“But Jacob had not been many weeks in intimate connection with him before he discovered that his dealings were not all conducted with scrupulous adherence to divine law; neither was a conscientious regard to his neighbor’s interests a very deep-seated principle.  This caused the lad much uneasiness; and a feeling of nervous disquiet took possession of the hitherto happy boy.

“He hesitated as to which was the more honorable course:  to obey his employer without question, or to sacrifice his own ideas of strict integrity.

“But he was not long left in doubt.  One day a carriage drove to the door, and a richly dressed lady entered the store, and asked to be shown some children’s necklaces.  Jacob, who attended in that department, was proceeding to wait on her, when Mr. Rankin came forward smiling, and with the ease and courtesy for which he was noted, took the lad’s place, and spread before the lady an assortment of glittering trinkets which, judging from her gay appearance, he knew would please her eye.

[Illustration:  “To all this Jacob listened with grief and astonishment.”]

“An animated dialogue ensued between the merchant and his customer, respecting the style and value of the various articles under view.  The lady was made to believe that this elegant display had been imported with great cost and difficulty from the manufacturing cities of Europe, and, in consequence of the immense and rapid demand for them, the obliging trader had been satisfied with moderate profit, and was now willing to dispose of the remainder of the stock at fabulously low prices.

[Illustration:  “Thought it quite impossible that they could agree.”]

“To all this, which he knew to be utterly and shamelessly false, Jacob listened with equal grief and astonishment, and it was with difficulty that he restrained his honest indignation as he saw one after another of the tinsel gewgaws transferred to the shopping bag of the deceived customer at prices which were five times their value, while she was duped with the flattering persuasion that she was receiving unequaled bargains.

“All doubts as to the unlawfulness of his remaining another hour under the roof where this swindling transaction had taken place, were immediately removed from the mind of the noble and upright youth.

“When Mr. Rankin returned after having very politely attended the lady to her carriage, and placed the parcel containing her purchases by her side, he was met by Jacob, who, with an air of grave rebuke rarely assumed by lads of his years, informed him that from what he had seen of his method of conducting business he thought it quite impossible that they could agree.

“He was, therefore, resolved to return without delay to his father’s house, and he was glad that the terms upon which he had entered the establishment left him free to do so.

“The firm and fearless bearing of the boy awed the man of unjust practices, and he neither attempted to vindicate his own meanness nor to oppose the departure of his right-minded assistant.  At once Jacob returned to the old homestead, his character more permanently formed by the ordeal through which he had passed.”