Sharp County record., 1881-02-03
Sunday. Lessons.
The GOssip-An Old, But True, Story.

1ue UOSSlp-Au Olu, DuI IIu0s oV"i 70
The story was all over town. Every
body was talking about it. 1t was too
bad, they said. What was too bad?
Why, the new minister had been beat
ing his wifei Was it possible? Yes,
there could be no doubt about it. Mrs.
S., who lives next door heard a shrek
about ten o'clock last night-a WON.
ans shriek-from a chamber in the
parsonage. She looked across, and
through the curtain she could see the
man and woman were running about
the room in great excitement, He was
fourishinga stick, and striking with it.
The blows could be plainly heard. And
as he struck, she screamed.
Mrs. S. could hardly sleep that night,
she was so excited by what she had
seen. She was up early next morning.
She hurried through her breakfast, and
then started QUITO see the poor abused
minister's wife, and comfort her? Not
a bit of it. She went to Elder AS,
found the family at the table, and told
the news. Then she footed on to Elder
BIS and Deacon C's, and over half the
town. The other half that she had no
time to call on soon heard it from the
other half, and before noon there was
great excitement in Ballville.
The officers of the church discussed
The matter with heavy hearts. Such
disgraceful conduct could not be en-
lured. Something must be done. But
what? Call at once on the minister
and his wife and inquire into the mat
ter? Oh, no; that would not be digni-
fed and official Besides, there could
be no doubt about it. Did not Mrs. S.
see the beating with her own eyes? So
they called a meeting of the session
and summoned the minister and his
wife. He had to answer charge of
unministerial conduct, and she to testi-
fly in the case.
They came, greatly puzzled and sur
prised. The case was gravely stated
by the senior elder, when the culprit
and witness burst into laugh. Check
ing themselves, when they saw how
serious and sad the session looked, they
explained.
The minister's wife, though an eX-
cellent woman who loved everybody,
and especially her husband, did not
love rats. But the house having been
vacant for some time, the rats had
taken possession. When they went to
their chamber, a huge rodent ran under
the bed. The wife screamed. The
husband caught up a stick and missed
the rat, the lady screamed again. How
could she help it? 1t was an exciting
scene, and must have looked very funny
to their neighbors who were watching
through the curtained window. They
laughed heartily when it was all over
and the rat was dead; and they could
not help laughing whenever they
thought about it.
The session were in a fix. They were
down on Mrs. S. for making fools of
them. They asked her, "Why didn't you
90 over to the minister and make sure
about the matter before yoUreportedit"
And she retorted, "Why didn't you
go and inquire into it before you called
a meeting?" And all the town, who talk
ed yesterday about how the minister
abused his wife is talking to-day about
what an awful gossip Mrs. S. is, and how
she fooled the elders of our church.
| am mortified and disguised. Is
there any way to cure these mischief
making gOssips? Would it be right to
hang them? 1t seems to me that that
passage in the third chapter of James
about the tongue ought to be printed
in big letters on card, and hung up in
all our churches. Don't you think so?
IS. SiOU," in Occident.