came into the store to trade, he was treated with as much respect as
he would have been had he been known to have his pockets full of
money.

"Want anything in my line this evening?" continued the grocer,
rubbing his hands; "a hat or a pair of shoes and stockings for
yourself, a nice warm dress for mother, or----"

"O, I want a good many things," replied David, "but I shall have only
two dollars left after your bill is paid, and that must keep us in
groceries for at least a month--perhaps longer."

To David's great amazement, the merchant replied: "Your credit is
good for six months. As for your father's debt, I wouldn't let you
pay it if you were made of money. Better take home some tea, coffee
and sugar with you, hadn't you? It is always a good plan to replenish
before you get entirely out, you know."

"O, we were out long ago," said David, who could not help smiling at
the mistake Silas made in supposing that tea, coffee and sugar
appeared on his mother's table every day. "We haven't had any in our
house for almost a month."

"Is that so?" exclaimed the grocer, "Then I'll put up some for you,
and lend you a basket to carry it home in."

David leaned upon the counter and began a little problem in mental
arithmetic, with the view of ascertaining how much of his money it
would take to keep his mother supplied with the luxuries the grocer
had mentioned for one month, and how much he would have left to