Those five simple words from “The Lord’s Prayer” were never intended to be a boast, and yet Hadleyburg painted them on their Town Hall to announce to the world that they were an honest and incorruptible town. 

Hadleyburg did, indeed, have a reputation as the most honest and upright town in all the region, and was so proud of it, and so anxious to insure its perpetuation, that it began to teach the principles of honest dealing to its children throughout their formative years. Temptations were kept out of the way of the young people, so that their honesty could have every chance to harden and solidify, and become a part of their very bone. The neighboring towns were jealous of this honorable reputation, but all the same they were obliged to acknowledge that Hadleyburg was in reality an incorruptible town; and if pressed they would also acknowledge that the mere fact that a young man hailed from Hadleyburg was all the recommendation he needed when he went forth from his natal town to seek employment.

But the passing years had bred a festering intolerance. When a young man became a victim of that intolerance, he was forced into exile. After thinking long and hard about it, an inspiration came to him. He would return to Hadleyburg with a plan that would test the town’s reputation for incorruptibility with something that had been missing for a long time… Temptation!