Now, John's aunt had at one time explained to the boys that lying and
stealing are wrong; but she had not made it clear that deceiving is
lying and that taking little things that did not belong to them, even
though they took the things from some member of the family, is stealing,
and that just such thefts lead to the greater crimes that send men and
women to prison. Instead, she gave the advice in such a way that, though
they were impressed with a horror of stealing, the boys could only in
part comprehend her meaning. But because she had warned them, she felt
that she had done her duty and that they ought to know right from wrong
in regard to that matter without further explanation.

She did not realize that it was her duty to watch, encourage, and
advise, and also to find out when mischief was being planned. In fact,
this aunt and mother, busy with her own cares, knew nothing of the
possibilities for a child whose confidence and love had been won, and
who, through loving counsel, had gained a knowledge of evils and their
effects before he had formed ruinous habits or his mind had been
polluted with false ideas. Being thus left to themselves to discern as
best they could the difference between right and wrong, the boys nearly
always chose the wrong; and as a result, constantly went deeper and
deeper into sinful things.




CHAPTER III

What the Big Chest Contained