The Canton mail. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 18??-1882, 1875-02-20

Ana NOS o. WnAt We Aro-too apt to fau!
Ny httls child he slesps and smiles between
Thee thoughts and me. In heaven ne ahal
-a Know m.
JOE GATTER-s LIFE INSURANCE.
--BH4E A. BKRroN.
Good? He was the model boy of
Bungfeld. While his idle school-mates
were AyinG kits and playing marbles,
the prudent Joeeph was trading Sun
dsy-scho6f tickets for strawbefries and
eegs, which be eonveEted into surrency
OF the republic. As he grew mp, and
his old school-mates purchased cravats
and hair oil at Squire Tankey's store, it
was the industrious Joseph who stood
behind the counter and took their
money. When the same boys stood on
the street corners and cast sleeps eyes
ct. the girls, the business like Joseph
stood in the store door and COZ templated
these same boys with eyes such Is
hungry cat casts upon . brood of young
birds whom he expects to eat when they
grow older. Joe never wasted any time
ut parties; he never wore fine clothing
he never drank nor smoked: in short,
Joe was 80 industrious that by the time
he reached his majority he had . thou
sand dollars in the bank and not q soil
tary virtue in his heart.
For Joe's money good Squire Tackey
had IN earnest longing, and soon had it
TO his own account while the sign over
the store door read "Tackey 4 CATER.
Then the Squire wanted Joe's soul too,
snd 30 earnest was he that Joe soon
found it necessary to demonstrate with
his partner.
"Twon't do, Squire, said he; ere
igion's all very we'll in its place, but
when . man loses the sale of . dozen
eggs, profit seven cents, because his
partner il talking religion with him 30
hard that customer gets tired of wait
ing and goes somewhere else, then re.
ligion's out of place"
"The human souls of more conse-
keoce than many eggs, Joseph, argued
the Squire.
"That's just il, " replied Joe, "money
don't hit the value of the soul anyway,
and there's NO use trying to mix 'em.
AID while we're talking, don't YOU
think We might be mixing some of the
settings of the molasses barrel with the
brown sugar?-'twill make it weigh
nueh better.
The Squire sighed, but he could not
help admitting that Joe was a. good a
partner as . man could want,
In one Of Joe's leisure moments it
struck him that, If he were to die, mo-
body would lose cent by the operation.
The idea was too exasperating, and soon
the local agents of noted insurance
companies ceased TO enjoy that trsn.
guilty which is characteristic of bust
ness men In that country. Within
fortnight two of the agents were ar
raigned before their respective churches
for profane brawling, while Joe had
squeezed certain agents into dividing
commissions to the lowest unit of devil
sibility, and had several policies in the
safe at the store.
The Squire, his partner, was agent for
the Patagonian Mutual, and endured
his full share Of the general agony Joe
had caused. Bat when he had handed
Joe policy and receipt, and taken the
money and counted il twice, and seen TO
it carefully that all the bills we're eocd.
the good Squire took his revenge.
Joseph, " said he, '.you aims through
with insurance yet; You reed TO insure
your soul agsdnst risk IN the next world,
and there's only one agent that does it. I"
TIE junior partner stretched himself
on the counter end groaned. He knew
the Squire was right. He had heard
that same story from every minister he
had ever heard. Joe was 70 agitated
that he charged at twelve and . half
cents some calico be had sold 1t fifteen.
Only one Agent But the shre.d
Joseph rejoicsd to think that those Who
represented the Joseph Great Agent diff.
fesed grea'ly in. the conditions of the
insurance, and, sthat some made more
favorable teres than othsrs, and that IL
he could get the ministers thorouehly
interested in him, he would have a GOOD
opportunity for comparing rates. The
good men all wanted Joe. for he was
rising young man, and could, il the
spirit moved him, make handsome sub
scriptioos to good purposes. So in their
zeal they soon regarded each other with
jealous eyes, and reduced their respect
i've creeds to gossamer thinness. They
agreed about grace being free. and Joe
accepted that pronptly, as he did any
thing which could be had without price.
But Joe was q practical man, and
though he found fault with none of the
doctrines talked at him, he yet hesitated
to attach himself to any particular con
gregation. He finally ascertsined that
the Rsv. Barzillai Driftwood's church
had no debt, and that its contributions
to missions and other religious purposes
were very small, 50 Joe allowed himself
to be gathered into the fac assortment
of crooked sticks which the Rev. Bar
ziIlai Driftwood was reservipg unto the
day of burning.
Great was the rejoicing Of the conere.
cation at Joe's saving act, and sincere
was the sorrow of the other churches,
who knew their own creeds we're less
shaky. Bat in the saloon and on the
street. Joe's religious act was discussed
exclusively ON its merits, and the results
were such as only special spiritual labor
would remove. For no special change
vaa Noticeable in Joe. On Sunday be
abjured the world, but on Monday be
made things uncomfortable for the
Widow Macnilty, whose husband had
died in the debt of Tackey & Cater. A