The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1879-12-11
BROOKHAVEN, MISS. THURSDAY,

pirate; I've heard pa say So."
! The bays were shocked into moment,
AIRY silence, but recovered themselve.
soon.
"And if he ever did he don't now,
added reasonable Jack. 'He's awfn
good; he's Professor; he prays il
meetin' and he don't never scold, mol
swerar nor nothin. Scarce ever he Iicks
n fellow; he did give Dan and me Que
whalin' bat he onghter have, that Is a
fact. DIN he told thunderin' lie and
l backed him up. | tell ye! we was
sore for one spell, after he found il
out"
"Well, I knew he used to swear on
board ship. I've heard pa tell stories
abont him. They called him Still
Jase. to he sure. but when he got riled
the fur isw. I'll bet my jack kuifs I
can make him swear inside OF nexl
week"
''I'll bet my head You can't!' retort
ed Dan.
II don't know as I want your head
for anything. but I'll bet my knife
against that cake of maple sngar you've
got in the closet that I'll set Uecle
Jase a swearing before the week +
over
The boys were so sure that nothing
could make daddy swear, and. 40 pleas :
ed with their first bet of any import
ance, that they accepted the terms at
once, and Jenison began to cudgel his
brains for means of tripping up Jason
Carter's tongue.
One day he s!yly let down the bars
into a field of clover, getting mp before
! Daylight to do 1t; tho two cows, turned
cut of thu barnyard TO nip Mt the road
side until Dan or Jack could drive them
to pasture, accepted the bait, entered
the clover and rioted in its fragrant
spheres. half killing themselves with
greedy feeding. Jack found them half
an hour after his chores were done in
the condition that results to cows from
eating green clover, and Uncle Jason
worked over the poor creatures all day
without q word OF impotence, tho he
| said more than once:
II wish l knew who let them lars
down, I'd kinder like to say worl IN
season to him"
The pins were taken out of the Ok
yoke; and never found. egg shells strew
ed the NOV, while the family never
could have any eggs for. their own ase,
the nests being always empty. TIE
great gray cats tail Was singed to bare
ness and her ears nipped. but Uncle
Jason never swore or lost his temper
His scythesnath disappeared, but he
borrowed another; his grindstone was
soaped, the hayecutter broken, hoes
and Elkes disappeared when wanted,
and reappeared when useless; his razor
was lost and hopolessly dnlled when he
found it. and thousand petty annoy
ancas heapod on him in VAN. He ouly
said to his wife:
1T does beat all, Phebe, what's got
never was so pestered. 1t amt in hui
man natur' for things to happen so.
Somebody's loin' ont I sartinly feel to
believe, but declare for it can't see
into it mite"
Jack aud Dan began to triumph;
only one dav more of the week was
available snd Jenison was put on his
matt!e, AMI plans laid accordingly.
They had prayers always before
breakfast, and the weather WAS wstm
and the outer door opened wide this
morning, and setting ont lust as his
uncle laid down the Bible, under the
pretext of soaring the old hen away. the
boy opened little side gate iuto :ha
lot where he had previously driven the
Old ram, and lnring a train of salt to
big lump on the door step. retres'ing
spsedily to the kitchen and knelt down
next to Mr. Carter, where he had left
his chair.
Billy had seen tho tin pail in Jani
sons hand, anil knew it meant salt.
| He followed the train surely to the door.
and having begun to nibble the lump.
heard an earnest and accustomed voice
near by, and looked up into ths kitchen
door.
Jason was praying earnestly. and the
rest had their eyes closed and heads
bent all but Jenison. who was watch
ing Billy from under his arm. Az he
saw the ram look IN he picked up
short switch from nnder his chair, and
held it threatenIngly over his uacle's
back. Billy gave one great leapiacross ~
the door. charged Uncle Jason in the
rear .and sent him sprawling. s,so7r. ..
"D--n that ram!" he roafed in
voice of thunder.
Jack aud ssDsn sprang up at once.
drove Billv out and shut the door. but
before they could speak their father
was on his knees again. pouring out
such earnest, humble confession of the
sin he had been betrayed into. such
fearful petition for pardon. snrh hAart>
felt contrition for laps that seemed tp
him dreadful after long years of stru&-
gle, that hard and bad as Jenison Wires
was he could not bear it; it was the
turning point in the boys life; he got
up from his knees and confessed the
whole thing to his uncle aud asked for
giveness; and the other boys cried
heartily.
Jason Carter never forgot that day:
| it was remembered with humility and
thankfplness both; for years after Jeni-
son told him with deep feeling that ha
had learned tlfen and there to respect
religion. and that is the frs. toward de-
string and obtaining it.
Jenison never claimed-his bet, but
when he went home gave Dan his knife
for remembrance; and years after
Deacon Jason Garter was dead and
gone his step-sons recalled with affec.
ton. reverence and amusement mingled.
the only oath they ever heard him
speak. and how it was brought about
by tensions bet.
rn n;J,,t Mad