Worth Reading
A young man, a student in one of the universities, was one day
taking a
walk with a
professor, who was commonly called the student's friend for
his kindness
to those who waited on his instructions.
As they went
along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes, which were
supposed to
belong to a poor man who was working in a field close by,
and who had
nearly finished his day's work.
The student
turned to the professor, saying: "Let us play the man a trick:
we will hide
his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those bushes, and
wait to see
his perplexity when he cannot find them"
My young
friend, “answered the professor," we should never amuse
ourselves at
the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a
much greater
pleasure by means of this poor man. Put a coin in each shoe,
and then we
will hide ourselves and watch how this affects him.
The student
did so and they both placed themselves behind the bushes
close by.
The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to
the path
where he had left his coat and shoes.
While
putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, but feeling
something
hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin.
Astonishment
and wonder were seen upon his countenance.
He gazed
upon the coin, turned it around, and looked at it again and again.
He then
looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen.
He now put
the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe;
but his
surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
His feelings
overcame him he fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and
uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving in which he spoke of his
wife, sick and
helpless, and his children without bread, whom this
timely bounty, from some
unknown hand, would save from perishing.
The student
stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears.
"Now,"
said the professor, are you not much better pleased than if you
had played
your intended trick?"
The youth
replied, "You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget,
I feel now
the truth of these words, which I never understood before”:
"It's
more blessed to give than to receive"
If you
want happiness:
For an
hour--- take a nap
For a lifetime---help someone in need