He held it before Ray and raised the lid. It was only for a second, but there was something so bright and beautiful in the tiny box that Ray’s eyes sparkled and he cried:
“O let me have this box—I’d like to buy these manners!”
The little blue man smiled and said:
“But this box contains good manners, and they are not for sale.”
Ray felt terribly disappointed. There was something so pleasing and altogether delightful about the little box that he wanted it very much.
“Are you quite sure that you don’t want any of these other boxes?” asked the little storekeeper.
“No, thank you,” replied Ray. “I don’t care for them, after seeing this little box of good manners.”
“I’m very glad to hear you say so,” said the blue man, “because I don’t get any profit from these boxes, and still I sell more of them in one week than I do of the other kind in a month.”
“I’d like to have the box of good manners,” said Ray, “but if it is not for sale I don’t see how I can get it.”
“I’ll tell you,” said the little man; “you can earn it. It is a fairy box, and can do the most wonderful things. I have known this little box to get into a boy’s pocket and thence into his very skin. It settles up near his heart in some good place and there it remains, bringing him all sorts of good fortune.”