American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-09-26
The Dishonest Peasant.

In the year 1884 a poor Frenchman was
passing the winter in village in Ger
many. One cold morning he had occa-
sion TO buy a load of wood. He found a
peasant who had one to sell, and asked
him what the price was The peasant,
who perceived by his broken German that
he was foreigner, and that his ignorance
might be taken advantage of, answered
that the price was three louis d'ors. The
Frenchman endeav ored to beat him down,
but in vain At last he took it, and paid
the money that was asked.
The peasant, delighted to have made
SO good bargain, drove with his empty
cart to the village inn, which was not far
distant, and ordered breakfast. While
it was getting ready, he entertained the
landlord with an account of the way in
which he had cheated the Frenchman,
and made him pay three louis d'ors for a
load of wood which, at the utmost, was
not worth more than seven shillings and
sixpence-talking as if he had done a
very clever thing.
The landlord was q good man, and told
him that he ought to be ashamed of him
self thus to have taken advantage of the
ignorance Of a poor foreigner.
Well" said the peasant. with a scorn-
full laugh, "the wood was mine; had a
right to ask Just what pleased for it."
The landlord made no reply When
breakfast was over the peasant asked
how much was to pay. The landlord re-
piled. Three louis doris"
"Whatr' said the peasant, three
louis dors for a cup of coffee and u few
slices of bread and butter.'
'Ycs," said the landlord, with the ut
most composure; the coffee and bread
and butter were mine; have a right to
ask just what please for them My bill
h three louis d'ors; and l shall keep
your horse and cart until you pay me-
If you think l am charging you too much
you can go before the Judge"
The peasant, without saying anything
more, went to the Judges office and made
his complaint. The Judge was surprised
and indignant at the landlords extortion-
especially as he had always borne an ex-
cellent character.
He ordered him to be brought before
him, and his reception of him was some
what stern. But the landlord told him
the whole story-how the peasant had
taken advantage of the poor emigrant's
ignorance to cheat him, what their con-
versation was, and how his own conduct
was simply visiting upon the head of n
dishonest man the wrong he had done to
another.
Under such circumstances the Judge
decided that the landlord had done
right, and that the peasant should pay
the three louis d'Grs. The peasant, with
a very i'll grace, drew out his purse and
laid the money on the table.
81 do not want this money" said the
landlord to the Judge, las your Honor
may well suppose. Will you have the
goodness to change one of these louis
d'ors and give the peasant seven shil-
lings and sixpence out of it-for that.
as he confessed to me, is all that his
wood is worth-and return the remain
der to the poor Frenchmen. For the
breakfast want nothing"
The Judge counted out the seven
shillings and sixpence to the peasant,
and dismissed him with a severe rebuke
The rest was returned to the French
man, who, on hearing the story, went t"
thank the kind innkeeper, and with
great liffi Guilty persuaded him to accept
a small sum for the peasants breakfast.
The Aethodist