Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 798

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Deducting two Taels a Night.

There was a kind old man, who took pleasure in charitable acts, who one wintry night saw a man sheltering himself under his eaves, and invited him into his house. A glass of warın spirits cheered him up, and he remained through the night, but owing to the snow the host made him stay that day and the next, when the weather clear- erl up. As he was about to go, he begged of the old man the loan of a knife; taking it up, he said to him, "We did not know each other before, but I am going to destroy this body in order to requite your great kindness." The old man much surprised, stopped him; "You would greatly injure me by such a deed, for to have a man die in my house without any reason will waste twelve taels or more money, besides all the trouble." The rogue replied, "I avail of your suggestion; it will not be well to have so much ́annoyance, just get the twelve taels for me, and I will go." The old man, greatly provoked, aroused the whole neighborhood with his objurgations, but in order to appease him, gave him six taels, sighing as the wretch was going, "Who would have thought I should ever meet such an unconscionable man?” You do'nt call yourself unreasonable," rejoined the chap, "but say that I am so; now if you had but a good heart, you would not only have kept me the three nights, but would not have deducted two taels for every night I stopped here, from what I should have cost you if I had used the knife."

Moral. We regard this man as very ungrateful thus to requite the kind- ness shown him, but how many people there are in the world like him! Men are placed in positions of power, honor, influence, and emolument by imperial bounty, who never think of the favors they have received, but requite these benefits by injuring the people, destroying their property, and weakening the authority of the monarch. Parents rear their children with infinite lahor, anxiety, and expense, and how often these sons regard them as enemies, and embitter their declining years with unnatural ingratitude.

"Leaving me only that Wretched Beggar."

Cháng and Lí were once walking together, when seeing a rich old man coming in his sedan with many slaves, Ching pulled his com- panion aside within a doorway to hide themselves, saying,

"The

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man in that sedan is my hear relative, and if I do not retire from his presence, he will needs get out of it to salute me, which would be very troublesome and inconvenient to him.” Lí replied, “Of course, then, you ought to step aside." Going on, in a little while, they saw a man on horseback, followed by many runners whose dress and cap were well arranged ; . and Chúng again pulled his friend aside into a

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