The Republican journal., 1885-07-30
Where are They 2
BY ROSE TERRY COOK.

a-lOoking at the stones of them we knew,
and fn'lly we set down on a bench there
was in Judge Prior's lot, that folks said
he put up there when he went to his
Wife's grave, as he used to some when
she fust died, But he's had three on 'em
sence, and one is livin' still, SO he don't
set there so much now 'twould be sort
of confusing eff he did, ] expect. But, Us
| was sayin', we set down. and fell to
talkin' about our neghbors, as folks will,
and she said, "Aiis' Green, I've always
! had 1t on my mind ag'inst Judge Prior
that he don't give as he'd ought to for
forrin missions"
"Well," says |, 'perhaps that isn't his
choice to give to ; he's zeal liberal to the
minister and to poor folks. and he's free
handed to home; his wife and children
don't want for a thing that's wholesome
and necessary, which is what couldn't be
said OF Deacon Colt. amt to blame the
deacon, neither, but | always did think
| he give away more than he had ought
to, considering his wife is real delicate,
and Sophrony nigh to death with the
consumption
"But think of them poor heathens,
Mis- Green, that haven't no privileges
sech as We have. And how shall they
hear, as Scripter says, unless they have
| preachers ~
"Ihats So" says |, "and haven't
never denied it; only ! do say that
everybody can't favor the same thing.
| Some folks is interested in one thing, an
some in another, and feel more for what
| | see than for what don't see. Id sights
| ruther give what little | have to give. to
| help them poor folks up on Tanners lllll,
and them destt0ot charcoal burners over
in Holly Woods, than send it out to Indy
or Polynesy, or torrin parts anyWhere;
and you'd ruther do the other way
somebody's got to do one, and somebody
t'other."
"I don't b'lieve you're properly I'M
pressed with the state of the heathen," :"
says Mis- Babcocl, in a high and mighty
sort of way, heavin' big sigh, as
though | was an awful cretur and to be
ptied.
"AIebbe | amt" says |, kind of short,
and she didn't say no more but knew
she KEEP a-thinkin' Of it. There are
considerable many folks in this world
who want that everybody else should see
with their eyes, and them that don't they
think is willfully blind, and Mis- Babcock
is one of that Sort what she don't think
amt worth thnkn', in her view; but
she's honest about it, and strives serious
to do what's about right herself. But |
| q tn hp ~
jest as lieves talk to our barn door; it's
wasted breath.
| knowed well what it meant. howso-
ever, when she asked me there to spend
the afternoon and drink tea two weeks
after, and | found she'd got missionary
from Indy a-visitin Of her with his wife
They'd got children in this country to
school, and they'd come over to rest a
little, for he was tired out and feeble, so
feeble that he didn't come out of the bed
room till tea time but she was a slim,
cherk, capable body, and, when Mis-
Babcock went out to get the tea and
make some of her quick biscuit and a
strawberry short cake, she left me and
Mis- Tyler on the piazZy together, and
Mis- Tyler began it. She looked around
out doors, with kind of a sigh, and
said, "Oh, Mrs. Green, you don't know
what your privileges are, to live in a
Christian land"
81 wish 'tW0s Christian" says |.
"Why, what do you mean 2" says she.
"llaven't you got the light Of the gospel,
and the blessing of Christian civiliza
ton ~
'Land, yes" says l, "but don't you
know, Mis- Tyler, there are folks who
won't see because they shut their eyes
And what good does the light do to sech?
And how does Christianity help or civil
ize them that won't practice it ?"
"Oh, my friend y says she, 'it once
you lived among the heather, as do,
you would appreciate your blessings; :;
think of living among liars and thieves,
who know nothing of the sacredness OF
truth, or the rights Of property"
81 live amongst 'em now,' says l.,
"there amt no worse liars in Chiny, Indy,
nor the Cannibal Islands, than there be
right here in Dallas | dunno mOren
five people in the township that would
tell the truth if they thought twas goin'
to hurt EN-, or lose 'em ten cents and
as for stealin' we can't leave our washn'
on the lines any night in the year, nor
keep our apples, nor our pears, nor our
grapes, no, not even the blows in our
gardins, from the folks that can help
themselves to 'em nights, or days either,
if YOU amt lookin'."
"Dear me-" said she, looking real
distressed. "Can this be so? But
there is the dreadful vice and immor-
ality Of the heather which is certainly
one thing you do not have to contend
WITH
81 dunno as we contend with it much,
Mis- Tyler, but there's lots of it in our
very schools don't believe you'll get ten
clean minded and pure-actin' boys-no,
nor girls neither--out ofevery fifty" And
then | went on to tell her about the
actions of some | knowed of, and the
books they got to read, private; and how
that the Young Mems Christian S'ciety
in York tracked an hunted that book
matter out, and found how many in every
school had read 'em or had em.
She turned kind of pale. "Is it really
so ~ she asked, in a low voice.
"Tm afeared tits, judgin' by what takes
place here" And then | told her what
| knew positive about some of the chill
dren amongst us, even the minister's son,
too.
"And now" says l, "do you think
Christianity has got through needin' to
work to home here p
"Oh, no no indeed no: but how YOU
must work here; even harder than we
have tot"
'No, we DON'T" says 'we don't have
no missionaries here to speak Of"
She looked at me sort of curious, and
drew long breath.
''Well," she said, "the children here
have parents who can labor with them,
not four or five mothers under one roof to
be always jealous of each others boys"
"No," says |, "not quite that but
do'no but we're as bad other ways. Folks
! here get lawfully married, but when
} they're tired of each other, or get mad,
or take to drink, they can get unmarried
about as easy. There was Sereny Marsh