"No, sir," replied the laborer, who knew not that it was the king; "I am
not so rich as that; I plow for wages."

"How much do you get a day?" asked the king.

"Two dollars," said the laborer.

"That is not much," replied the king; "can you get along with that?"

"Yes; and have something left."

"How is that?"

The laborer smiled, and said, "Well, if I must tell you, fifty cents are
for myself and wife; with fifty I pay my old debts, fifty I lend, and
fifty I give away for the Lord's sake."

"That is a mystery which I cannot solve," replied the king.

"Then I will solve it for you," said the laborer. "I have two old
parents at home, who kept me when I was weak and needed help; and now,
that they are weak and need help, I keep them. This is my debt, towards
which I pay fifty cents a day. The third fifty cents, which I lend, I
spend for my children, that they may receive Christian instruction. This
will come handy to me and my wife when we get old. With the last fifty I
maintain two sick sisters. This I give for the Lord's sake."

The king, well pleased with his answer, said, "Bravely spoken, old man.
Now I will also give you something to guess. Have you ever seen me
before?"