A young man, a student in one of the universities, was
one day taking a walk with a professor, who was commonly called the students'
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 . . .
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 other means. 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."
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