The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1881-01-08

| window"
"Two dollars" answered the clerk.
It was rather more than Joe meant TO pay.
He had hoped to get il for q dollar and a
half.
"Cant you take less ?" he asked.
"No," answered the clerk, shaking his
head. "The knife is very handsome
one"
"I know that; but then two dollars is a
large price to pay"
ave have cheaper knives-plenty Of
them. We can sell you one for a half dol
lar, if you wish"
al wouldn't carry a filty-cent knife" said
Joe, contemptuously.
"Quite right" said the shopman." Such
knife will do for poor boy, but you can
afford something betterv'
Joe was foolish enough to feel Aattered by
this remark, and he asked to look at the
expensive knife.
When he had it in is hand, he wanted it
all the more.
"Cant you take dollar and halfl" he
asked wistfully.
"No, nor dollar and seventy-five cents.
We can't take cent less than two dollars.
But can sell you a good knife for dollar"
"No, think 1 will buy this" said Joe,
and be drew out the fve-dollar bill with a
flourish.
Joe put the knife into his pocket, and went
back to school.
He showed the knife TO several Of his
school. mates, by all of whom it was very
much admired. For short time Joe felt
really complacent and happy.
| When school was over at night, Joe went
home.
The next day was Saturday, and he did
not 60 to school. He did no show the knife
to his mother, because be was afraid she
would inquire where he obtained the money
to buy it, and he was quite sure that she
would not approve Of his keeping the
money.
However, he showed il to some Of his boy
friends, and was glad to find that none Of
them had knife to compare with his. In
fact he partly succeeded in forgetting the
poor woman, and persuaded himself that.
after all, the money was rightly his.
1t SO happened that on this particular
day, his mother had seamstress at work
for her.
Joe went in and out of the house once or
twice, and just nodded to the seamstress,
whom he had seen before.
At dinner, which, in Joe's household came
at one O'Clock, his mother said:
Clara THAT was the name of the seam
stress) tells me that her sister was very un-
lucky yesterday"
"How is that ?" asked Mr.. Maxwell.
"She went over to Boston in the morning,
to buy herself new dress-the first new
one she had felt able to afford for year
but on arriving on the other side, she missed
the five-dollar-bill she had saved up for the
purpose. She searched anxiously for it, but
had to give it up"
at was great pity" said Mr.. Maxwell,
in sympathizing tone.
eyes. Mrs. Hall is poor, and her hus-
band has been out ofwork nearly half ofthe
last year. These five dollars were as much
to her rs hundred dollars would be to
many persons, and ii will be long time be-
fore the poor woman gets together as much
again."
"Perhaps the one who found the money
will advertise it," suggested Mr.. Maxwell.
| "Clara says that her sister looked in the
Herald this morning, but saw nothing of it.
l am afraid the money is lost beyond re-
covery."
While this conversation was going on,
Joe's face flushed, and he felt very uneom-
Portable. He could not help knowing that
Mrs. Hall was the rightful owner ofthe fve-
dollar note he had found, and his conscience
reproached him when he considered how
much trouble and sorrow he had brought
upon the poor woman by bis selfish mean
ness. OF course no one at the table sus-
pected that Joe had anything to do with the
matter, and his confusion was unobserved.
"what shall do ?" thought Joe. az haye
spent part of the money. Perhaps had
better not say anything about 1t" he reflect
ed, but that, he ielt, would be wicked.
Again the idea came into his mind that
he would put the remaining three dollars
into an envelope, and mail it to Mrs. Hall.
But then, of course, she would wonder what
had become of the balance of the money.
Joe was unable TO decide what he should
do, and, stili undecided, he left the house,
and wandered off TO a field where some OF
his boy friends were playing baseball. He
didn't feel so much now like showing the
knife, but two of the boys had seen it, and
asked to look at it again.
One of them particularly admired it.
al wish had such knife" he said" Do
you knew where can get oneY'
An idea came to Joe.
"You may have this for two dollars,ex exact
lY whaT paid for it," he said
"WhEt Have you got tired oft so soonH"
MOI but l have particular use for the
money. If sell it, shall buy another, as
soon as can get the money"
al believe will take you up ifyou are
really in earnest" said the other boy.
81 am in earnestj but | shall want the
money this afternoon"
l"Are you afraid to trust me 2"
"NOi but need the money to-day"
"What forf
"That is my secret"
"All right Here is the money. Now
give me the knife"
Greatly to his satisfaction, Joe now found
himself able to pay back the entire five dol
lars. He hasiened home and hurried up 10
the sewing room, where his mother and the
seamstress were sitting. He was quite out
Of breath, and painting with his exertion.
"Miss Clara" be said, eagerly, "hsre is
the money your sister lost"