Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1889-10-24
A MARTYR TO Honesty.
Mr.. Upandownjohu, Who, Like
Washington, Gould Not Lie.

peculiarly-ho was born into an at
mospcre Of integrity. and his train
ing had added to his natural bent 10
dogreo thai made him as incapable Of
an untruth. or the semblance thereof,
as George Washington himself. Hev-
ing this tendency. it was we'll for him
self that he was born with a fortune,
for his rigid adherence TO his prin-
ciplos untitled him for almost every
occupation. IIo did try journalism,
but was dismissed ignominiously for
saying Of a candidate OF the party
with which the paper acted that he
was thief and trickster. Then he
essayed the law. but he saw enough
OF law before he had been in an Office
two weeks. while medicine lasted him
sea 'cely week. SO he determined TO
do nothing but live on his income and
be an honest man.
He adopted certain rules by which
no lived. and he,could no more depart
f-om them than ne could rise from the
earth and take a place among the
stars. He ate exactly so much, at
certain fixed hours. and OF certain
kinds OF food. He drank so many
times day, OF certain liquors he
fancied we're coed for him. measuring
the quantity with the accuracy and
precision OF an apothecary; and so far
did he carry rule into life, that he
put on and of his clothing on certain
days in certain months, without refer
once TO weather. / saw him shiver-
ing one bright but very cold morning
in juno. and demanded the reason.
Il laid of my woolens this morn
ing" said he.
why lay of your woolens in winter
weather." | asked.
The LIST of June Is my day there
for" said he. "The weather ought to
be warm to-day. / can not break my
rule"
He never neglected to pay a debt.
and never told a lie. not oven a white
one. He was cut out OF an aunt's will by
responding 10 her anxious inqairy as TO
ho. she looked in certain dress which
she had set her heart on by the simple
word "hideous" And the same devo-
tion 10 truth barred him. no matter
what path he took.
He was frightfully unpopular.
though, Notwithstanding he held
high position among his fellows His
child-like simplicity and sterling in
togrity madO him valuable, and be-
sides every one know that his devo-
tion TO truth was honest and had moth
ing OF bumptiousness or malice in IL.
Mr. Upandownjohn was a member OF
the Leviathan Club. write the word
Dds sadly, for he Is a Leviathan no
more. The cause and manner If his
leaving tha. delightful association OF
good men is the animus OF this paper.
The members OF the Leviathan were
pleased with the appearance OF Mr.. Up
andownjohn, and made much OF him.
Had they known him better they
would have loyod him less, for his pc
culiar virtue was never popular in that
club
He excited attention, first, by his
habit OF correcting loose-talking men,
bers when their statements were high
ly favored with romances, as, for in
stance, when one gentleman asserted
that his father owned Flora Temple
when she was colt using her as
common hack. and selling her finally
for fifty dollars. Mr. Upandownjohn
quietly put him down.
II knew your father" he said, 'and
worthy. truthful man he was. He
died just three years before Flora Tenn
pie was foaled. The marc he used for
a hack and sold for fifty dollars must
have been some other famous animal
Flora Temple will some day be the
death OF me. Every racing season
some one narrated the circumstance Of
his father having owned Flora Temple
and worked her as a hack, and what
Is more exasperating. he always sold
her for fifty dollars. Would that
could find one man whose father sold
her for sixty dollars or sixty-two dol
lars and fifty cents. You. my dear
sir. are the sixty-eighth man this
season whose father once owned Flora
Temple. She was the most extensive
ly owned mare l ever knew any thing
about"
On another occasion a gentleman de-
tailed with great minuteness how, in
doing the regular thing at Niagara by
going undcr tho sheet, the wind
parted the torrent and he stepped out
upon tho shelf outside. when, 10 his
horror. the opening closed. leaving
him outside the falling sheet on a
narrow ledge OF rock. With great
presence OF mind he darted through
the falling sheet and rejoined the
frightened party, who supposed him
lost forever
Mr. Upandowniohn took pencil and
paper ana wor lSed all night and the
next day, witli6It sleeping or eating,
Tho next evening he exhibited 70 the
hero Of this marvellous adventure the
weight OF the water In that sheet, and
demonstrated 10 him the fact that had
he got under II, no would have been
mashed, though he had been con-
utructed Of steel.
''Ars you sure IL was NiagaraP" he
"'h'"I onAiVu1iJs " ubn ~ some
other fallP'
One day q member died, and the
club did the usual thing by him A
committee was appointed 10 draft reso-
luliona expressing the bereavement Of
The members, and. as ill-luck would
have u, UpandowaIohn was put upon
The cbmmitteo
They met, and, AZ Is usually the
casc. twc Of the members really had
NO tlme 10 attend 70 Il Ono had an
cnRa8emont al tho theuter. the other
WA ~ take his sisier--or some one
elee's~ 70 lhe opera.
'upandouniohn. said tho ilrst,
''yon haYe noihIne 10 do. and arc
hAoaY ellh ibl pen There % nol