Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1880-11-13

but he used to swear like Botany bay
pirate; I've heard pa say sOp
| The boys were shocked into mOmen-
tary silence, but recovered themselves
soon. =.
And if he ever did he don't now"
added reasonable Jack. Hes awful
good; hiss professor; he prays in meet
In and he don't ever scOld nor swear,
nor nothin'. Scarce ever he ticks fell
low; he did give Dan and me one whalin',
| but he Oughter have, that's fact. Dan
he told blunderin' lie and l backed
him up. l tell vel we was sore for one
spell, after he found it out"
swell, | know he used to swear on
board ship. I've heard pa tell stories
about him. They called him Still Jase,'
to be sure, but when he got riled the fur
flew. I'll bet you my jack-knife l can
make him swear inside of next week."
I'll bet you my head you can'tP re-
tOrted Dan.
Il don't know as l want your head for
anything, but I'll bet you my knife
against that cake of maple sugar you
have got in the closet that I'll set Uncle
Jase swearing before next weeks over"
The boys were so sure that nothing
could make daddy swear, and so pleased
with their first bet of any Importance,
that they accepted the terms at once,
and JenisOn began to cudgel his brains
for means of tripping up Jason Carriers
tongue.
One day he slyly let down the bars in
to field of clover, getting up before
light to do it; the two cows, turned out
OF the barn yard to nip at the roadside
until Dan and Jack cOull drive them to
pasture, accepted the bait, entered the
clover and riOted i'm its fragrant spheres,
half killing themselves with greedy feed
ing. Jack found them half an hour
after his chores were done in the cOndi-
tiOn that results to cows from eating
green clover, and Uncle Jason worked
over the poor creatures all day, without
a word of Impotence, though he said
more than once:
Il wish | knew who let them bars
down, I'd kinder like to say word in
season to him."
The pins were taken out of the OX-yOke
and never found, egg shells strewed the
hay NOW while the family never could
have any for their own use, the nests
being always empty. The grey cats
tail was singed to baroness, and her ears
shipped, but Uncle Jason never swOre or
lost his temper. His scythe snath dis
appeared, but he borrowed another; his
grindstOne was sOaped, the hay cutter
broken, hoes and rakes disappeared when
wanted, and reappeared when useless;
his razor was lost and hOpelessly dulled
when he found it, and thousand petty
annOyances heaped on him in vain. He
only said to his wife:
ut does beat all what's got inter things
this week; seems as if / never was so
pestered. 1t amt in human natur' for
things to happen so. Somebody's dOin'
ont, l sartin feel to believe, but declare
for it can't see into it mite"
Jack and Dan began to triumph; only
one day more of the week was available,
and JenisOn was put on his mettle, and
plans laid accordingly.
They had prayers always before break
fast, the weather was warm and the out
er door open wide this morning, and set
ting out just as his uncle laid down the
Bible, under preteXt of soaring an old
hen away, the boy opened little side
gate into the lot where he had previous
ly driven the old ram, and laying train
OF salt to big lump on the doorstep, re-
treated speedily to the kitchen and knelt
down next to Mr.. Carter, where he had
left his chair.
Billy had seen the tin pail in tensions
hand, and knew it ment salt; he follow
ed the train surely to the door, and hav-
ing to nlbble the lump, heard an earnest
and accustomed voice near by, and look
ed up into the kitchen door.
Jason was praying earnestly, and the |
rest had their eyes closed and heads |
bent-all hut .Ienison, who was watch
Ing Billy from under his arm. As he |
saw the ram look in he picked up short |
switch from under his uncle's back. Bill |
ly gave one leap across the door. charged |
Uncle Jason in the rear, and sent him
sprawling.
"D-n that RAM" he roared in a voice |
of thunder.
Jack and Dan sprang up at once, drove
Billy 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 com |
mitted, such fearful petition for pardon, |
such heartfelt cOntritiOn for lapse that |
seemed to him dreadful, after many long |
years of prayer and struggle, that hard |
and bad as JenisOn Wires was he could |
not bear it; was the turning point in |
the boys life; he got up from his knees
and confessed the whole thing to his |
uncle and asked his forgiveness: and the
the other boys cried heartily.
Jason Carter never forgot that day; it |
was remembered with humility and |
thankfulness both: for JenisOn told him
years after that he learned tOrespect re-
ligiOn, then and there, and that is the
first step toward desiring and obtaining
it.
JenisOn never claimed his bet, but |
but when he went home gave Dan his
knife for remembrance; and years
after when Deacon Jason Carter was
dead and gone, his step-sOns recalled |
with affection, reverence and amuse-
ment mingled the only oath they ever
heard him speak, and how it was brought |
about by JenisOn's bet.
How the Pastor Lied.