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MONEY WILL BUY EVERYTHING


THERE was once a soldier who stood sentry at a great man's house. As he grew tired from standing there alone, and wished to occupy himself in some way, he secured a piece of chalk and began to write on the house-wall. Whatever came into his mind he wrote down without giving much thought to it: there was no one to talk with, and writing was better than nothing. The by-passers read the words occasionally, but also without think- ing much about them. One day the soldier wrote upon the wall: "Money will buy everything." Many saw and read it; some smiled and some frowned. At length an officer stopped in front of the wall. "Who wrote that?" asked he. The soldier answered that the writing was his work. "We shall see," observed the officer, "if you are able to prove your words!" Now he told all his friends of the soldier's act, and soon every one was talking about the words which he had written on the wall. At length it reached the king's ear; he put on his crown, gathered his purple cloak

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