| A
Lesson Dhondu undertook this public
service with great enthusiasm. But he had no experience of maintaining the accounts of a
shop. Sometimes when Dhondu was away to attend to some other work other people used to
sell articles. They did not write up the accounts correctly. So the accounts were
incorrect. Within a year or two this store had to be closed.
Dhondu was disgusted. He felt sorry that this inefficiency
and neglect were responsible for what had happened. It was decided that at least the
capital collected from the people should be returned. Dhondu's salary had been fixed at
three rupees a month. For six months' service he got only six and a quarter rupees! One
shareholder had paid twenty-five rupees for five shares. This amount had to be repaid.
Dhondu who had earned six and a quarter rupees took over this responsibility; this was the
punishment for his carelessness. Later he worked hard and repaid the amount with interest.
This way Dhondu punished himself because he thought that the amount collected from the
public was mis-spent on account of his carelessness. In later life Dhondu managed many
public services; he always remembered the bitter lessons learnt from this experience and
constantly kept them in view; he made sure that the amounts collected were not misused. To
error is human. But to learn lessons from mistakes and to be careful not to repeat the
mistakes - this is the mark of a great man. |
