“Certainly,” replied Uncle Joshua, “in the common acceptation of the words fair and honourable.  But, do you never, in your mercantile speculations, endeavour to convey erroneous impressions to the minds of those with whom you are dealing?  Do you not sometimes suppress information which would prevent your obtaining a good bargain?  Do you never allow your customers to purchase goods under false ideas of their value and demand in the market?  If you saw a man, less skilled in business than yourself, about to take a step injurious to him, but advantageous to you, would you warn him of his danger—­thus obeying the command to love your neighbour as yourself?”

“Why, uncle, these questions are absurd.  Of course, when engaged in business, I endeavour to do what is for my own advantage—­leaving others to look out for themselves.”

“Exactly so.  You are perfectly willing to put your hand in your neighbour’s pocket and take all you can get, provided he is not wise enough to know that your hand is there.”

“Oh, for shame, Uncle Joshua!  I shall not allow you to talk to Henry in this manner,” exclaimed Mrs. Clarke perceiving that her husband looked somewhat irritated.  “Come, prove your charge against me.  In what way do I pick my neighbour’s pockets?”

“You took six shillings from the washerwoman this morning,” coolly replied Uncle Joshua.

“Took six shillings from the washerwoman!  Paid her six shillings, you mean, uncle.  She called for the money due for a day’s work, and I gave it to her.”

“Yes, but not till you had kept her waiting nearly two hours.  I heard her say, as she left the house, ’I have lost a day’s work by this delay, for I cannot go to Mrs. Reed’s at this hour; so I shall be six shillings poorer at the end of the week.’”

“Why did she wait, then?  She could have called again.  I was not ready to attend to her at so early an hour.”

“Probably she needed the money to-day.  You little know the value of six shillings to the mother of a poor family, Mary; but, you should remember that her time is valuable, and that it is as sinful to deprive her of the use of it, as if you took money from her purse.”

“Well, uncle, I will acknowledge that I did wrong to keep the poor woman waiting, and I will endeavour to be more considerate in future.  So draw your chair to the table, and take a cup of tea and some of your favourite cakes.”

“Thank you, Mary; but I am engaged to take tea with your old friend, Mrs. Morrison.  Poor thing! she has not made out very well lately.  Her school has quite run down, owing to sickness among her scholars; and her own family have been ill all winter; so that her expenses have been great.”

“I am sorry to hear this,” replied Mrs. Clarke.  “I had hoped that her school was succeeding.  Give my love to her, uncle, and tell her I will call upon her in a day or two.”

Uncle Joshua promised to remember the message, and bidding Mr. and Mrs. Clarke good evening, he was soon seated in Mrs. Morrison’s neat little parlour, which, though it bore no comparison with the spacious and beautifully furnished apartments he had just left, had an air of comfort and convenience which could not fail to please.