A lawyer advertised for a clerk. The next morning the office was crowded
with applicants--all bright and many suitable. He bade them wait until
all should arrive and then arranged them all in a row and said he would
tell them a story, note their comments and judge from that whom he would
choose.
"A certain farmer," began the lawyer, "was troubled with a red squirrel
that got in through a hole in his barn and stole his seed corn. He
resolved to kill the squirrel at the first opportunity. Seeing him go in
at the hole one noon he took his shotgun and fired away. The first shot
set the barn on fire."
"Did the barn burn?" said one of the boys.
The lawyer, without answer, continued:
"And seeing the barn on fire the farmer seized a pail of water and ran
to put it out."
"Did he put it out?" said another.
"As he passed inside the door shut to and the barn was soon in flames.
When the hired girl rushed out with more water----"
"Did they all burn up?" said another boy.
The lawyer went on without answer: "Then the old lady came out, and all
was noise and confusion and everybody was trying to put out the fire."
"Did any one burn up?" said another.
The lawyer said: "There, that will do; you have all shown great interest
in the story."
But observing one little bright-eyed fellow in deep silence, he said:
"Now, my little man, what have you to say?"
The little fellow blushed, grew uneasy and stammered out: "I want to
know what became of that squirrel; that's what I want to know."
"You'll do," said the lawyer; "you are my man; you have not been
switched off by a confusion and barn burning, and the hired girls and
water pails. You have kept your eye on the squirrel."