"
"What is one to do with a man like that?" Trove inquired.
"Only this," said the tinker; "put him in thy book. He'll make
good history. But, sor, for company he's damnably poor."
"It's a new way to use men," said Trove.
"Nay, an old way--a very old way. Often God makes an example o'
rare malevolence an' seems to say, 'Look, despise, and be anything
but this.' Like Judas and Herod he is an excellent figure in a
book. Put him in thine, boy."
"And credit him with full payment?" the boy asked.
"Long ago, praise God, there was a great teacher," said the old
man. "It is a day to think of Him. Return good for evil--those
were His words. We've never tried it, an' I'd like to see how it
may work. The trial would be amusing if it bore no better fruit."
"What do you propose?"
"Well, say we take him a gift with our best wishes," said the
tinker.
"If I can afford it," the boy replied.
The tinker answered quickly: "Oh, I've always a little for a
Christmas, an' I'll buy the gifts. Ah, boy, let's away for the
gifts. We'll--we'll punish him with kindness."
They went together and bought a pair of mittens and a warm muffler
for Riley Brooke and walked to his door with them and rapped upon
it.
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