EFFECT. 137

“Perhaps it would tend to make. a person act
afterwards from mercenary motives,” said her
mother.

“ What does that mean?” said Lucy.

«Why, suppose,” said her mother, “ that every
time you performed any act of kindness for me
or your father, I should pay you for it. ‘Then,
after a while, when you did any such thing for
us, perhaps it would be for the sake of the pay.”

“OQ, no, I shouldn’t,” said Lucy.

‘Well, suppose, then, that Eben is the person.
Suppose that you had a great many sugar-plums,
and every time he helped you, or did you any
kindness, you should give him some of them.
Don’t you suppose that in a short time, instead
of helping you out of feelings of kindness to you,
he would do it for the sake of getting the sugar-
plums?”

“Why, yes,” said Lucy.

“ His motive, that is, the thoughts that would
lead him to do any thing for you, would be, not
honest kindness of heart, but a hope of pay.”

“ Yes,” said Lucy.

« Now, when any person is led by hope of pay
to do what he ought to do for other motives, they -
say he is mercenary.”

“What does mercenary mean?” said Lucy.

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