[00:04.38]A young man, a student in one of our universities,
[00:08.34]was one day taking a walk with a professor,
[00:12.70]who was commonly called the students’friend,
[00:14.99]from his kindness to those who waited on his instructions.
[00:18.39]As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes,
[00:23.86]which they supposed to belong to a poor man who was employed in a field close by,
[00:29.61]and who had nearly finished his day’s work.
[00:32.35]The student turned to the professor, saying,
[00:35.51]“Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes,
[00:39.13]and conceal ourselves behind those bushes,
[00:42.19]and wait to see his perplexity when he cannot find them.”
[00:45.59]“My young friend,” answered the professor,
[00:49.31]“we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor.
[00:53.35]But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure
[00:57.91]by means of the poor man.
[00:59.15]Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves
[01:03.82]and watch how the discovery affects him.”
[01:05.82]The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by.
[01:11.95]The poor man soon finished his work,
[01:15.15]and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes.
[01:19.94]While putting on his coat he slipped his foot into one of his shoes;
[01:24.64]but feeling something hard, he stooped down to feel what it was, and found the coin.
[01:30.77]Astonishment and wonder were seen upon his countenance.
[01:34.71]He gazed upon the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again.
[01:39.30]He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen.
[01:44.22]He now put the money into his pocket, and proceeded to put on the other shoe;
[01:49.04]but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin.
[01:52.65]His feelings overcame him; he fell upon his knees,
[01:56.99]looked up to heaven and uttered aloud a fervent thanksgiving,
[02:00.86]in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread,
[02:05.89]whom the timely bounty, from some unknown hand, would save from perishing.
[02:11.03]The student stood there deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears.
[02:16.72]“Now,” said the professor,
[02:19.80]“are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick?”
[02:24.59]The youth replied, “You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget.
[02:29.74]I feel now the truth of those words, which I never understood before:
[02:34.34]‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”
