The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-09-05
UNCOVER THE FAULTS.

How Reginald Was Taught the Difference
Between Being and Merely Seeming to
BE Pure and Truthful.
"Unclc, what are you doing?" in
Quircd Reginald, with perplexed face.
Il 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; a see Dugald has neglected
matters since l have been ill, and left
this poisonous heap upon the barn
floor"
But what is the paper for, uncle?"
ITO cover it up, to be sure" 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; a wolder Dugald
never thought to cover it up"
Uncle, what is the use of covering
II up?" inquired Reginald; ut is just
as offensive
ait is surely better covered up than
exposed to the eye. 1t is best, is it
not, always to cover up any such OBJ
ject?''
But, uncle, it is thsre all the same.
$50 it is, but if nobody sees it, the
fact of its being there eau not amount
to anything, can it?'
"Yes, sir," replied Reginald, a little
uneasily; ave know it is there just as
if it were not covered"
"Hc know, of course, but other
people do not, and we will not be likely
to tell them
Reginald glanced, a little shvly,
towards Uncle Prescott, but did not
seem inclined to give up the subject.
1t pOisons the air Just the same,
does it not, uncle? | have heard YOU
talk a great deal about all such things
being unwholesomc to have around. "
What is the difference SO that people
do not find it out? You see nobody
would suspect anything impure under
that snow white paper"
But, uncle" exclaimed Reginald, in
perplcXity, ''what is the use of having
it there; why not uncover it, and clear
ii out, and be done with it?"
''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, uncle?"
al can not 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. -
Rcginald'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 place Of poison. "
Reginald looked up in dismav.
They had reached the house, and
Uncle Prescott sat down on the long
settee in the hall, and drew Reginald
close to his side.
"Regjnald,' he said, in low and
tender voice, Il am more sorry for you
than you can guess. Your heart is not
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 troublcP'
Reginald's eyes sought the floor; he
could not look in his ncle's face now.
He knew his heart was not pure and
true, that it only appeared to be 50, but