The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1877-11-09

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off thee doesn't kill him he'll certainly
kill thee one of these days, friend Lever
ing. And thee knows what is said of self
preservation being the first law of nature"
"And get hung"
II don't think they'll hang thee" coolly
returned the Quaker. "Thee can go over
| to his place and get him all alone by thy
self. Or thee can meet him in some by
road. Nobody need see thee, and when he
is dead / think people will be more glad
than sorry"
"Do you think I'm no better than muir
derer9 /, Paul lowering, stain my hands
with blood !"
"'Who has said anything about staining
thy hands with blood ~ said the Quaker
mildly.
"Why, you"
"Thee's mistaken. never used the word
blood"
"But you meant it. You suggested muir.
der"
"No, friend lowering, / advised thee to
kill thine enemy lest some day he should
kill thee"
"Isn't killing murder, should like to
know 2" demanded lowering.
"There are more ways than one of kill
ing an enemy" said the Quaker. I've kill
ed good many in my time and no stain
of blood can be found on my garments
My way of killing enemies is to make them
friends. Kill neighbor Hardy with kind
ness, thee'll have no more trouble with
him."
A sudden light cleaned over Mr.. Lever
ing's face, as if cloud had passed. A
new way to kill people.
"The surest way to kill enemies, as thee'll
find, if thee'll only try
"Let me see. How shall we go about
it ?" said Paul lowering, taken at once
with the idea.
"If thee has the will, friend Lever
ing, it will not be long before thee finds the
way"
And so it proved. Not two hours after
wards, as Mr.. Levering was driving into the
village, he found Dick Hardy with cart
load of stone. He was whipping his horse
and swearing at him passionately, but to
no purpose. The cart-wheels were buried
halfway to the axles in stiff mud, and de-
fed the strength of one horse to move them.
On seeing Mr.. lowering Dick stopped pull
ing and swearing, and getting on the cart
commenced pitching the stones off on the
side of the road.
"Hold on bit, friend Hardy" said Lev
ering, in q pleasant manner, as he dis
mounted and unhitched his horse. But
Dick pretended not to hear and kept pitch
ing off the stones. "Hold on l say and don't
give yourself so much trouble" added Mr.
lowering, speaking in louder voice, but
in a kind and cheerful tone. 1.-TWO horses
are better than one. With Charles help
we'll soon have the wheels on solid ground
again."
Understanding now what was meant
Dicks hands fell almost nerveless by his
side. "There," said lowering, as he put his
horse in front of Dicks and made the
traces fast, zone pull and the thing is done"
it was out of the mud-hole, and, without
saying word more, lowering unfastencd
his horse from the front of Dicks horse
and, hitching up again, rode on.
On the next day Mr.. lowering saw Dick
Hardy in the act of Strengthening a weak
fence, through which Levering's cattle had
broken once or twice, thus removing temp
tation, and saving the cattle from being
beaten and set on by dogs.
"Thee's given him bad wound, friend
Levering," said the Quaker, on getting in
formation of the two incidents just men,
toned, and it will be thy own fault if thee
does not kill him.
Not long afterward, in the face of an ap.
preaching storm, while Dick Hardy was
hurrying to get in some clover hay, his
wagon broke down. Mr.. lowering, who
saw from one of his own fields the ac-
cident, and understood what it's loss might
occasion, hItched up his own wagon and
sent it over to Dicks assistance. With
storm coming on that might last for two or
three days, Dick could not decline this
offer, though it went against the grain to
accept favor from the man he had hated
for years, and injured in so many ways.
On the following morning Mr.. lowering
had visit from Dick Hardy. 1t was rain
ing fast. "I've come" said Dick stammer-
ing and confused, and looking down on
the ground instead of at Mr. Levering's
face, "to pay you for the use of your team,
yesterday, in getting in my hay. l should
have lost it if you hadn't sent your wagon,
and it's only right that l should pay you
for the use of it,"
II should be very sorry" answered Paul
lowering, cheerfully, elf could not do a
neighborly turn without pay. You are
quite welcome, friend Hardy, to the wagon.
l am more than paid in knowing that you
saved that nice field of clover. How much
did you get 2"
about three tons. But Mr.. Levering, l
must"
"Not word, if you don't want to offend
me-" interrupted lowering, II trust there
isn't man around here that wouldn't do
as much for a neighbor in time of need
Still, if you feel embarrassed-if you don't
wish to stand my debtor pay me in good
will"
Dick Hardy raised his eyes slowly, and,
looking, in a strange wondering way at Mr..
lowering, said: "Shall we not be triends2"
Mr.. lowering reached out his hand. Hardy
grasped it with quick, short grip, and
then, as if to hide feelings that were becom-
ing too strong, dropped it, and went off
hastily.
"Thee's killed him ?" said the Quaker,
on his next meeting with lowering; "thy
enemy is dead l''
"Slain by Kindness" answered Paul Lev
ering, (which you supplied"
mo, thee took it from Gods armory,
where all men may equip themselves with
out charge, and become invincible," replied
the Quaker. sand trust, for thy peace
and safety, thee will never use any other
weapons in fighting with thy neighbors.-
They are sure to kill"
POPULAR ERRoBs.-To think that the
more a man eats the fatter and stronger he
will become. To believe that the more
hours children study the faster they will
learn. To conclude that, if exercise is
good, the more violent it is the more good
is done. To imagine that every hour taken
from sleep is ON hour gained. To act ON
the presumption that the smallest room in
the house is large enough to sleep in. To
argue that whatever remedy causes one to
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