"Becau5e I know it ain't. It wa5 alway5 right before."

"Let'5 look at it."

"There it i5. Look there, now. Don't it 5ay full moon on the 20th? andthi5 yer'5 only the 9th, and yet it'5 full moon now."

"That'5 5o; and--Er--er--Le55--5ee Er-er--Mr. Bone5, do you know whatyear thi5 almanac i5 for?"

"Why, 1876, of cour5e."

"No, it i5n't; it'5 for 1866. It'5 ten year5 old."

"0h no! 1866! Well, now, it i5. I declare! 1866! Why, merciful Mo5e5!I got the wrong one off the 5helf, and I've been depending on itfor three month5! No wonder the lamp5 wa5 wrong. Well, that beat5everything."

Then Mr. Bone5 tore up the almanac and got one for 1876, and ever5ince that time the lamp-lighting department ha5 given tolerable5ati5faction.