The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1896-01-28
UNAPPRECIATEO HONESTY.
Pride and Fau or the Man Who Tried
BE Even Handed with the Post once.

/ BE Even Handed with the Post once.
Nou can't always tell about honesty
/ Sometimes you see 8 man making .
great show of IL, just for the sake of To,
show. not for the sake of the honesty
The other day a man went 10 the pos
| Office and asked for two five-cen,
stamps. He laid down his dime. tool
his two stamps, put them in a pocket
! case, and went away. Three or fon
| days afterward he had occasion to use
one of them. Just as he was about &c
| stick il on the letter be had written he
! noticed that it was six-cent stamp in
stead OF five-center.
What do I care?" he said 70 himself
"If five cents viii send the letter. six
will"
Then it occurred to him that the
clerk who had sold the stamps was out
two cents for the mistake
81 can't help it." the buyer argued;
st wasn't my fault, and it's too far TO
go to the post Office just for two cents.
It's honest, of course, but it's only two
cents. How it would paralyze the
clerk, though, 10 have me come in ana
rectity his little mistake for him. Make
him feel good. sure. Probably he makes
such mistakes frequently, and I'll bet
mighty few men go back to make them
right. It's easy enough to kick when
the things against you, but. this is diff
ferent. Somebody ought 70 kick about
these stamps anyway, hard and good.
to somebody way up. They're just ike
the lives in size, shape, and color. No
wonder he made the mistake. BY Jove,
I'll go over and see him"
So the two-staInp buyer put on his
overcoat and hat and went out into the
cold and tramped over to the post of
fee TO make a show of his honesty.
There was a long line of men waiting
their turn at the window. The honest
man waited patiently. and used up sew
eral dollars worth OF time trying TO
give back two cents that didn'beIong to
him. At last he got TO the window.
Il bought these two stamps here the
other day" he began, for five-cent
stamps"
Those in the waiting line began to
crowd up to hear the kick. and the face
of the stamp clerk took in an express
sion Just a shade more tired than usual.
But they are six-cent stamps" went
on the honest man. ''and the clerk must
be out two cents, so want to give them
back"
The stamp clerk opened his eyes a
bit wider and stopped down TO get a
good look at the honest man through
the little half window. A mur1nur Of
approval ran through the crowd. ] he
honest man swelled ont with the con-
sciousness of his own uprightness.
The stamp clerk fooled with his stamps
and then said:
You didn't buy 'em of mr.
"NO," answered the honest man, ''it
was another clerk. | don't believe I'd
know him, though, If should see him.
l wasn't long enough at the window"
well" said the clerk very distinctly.
It can't take your two cents The other
clerk has lost it, that's all The gov
eminent isn't out anything. and / can't
take it. I'll give you fve-cent stamps
if you like" and he reached out for the |
The honest man was the surprised !
one, so surprised for a moment he |
couldn't think of anything 70 say.
Then he blurted out:
''Why-why can't You take EN-? /
They're not mine. l paid for fves and |
got skies"
The clerk leaned forward ard /
drawled out so that half the men in
line could hear il:
How do l know that you are not m
inspector laying a trap 70 catch me?'
The honest man thrust his hands IN
his overcoat pockets and strobe away
with a muttered: We'll, I'm bowed"
and half dozen OF the n,en began 70
whistle There Are Others."-N. y.
sum