The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1852-06-22


ed 10 have it. at all hazards
Il hardly think vour mode of procedure just
fair, said The friend;'bnt waving that, could
You have made anything by the job, at your
bdding!'
'Oh. yes. I'd have made something-more
good deal, than can make by days work.
The fact is, set my heart on thatjob as a step
|, ping stone to contract work, and am bitterly
disappointed at its loss. Much good may it
do both Jackson and Clinton. / shouldn't be
much sorry tn see the new dam swept away by
the next freshet.'
why. Maxwell! This Is not the spirit of a
christian man. Envy. malice-these are what
: the Bible condemn in the plainest terms: and
for these sins. the poor have quite as much to
answer for as the rich-and perhaps more If
YOU go from church on the Sabbath with no
better thoughts than these, i fear you are
quite as far from the kingdom of heaven as you
have supposed Mr.. Clinton to be-
| Good davp said Maxwell turning off ab-
ruptly from his friend. and taking a path that
led by nearer course than the one in which
they were walking. to his home.
A few weeks later, the person with whom
Maxwell thus conversed had occasion to tran
sact some business with Mr. Clinton. He had
rendered him bill for work done, and called
1 to receive payment.
You've made mistake in your bill, Mr..
Lee. said Clinton
| 'Ah! are you certain?
You can examine for yourself. make an
error of twenty dollars in the addition
Then you only owe mo sixty dollars said
Lee. with disappointment in his tone that he
could not conceal.
Rather say that owe you hundred. for
the mistake is in Your favor. The first column
in the bib adds up fifty instead of thirty dol
| lars
Tet me examine it, Lee took the hill and
added up the column three times before he
felt entirely satisfied. Then he said:
so it Dies! Well, should never have been
the wiser if Won had only paid me the eighty
dollars called for bv the footing mp of the bill.
Yon might have retained your advantage with
| perfect safetv.'
Lee said this on the impulse Of the moment.
He instantly saw a change in MIR. Clnton's
countenance. as if he were slightly offended.
'Oh, no! not with safety was gravely re-
piled.
y should never have found it out
But there is coming a day, with every man.
when the secrets of his heart will stand reveal
ed If not now, it would then appear that
| had wronged you out of twenty dollars
'True! true! But all men do not think Of
this
NO one is more fully aware ofthat than am.
It is FOR me. however. to live in the present so
| MS not tn burden my future with shame and re-
pentance. Knowingly, Mr.. Lee, would not
wrong any man to the value of single dollar
! may err, and do err, like other men, for to
err is human
After tho expression of such sentiments
Lee felt curious-to know what Mr.. Clinton
thought of: and how he felt towards Maxwell.
| So he said, after referring to the new mill-dam
| in the process of erection
| sYuu didn't take tho lowest hid for cOn-
siruction. mi a,..-..r
l ! took the lowest competent bid .a
Then you do not think Maxwell competent
to the workl' e .s-al
Il do not think man to be trusted, and
therefore would not have given him the con-
tract for such piece of work at nnv price
You are aware that the giving way of that dam
would almost inevitably involve a serious loss
of life and property among the poor people who
live along the course Of the stream below.
must regard their safety before any pecuniary
advantage to myself: and have given Mr. Jack
son. who has The contract. positive instructions
10 exceed his estimates if necessary, in order
to put the question beyond a doubt l know
him to oe a man whom | c"n trust. But
have no confidence in Maxwell
"A good reason why you declined giving him
the job
Il think so.'
| 'MaSWcll was greatly ulSdDpOlHJeu'
Tknow, and has spoken very hard against
me. But that avails nothing. Ny principle of
action is to do right. and let others think and
say wha, they please. No man is my judge.
Maxwell is not, probably. aware that know
him thoroughly. and that / have thrown as
much work in his way as / could safely do
He is not. of course, aware, that one of my sons
overheard him in reference tn this very mill
dam sny-Tm bound to have that contract
whether or not. | have learned the lowest
bid, and have put in a bid still lower How
did You learn thisr was asked of him. NO
matter he answered. 4 have learned it. 'You
can't 90 lower and build tho dam safely, was
said To which he replied-I can build the
dam. and make a good profit. AS to the safety,
I'll leave thn, in the hands of Providence
He will take care of the poor people below
Mr. Lee! felt an inward shudder when this
was repeated to me. / could not have believ-
ed the man so void OF common honesty and
common humanity Was l not right 10 with
hold from him such contract!
you would have been no hotter than he if
you had given il to him. was answered. And
! yet, this same man inveighs against the rich.
and thinks their chance of heaven poor one.
, Simply because they arc richf
OR, il might with moro truth he said, because
; they will not yield {, his coveious and envious
spirit. He is not con'en, with the equivalent
society ronders back to him for the benefit he
, confers, but wants to share what of right be-
, longs to Others
That spirit have often seen him manifest.
Well, if simple riches are bar To mans en-
franco into heaven. how much more so il dis
content. envy. malice, hatred. and selfish dis
regard, for the rights and well-beinr of others.
The rich have their temptations and So have
the poor, and neither will enter into heaven
: unless they overcome temptation, and receive
purified love ofthcir neighbor. This at lcas
is nv doctrine
! OF the two, would rather take Clinton''
f chance of heaven said Lee 10 himself as ht
: went musing away, even if he is rich man.
n TLadv's Wreath.
A New IDEA IN AGRIcULrURE.-rhe steward
ON hoard the IInited States steamer. in th.