National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-10-31
4 WHITE LIE.

Ihere are Inherent colors and degrees
Of falsehood, just as there are difreren,
coloro and degrees of other sins. There
is, blackeet # all, the malevolent hypo-
0iie and % derer, who can :wist truth
into falsehood, and falsehood into
'ecmipg trnth. And then there is the
downright Liar, who falsifes on pur-
pose 70 deceive. There is another
downright Liar not quite SO bad-he
falslhes from a love Of the marvellous,
and n burning desire to appear what he
is not. Some people lie because it is
their disposition to deceive. Others
lie because they lack the courage TO
tell the truth. And, there are other
les-sometimes called White Lies
which are mere lies of convenience. In
their utterance there is no evil intent.
They are told Just as man whisks an
impediment from his path with his
waking-stck. They are told to save
trouble OF explanation or, perhaps, to
avoid reprmand. At first lie of this
KIND may not seem very sinful thing
but, unfortunately for the misguided
mortal who entertaius the petty sin. it
is one that does not improve upon ac-
qnalIt"hce. Like many another evil
which might be mentioned, it is likely
to grow to alarming proportions and
Consequences. There is one safe
pround-and only one: Truth-Abso-
int Iruth-under every circumstance
aud on all occasions.
Sarah Powers believed herself to be
q truthful girl. She had not the DIS
position to willingly deceive. Had it
been plainly intimated to her that she
was Liar she would have been shocked
beyond measure; and yet Der rule of
!'a IN this respect was not pure and ua-
SWelvlng, rs we shall see.
sarah" said Mrs. Powers, coming
INTO the room one winter morning, |
where ber daughter sat, "did you see
anything Of twenty dollar bill on the
mantel-shelf last evening p Her voice
and manner showed that she was ua-
pleasantly exercised.
, "A tweaty-dollar bill?" repeated
Sarah, with open eyes. "No."
ion didn't see anything that look
I'd like one ?"
tainly not"
certainly left it in the sitting
room, on the shelf and know that l
set the large glass lamp down on it, so
'1at It should not blow away. I forgot
al about 1t until this morning. Oh, !
must not lose it."
., But, mother, twenty dollars is not
snch large sum-
Ordinarily, no, my child but just
Low II is considerable. Your fathers |
.gconnts .(c do not balance so favorably =,
= n'Is season as he had anticipated. In !.
'ac' Sarah, he cannot possibly spare me
a. more If he is to n,cet his bank pa :
..r Where can that bill have gone to ;
i'1u promised Mrs. Judkins ten dol u
,-i' to-day. Do you think it could =
away % ~ ''O~'''" VA UNA ''''"A il
H. we may as well remark just here, II Il
my r1 sarah Powers had been lying. !, a
- ",Sehood ~ was not certainly in the heart ,
~ Ho. .oe young and sunny faced girl but
re.. r,, 'o.hgne had spoken it. The facts
were ere SIMPLY these N
wi on the previous evening Robert Yea e.
", ", Aad called to visit Sarah. tRobert
n clt rk in the store OF Powers 4 X
lora1af, and was Sarah's accepted "
ie.5 ne had displayed qualities of d'
ei iIt h! ana heart which had recommend
h., A!n to the favorable consideration of a
va, parents, and though he was poor, bl
!. ne mad business tact and energy.
fin. as =. understood by the careful father er
man. mere should be no formal engage
fbo, az present Sarah remembered
nno, .ae and Robert had sat together
'rsta,' 'le sofa and looked over an illus-
i Le9 magazine. While thus occupied
90 10y occurred to her that they could be
.too5 51e'ter If she large lamp, which sa
ooy", III The middle of the shelf, were IN
l. Sed !. ont to the end aad she arose to ia
,jecc M upon lifting the lamp she saw mi
mil .. ;. paper whirl ont and circle down
rata was drawn into the fire of the 20
'"'v {. v,1 directly beneath.
al "hat was that ~ asked Rsbsrt. who
ct Ie,h the vhirling paper.
n rL ION Know, Tin sure. It's burned
be aleVer 1t was" answered Sarah. yo
,4n,e aW The charred, tinder-like frag-
len ~hiSked up by the draft, and ste
10 90 sne added" guess it was moth. to
ao % vi Importance. 1t wouldn't have cal
a. ,hefe if it had been" Di
Nm a,'er :, this she resumed her seat. SEE
eli sarah remembered all this very it
o,b,s I'u' IN truth, the question of her thi
IT a SEQ NAG startled her bat she had WI
,tlira 'Venty-6ollar bill. She knew
napins5 apout any such bill. We cn wi
on on th' amount Of mental reserva- loI
-.t ;rumap,oyed in this decision. Her cid
= impulse was TO avoid d;soar.aah,a mis-