The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1881-08-25

lBCkolafs. nes oi the world and ro~aic
may b found "a nAsy dimes; but |. !
sna - easy 10 fad deacon, scholar.
man u thu world. and rovdy associated
. . business psrtner; still harder is !, h
fad saaastssse living peaoeably together
in ono small house. and eating their meAl'
from the sane table Yet Deacon Purkiss
Professor Bagg. Major wynde. and Joe
Backsey were the sole, joint and equal
owners Of the Quicklecgc Claim. and 70.
aided together In = small hut - smicably
blessed be the amenities enforced by IN.
crs--A As il they had been lifelong sequaint-
ances
The deacon was q man Of means; the
professor wsss metsllurgist; the major
was an excellent manager and general bn.
siness man; while Joe. who originally dis.
covered the indications" At Qsicklsdge,
aud disclosed them 70 his partners. re-
eeiyed ne-iourth Of the profits OF the con-
Germ for services already rendered.
The deacon was extremely religious, ~
rightly became deacon, the professor
was . church member in good faith, the
major was man Of high moral tone but
Joe WAS neither moral, religious. nor a
church member He was good-natured,
generous, honorable, brave. healthy and
handsome; but his IDEAS Of propriety
we're utterly ct variance with those possess
cd by his partners. He agreed perfectly
with them on general principles;
but his ideas Of the application Of said
principles were lamentable in the extreme.
He despised an indolent man as heartily
as did either the deacon. the major, or the
professor but Joe thought that poker
playing for forty hours on sstretch was in
dnstry Of the most admirable sort. Joe
considered theft IN abominable vice; but
to help himself TO q horse which some
other rowdy had stolen somewhere was q
perfectly legitimate operation. Heagreed
with the deacon that murder was the most
horrible crime; but the earnestness Of the
deprecation was rather modified by his |
mainting that to shoot man for cheating
at cards was not only an eIcusable act, but
very necessary one.
Once o month the accounts Of Quick
ledge Claim were settled, and division OF
profits was made. Three Of the partners
deposited their gains in the Spurtip Ma
tional Bank; but Joe's we're always carried
to Sorrels pride Of Spurtip' saloon.
where they disappeared under the inAu.
ence Of cards and bottles. During the
funding operation. which usually consum-
ed from three days to week, Joe's place
at the table remained untitled, and the
deacon's pious ears were untortured by
Joe's good .fatured. misapplication Of the
scripture languages but, when his money
was gone Joe would. return and lead SO
exemplary life that the deacon could a.
most believe Joe had met with change.
But after several repetitions Of Toes pecul'
lar method Of spending the month. the
deacon determined that genuine change
OF heart was what Joe needed.
The deacon spoke to the professor about
it, and the professor agreed with him. The
deacon spoke to the major, and the major
thought that reformation would work
wonders on Zoe Then the deacon and
the professor and the major discussed the
matter together over beans and corned
beef, and Immediately there was discern
ible the first GOODNESS that had ever exist
cd between the owners Of the Quickledge
Claim. Why men need display their
worst passions in defense Of their purest
ideals, is impossible to explain. Certain
grave authorities have declared that it IL
due 10 the unlimited presence Of the arch.
enemy Of souls; while there have been
shrewd observers who maintained that an
inherited essence called "Old Adam" is
the real cause. BE that as it may, it is
certain that the three partners ended the
discussion barely in time to avoid bad
feeling, and that each one understood that
il Joe was to be turned from the error Of
his ways it must be brought about by the
understanding member himself without
any assistance from the other two. |,
On the next morning, az Joe sat devour-
ing pancakes and molasses long after his
partners had finished their Breakfasts -
Joe was always terribly hungry after his
regular monthly spree--the deacon laid
his heavy hand on Joe's shoulder, and SOL
emnly asked: Ii
Joseph, how do you 'Ipect to escapey
Joe hastily closed his mouth, dropped his
fork and the segments Of cakes impaled
thereon, and looked hastily about him. /,
Not from natural enemy, don't mean, !
said the deacon. think so much Of you. ,
Joseph, that I'd knock such one down in .
the name Of the Lord fore I said any thing /
about il. mean from the Devil-the enc !
my Of your soul. |,
OH said Joe. looking relieved. and re-
suming operations with knife and fork.
The wicked shall be turned into hell.
says the good book, Joseph. continued the /,
deacon. .
Reckon I'd see most ofmy old quaint
Ances ef vent thar, remarked Joe. quite
cheerfully, ~ be poured the moiasses on
fresh plate Of cakes. II
The worm dies not, and the fire ia not