There was a young Man who had been caught in a daring act of a thief and had been condemned to be executed for it.
He expressed his desire to see his Mother, and to speak with her before he was led to execution, and of course this was granted.
When his Mother came to him he said: "I want to whisper to you," and when she brought her ear near him, he nearly bit it off.
All the bystanders were horrified, and asked him what he could mean by such cruel and inhuman conduct.
"It is to punish her," he said. "When I was young I began with stealing little things, and brought them home to Mother.
Instead of shouting and punishing me, she
laughed and said: "It will not be noticed." It
is because of her that I am here to-day. If she
would have taught me to go through the right
way, I would not be standing here today"
"He is right, woman," said the Priest; "the Lord
hath said:
Moral: "Train up a child in the way he
should go; and when he is old he will not depart
there from."