Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-08-22

| NEAT REBuKES,-A rebuke may some.
times be very effectively put into pracica
form. Thus. at time when there was +
heavy duty upon French gloves. packe
addressed to the French Ambassador
having accidently come undone. the Gus
tom house authorities discovered that j.
consisted of gloves, wbereupon they sem
it on as an unpaid postage letter; and
though the double postage amounted tc
more than the single duty, it was pai,
without comment. Very neat and char.
acteristic, in the way of practical rebukes
was that of Taleyrand, 10 a faithful bu'
too inquisitive confidential servant
whom he saw from the window coolly
reading Il letter intrusted to him 10 deliver
On the next day similar commission was
confided to the servant, and to the seconf
letter was added a postscript, couchcd in
the following terms: You can send u
verbal answer by the bearer. He is per,
fectly well acquainted with the Who'll,
affair, having taken the precaution 10 read
this previous to its delivery"
Dean Ramsay, in his "reminiscences
tells similar and equally characteristi,
story of an old Forfarshire lady. Sht
knew tho weakness of her man servant.
and when she wished note TO be taken
without delay, held it open, and read it
over to him, saying: "Thcre moo. Andrew
We ken a that's int, moo dinna stop to
open it, but Just send it off"
Not bad in its way either, was Lord
Chesteriield's practically humorous rcbuke
of the craze for having far reaching
portrait galleries of ancestors. In his own
gallery he placed two old heads. inscribed
respectively Adam de Stanhopc and Eve
de Stanhope.
Of the rebuke indirect, one of the finest
examples is that attributed to DR.. South
Once when preaching before Charles ii
he observed that the monarch and several
of his attendants had fallen asleep. Pres
emily one of the latter began to snore,
whereupon the bishop broke off his SER
mon, and exclaimed: Lord Lluredale, |
am sorry to interrupt your repose, but lei
me entreat you not to snore so loud lest
you awaken his majesty Less indirect
but more severe, was rebuke said to
have been spoken from the pulpit by a
dissenting minister OF modern lines.
While he was preaching he was annoyed
by some young people whispering and
giggling He paused, looked at the
disturbers, and said: II am always afraid
to reprove those who misbehave them.
selves for this reason: Some years since,
when was preaching. young man who
sat before me was constantly laughing,
talking and making uncouth grimaces,
paused and administered severe re-
buke After the close of the service
to
made great mistake. That young man
is an idiot" Since then have always
been afraid to reprove those who misbe-
have themselves in the chapel, lest |
should repeat that mistake and reprove
another IDIOT" During the rest Of the
service, the story concludes, there was
good order.
Incisive, and dry, as it becomes nation.
ality, was the rebuke of the Scotch shep.
herd to Lord Cookburn of Bonaly. That
nobleman was sitting on the hill side with
the shepherd, and observing the sheep
in the coolest place, he said to
him: John, if were sheep would lie
on the other side of the hill" The shep-
herd answered: AYE, my lord, but if ye
had been sheep, ye would hae had
mair sense"
Less epigrammatically neat but more
richly deserved was the following rebuke
to an unnamed lord, quoted in Selden's
liable Talk" A great lord and gentle
man talking together, there came boy
by leading calf with both his hands.
Says the lord to the gentleman, You shall
see me make the hoy let go his calf,
With that he came toward him. thinking
the boy would have put off his hat, but
the boy took no notice of him. The lord
seeing that, 'sirrah! says he do you not
know me that you use no reverence?'
Yes says the boy, if your lordship
will hold my calf will put off my hat "
-44U The Year Rouqd