Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1853-09-25
a- From the New York observer.
AGood Excuse.

l.s ETUm the New " ork Observer.
-Fsss Et A1iood Excuse. ~ s
,"James you must go 10 bed early Tonight said
Mrs. Martin. sthe horses have not returned you
know, and we shall be obliged to walk to church
tomorrow 80 YOU must go to bed and get rested
thoroughly r,.-s - ....'.-. ..'...
Thus adnlonished, James retired at an early hour
He was not pleased with the prospect Of walking to
church The weather was warm, the road dusty,
and the distance over two miles. lie lay awake
for some time trying to think Of some good excuse
for staying at home on the morrow Might henot
have headache? 1t was certainly possible but not
probable. The temptation to falsehnod was very
slight; for james was a boy of truth, lie must
have a good excuse or none, and no good sexeusr
was forthcoming. SO he composed himself to
slumber, forgetting in his anxiety about the NOR
row to say his customary prayer. s,r.- -.
james awoke pretty early in the morning, and
saw the rain drops standing on the window panes.
He looked again and was satisfied that ii was rain
ing lie rose ard looked at the yane which was on
the barn. and saw that the wind was in the right
direction for a rainy day. He returned to his bed
in a very compIacent state of mind. He was glad
that ii rained. Not that a rainy day was thing
in itself pleasant to him. So far from it, if il came
on a week day. and especially on holiday, it was
apt to put his face in "a bad shape
When James left his chamber and joined the
family who were assembled for prayer, he put on a
look Of regret and said, There will be going to
meeting to-day" sz1 ra e1 Hf
After breakfast, he went frequently to the door
to see as he said, whether there was any prospect
of fair weather. Nine O'Clock came. and no sign
Of clear sky. James then apparently gave it up
in despair lie took his Bible, and sat down. and
fixed his eyes on the leaves, but his thoughts we're
on themes which had but little connection with
those pages. After awhile his mother observed
him, and said james, you do not appear TO be
reading
Il was not reading Just then, was thinking
WAS you thinking about what you have been
reading?7
"Yes, ma am,--no ma am, not just that minute.
By the tone and manner he designed to make the
impression that he had been thinking about what
he had read though just at that moment his
thoughts hdu NdnutItu " dHoiHtI SuVJcel.
= He now turned his eye upon the open page and
the first sentence which met his eye was, Beware
Of the leayen of the pharisees which is hypocrisy.
The word hypocrisy struck his mind with grea
force. He stopped reading but kept his eye fxe'
on the word hypocrisy. If he did not think on wha
he read, vet what he had read gave direction t.
his thoughts IL occurred to him that he had beei
playing the hypocrite from the time he left hi
chamber that morning. He had pretended he wa
sorry that it rained when in reality he was glad
He had pretended he was anxious to go to meeting
while in reality he was afraid the rain might ceas'
in time for him to 90. He had pretended he liac
bcen reading the Bible and had been thinking OF
what he had read, when such was not the fact. III
saw that he had beeu hyPocrite, and in relation
to subjects connected with serious and religiOu
things His heart suote him; he began to feel tn
pains of a guilty conscience Ills .eountenaae
| gave some Indication Of pain. Ills mother obser
we'd it aud asked hin, what was the mat er. es
~Nothing, said he, loniy don't feel very well,
and he arose and went to his chamber.
! . lie was soon followed by his anxious mother
who found him sitting with bis face buried IN hi
hands.
! Are you sick, JaHes!! where do you feel bad:
@IIcre said james, laying ms band ON hls bear
and bursting into tears. arsst --.a. 1 1.
His mother sat down by his side, took his hand
in hers and aifectionately bade him tell her hi
troubles. After he became somewhat calm, he mad
full confession of all his sins OF hypocrisy whie
he had that day committed, and asked her to pra
to God to forgive him. -s--- -.
Perhaps the reader may have been guilty of sin
liar acts OF hypocrisy. II so, has he repented {
them and entreated God to forgive him? Hypo
risy is an odiOus sin in the sight Of God. 1t is
sin perfectly known to him. You can deceive me
bat yen cannot deceive God. The hypocrisy of Il
heart which may show itself by the most insigni
cant act is as clearly known by him. as is the mo
deliberately planned system Of deception Bewa'
Of hypocrisy. -
IRox MouxrA1x, MlssotRI--In making an est
mate of the amount of iron contained IN the iro Q
mountain. enough has beep found above rs ''''
10 make los 100000 tons Now, If 5000 OOoonl
be converted into railroad iron, It would mai
200 600 miles of road; and to send off the remai
der at the rate Of 100 tons per day, would emplC