The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-01-07

TO be little, he thought, with some con-
tempt for his expectations, to reward
his quest or maintain his theory that
every one had al least one story 10 tell.
liz was not necessarily ones own story,
I he had said, but lives the most barren
/ in incident come into contact with those
more vehement, and have the chance
\ OF looking into tragedies. into moral
victories and fierce conflicts, through
other mems ewes. He had limited some
thing of this Ia Joe Lakin early an the
morning, when the mist was rising OF
/ the hills, when the air was fresh and
keen, and the sun was making the long
\ lines Of oil upon the river glitter like SO
many brilliant snakes. Joe was the
4 LATEST and toughest of the men on the
I boat, but he sometimes had such a re-
NAL and even superior manner, that
George had felt sure that he would
comprehend his meaning. Thus when
noon came, hot. close, and heavy with
prophecy Of dinner, George had sick
ened of human nature and OF psychology
zeal studies; but now the sun had set.
and golden glory liz the sky; the fields
on one side of the river rolled away
green in clover and wavy in corn. the
hills heavily wooded rose high and pie
turesquely on the other side, and the lit
tie island in the bend OF the river seemed
the home OF quiet and of peace. The
horses plodded patiently through the
water, going out on the shadows and
avoiding the deeper currents near the
shore, and the boys, forgettin. to shout
and swear. rode along softly whistling.
Over by the hills stood a cottage. and in
the terraced garden group Of girls,
with bright ribbons in their hair. were
PLAYING quoits with horseshoes. \ row.
boa, was carrying passengers over the
river TO meet the evening train, and
under the sweetness Of the twilight
Georges spirits arose lightly to their
level his old faith returned 10 him. and
he looked up with new sense Of fellow
ship To Joe, who was filing 4 pipe with
his favorite :. tOwheadn
It's pity You don't smoke" said
Joe. carefully striking match and hold
ing his cap before il, "for it seems a
gift thrown away; and this tobacco is
uncommon good, though YOU might fan
cy il notion too strong. I've noticed
that most preachers smoke. although
they don't take kindly to drinking. |
suppose they think it wouldn't seem
the proper thing. and perhaps il would
MT; but there's Parson Robinson
should think that good. solid drink
would be real comfort 10 him some
times. He's got hard pull Of il with
a half share OF victuals and a double
share Of children, 50 the two ends hard
" ever see each other, much less think
Of meeting"
George hesitated for reply He
thought Joe was unnecessarily rough at
times, and alluded to the ministry much
too frequently. He Rad fancied when
he left home that his blue flannel and
gray tweed, with rather q jovial man
ner, would divcst him Of all resemblance
10 a theological student, and enable him
TO meet his companions on the ground
Of a common humanity, especially a
he had at present no missionary inten-
tions excepting those that might flow
Indirectly from his personal influence
Still, while he wanted Joe To recognize
his broad liberality, he owed it To him
self not 10 be loose in his expression Of
opinion.
"Well. yes, he said slowly, ~ sup
pose il would help man 10 forget his
troubles for a time, but the getting over
the spree and coming back 10 the same
old bothers, not bit better for the for
getting, would hardly be much comfort,
even Il the thing were right.
"Maybe not, = replied Joe 81 s'pose
il wouldn't be comfortable If those were
your feelin's, but | reckon you don't
know much about il unless from hear
S ". But tell you one thing, whisky's
friend TO be trusted''-adding. slowly,
with glance at Georges face" TO get
you into trouble If You let il get the up
per hand Of you. It's like woman in
that Ii begins with the same letter
too, and that's another likenesslr
George made no answer TO this joke,
over which Joe chuckled enough for
both, and then returned TO the charge
1--WE seen good deal of life, one
way and another Joe said, "but
don't know much of parsons. Some
how they haven't been in my line: but
if had 10 choose between being a par
son or a doctor, I'd take the doctor by
long odds. You see the worlds pretty
much Of a hospital as far as he's con-
cerned, and when he can't tinker
man up, he lets him slide of and no
body minds; but the parsons different.
When a man takes sick he looks kind
of friendly on the doctor, because, you
see, he expects him 10 cure him; but
when the parson comes, he tells him
what a miserable sinner he is and
what he's coming to at last. Now ii
amt in nature to like that, and don't
blame the fellows who say they can
stand parson when they are well,
but that he's worse than break bone
fever and no water handy when they're
sick And | shouldn't think any man
would like to 90 about making himself
unpleasant to others! Leastways |
wouldn't. Kicking Kirby used to say