IT ISN'T MINE.



"HALLO, I've found something!" exclaimed Joe Fellows, as he stooped to pick up a bit of paper from the path. "Twenty-five cents, as sure as anything."

"It takes you to find things!" said Harry Hale. "I never saw such a boy for four-leaved clovers, and mushrooms, and shells. 

Is it really a quarter?"

"Look for yourselves! A nice new quarter."

"So much the better! You know you promised to treat us at Madam Bates', and she has some famous peanut candy, and corn-balls, now."

"I know I promised, and I am going to do it when I have some cash of my own; and that will be next Friday. But just now I haven't any."

"I don't see why that isn't yours," said another boy. "You found it."

"Suppose you had lost it. Would you think my finding it made it mine?"

"That's different," said Richard Hale. 

"Then you would know the owner of the money. Now you don't know whose it is."

"May be not; but I know whose it isn't, and you'll have to wait, Dick; this isn't mine."

"Oh! You are too particular. Just see, now, what nice things the old woman has in the window. As likely as not, they will all be gone by Friday."

But Joe was firm, and the party passed Madam Bates' little shop, a good deal to the disappointment of the old woman. 

Presently they met an old, lame, colored man, whom they all knew and liked.

"How goes it, Uncle Jacob?" asked Joe.

"Well, so, so! I's met with a loss. You haven't seen a twenty-five-cent bill anywhere, have you?"

"I've seen just the very thing," replied Joe. "Have you lost one?"

"Yes, I have; 'bout half an hour ago. 

I was coming up from the field, and somehow I must a dropped it, for I can't find it, and it's all de money I've got. I don't know what we shall do for dinner."

"Here's the twenty-five cents all right, uncle!" said Joe, producing it; "and father says you are to come up to our house and get a leg of mutton. He has saved a nice one for you."

"There, you fellows!" said Joe, as the old man went on rejoicing. "Suppose we had spent that quarter at Madam Bates'!

Shouldn't we have felt mean when we met the old man?"

"You might have paid him back."

"Yes, if I had the money; but suppose I hadn't, which happens to be the case.

I tell you it's always the best way to keep on the safe side, when you are dealing with other folks' money."

Joe was right. How much misery and disgrace might be saved by keeping on the safe side, in dealing with other folks' money. 




Missionary Echo