Page:Short stories for little folks, or, Little tales calculated to excite juvenile minds to the love and practice of virtue.pdf/17

(17) Intemperance.

YRUS, when a youth, being at the court of his grandfather Cambyſes, undertook one day to be the cup-bearer at table. It was the duty of this officer to taſte the liquor before it was preſented to the king. Cyrus, without performing this ceremony, delivered the cup in a very graceful manner to his grandfather. The king reminded him of his omiſſion, which he imputed to forgetfulneſs. No, replied Cyrus, I was afraid to taſte, becauſe I apprehended there was poiſon in the liquor: For not long ſince, at an entertainment which you gave, I obſerved that the lords of your court, after drinking of it, became noiſy, quarrelſome,and frantic. Even you, Sir, ſeemed to have forgotten that you were a king.

A Generous Return for an Injury.

HEN the great Conde commanded the Spaniſh army, and laid ſiege to one of the French towns in Flanders, a ſoldier being ill treated by a general officer, and ſtruck ſeveral times with a cane, for ſome diſreſpectful words he had let fall, anſwered very coolly, that he ſhould ſoon make him repent of it. Fifteen days afterwards, the ſame general officer ordered the colonel