A young man who loved the truth was a 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 that order, and saying they needn’t send those goods. The merchant handed the note to Frank with a pleasant 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 wouldn’t write a lying letter. He knew how valuable such a young man was, and so, instead of firing him, he made him his confidential clerk.
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