The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1868-12-31
AEHIEr oUTwIrrED.

The Ohio Patriot, published at New
Lisbon, relates the following as among
the incidents occurring in that vicinity
in the Olden time:
1t is an old saying that sEhonesty is
the best policy" and it is well to keep
the maxim "before the people" as a
kind of rod to hang in terrorem over
rogues-albeit the man who has paused
to debate whether honesty "will pay" F"
is already at the halfway house to
knavery.-The man of true integrity
of honesty pure as ''the snow that's
thrice sifted by the frozen winds
such from no considerations of profit
or loss, but because he loves virtue for
its own sake, and would obey its die
tates at all hazards
Though sun and moon were in the fiat sea
sunk"
A good story, in illustration of the
old saw, was told us few days ago,
of a chap in these parts. He had been
trading with Judge Endiy, shreWd
oldmerehants who carried on business
in New Lisbon some years ago, and
among other things, had bought bag
of feathers, for which he had made
payment with q twenty dollar bill.
While the Judge was making change
at the other end of the store, happen
ing to cast his eyes around accidentally
he saw his customer, who was partially
concealed by a molasses hogshead, slip
very dextrouslv small roll of sheet
lead into the bag. Now some men,
under the circumstances would have
confronted the thief, and charged the
crime upon him at once but the Judge
had had his eye teeth too well cut thus
to make an everlasting enemy of the
man, and lose his custom besides cut
ting offall hopes of his reformation.
So, pretending not to have noticed the
theft, he handed the man his change,
and, lifting the bag, as if to put it into
the wagon
ugh! Why, mercy ON mellow
heaUy this is!' he exclaimed, as if as
tonished at its weight, while his Gus.
toner had already sprang forward, but
too late,to intercept him, begging him
senot to trouble himself" as it was
"quite light, and he could easily place
it in the wagon himself.
"Why, really" continued the Judge
81 must have made some mistake in
the weight. Let me clap it into the
scales again."
SN-n-o, my dear sir-d-d-dont trou'
BILE yourself-it's all right-I'm sure il
is IL could take my oath of it," STAN.
mered the frightened thief as with
both hands he clutched the bag con.
vulsivelY.
"Wen, it won't do no hurt to ~eigf
it again, at all events" persisted the
cunning Judge, while with vigorous
jerk he twitched it into the scale:
There, Iknew I was right
seemed te me ALFRED heavy-why i
weighs more'n thirty pounds ovel
what 1 sold 'em for! Guess I'll be /;
leetle more careful next time-th,
plaguey scales!"
'But, my dear SIR
"Oh, you needn't take 'em all, if yol
don't want 'em, you know. If there
two many for your use, can empty
out a part Of 'em"-and with this
suiting the action to the word, th'
Judge was about untying the string
of the bag-when- .
'No-no" don't trouble yourself,
quickly replied the other; "on secont
thought, 1 recollect my wife told mi
she would want another lot in da,
or two-so may as well get 'em al
at once" 3'sa 5.sH
And with this he forked over anoth
er cool 'ten spot" and, dragging th'
bag to the Wagon, drove off like 1
hurricane-having paid for his rascal
ity by buying pig lead at the price o1
lave geese feathers-Jfrst quality-:Jyta
cents per poundl He was cured of hi
dishonesty but, in spite of the Judge
caution, the story eventually got wint
and, though the former always deelar
ed that the lead must have fallen int
the bag accidentally" yet his neigh
dors for many years after, were won't
to feed fat every grudge against him
by inquiring "Hotr's liUe geese feather:
',oaDP"-or, if he got angry, telling
him "aot to let has, feathers get ru6led :
and tits said that in his most exultant
moments, if flock of geese CHANGED
to hiss at him, he was at once crest fal
len, and sometimes nearly went int
convulsions.