Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1896-02-20
Unapprtcsassd honeGty.

lou cant Alwaye tell about honesty.
sometimes yOd see / 1man nnak4nR I Rraal
show OF II, just for the sake OF the shOw,
not Tor the sake of the honesty, The Other
nay . man went to the post once and asked
ior Two tive-cent postage stamps. He laid
GOWN his dime, took his two stamps. put
hen In q pocket case and went away.
three or four days after he had occasion "a
uso one OF them. just as he was about "a
stick It on the letter he had written be no.
ticed that 1t was q six cent stamp ins.ead
Ut q five center.
What do l care?", he said to himself.
III five cents will send the letter, six will.
Then 1t occurred to him that the clerk who
mad sold the stamps was out two cents fol
the mistake.
Il can't help It," the buyer argued. II,
wasn't my fault, and it's too far to 70 to
the post Office just for two cents. It's hon
est, OF course, but it's only two cents. How
It would paralyze the clerk, though, to have
me come In and rectify his little mistake
for him. Make him feel good sure. Prob.
ABLY ne makes such mistakes f%requoutly.
and I'll bet mighty few men 20 back to
make them right. It's easy enough to kick
when the things against you, but this is
different. Somebody ought to kick abou,
these stamps any way, hard and good, to
somebody way up. They're just like the
lives III size, shape and color. No wonder
heInade the mistake. BY Jove, Iii "a
over and see him."
81 the two, stamp buyer put on his over
coat and hat and went ont in the cold and
tramped over to the post office to make q
show of his honesty. There was a long
line OF men waiting their turn at the win
dow. The honest man waited patiently,
and used up several dOllas' worth Of time
trying to give back two cents that didn't
belong to him. At last he got to the win
dow.
II 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 on an expression Just a
shade more tired than usual
but they are s~ix.cent stamps" went on
the honest man, land the clerk must be
out two cents, SO l want to give them back.
The stamp clerk opened his eyes a bit
wider and stoO Jed down to get a good
look at the honest man through the little
half window. A murmur OF approval ran
through the crowd. The honest man
swelled out with the Consciousness of his
own u%prightness. The stamp clerk fooled
with his stamps and then said:
You didn't blu, 'em of me-"
NO" answered the honest mall, .'it
was another clerk. 4 don't believe I'd
know him. though, ii l should see him. l
wasn't long enough at the window"
well, lcant take your two cents. The
other clerk has lost it, that's all. The
government isn't out anything, and l can't
take it. Ill give you tive-cent stamps if
you like" and he reascheO out Tor the six.
centers.
The honest man was the surprised one,
SO surprised for a moment that he coaldn't
think of anything to say. Then he blurt-
ed out:
why why can't you take 'em? They
are not mine. l paid for fives and got
SKIES"
The clerk leaned forward and drawled
out 50 that half the men in the line could
hear IL:
How do I know that you are not an
inspector laying a trap to catch me?"
The honest man thrust his hands IN his
OvercOat pockets and strobe away with a
muttered: "Well, I'm bowed" and half q
dozen of the men bagan to whistle, There
Are Others."-N. Y. Sun.