The story
“A little boy, inmate of an orphan asylum, ran away. He fell in with an itinerant knife grinder. The boy had no home life, and when his companion suggested that they steal some chickens, he did not object. The farmer was alert, however, and although the knife grinder escaped, the boy was made a prisoner. The farmer had two little children, a boy and a girl. They had gone to bed, and came down to investigate. They were sorry for the tiny prisoner and when their father was out of the room, released him. The little girl lectured him and then assisted him to escape through a window. The little orphan came into good fortune. A wealthy real estate broker saw him and later adopted him. The boy when he grew to manhood was taken into partnership by his benefactor. One day the firm engaged a new stenographer, and the junior partner did not know the youth was one of the children who had aided him years before. The stenographer squandered his money, and ran heavily into debt.
“Brooding over what he called his misfortunes, he saw a chance to take a sum of money from the safe, and yielding to impulse did so. Hardly had he left the office before the theft was discovered by the junior partner, who was morally certain that the stenographer was the guilty party. He followed him from his home, and while waiting in the sitting room for him to appear, noticed on the mantelpiece a picture of two children. He recognized them as the ones who had saved him from imprisonment years before, and on questioning the stenographer’s pretty sister found that she was the little girl who had made him swear to be honest. When the boy came downstairs prepared for flight, he was shocked to see his employer there. The junior partner, however, did not have him arrested. He explained how he had been given a second chance, and because of it had made good. The young man with tears in his eyes swore he would make good in the future.”
Summary from The Moving Picture World · 16 November 1912
