Directory_and_Chronicle_1845 — Page 799

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doorway, observing, The gentleman on horseback has been my in- timate friend from boyhood, and if I meet him it will cause him great trouble, for he will certainly stop and get off his horse to salute me." “To be sure then, you ought to withdraw," said Lí. They then both went on, and soon saw a beggar, with tattered garments and torn cap, bawling out as he came up. Lí, pulling Cháng, and turning aside into a doorway, said, “This miserable beggar is my near rela- tive and intimate friend, and I wish to avoid him, for if he sees me, he will not be at all ashamed of me.” This surprised Chúng, whọ said, “Why do you have such sort of friends?” Lí said,

"You pick out all the rich and good for your friends, and leave only the empty handed beggars to annoy me, what else can I do?"

Moral. This general practice of currying favor with the rich, and inducing men to despise the low, is very mean: how much more base, when persons lie about it!

The man who wished to be changed into a father.

An old rich man called his debtor to his house, and told him, “You barebacked beggar; you've nothing with which you can pay me; swear to me how you will repay me in the coming world, and I will burn the account, and not ask for anything." The man said, “I should wish to be changed iuto a horse, that your honor might ridẹ me till I had paid the whole debt.” Upon this, the old man assented, and taking up the bill burned it. Another oue of his debtors com- ing in afterwards, and saying, “I should like to become an ox, and plough the fields, or drag the harrow for my lord, till my debt was cancelled," he likewise burned his account. Sometime after this, one of his largest debtors remarked to him, that he should like to be changed into his father that he might liquidate his debt. "You not only owe me considerable money, which you will not repay,” said the old man, rather provoked, "but you also wish to urge me to de- part from right; what justice is there in this?"

"Just hear me,” rejoined the man; “I owe you a great amount, and instead of being metamorphosed into a horse or an ox in the next world to repay

you,

I wished much rather to become your father; the care and labor of a life, without regarding myself, might perhaps accumulate many fields and houses, which I should not think of enjoying myself, but would joyfully give them over to you. Would not this be settling your debt!"