The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-08-27

~ a. DdlAdlH YOU WOu RGI again
in a hurry; and, if you're sharp, you
won't miss it."
Ned Howell spoke impatiently, as
Ezra, the chore-boy at his grandfather's
house, stood by the gate, thougbtfully
looking at pair of cuff-buttons that
lay on his open palm.
They're real" went on Ned, eager
to close the bargain. "Why, one of
them is worth more than half dozen
of your fancy pigeons; and here you
have chance to get the pair of them
for less than half-price.n
Ezra had come out the loser too often
in his dealings with Ned to be willing
to believe everything that he said; but
the buttons did not look like real gold,
and, if they were, he would be quite
willing to give six of his white fantail
pigeons for them.
" Don't paw them with your dirty
hands if you're not going to take Them"
said Ned, rudely, as Ezra turned the
buttons over and examined them more
closely. eff you aren't sharp enough
to make good bargain for yourself,
why give them back to me-"
I" III take them" said Ezra, slowly,
closing his hand over them. "I'll have
the pigeons in basket ready for you to
take home with you tomorrow morn
ing"
He put the buttons in his pocket, and
went down to the barn to do his even
ing chores, wondering whether he had
really been cheated again in his bar
gain, as he had so often been before.
Ned stood at the gate, looking after the
retreating figure of Ezra, with tri-
umphant smile on his face.
1t did not occur to to him that he had
done mean or dishonorable action in
taking advantage of Ezra's ignorance,
and he was proud of what he consid-
cred his cleverness.
He knew that there was very little
danger that Ezra would discover the
comparative worthlessness of the cuff
buttons, and so his untruthfulness in
the matter would not be discovered.
Presently Uncle Frank left his seat
on the porch, where he had been sit
ting, hidden by the vines which climbed
over it, and joined his nephew at the
gate.
Il wouldn't be chore-boy for any
thing" said Ned.
Why?" said Uncle Frank.
"Oh, they have to do such rough,
dirty work." answered Ned. ''Ezra's
hands are always dirty. / wouldn't
touch them for anything" And he
glanced with very satisfied air at his
own hands, which were almost as white
and smooth as if he had been girl.
Ezra's hands are cleaner than yours,
to Il L.
gravely.
Why, what do you mean?" asked
Ned, opening his eyes in surprise.
81 think dishonest bargains stain
ones hands more than honest work, :"
answered his uncle. 60 could not feel
as if my hands were clean, no matter
how white they might be, if l had just
been cheating a poor boy out of his
pigeons"
Ned's face grew very red.
1t wasn't my fault if he didn't
know how to make good bargain"
he muttered. Every one must look
out for himself in bargains"
He simply took your word for the
value of the buttons. You told him
they were real"
"Well, so they were-real buttons :"
said Ned, smiling, as he remembered
what he had thought his cleverness.
81 didn't say they were real gold; l
only said real buttons"
You meant him to think that they
were real gold" said Uncle Frank,
sternly. I" 1t was just as much lie
as if you had said real gold. You can
not call your hands clean, my boy, when
you stain them by cheating; and the
stains are upon your heart as well as
your hands"
He went into the honse, leaving Ned
to think about his words.
Somehow, Ned did not feel now as if
he had done smart thing in getting
the best of the bargain. As he looked
at his hands, he fanced that he could
almost see the stains upon them, and
he grew uncomfortable at the remem-
brance of the stains which were upon
his heart. AT last, he made up his
mind that he would rid his hands from
the last stain; and he went down TO the
barn to look for Ezra.
81 say" Ned began, bravely, 4"
cheated you about those buttons. They
aren't real gold; they are only plated
and worth about twenty-five cents.
You keep the pigeons till send you
the money for them"
Then he went back to Uncle Frank.
I've made it all right with Ezra"
he said, and | mean to keep my hands
clean after this, sir. "-Minnie Z. Ken
neg, in Slmday-School Times.