death no epitaph greater than that of the Earl of Shaftesbury, who, being presented with a donkey by the coster-mongers of London said, "I ask nothing beyond this, that with patience as great and a resignation as unmurmuring as that of this donkey I may do my duty." What a phrase! "My duty." Not my brother's duty, or my chum's, but my duty. My duty to God, to parents, to others and to myself. When once the son of the Czar of Russia was visiting America some years ago as a subordinate officer of the ships of the Russian fleet, a citizen of Philadelphia, who was entertaining the admiral in command, asked him as to the position of the Grand Duke on board. "How is he addressed?" was asked. "Always as 'Lieutenant,'" was the reply. "Does he do regular duty as an officer, on watch in his turn?" "Certainly. There is only one difference between him and the other officers. He is always more faithful to duty than anyone else."

What a tribute! What was said of this royal son, may be said of every boy. "Let us be found doing our duty, if this be the day of judgment," said Colonel Davenport in the legislative council of 1780 at Hartford. An eclipse of the sun so darkened the room and surrounding country that many thought it was the day of God's wrath. Live such a life that no matter when the judgment comes, you may be found doing your duty, thus meriting the eulogy conferred upon Colonel Hutchinson: "He never professed the thing he intended not, nor promised that he believed out of his power, nor failed in the performance of anything that was in his power to fulfill." In all circumstances of life and dealings with others

"Do noble things, not dream them all day long, And so make life, death, and that vast forever, One grand sweet song."

CHAPTER XII

Be Honest

INTRODUCTION TO CHAPTER XII

BY FRANCIS E. WARREN

To be honest, as this world goes,

Is to be one picked out of ten thousand.

Shakespeare.

All other knowledge is hurtful to him who has not honesty and good nature.-Montaigne.

T

HE best that a boy or man can do is to be honest. He will find honesty profitable; not only will it pay in a material way, but it will bring satisfaction with self, and will command the esteem and admiration of all with whom he comes in contact. Without honesty of purpose and act, there can be no substantial or lasting success either in business or any other undertaking in life. Be honest, in order that you may be successful and content, as well.

Francis & mer

"H

CHAPTER XII

BE HONEST

ONESTY is the best policy" cannot be excelled as a moral maxim. As an aphorism it cannot be revoked. He who heeds it will avoid wrong, but he who disregards it will cease to do right. The word is sometimes used in a legal sense as that which is determined and enforced by law, sometimes in a worldly way as that which looks to public opinion as its motive and end, but Webster defines it "to be upright, just, fair in dealing with others, free from trickishness and fraud; acting and having the disposition to act at all times according to justice or correct moral principles." That boy who adheres to these, is, as Pope declared, "The noblest work of God."

That there are tricks in all trades is an acknowledged fact, and when resorted to to secure advantage over another, it is nothing less than theft, which is fraught with peril and liable to bitter remorse.

"A little theft, a small deceit,

Too often leads to more;

'Tis hard at first, but tempts the feet
As through an open door.

Just as the broadest river runs

From small and distant springs,

The greatest crimes that men have done
Have grown from little things."

DISHONESTY AND ITS RESULT.

At a general election in England, a candidate personally unknown to the voters of a certain borough was asked by party leaders to do his best for election. He belonged to a good family and was a lawyer of promise in London. His path to success was open, as the borough belonged to his party. When he mounted the platform to address the electors, his eyes fell upon a board opposite, on which was scrawled with charcoal: "Forty Pounds!" He suddenly became pale and confused, stumbled through a short speech, and then hurriedly left the stand.

A few days later he rose to speak in another town, and again the mysterious words written on the wall confronted him. Again he left the platform, and that night retired from the contest for the seat in Parliament. Not long after he disappeared from public life, and retired to an English colony where he hid himself on a ranch. It was found that the words referred to a theft committed in his youth, which he supposed had been forgotten, but which had clung to him all these years. Lapse of time had not concealed it, and when on the verge of victory, defeat through someone's reminder and a gnawing conscience pushed him from the

race.

EXAMPLES OF HONESTY.

Honesty is a trait of character which sets a boy off to advantage. He has no dark shadows or corroding memories to fear. The idea that some boys have, "Make money, honestly if you can, but if not, make it anyway," is wrong. Madison C. Peters says, "Capital is not what a man has, but what a man is." He who is honest will not take a pin from another, would not represent an article to be what it is not, gives the