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There was once a little boy named Duncan. The boys used to call him "True Duncan" because he would never tell a lie. One day he was playing with an axe in the schoolyard. The axe was used for cutting wood for the schoolroom fire in winter. While Duncan was chopping a stick, the teacher's cat, "Old Tabby," came and leaped on to the log of wood where Duncan was at work. He had raised the axe to cut the wood, but it fell on the cat and killed her. What to do he knew not. She was the master's pet cat, and used to sit on a cushion at his side while he was hearing the boys' lessons. Duncan stood looking at poor Tabby. His face grew red and the tears stood in his eyes. All the boys came running up, and every one had something to say. One of them was heard whispering to the others, "Now, boys, let us see if Duncan can't make up a fib as well as the rest of us." "Not he," said Tom Brown, who was Duncan's friend, "not he, I'll warrant. Duncan will be as true as gold." John Jones stepped up and said, "Come, boys, let us fling the cat into the lane, and we can tell Mr. Cole that the butcher's dog killed her. You know that he worried her last week." Some of them thought that would do very well. But Duncan looked quite angry; his cheek swelled and his face grew redder than before. "No, no," said he. "Do you think I would say that? It would be a lie — a lie!" Each time he used the word his voice grew louder. Then he took up the poor thing and carried her into the master's room. The boys followed to see what would happen. The master looked up and said, "What? is this my poor Tabby killed? Who could have done me such an injury?" All were silent for a little while. As soon as Duncan could get his voice he said, "Mr. Cole, I am very sorry I killed poor Tabby. Indeed, sir, I am very sorry, I ought to have been more careful, for I saw her rubbing herself against the log. I am more sorry than I can tell, sir." Every one expected to see Mr. Cole get very angry, take down his cane and give Duncan a sound thrashing. But instead of that he put on a pleasant smile and said, "Duncan, you are a brave boy. I saw and heard all that passed in the yard from my window above. I am glad to see such an example of truth and honour in my school." Duncan took out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes. The boys could not keep silence any longer, and when Tom Brown cried, "Three cheers for True Duncan!" they all joined and made the schoolhouse ring with a mighty hurrah. The teacher then said, "My boys, I am glad you know what is right and that you approve it, though I am afraid some of you could not have done it. Learn from this time that nothing can make a lie necessary. Suppose Duncan had taken your evil advice and come to me with a lie, it would have been instantly detected, and instead of the honour of truth he would have had only the shame of falsehood."

(Sunday School.)

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KJV: The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.

WEB: Truth's lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only momentary.