Bad Money.


WILLIAM Dow was showing his playfellows

a counterfeit quarter. "O, you don't

know it is counterfeit!" said James Drew.

"Yes, I do; father said it was," said William.

"Well, you needn't know it," said James.

"Your father may be mistaken. I should

go to that old woman at the corner stall, and

spend it. Treat us, old fellow. She's half

blind, and will never be the wiser for it."

"What an honorable fellow you are,

James," cried little George Clicker. "That

you call doing as you would be done by, do

you?"

"Well, somebody passed it on him, and he

does no more than keep it going," cried

James. "Come, William, give us some chestnuts."

'No, sir," said William, "I don't do that

mean thing, I tell you. I do not intend to

be dishonest in little things, then I never

shall be caught being dishonest in great

ones. Father says half the frauds,

 embezzlements, and bank robberies, began 

in little dishonesties. They tunnel the way 

for a rush at last."

"Good for you, William," cried George.

"I believe in you. As for James, he may

come to a bad end yet."

William Dow tossed the counterfeit into

the river, and the boys stood on the bridge

watching the eddies it made in the water.

"Thus let all bad money be sunk before it

sinks us," said George. 



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