"Right, my son," returned Mr. W., looking with a smile of approval on the child. "Right, there isn't a child of his age in ten miles who can't tell you there are ten commandments."
"Did you ever read the Bible, sir?" addressing the stranger.
"When I was a boy I used to read it sometimes. But I am sure I thought that there were eleven commandments. Are you not mistaken about there being ten?"
Sister W. lifted her hands in unfeigned astonishment, and exclaimed:—
"Could any one believe it? such ignorance of the Bible!"
Mr. W. did not reply, but rose, and going to the corner of the room where the good book lay upon the stand, he put it on the table before him, and opened to that portion in which the commandments are recorded.
"There," he said, placing his finger upon the proof of the stranger's error, "There, look for yourself."
The man came around from his side of the table and looked over the stranger's shoulder.
"There, do'ye see?"
"Yes, it does say so," replied the man, "and yet it seems to me there are eleven. I'm sure I always thought so."