The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-10-09
PETER KNOWS.
iCORNERs, Ark. Oct. 6, 1885

3COHNEhS, Ark, Oct. o. 1889
MRS. SOPHIE CLIFTON, st. Paul, Mimi:
Respectable Friend:-Bein' the time have
arrove, I'll answer your letter. This leaves
us enjoyin' very poor health and hope il will
find you the same. Why Sophie, how egesited
you air about temperance. Now what's the
use of all that. How does man g takin' a So
cial glass now and then affect us wimmen?
You AJAX II we have new house yet? No, we
air yet Twin in the old house. and the ruff
leaks worse nor 1t ulster. Sister Salie was
here to see me this summer, and one night It
rained and we had TO make our bed in one cor
ner. and put all VIC could on the bed, as that
was the only part Of the house where the rain
did not come in. Peter he was at the saloon
that night, all night, a drinkin'. When he
come home sister Sallie told him he had spent
enough at the saloon that night to mend the
rOf Of his house. Peter he got rale vexsd ut
her and said 1t was "a great pity if few men
could not get together to talk over the great
affairs Of the nation without the wimmen
maxim sich fusse." But sister SaliIe alters
was strong-minded. II pect she'll he wantin'
to vote or clerk I'm p. o. next thing.
And nuther thing you wrote about, Sophie,
is religious matters and the Bible. Why, don't
ton? Peter he says so, and he knows. He
says he don't keer II he never hears preach
err preach agin. kinder think I'd like to hear
our old minister that married us preach once
more, hut Peter he says not, so don't guess
I'll ever hear another sermon. That's great
man called Ingersol, that can talk, and Peter
he says he can make the Bible contradict it
self. haint looked at the Bible when Peter
was readin his speeches to see II he quoted
right or not. Our school teacher says he did
and that InRersOl don't read as 1t is i'm the
Bible at all, he leaves out words and puts in
words to suit himself. The teacher says,
too, that wise and good men have spent their
lives investigating the Bible aud say that Its
truths are based on an immovable foundation,
that passages In the book Of Job and I'm works
of modern science are strikingly similar
But la, SUI! what do care tor wise men OF
science, for Peter he says different, and he
knows. The teacher says there is a book call.
ed Science and the Bible compared" and
that one jest proves the other, all the way
through. But Peter he knows, he spends SO
much time thinkin' over the weighty affairs
of the nation. The teacher he asked Peter II
he discarded the Bible what he was going tC
give MS In the place OF IL, what people were Ia
follow az their guide. Peter he scratched his
head and didn't say nothin' for some time
then he asked the teacher II he didn't think
we was goin' to have an early winter. Inger
sol IL TO speak at a town called Ortonvile
about twenty miles from here. Some OF the
folks at the Corners air talkin' of gettin' q
vehicle and of goin' over to hear him, and
getting him to come here to speak. Peter says
he'll give $50 to get him to come here. $50
wonld fix the ruf of our house mighty Lice
But what matters the house compared To hear
Ing Ingersol, that great deeciple who is &c
free the world from SO much ignorance and
superstition. That's what Peter says, and he
knows. Yours trewly,