A MELTING STORYOne winter evening a countryshopkeeper was about to close hisshop1for the night. He went outto shut the windows from outside and through the glass he noticed that a man in the shop quicklytook a pound of fresh butter from a shelf andhid2it in his hat."What fun I'll have,"theshopkeeper said to himself as he thought of a way to punish the manfor stealing1. "Isay5, Seth," said the shopkeeper, as he came in and closed the door after him.Seth already had his hand on the door, ready to leave the shop as guickly as possible."I say, Seth, sit down. On such a cold night as this, it is very pleasant to sit in a warm room."Seth did not know what to do. He had the butter in the hat and wanted to get out of the shop atonce. But the shopkeeper took Seth by the shoulder and made him sit close to the stove."We'll make it a little warmer, Seth," he said as he opened the stove door and put some sticksinside. "If you are not warm enough you'll freeze when you go out on a night like this."Seth atteady felt the butter melting6, and he jumped up and said he must go."Not till you are quite warm, Seth. I'll tell you a story," said the shopkeeper as he made Seth sitdown again."Oh, it's so hot here," said Seth."Sit down, don't be in such a hurry.""But I must go. My cows... they're hungry... I must go and feed them."Don't hurry, Seth, let the cows take care of themselves."Poor Seth! He didn't know what to do. The butter began to melt andcame pouring from under hishatdown into his eyes and mouth.The shopkeeper was talking as if nothing was the matter and continued to put sticks into the stove."Fine night this," he said. "Seth, why don't you take your hat off? You seem to be warm. Let meput your hat over here.""No!" cried poor Seth at last. "No! I must go! Let me go out. I'm not well. Let me go!"The butter was now pouring down the poor man's face and neck and even down his body into hisboots, so that he was ina perfect bath of oil. "Well, good night, Seth," said the shopkeeper smiling, "if you really want to go." Then he added, asSeth made his way to the door, "I say,Seth, I think thefunIhave had out ofyouisworth ninepence soIshan'tchargeyou1for that pound of butter in your hat."