t item in the bill?" the shoemaker urged
perseveringly.

"Oh, no, I couldn't do that. I should think it wrong to make you pay for
my own or some of my men's negligence in leaving the bars down."

"But then (hesitatingly), those geese--I killed three. Let it go for
them."

"If you did kill them, we ate them. So that is even. No, no, let the
past be forgotten, and if it makes better neighbours and friends of us,
we never need regret what has happened."

Farmer Gray remained firm, and the bill was settled, omitting the item
of "corn." From that time forth he never had a better neighbour than
the shoemaker. The cows, hogs, and geese of both would occasionally
trespass, but the trespassers were always kindly removed. The lesson
was not lost on either of them--for even Farmer Gray used to feel,
sometimes, a little annoyed when his neighbour's cattle broke into his
field. But in teaching the shoemaker a lesson, he had taken a little of
it himself.

THE ACCOUNT.

THE clock from the city hall struck one;
The merchant's task was not yet done;
He knew the old year was passing away,
And his accounts must all be settled that day;
He must know for a truth how much he should win,
So fast the money was rolling in.

He took the last cash-book, from the pile,
And he summed it up with a happy smile;
For a just and upright man was he,
Dealing with all most righteously,
And now he was sure how much he should win,
How fast the money was rolling in.

He heard not the soft touch on the door--
He heard not the tread on the carpeted floor--
So still was her coming, he thought him alone,
Till she spake in a sweet and silvery tone:
"Thou knowest not yet how much thou shalt win--
How fast the money is rolling in."

Then from 'neath her white, fair arm, she took
A golden-clasped, and, beautiful book--
"'Tis my account thou hast to pay,
In the coming of the New Year's day--
Read--ere thou knowest how much thou shalt win,
How fast the money is rolling in."

He open'd the clasps with a trembling hand--
Therein was Charity's firm demand:
"To the widow, the orphan, the needy, the poor,
Much owest thou of thy yearly store;
Give, ere thou knowest how much thou shalt win--
While fast the money is rolling in."

The merchant took from his box of gold
A goodly sum for th