The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-04-27
EXTRA.

THE HUNrING-SHIRT-MAN AND THE
JxrInEL CoxcoMB. Great shrewdness and
nepetration are often found under an I'M
promising appearance. Costly apparel, gay
clothing, and pompous airs, are not always
the mark of true wisdom. Retiring man
ners, mean dress, and unobstrusWe oehaV-
ior, must not be always put down 10 the ac-
count of ignorance and dulness. "A oash-
ing yodngster of 90 or 25, with hlgh con-
ceit of his abilities, and inflated with IAN
cled belief of his superiority, was not long
since, a passenger in steam boat which
was making its way along the current OF
one of cur great western waters Thsre
happened to be quite number OF ladies on
board, as we'll as the usual assortment OF
males. The young sophister being infinitely
pleased with himself, and apparently mag
lining that no one was so well entltled az
himself to a monopoly of conversation, was
spouting loudly on various subjects. A
mong the rest, he brought up Christianity;
and seemed much pleased whenever ne
could pronounce with an elevated tone OF
voice. such expressions as "the empostttTe 81
Christianity," "the fable Of The Christian re-
ligion," so that all the company might near
him, and perceive that he was not one OF
those tame and common creatures that al
NIT the truth of the revelation. Alter ne
had pretty we'll exhausted his rhetoric, and
had drawn much attention to himself, IN
consequence of his bold imPeties, sorry
looking stranger dressed in the poor cos
tune Of a huntsman, addressed himself thus
to our Young infdel: " Sir, you seem to
have a very perfect Nledge of many
things, and, doubt not, can satisfy little
piece of curiosity which have in relation
to a few particulars. Will you be so oblig-
ing as to tell me precisely the time when
PtoLemy PhiLopater reigned in Egypt ~
"Iknow nothing about it," said the young
ster. Indeed" said the hunting shirt
: man, 81 thought you might probably know.
; Then sir" continued he, twill you do me the
t favor to inform me the precise time when
Constantine was converted to the Christian
faith" "Neither do | know that" replied
the Young sceptc. "Ah," returned the in
' qurer, II opposed you might know that,
q and am sorry to find that you do not. Then,
= sir" resumed the forest man, "perhaps yon
- can let me know the time when the Greek
!. church separated from the Latin, and what
Q the cause of that separation was Z:
o have given myself no trouble to know any
Q thine about the Greek and Latin church,
= was the next answer. 81 am sorry" re-
If Joined the poor looking man, THAT you
5 cannot inform me on these subjects" Then
a a approaching the gay STRIPPING, and leaning
o his head over towards him, as if to whisper
y something, he added, I" Sir, have only ont
n more question to ask, and as ! do not wlsf
d those by-standers to hear it, will speak IL
n low voice. The question is this; AS
i'd heard you speaking about matter which
thought took great deal of knowledge
to understand so well, it occurred to mi
= that you would be a proper person to tel
me several things which wished to know
but finding that you do not know the mat
us tiers that | have asked you about, mus
OF now ask you, sir, What do you knoU
60 BY this time the eyes Of the company wer
ef turned to the scene; and the looks OF man
er expressed no little contempt for the Juvenil
en- infdel, and admiration for the hunting shlr
as man. Soon after this the youngster glide
ne off, and no more was heard of his eenceite
m pratings. Columbian Star.
ge 50