Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1847-11-19
WHOLE NO. 166.
from the Philadelphia Evening Bulletin.
DYED IN THE WOOL.
BY JOHN JONES. IN

BY JOHN JONES, JR
An acute disciple OF Blackstone, in one of
our Atlantic cities that shall be nameless had
by course of active pettifogging, succeedad
in filling his pockets. Full pockets enabled
him to assume an imposing style Of living
and the reputation of having gotten rich by
prartice at the bar, very naturally incre ased
the number of his clients, and swelled the a.
mount of his fees s. soon stood "A
Number One among his legal brethren.
If any one had pretty hard case Tor litiga-
ton, s. was his man; for if any holy
could gain il for him. he could. He not only
understood all the quirks and turns in the law,
but was fertile in original expedients. The
goodness or badness of a cause was nothing
to him: his business was to gain it for his cli-
cnt by any means he could use, fair or foul.
AT the age of forty five, from some cause or
other not clearly ascertained, s. became
religiously disposed, and Joined the church.
An influential man like him was not long suf-
fered to remain inactive in the seculiart:es OF
the church. At the first fitting opportunity
he was made vestryman.
s. had always been looked upon in the
community as "pretty hard CASE and the
reputation by no means belied the truth. The
religion, was, therefore, source of no little
congratuatien to those who regarded things
spiritual and pious-and was looked upon as
quite triumph over the enemy OF souls
There were some, however. who shrugged
their shoulders, and professed to have just a
bout as much confidence in him now as ever
they had, and to regard his religion, TO use
one of their elegant expressions, as "ail in
my eye
Matters professional went on pretty much
in the old way. Religion, i'll the eyes of s.
was too sacred thing 10 bring down into the
world, where it must suffer violence, and be
in consequence, brought into disrepute He
therefore, kept his religion nicely laid up in
lavender, for Sunday, when it was bro't forth
unspotted from the world.
| About two years after S Joined the
church, it was thought by those who had al
fairs in charge, that they oughtto have new
and more imposing edifce than the one they
worshipped in, which was, to say the truth
rather an ancient affair. and by no means such
as the wealth Of the congregation entitled
them TO have. 3 was prominent in TIT
manner--in fact, he was the prime mover, ant
headed the subscri ption list with Thousand
dollars.
In due time The church was finished, and al
elegant edihce it was. When the buildin;
was pro ected and plans called for, sixty thou
sand dollars was 10 be the maximum cost
But the building committee and the architec
managed to run the cost up TO a hundred thou
sand dollars, and the church in debt abou
seventy thousand This caused all concernc'
to feel, as might be supposed, rather serou
on the subject A debt of seventy THOUSAND
dollars was rather serious affair, viewed i!
any light.
The first thing to be done was 10 have sal
Of the pews. This proceeded rather slowly
and the prices at which they sold were by II
means as large as had been anticipated. From
this source only twenty thousand dollars cam.
An extra subscription was then tried, but onl
ten thousand dollars could be raised
In this aspect of affairs, s., who wa
chairman Of the building committee, and +
whom was mainly chargeable the excess q
cost over the first estimate made for the church
felt called upon to devise some means of liGui
dating the heavy debt
" 1t could be done easily enough, ii thos
who are able would come forward and bu
pews at fair prices instead of renting them,
he said to fellow vestryman.
1t was freely admitted that this would eel
tainIy change the aspect of affairs But,
members preferred renting to buying, nothin
could be done
"They ought 10 be made to buy" sal
S, warmly. There is Preston, wort
thirty or forty thousand dollars at least, who
instead of paying a couple of thousand dollar
for the pew his family occupies, is very we
content to ge; it at a yearly rent of hundre
dollars! 1t is too bai | would not give muc
for his interest i'll religion, if he has no bette
way of showing it,
He certainly ought to buy" was unhes
tatingly replied.
He shall buy = said S., swapping h
fingers, as sudden thought struck him.
DO YOU think you can make him 2
eyes"
"How What means will you use !"
"Never mind about that But, mark m
words for it, next Sunday Preston will be III
owner instead of the mere tenant OF his pew
81 hope So
" You shat. not hope in vain.'
The lawyer went 10 his office and sat dow
TO think After about half an hours coglt;
ton, he said, aloud,
Yes, he's the man.
! And Immediately writing note, despatch
, ed it by his office messenger. In twenty mil
utes well dressed man entered, and bowt
8 to the lawyer with a respectful, or rather d.
( ierential, air
Take a chair, Jones-I want to talk
g YOU" said S.
! The man seated himself.
You know we've managed 10 get contour
: dedly in debt with our new church"
Eyes; so it seems" was the asserting r
ply.
"And somehow or other we must mana,
t to get out of debt"
If we can"
"WelI, think we can, If the thing is do
a rightly. | believe have hit upon the mode
= All Well, you are fortunate. Nobol
t else could have done it.''
e SO fatter myself. But my trade max
me little sharper than common people, y
know. There are TOO many pews rented.
all who are able to buy would purchase !
:, stead OF renting, the debt would be paid OF
= a week"
h No doubt of that"
: every well. That is admitted. Now II
b plan is to make them buy"
" II You can "
i "And can, with good fellow like V,
d to aid me- And think your affection for t
!. church is strong enough 10 induce you 10 lie
willing hand to the work. Debt is a terrt
, thing
e "Indeed it is. But how can aid ~
e Are you willing.'
i ooh, certainly"
: Every well. Then, without any body
II knowing what we are about, or suspecllf
4 ]