Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1874-11-13
T6eDermont 49enit.
BRATTLEBORO:
FRIDAY EVENING, NOV. 10, 1874.
The Dishonest Peasant.


In the year 1894 a Frenchman was pass
ing the winter in Nillage In Germany.
One cold morning he had occasion to buy a
load of wood. He found peasant who
had one to sell, and asked him what the
price was, The peasant who perceived by
his broken German that be was foreign
er, and that bis Ignorance might be taken
advantage Of, answered that the price was
three louis d'ors. The Frenchman en-
deavored to beat him down, but IN vain.
At last he took II, 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 dis
tant, and ordered break fast. While II 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 = load of
wood which. ut the utmost was not worth
more than seven shillings and siKpence-
taking as if he had done very clever
thing.
The landlord was good man, and told
him that he ought 10 be ashamed of bim-
self thus TO have taken advantage of the
ignorance Of a poor foreigner.
WELL" said the peasant, with scornful
laugh, 1.-THE wood was mine; had right
to ask what pleased for IT,
The landlord made no reply. When
breakfast was over, the peasant asked how
much was to pay. Tue andl"u repheu'
Three louis d'ors.'
"What! said the peLsan', three ,uis
d'ors for a cup oncotfee and'a' few slices Of
bread aud DHtterr' /,
Eyes, H.said the landlord with the utmost
cOmposure ''the coffee aud bread and but
ter were mine; I have right torask Just
what l p,else for them. My bill is three
louis dors aud I shall keap your horse
and cart until you pay me. II you think
am charging you too much, you can go be-
fore the judge"
The peasant, without saying any more,
went to the judges office aud made his
complaint. The judge was surprised and
Indignant ut the landlords extortion, es-
pccally ~ he had always borne an excel
lent character.
He ordered him to he brought before
him, and his reception of him, was some
what stern. But the landlord tod him the
whole story-how the peasant had taken
advantage Of the psVr emigrau's Ignorance
TO cheat him, what their conversation was,
aud how his own condSct was simply Wis
ting upon the head Of a dishonest man
the wrong he had done to another.
Under such circumstances the Judge de-
cded the landlord had done right, and
that the peasant should pay the three louis
d'ors. The peasant with very i'll grace,
drew out his purse and laid the money on
the table.
II 90 not Nant this money!" said the
landlord to the judge, las your honor may
well suppose. Will you have the goodness
10 change one Of these louis d'nrs and give
the peasant seven shillinGS and sixpence
ont of it-for that. as he confessed to me, IL
ali that his wood Is worth-snd return the
remainder to the poor Frenchman? For
tho breakfast want nothing.
The judge counted out the seven shil-
lings and sixpence TO the peasant, aud dis
missed him with u severe rebuke. The
rest WAS returned to the FIeuchman, who
on hearing The story, went to thank The
Lind inn Keeper and with great difficulty
persuaded him 10 accept small sum fol
The peasants break last.-The Methodjst