealing them. Taking little things
and trying to ease the conscience by saying, ‘It
doesn’t amount to anything,’ causes the
conscience to fall asleep and to cease its activity.
Thus the evil habit of taking what doesn’t belong
to us becomes a part of our nature, and step by step
we fall into greater sin.
“I once heard of a young man who was about to
be hanged upon the gallows. Just before the fatal
moment he received permission to speak to any of his
friends, if he desired. Calling for his aunt,
who had reared him, he moved forward as if to speak
to her, but instead he bit off her ear. Amid
the exclamations of horror that followed, the young
man said: ’You think what I have done is
cruel. Let me tell you that, had my aunt done
her duty by me, I should not be here today. Had
she taken the pains to inquire where I obtained the
lead pencils, knives, handkerchiefs, and other small
articles which I brought home from time to time; had
she not accepted the flimsy excuse that I had found
them; had she warned me of my danger, and not praised
me for “finding” the things I had stolen,—I
might have escaped this awful end.’
“So, Bessie, you can see the danger of allowing
anything like this—though it does appear
a trifle—to pass by unnoticed. You
may go and return the apples to Mrs. S., who is now
in the orchard.”
The lesson was severe and lasting; and as Bessie returned
the apples to their rightful owner, it settled deep
into her heart.
Parents, beware. Through neglect, the habit of
lying begins. An untruth is passed over carelessly
and the child allowed to cover up its sins without
realizing their sinfulness. Likewise, many other
evil habits that have wrecked lives and brought sorrow
and disgrace into homes may be traced to the same
carelessness on the part of parents and friends.
CHAPTER VIII.
A WISE DECISION.
The lake in front of the Worthington home, though
nearly five miles in length, had too small a harbor
to permit the entrance of the large Chicago boats.
It was therefore necessary, each evening in summer,
for small steamboats to gather up the fruit from the
farms along the lake and to carry it to the nearest
port for large steamers. It was interesting to
see the piles of berry crates loaded upon the steamer
from the docks extending out into the lake. At
such times a crowd of young people frequently arranged
to go for a pleasant ride on Lake Michigan, and a
few times Bessie had gone.
