The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1885-10-01
UNCOVER The FAULTS.

How Reginald Was Taught the Difference
Between Being and Merely Seeming to
Be Pure and Truthful.
uncle, what are you doing?n in
quired Reginald, with perplexed face.
II am getting rid of these offensive
vegetables" replied Uncle Prescott. as
he pinned two great snowy sheets of
paper together and reached for the
third; II see Dugald has neglected
matters since l have been i'll, and left
this poisonous heap upon the barn
floor. -
''But what is the paper for, uncleg"
ITO cover it up, to be sure, y replied
Uncle Prescott, rapidly pinning away,
until the thick white paper began to
stand like a great white cone over the
offensive heap upon the floor.
Reginald did not quite know what to
say, and Uncle Prescott having COM
pleted the cone and glanced back at it
as though with satisfaction, left the
barn, with Reginald walking quietly at
his side, deep in thought as to what
Uncle Prescott's idea could possibly be.
81 am glad that uncomfortable OBJ
ject is out OF sight, said Uncle Pres
colt. at length; 81 woader Dugald
never thought to cover it Ep.n
Uncle, what is the use of covering
It up?" inquired Reginald; '.it is Just
as offensive. y
ut is surely better covered up than
exposed to the eye. 1t is best, is it
not, always to cover up any such OBJ
ject?"
'tBut, uncle, it is there all the same.''
$50 it is, but if nobody sees it, the
fact of its being there can not amount
to anything, can it?''
"Yes, sir, !" replied Reginald, a little
uneasily; 1--WE know it is there just as
if it were not covered.
"We know, of course, but other
people do not, and we will not be likely
to tell them
Reginald glanced, a little shyly,
towards Uncle Prescott, but did not
seem inclined TO give up the subject.
ut poisons the air just the same,
does it not, uncle? | have heard you
talk a great deal about all such things
being unwholesome to have around
'tWhat is the difference so thatpeople
do not find it out? You see nobody
would suspect anything impure under
that snow-white paper na
'.But, uncle, exclaimed Reginald, in
perplexity, ''what is the use of having
it there; why notuneover it, and clear
it out, and be done with itP"
''Why do you ask such unreasonable
questions, Reginald Your words and
your actions do not agree"
Reginald thought. although he did
not dare to say SO, that Uncle Pres
colts present action and past words
did not agree, but he simply asked:
''Why, unclep"
81 can note tell why they do not
agree, unless it is because it. is better
always to cover up our real motives
and manner of doing things when we
know they are not quite as they should
be.u
Reginald's face flushed, and Uncle
Prescott continued:
''Why is it that you do not approve
OF my covering up the poisonous mat
ter, and of making all pure to the eye?
You know, boy, you work every day to
pin white paper over a place Of poison
Reginald looked up in dismay.
They had reached the house, and
Uncle Prescott sat down on the long
settee in the hall, and drew Reginald
close to his side.
Reginald" he said. in low and
tender voice, Il am more sorry for you
than you can guess. Your heart is not
a pure, true heart; it sends out poison
GUS thoughts. Why do you cover them
up and keep them; why do you try to-
seem white while underneath is the hid
den trouble?''
Reginald's eyes sought the floor; he
could not look In his tncle's face now.
He knew his heart was not pure and
true, that Il only Rppsarsd to Be- 80, but