The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1881-07-22

verse 2, when he says: beware of dogs"
Now, | belong to a church which constructs
the Bible literally, and l believe when he
says dogs" he means dogs.
Yours truly, Mas. SPLAsHEH.
Editor Of the Courier:
As Tuesday, July 18th, drew near,
was more aud more troubled with the
idea that the days of our entertaining
little club were numbered If there ia
one thing more sure than another TO bring
discord among women, it is the discussion
of theological questions, and l felt GER
tain that Mrs. Splasher's unlucky postal
had plunged us beneath flood of argu-
ment where, like a lump of sugar, we
would lose our sweetness, and from
whence we would emerge no more as a
corporate body. At last the hour struck,
and l set of. The streets through which
| was passing, looked gay enough las
night, but now the decorations appeared
cheap aud tawdry, and, altogether, l felt
dissatisfied, unstrnag, and keyed to a
note or two below "concsrt pitch" How
ever, tried to cheer myself by reasoning
that the sound which my inner conscious
ness took for the "hoof beats of fate"
might only be the slow pulses Of the re-
action following the Ito me) unusual dis
sipation of the previous night. I turned
my thoughts resolutcly to the place of
meeting, and remembered with fresh dis
may that nobody had proposed any par
ticular subject for discussion. The effort
to enliven myself was useless, so | hasten
ed 10 put an end 10 a walk so little agree
able. When | entered the room | was not
surprised 10 find assem- bled more than the
usual number of ladies; they seemed ami
mated too. On many countenances there
was an air of resolution almost defiant,
and several slips of paper, conspicuously
displayed, showed that their owners had
been taking or making notes somewhere.
| noticed that 4 dozen or more ladies had
brought copies of the New Testament, and
on the table lay large gilt-edged Bible
o. my prophetic SOUL | was almost con-
Guiding TO beat hasty retreat and leave
the good people Of Hickman to imagine
the proceedings of that meeting, rather
than to be compelled TO relate what felt
sure was coming, when TO my Infinite re-
lief | saw Mrs. Fairview advancing to
the table. Removing her glasses from
her eyes, che looked upon the eager audi
ence for few moments in silence, and
then said, in a voice magnetic from its
depth and seriousness:
"Ladies-I find myself taking q great
interest in this club. It's beginning was
small, aud its influence now, perhaps, not
great, but its mission, | fancy, is
Like the small fame of a lamp that un-
steadily gimmers and fiickers
Lone in the night, and showeth the gloom
though it cannot dispense it..
Like a brook, which springs from the
bosom of the mountain, and gathering to
itself other rills and torrents, as gay, as
beautiful, and perhaps, to the eye of the
utilitarian, as useless, il finally vindi-
Gates its right to be. by becoming the
channel for the commerce OF nations; so
this club, born of the high thought Of one
who loves her sex, may yet afford an out
let for thoughts and feelings which would
otherwise run through csverns of dark
ness, unheard, unseen and unfruitful,
chatting their channels Of stone with end
less and proftless murmurs.
Now, ladies', we have organized and set
afOot this little venture; let US carefully
avoid all the quick sands rocks, and shoals,
upon hich we can come TO grief Women
are nothing, if not emotional. Love,
der some form, makes up their existence.
Some Frenehman has said that devotion
is the last love of woman Society is
more settled in France, and devotion has
there q more uniform development than
with US Where q Frenchman would say
devotion, we would, from our varying
phrases of thought, evolve . variety OF
expressions, religion church, love Of
God etc. But always in the hearts Of
women dwells religious feeling of some
sort. In our own community our training
and beliefs are so deficient, the authori-
ties we acknowledge are so various, that
the tho ught of an argument among us is ap-
paling, and beg you this evening, az
one whose years outnumber yours, and
whose experience has been more varied
than falls to the lot of most women, 10
avoid scrupulously anything that appro
aches discussion of theology. As my
eve glances over this assembly, | see Ia
dies from every Church in Hickman
each one has her view upon all these
subjects, which cannot be affected by any
amount of talking that we can do-each
one goes to that pasture in which she
thinks she can find the best spiritual food,
and there we must leave her. Except by
the quiet influence of example, and the
solemn, though unseen, power OF heart
/ felt prayers to God, we are powerless to
enlighten each other. But, ladies, do
not wish to make of my age stick with
| which to break your wills and upset all
your plans. | am one of you only, and
/ have claimed quite enough in speaking
frst. Without your permission, | shall
proceed no further, though | would like
to say few words to you this evening,
especially as my eyes are delighted with
the sight Of so many sweet young faces
| clustered together in the back part of the
house. These bright faces look particu-
iarly lovely to me, because they are fran
ed in bonnets which recall the days of my
youth"
Mrs. Fairview paused, whom q young
lady with light hair, a blue dress, and .
bewilderingly pretty hat, said, while her
cheeks seemed fairly to burn with bushes
'Oh2 Mrs. Fairview, don't let any body
preach? We want to hear you talk about
love-"
cious young speaker, and not few of the
chances carried establishment and indig.
nation in their CLEAN, but Mrs. Blank has
tened to draw off the attention of tn,
crowd, by saying, in her full and measuT.
ed tones:
"Thoss who are in favor of hearin,
Mrs. Fairview on the subject of love viii
signify it by rising to their feet"
To my utter amazement, not half the
} ladies rose2 Several began to speak al
once, and took advantage of the confu
sion to leave the room halted mo
ment just outside the door, and heard in
distinctly the names of our prominen
preachers all mixed up with texts o
Scripture. In few minutes Mrs. Three
Stars joined me, and before we reaches
the corner | observed that several Other
ladies had already left the meeting, so
suppose the little club has persisted. /
may be one of woiuan's rights to argu,
! about religion, but il is certainly on,
they cannot exercise and retain theii
amiability- F.F.
The Local Option law of Fulton county
permits the sale of whisky by the quart
or in larger quantities, by a licensed