The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-07-23
THE CHRISTOPHER LAWSUIT.

Everybody in Bethany used to say that
it was lucky for URANUS Fargo that he
had for his next neighbor such man as
Deacon Philo Robbins.
''l wouldn't live alonside the old crit
ter" declared Abel Crafts, the village
tinker and umbrella member, "not if
you'd give me the use of the farm for
nothin and the stock thrown in. He haint
pretended to put up length of fence
this ten year, and that old boss of his
has got learnt so he'll 90 and jump into
Robbln's moving every evening after
dark, and jump Out again before folks
are up Ed Root seen him doin' it one
mornin' early when he was goin' home
late from dance. l wouldn't give much
for church that hadn't got strength to
kick HIM out! Wal, yes Philo Robbins
is church member, too, but then. that
amt what makes him so clever. He was
born good-natured and it's natural for
nm to take things easy, but [ don't see
now ne can stand it having his farm Join
old Fargo's that way, and he never
would if he didn't know it would be
worse than ever if he tried to stir him nm
any," "
Although Mr.. Crafts outspoken opin-
ions but echoed the general sentiment of
Bethany, 1t was usually more cautiously
expressed. Uranus Fargo was a man
OF considerable property visible to the
naked eye, with rumors of stocks and
bonds carefully sailed down beyond the
reach OF taxation; he was member of
the Congregational Church, and he
kept the town poor. 1t was not
everyone that cared to speak freely
concerning the representative of so
much dignity, but all chuckled to hear
some one more daring express their own
opinions. Tyrannus Fargo, however.
was in some respects a great comfort
ana satisfaction to his fellow men, his
reputation affording valuable refuge
70 those who telt the claims of the
CHRISTIAN religion upon them, but who
We're unwilling to yield to its demands.
The deformities and excrescences of his
character, SO conspicuous upon pro-
fesslng Christian, were gravely pointed
out as the natural fruits of his religion.
and entirely obscured the vision from
beholding all the gentleness, grace. and
beauty OF character among the rest of
the church, which, if brought to mind.
were lightly dismissed as being "naturai
to them;" and even Deacon Robbins. as
we have seen, was given no credit for
his surprising forbearance, because he
was "born sou
But IN the constant evaporation and
annoyance to which one farmer can
subject another, Philo Robbins found
that the mild and gentle disposition with
winch nature had endowed him must be
supplemented with powerful drafts upon
ms Christian principle, further rein
forced by the consciousness that retalia-
ton, or even self-defense. y;onld onlv
make the matter worse, and also bv the
gentle stimulus of his wife's persistent
opposition. Mrs. Robbins had rather a
poor opinion of the passive virtues in the
abstract, and disapproved most vehe-
mently OF their being pushed to extrem-
ity when dealing with such men as
Tyrannus Fargo.
"There's reason in all things" she
would say to her husband, I" in religion
just as much as anything else. We are
told not to cast our pearls before swine,
and don't know what else it is, to sub
NIT to all that mans imposition. He
would respect you great deal more if
you would stand up for yourself a little.
You ought to shut up his cattle once and
make him pay poundage before he took
them away again, and as for having that
old horse turned into the street to Jump
into our moving -as everybody says It
does-I don't think It's anybody's duty
to stand it. If you don't want to shut
him up, wish you'd let me do it. I'm
not afraid of him.
When Mrs. Robbins six beautiful
Spanish hens, that had been let out after
tea for an airing, rashly wandered away