The Boy and the Handkerchief

One morning a boy went to school in London by bus. He had a bad cold and sniffed all the time. The people began to look at him. An old man sat next to the boy. He looked at the boy, then asked him:

"Have you a handkerchief, my boy?”

“Yes, I have a clean handkerchief,” said the boy, “but I can’t let you have it. Mother says it is not good to ask for a handkerchief. You must have your own handkerchief.”