HONEST FRANK.
WHAT boy would not like to merit such a title as that? "Honest!" you can trust him, he will never deceive you; he will always speak and act the truth. Such was Frank. He was honest; he loved truth so much he would not part with it for any consideration.
Frank was clerk in the office of a rich merchant in New York. One day this merchant received from a customer in another city an order for a large and valuable lot of goods.
The next day another letter came from the same customer, recalling the order, and saying they need not send the goods. The merchant handed the note to Frank, with a pleasing smile, saying:
"Frank, I want you to answer this note. Please say that the goods were shipped before the letter recalling the order was received."
Frank looked into his employer's face with a sad but firm glance, and said,
"I'm very sorry, sir, but I can't do it."
"Can't do it! And pray, why not?" asked the merchant, angrily.
"Because, sir, the goods are in the yard now, and it would be telling a lie."
"I hope you may always be so particular," said the merchant, as he turned on his heel and went away.
Honest Frank did a bold but a right thing when he took that stand. And what do you think was the result?
Did he lose his place? Not at all. The merchant was too wise to turn away a clerk who was so honest that he couldn't write a lying letter. He knew how valuable such a young man was, and so, instead of turning him off, he made him his confidential clerk.
Boys, learn to say "I can't do it," when tempted to tell a lie.
Selected.