One day, a gentleman was making his way through town when he came upon a sorry sight. A little girl was standing nearby with her face in her hands, crying bitterly. Wondering what was the matter, he asked her why she was weeping. She told him through her tears that her parents had sent her on an errand to buy bread, and have given her ten cents with which to purchase it. But alas! she had lost the money which they had given her.

“That is a bad job,” the man replied. “Why were you not more careful?”

“I know I have been very careless,” she said sorrowfully, “and I am quite willing to bear whatever punishment I receive. I am sorry, though, for my parents, who worked so hard to earn the money I have lost.”

The man was touched by the girl's contrition, because she was truly sorry for her fault. She wasn't weeping because she thought she'd be punished, but because she knew that her parents would suffer the loss of the money. Wishing to reward such true sentiments as these, the man gave her another 10 cents, and sent her on her way, telling her to be more careful this time. So saying, he continued on.

But he had not gone far when he heard a familiar voice calling after him. Turning back, he saw the girl running up to him. Upon reaching him, she thanked him for the money he had given her; but she had come to return it to him. He wondered why; but he did not wonder for long, for she explained that she had found her own money in the street. She no longer needed his, so she was returning it to him again with her heartfelt thanks.

What was her surprise when the gentleman refused to accept it, and gave her a half-dollar as well! Shocked and slightly confused, the child hesitated to keep what seemed like a large sum of money.

“I was only doing what I knew was the right thing to do” she tried to explain.

“For that very reason,” answered the old man, with a smile, “you deserve to be rewarded.”

And if that kind gentleman, who was but a mere human being, wished to repay the girl for her honesty in this life, can we not presume that God, who is all good, will reward honesty even more so in eternity?