Southern Christian Advocate

From "Dick's Mental Illumination."
THE WHISTLE.
Many of the children were in the habit of
bringing marbles, tops, whistles and other toys,
which often caused much disturbance. I found
it necessary to forbid the children from bringing
any thing of the kind. After giving notice two
or three times in the school, I told them, that if
any of them brought such things, they would be
taken from them. In consequence, several
things fell into my hands, which I did not always
think of returning: and among other things,
a whistle from a little boy. The child asked
me for it as he was going home, but having several
visitors at the time, I put the child off, telling
him not to plague me, and he went home. I had
forgotten the circumstance altogether; but it appears
the child did not: for some time after,
while I was lecturing the children upon the necessity
of telling truth, and the wickedness of
stealing, the little fellow approached me, and
said, 'Please, sir, you stole my whistle.' 'Stole
your whistle,' said I; 'did I not give it to you
again?' 'No, teacher; I asked you for it, and
you would not give it to me.' I stood self-convicted,
being accused in the middle of my lecture,
before all the children, and really at a loss
what excuse to make, for I had mislaid the whistle,
and could not return it to the child. I immediately
gave him a halfpenny, and said all I
could to persuade the children that it was not
my intention to keep it. This trifling mistake
of mine did more harm than I was able to repair
for some time; for if we wish to teach children
to be honest, we should never take any thing
from them without returning it again.
This story shows how necessary it is to teach
by example as well as precept-that children
have a clear perception of any discrepancy that
may take place in this respect.