ust have a great deal in them.

Lenny drew tip his head proudly.

"You are very fond of Flop, I suppose?"

"'Deed he is," said the Widow, "and of all poor dumb creatures."

"Very good. Suppose, my lad, that you had a fine apple, and you met a
friend who wanted it more than you; what would you do with it?"

"Please you, sir, I would give him half of it."

The Parson's face fell.--"Not the whole, Lenny?"

Lenny considered.--"If he was a friend, sir, he would not like me to give
him all!"

"Upon my word, Master Leonard, you speak so well, that I must e'en tell
the truth. I brought you an apple, as a prize for good conduct in school.
But I met by the way a poor donkey, and some one beat him for eating a
thistle; so I thought I would make it up by giving him the apple. Ought I
only to have given him the half?"

Lenny's innocent face became all smile; his interest was aroused. "And
did the donkey like the apple?"

"Very much," said the Parson, fumbling in his pocket, but thinking of
Leonard Fairield's years and understanding; and moreover, observing, in
the pride of his heart, that here were many spectators to his deed, he
thought the meditated twopence not sufficient, and he generously produced
a silver sixpence.

"There, my man, that will pay for the half apple which you would have
kept for yourself." The Parson again patted the curly locks, and, after a
hearty word or two with the other haymakers, and a friendly "Good day" to
Mrs. Fairfield, struck into a path that led toward his own glebe.

He had just crossed the stile, when, he heard hasty but timorous feet
behind him. He turned and saw his friend Lenny.

_Lenny_, half crying and holding out the sixpence.--"Indeed, sir, I would
rather not. I would have given all to the Neddy."

_Parson._--"Why, then, my man, you have a still greater right to the
sixpence."

_Lenny._--"No, sir; 'cause you only gave it to make up for the half
apple. And if I had given the whole, as I ought to have done, why, I
should have had no right to the sixpence. Please, sir, don't be offended;
do take it back, will you?"

The Parson hesitated. And the boy thrust the sixpence into his hand, as
the ass had poked his nose there before in quest of the apple.

"I see," said Parson Dale, soliloquizing, "that if one don't give Justice
the first place at the table, all the other Virtues eat up her share."

Indeed, the case was perplexing. Charity, like a forward impudent baggage
as she