This fable teaches us to beware of an evil reputation; for it may cause us to be punished for the misdemeanors of others. Thus, if a person gets the character of a liar, he will not be believed when he tells the truth; and where a theft is known, it is of course laid to some one who has been caught in stealing before. Beware of Impatience. There’s many a pleasure in life which we might possess, were it not for our impatience. Young people, especially, miss a great deal of happiness, because they cannot wait till the proper time. A man once gave a fine pear to his little boy, saying to him, “The pear is green now, my boy, but lay it by for a week, and it will then be ripe, and very delicious.” “But,” said the child, “I want to eat it now, father.” “I tell you it is not ripe yet,” said the father. “It will not taste good, and, beside, it will make you sick.” “No it won’t, father, I know it won’t, it looks so good. Do let me eat it!” After a little more teasing, the father consented, and the child eat the pear. The consequence was, that, the next day, he was taken sick, and came very near dying. Now all this happened because the child was impatient. He couldn’t wait, and, accordingly, the pear, that might have been very pleasant and harmless, was the occasion of severe illness. Thus it is that impatience, in a thousand instances, leads children, and pretty old ones too, to convert sources of happiness into actual mischief and misery. There were some boys once who lived near a pond; and when winter came, they were very anxious to have it freeze over, so that they could slide and skate upon the ice. At last, there came a very cold night, and in the morning the boys went to the pond, to see if the ice would bear them. Their father came by at the moment, and seeing that it was hardly thick enough, told the boys that it was not safe yet, and advised them to wait another day before they ventured upon it. But the boys were in a great hurry to enjoy the pleasure of sliding and skating. So they walked out upon the ice; but pretty soon it went crack--crack--crack! and down they were all plunged into the water! It was not very deep, so they got out, though they were very wet, and came near drowning; and all because they could not wait. Now these things, though they may seem to be trifles, are full of instruction. They teach us to beware of impatience, to wait till the fruit is ripe; they teach us that the cup of pleasure, seized before the proper time, is turned into poison. They show us the importance of patience. Travels, Adventures, and Experiences of Thomas Trotter. CHAPTER VI.