A Dog
(After Mark Twain)
I have always believed that a man must be honest.
“Never ask for money which you have not earned,” I always said.
Now I shall tell you a story which will show you how honest I have always been all my life.
One day, at the house of a friend of mine, I met General Miles.
“I’m pleased to have met you,” said the general. “How could it happen that we did not meet earlier?”
“He does not remember me,” I thought. “But we met once in Washington ten years ago.”
I was poor then and very often I had no money to buy bread. On that day, my friend and myself were in need of three dollars. We needed these three dollars very much.
I went from one place to another and asked all the people I knew; but nobody gave me anything, not even one dollar.
At last I came to a big hotel. I went into the hall of the hotel and sat down there. At that moment a nice little dog ran into the hall. The dog was friendly and as I had nothing to do, I began to play with it.
I was playing with the dog when a man in a uniform entered the hall. I knew him at once from his pictures in the newspapers. It wasn’t difficult for me to say that it was General Miles.
“What a nice little dog,” he said. “Is it your dog? Do you want to sell it?”
When I heard these words, I remembered my friend and the three dollars which I had to get.
“Well, I… I think…”
“Good!” said the general. “How much do you want for it?”
“Three dollars,” I answered. “Three dollars? I’ll give you twenty dollars for it,” he said. “No, no. I want only three dollars.” General Miles paid me three dollars, took the dog and went up to his room in the hotel.
Ten minutes later an old man came into the hall. He looked round the hall.
“Are you looking for a dog, sir?” I asked. “Oh, yes! Have you seen one?” said the man. “A little white dog.”
“Oh, yes, I saw it running after a man who entered this hotel,” I said. “If you like, I can try to find it for you.”
The man was very happy and asked me to help him to find his dog.
“I can help you,” I said, “but it will take some of my time and…”
“I am ready to pay you for your time,” said the man. “How much do you want for it?”
“Three dollars,” I answered. Then I went up to General Mile’s room.
“I’ve come to take the dog back,” I said. “But it is not your dog now. I have paid you three dollars for it,” said the general.
“I shall give you back your three dollars, but I must take the dog back,” I answered.
General Miles was angry. “Then give me back my three dollars and take the dog away,” he said.
I carried the dog to the hall of the hotel and gave it back to the old man. He was very happy and paid me the three dollars I had asked for. I was happy too, because I had the money we needed, and I felt that I had earned it.
Now you can see why I say that a man must not ask for money that he has not earned.