Daniel Webster, a 19th-century American politician, twice served as Secretary of State. When he was a boy in the district school, he was not noted for tidiness. Finally the teacher, in despair, told him that if he appeared again with such dirty hands she would thrash him.
He did appear in the same condition. "Daniel," the teacher said, "hold out your hand." Daniel spat on his palm, rubbed it on the seat of his trousers, and held it out.
The teacher surveyed it in disgust. "Daniel," she said, "if you can find me another hand in this school that is dirtier than that, I will let you off."*
Daniel promptly held out the other hand.