Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-03
The Quaker's, Corn Crib.


1t is hard task for poor human natur
to return good for evil, but when the diff
cullies in the way are surmoun.ed, the re
suits are most satisfactory. They attes
the wisdom of the device law, and sugges
the thought that great offenders might fire
quently be reformed, if, in accordance will
the scriptural method, Goals of fire wer,
heaped on thei. heads. One of our ex
changes tells good story of Quaker
who ventured to experiment on this meth
cd of reform.
| A man had been in the habit of stea,
ing corn of his neighber, who was Quaker
Every night he would go softly to the cril
and fill his bag with the ears which the
good old Quaker's toll bad placed there
Every morning the old gentleman observed
a diminution of his corn pile. This was
very annoying, and must be stopped-but
how? Many one would have said, "Take
a gun, conceal yourself wait till he comes
and fire." Others would have said, "Catch
the villain and have him sent to jail"
But the Quaker was not prepared to en-
ter into any such severe measures. He
wanted 10 punish the offender, and Mt the
same time bring about his reformation il
possible. So he fixed sort of trap close
to the hole through which the man would
thrust his ara in getting the corn.
The wicked neighbor proceeded on bis
unholy errand at the hour of midnight
with the bag in hand. Unsuspeetincly,
he thrust his hand into the crib to seize an
ear, when 10! he found himself unable to
withdraw it. In vain he tugged and pull
ed, and sweated, and alternately cried and
cursed. His hand was fast, and every eff
fort to release it only made it the more
secure. After time the tumult in bis
breast measurably subsided. He gave
over his useless struggles, and began to look
around him. All was silence and repose.
Good men were sleeping soundly in their
comfortable beds, while he was compelled
to keep a dreary, disgraceful watch thro'
the remainder of that long and tedious
night, his hand in constant pain from the
pressure of the clamp which held it. His
tired limbs, compelled to sustain his weary
body, would fain have sunk beneath him,
and his heavy eyes would have closed in
slumber, but no. there was no rest, no
sleep for him. There he must stand and
watch the progress of the night, and at
once desire and dread the return of morn
ing. Morning came at last, and the Qua
ker looked out of his window and found
he had "caught the man."
"WEat was to be done? Some would
say, $50 out and give him good cow
hiding, just as he stands, and then release
him." -
But not so, said the Quaker. Such a
course would have sent the man away en-
bittered and murmuring curses of revenge
The good old man hurried on his clothes
and started at once to the relief and pun
ishment of his prisoner.
"Good morning, friend!' !'' said be, as he
came in speaking distance. "How does
thee doc"
The poor culprit made no answer, but
burst into tears.
30, fietm said the the Quaker, as he
proceeded to release him; "Pm sorry thee
has got thy hand fast. Thee put it in the
wrong place, or it would not have been SC" !"
The man looked crest-fallen, and begging
forgiveness, hastily turned to make his re-
treat.
"Stay," said his prosecutor, for he was
now becoming such to the offender, who
could have received blow with much bet
Ter grace than the kind words that were
falling from the Quaker's lips. "Stay,
friend, thy bag is not filled. The needs
corn, or thee would not have taken SO much
pains to get it. Come, let us fill it," and
the poor fellow was obliged to stand and
hold the bag while the old man filled it,
interspersing the exercise with the pleas
ATTEST conversation Imaginable; all of
which were like daggers in the heart of
his chagrined and mortified victim. The
bag was filled, the string tied, and the suf-
ferer hoped soon to be out oftfhe presence
of his tormentor, but again his purpose
was thwarted.
"Stay," said the Quaker, as the man was
about to hurry of, having uttered once his
apologies and thanks. "Stay, Ruth has
breakfast ere this; thee must not think
of going without breakfast; come Ruth is
calling"
This was most uncomfortable! This was
"heaping Goals" with vengeance. In vain
the mortified neighbor begged TO be ex-
cused. In vain he plead to be released
from what would be to him punishment
ten times more severe than stripes and i'm
prisonment. The Quaker was inexorable,
and he was obliged to yield. 80 Pc.
Breakfast over, "Now," said the old far
mer, as he helped the victim shoulder the
bag, eff thee need any more corn, come in
the day time and thee shall have it"
With what shame and remorse did that
guilty man turn from the dwelling of the
pious Quaker Every body is ready to
say that he never again troubled the Qua
ker's corn-crib. l have something still
better than that to tell you. Ho at once
relented and reformed, and my informant
tells me that he afterwards heard him re-
late, in an experience-mee;ing, the sub
stance of the story have related, and he
attributed his conversion, under Gods
blessing, to the course the Quaker had
pursued, to arrest him in his downward
course.
A QUEER EPTrAPH-The Boston Jour
- =, o,,r ,,4bo.:k r. II