COULDN'T BE BOUGHT.
JOHN BAILEY was hurrying home from school when Mr. Burton hailed him. Mr. Burton was the proprietor of a sort of a store and saloon combined. He kept a stock of groceries and flour and a few other articles, and besides he kept beer on draught; and this last was of course the most profitable part of his business. John stopped and turned back at Mr. Burton's call, and stood waiting.
"How would you like a chance to earn some money nights and mornings?"
"First rate."
"I thought so.”
Well, I need a boy to help me in the store, especially evenings, and I thought I'd give you the chance. You see, there are a good many coming in after work-hours for their beer, and serving them, with weighing up the groceries, is most too much for one to do; so I thought if we could agree on a price I'd like you to come in and help. You are a likely sort of a boy, I guess." John's thoughts had gone speedily forward, and taken in a new coat for himself, a dress for mother, and no end of books and papers to be bought with money he should earn; but his hopes sank as rapidly as they had risen. He had not thought of the beer.
"I don't think that I could come," he said. "Why not?" asked Mr. Burton in surprise. "I thought you would jump at the chance." "So I did, at first; but come to think of it, I couldn't."
"But why?" and as Mr. Burton insisted upon an answer, John said: "I can't help you because I don't want to betray the cause, which I am pledged to fight for."
"Cause! Pledged to fight for? What do you mean?"
"I mean the temperance cause. I can't sell beer, Mr. Burton."
"Oh, that is it. Well, John, I won't ask you to sell beer; you may confine your work to the grocery department."
"I don't think that would do either," replied John. "It would look bad, anyway, and hurt the cause. I guess I can't come at all."
But Mr. Burton persisted. "I will pay you well," he said; and finally, as John became more decided in his refusal to entertain his proposal, he offered him large wages, and John, growing desperate, said, "Mr. Burton, I am not worth much, but I am not for sale, what there is of me," and with that he said good afternoon, and hurried home to tell his mother the story of his interview, and get her approval; for he was sure she would approve.
When he had told her, she said, "John, you make me think of General Reed."
"Who was General Reed?" asked John, who was not very well up in history.
"He was an officer in the American army during the Revolutionary War. It was during the winter of 1777-78, the very gloomiest period of the war. The soldiers were suffering greatly from privations, and many were getting discouraged.
The English people were proposing measures of settlement of the difficulties; but the brave general who was at the head of the army had faith in the success of the cause, and would listen to no terms of peace, which did not include an acknowledgment of the independence of the colonies. Then bribery was tried, and General Reed was offered a large sum of money if he would use his influence to bring about an adjustment of matters between the two countries. His reply to the proposition was, 'I am not worth purchasing; but such as I am, the king of England has not money enough to buy me." And Mrs. Bailey smiled encouragingly upon her earnest-faced boy, whose dark eyes kindled with true patriot fervor, as she added: "I hope, John, you will always be loyal to the cause, and that there will never be money enough in all the world to buy you. Your name may not go into history alongside the patriot of 1777, but truth and loyalty are worth more than a name in history."
Faye Huntington.