The Shasta courier., 1859-05-07
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A Dispute about Lots Wife.


Two old gentlemen farmers, Isaac Gerald and
Billy Hodge, remarkable for their mutual friend
ship and social habits, were sitting one day on
bench in the piazza of retail grocery, with a
couple of silver dollars on the seat between them.
Both had on their spectacles and were busily
engaged in turning with great care and scrutiny
the leaves of a small Bible they had just pro-
cured from the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit
or Superior Court, as it is called in Georgia.
Ihe lids OF the sacred volume had been worn
or torn of, occasioning many dog-ears at both
ENDS, showing evidently long and hard usage.
Each gentleman seemed anxious to have the
Dook tor the time being, while each seemed de-
terInined that the other should not be so exclu-
slve After most unsatisfactory examination
both participating Gerald ierked the book from
Hodge, with evidentsigns ofimpatience saying ::
p" can find it if you will just hands off and
let me alone. | read all about it many a time
when 1 went to school. | tell you it's in the
Psalms of Moses, who writ and sung all about
the old dispensation'
I" I'll double the bet" Hodge replied /" it's
neither in the Psalms nor in your old dispense.
tory, as you call it. 1t is under the new consti-
tuition, and if eyerfound, twill be in Revelations
What did Moses know about the 'Postle Paul and
his family arrangements | allow he was a
right sharp old gentleman and could look into
circumstances about to crowd him as far as any
one in his day. But the dark ages, which, they
say, was as black as night without stars, me
teors, OF lightning-bugs, come atween him and
raul and he had no specks, magnifying- glass,
or telegraph, could see through or work in them
tunes. tell you, Gerald, you amt nowhar with
me in Bible larning"
The person thus tainted had been anxiously
searching the Psalms, and had paid very little
attention to his companion; had an indistinct
idea something had been said about dark ages
or dark nights but distinctly comprehended the
lnvidious comparison instituted between his
Biblical knowledge and Hodges Raising his
eyes from the pages he had been so closely
scanning, and showing his spectacles to the top
of his head, he looked piercingly into the face
of the other
Whar was you brung up, Billy Hodge
Whar eddycated? All l recollect now the eve
ming you went through college You staggered
INTO one end drunk, and the boys kicked you
out the tother! l s'pose you thought that was
graduating | could have taken the same
course the same time, but declined. But that is
neither here nor thar. What about the time YOU
said they had them dark nights wouldn't
De surprised If they did make a power of fine
wheat then. You know they say, wheat sowed
IN the dark nights of October ALWAYS does we'll.
1 never could account for it; have looked plum
thru the almanick several times to see how it
was But this amt settling our bet. | want to
handle the rhino; know I've got you Yon-
der Is Bob Logan, the Clerk; l reckonhe mout
take this book and look up the passage"
Hodge heard nothing Gerald had Just said,
except his allusion to the Clerk ETC. for as soon
as the latter had ceased his search among the
Psalms, he seized the Bible, and commenced
looking through Revelations.
Helloa, Loganr continued Gerald, " come
here" When this official approached he pro-
oeeded: q and Hodge has made bet. He
stands me silver dollar it was Paurs and not
Lots wife which was turned to a pillotc of salt
We've been ransacking this old Bible, princi-
pally Psalms and Revelations, and can't find the
place what treats on that toppack. Now, old
fellow, just be kind enough to take your old
Bible and settle this matter atwixt US"
at is no use to take the Bible" said Logan.
81 thought every Sunday school boy and girl
knew it was Lots wife they rubbed the brine
into so extensively. They used the article so
freely IN the operation, it has preserved her safe
and sound through all seasons, years and ages.
Captain Lynch reports it was but the other day
he saw her standing in the suburbs of Sodom or
Gomorrah-one, he could not tell exactly which;
but she was there, salty as ever, with the smell
OF fire and birthstone around her As for the
Apostle Paul, if ever he was married it was q
clandestine affair; his biography and autobiog-
raphy are silent on that subject and reckon
that is an event a would never forget,
whether fortunate or unfortunate, though his
friends might"
It's my money! shouted Gerald, and he
was about raking the silver, when Hodge caught
his hand
Not so fast, if you please; | have seen sicker
children live Bob Logan don't know every
thing-he is like me and you; if all he did not
know had to be put into books, printing paper
would rise, certain What he and them school
children may say, with your Captain Lynch
flung in to boot, can't move them deposits"
tpolnting to the money! Z" Here is the docky
ment gentlemen" (holding up the Bible,) "must
settle this game. Nice idea, indeed | must
give up my money on the say-so of man which
never reads his Bible, and wouldn't keep one, if
the Judge didn't make him, to swear people In
Court on and what children which gifts all thar
larnin' from little red primmers may say and
what the great Captain Lynch may say 1t was
good thing he want sent into Utay, Brigham
boung's diggins, whar salt and wives are so
plenty, and whar hope thar will be no lack of
fre and birthstone soonl Nice idea, | say again,
hmust knock under to all this rigmarole, with
the Word of Truth here in my hand though
right hard to sift out Here, take the book,
Logan; straten up the corners and lcok closely.
am afraid it aynt in here some two or three
OF the leaves the end is missin' You will
certainly find it in the last book, Revelations, if
not torn OUT
After long aud tiresome search BY the clerk,
he found 1t in the 18th chapter, 26tl verse of
Genesis, and read as Follows: "sBat bis LOTS
wife looked back from behind him, and she be-
came pillar of salt7