Middletown transcript., 1874-10-10
The Dishonest Peasant.

:
was obliged to live with the greatest
economy, in order not to 60 beyond his
means. One cold morning he had oc-
casion to buy load of wood. He found
a peasant who had one to sell, and what
the price was. The peasant who per-
ceived by his broken German that be
was foreigner, and that his ignorance
might be taken advantage of, answered
that the price was three louis d'ors
The Frenchman endsavored to beat
him down, but in vain the peasant
would abate nothing Of his FIRST demand,
The emigrant. finding it useless to
waste words with him, and being in
pressing need of the fuel, at last took
it, and paid the money that was asked
for it.
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 enter
tanned the landlord with an account of
the way in which be had cheated the
Frenchman, and made him pay three
louis d'ors for load of wood which, at
the utmost was not worth more than
two dollars talking as if he had done
clever thing.
But the landlord was good man,
and feeling justly indignant at the pea
SAINTS conduct, told him that he ought
to be ashamed Of himself thus to have
taken advantage Of the ignorance Of .
poor foreigner.
"Well." said the peasant, with .
scornful laugh, "the wood was mine; ]
had right to ask just what ! pleased
for it: and nobody has a right to call
my conduct in question"
The landlord made no reply. When
breakfast was over the peasant asked
how much was to pay. The landlord
replied, "Three louis d'ors."
"What r. said the peasant, g three
louis d'ors for a cup of coffee and few
slices Of bread and butter?''
Yes" said the landlord, with the
utmost cemposure g the coffee and
bread and butter were mine; l have
right to ask what l please for them
My bill is three louis d'ors; and shall
keep your horse and cart until you pay
me. If you think | am charging you
too much, you can 60 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 land
lords extortion. especially as he had
always borne an excellent character.
He ordered him to be brought before
him, and his reception of him was
somewhat stern. But the landlord told
him the whole story-how the peasant
had taken advantage Of the poor emf
grants ignorance to cheat him. what
their conversation was, and how his
own conduct was simply visiting upon
the head Of a dishonest man the wrong
be had done another.
Under such circumstances the Judge
decided that 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 do not want this money" said the
landlord to the Judge. ''as your honor
may we'll suppose. Will you have the
goodness to change one of these louis
d'ors. and give the peasant two dollars
Of it-for that, as be confessed to me,
is all that his wood is worth-and re-
turn the remainder to the poor French
man? For the breakfast want moth |
ing"
The judge was much moved at these
words of the good innkeeper. He
counted out the two dollars to the pea
SAINT, and dismissed him with q severe
rebuke. The rest was returned to the
emigrant, who. on hearing tho story
went to thank the kind innkeepsr, and
with great difficulty persuaded him to
accent A small sum fnr thn uaas.ut,.