The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1889-11-09
gathered himself up. He knew what

gatnereO nImSeII up. lie knew Wnat |
Was coming, and now he reasoned |
within himself. swiftly but sufficient
ly, And when the huge fellow rush.
ed at him intent on crushing him, the
old skill The saidi learned in satan's
service now came to him for the
LORDS service in defense of himself
and the child and in the just punish
ment of that ruffian. Slas Maxwell
had for the first time met his master,
Those trip-hammer blows of Jabez
Dickinson's tremendous fit live in
the village traditions. There were
bat three, or at the most, four of them
with the right arm first, with the left
arm second, the other arm stopping
the puny thrusts of the bully. Aud
so 1t came abOat that JaheZ drove
Silas across the store till he stood
with his back to the window, open to
the floor. When he had him there
he dealt one more and final blow,
right iTetwven the big mans eyes, a
blow, backed up with a continuous
thrust from all the weight of his
body, which threw the ruffian off his
feet, heels over head through the
window. The miIl,race ran close
under this window. The deacon
knew it. and had been c00.ly think
ing of it all the 45 seconds or less be-
tween the first rush of SIas and mis-
tina! exit,
go out, some on ye. and take
him out. I kinder think he's got
enough of it," said Jabez. very
calmly, AS he sat down and took
Katie on his knees and kissed her.
There was silence and awe in the
store for few moments. Then some
one came in and said that SiIas reck-
oned he had got enough, and had
gone home. Silas was converted
then and thenceiorth.
Not so the deacon. He was, like
all non resistants under like circum-
stances, in some danger of relapse
into his old folly. l have not space
to relate at length now his new sem
timpnts became fixpd. 1t came about
| in this way: Miss Smith made de-
scent IN him the next day and pour
ed out on HIM the yials of her pccul-
iarly unpleasant wrath for 'goin'
back on n-resistance. He listened
in silence. Again and again, and
again, alone and in the presence of
Whatever people might be in the
store, that inexpressible and int0Ier.
able female rated Jabez And ia
bez became hardened. AT last he de.
libprately made UP his mind that re.
sistance to male bully like Silas
had bee n Il religious duty, and, AS a
coroilary. that resistance, being duly
measured for the case, to a female
bully like Almira Smith would be a
virtue. So he prepared trap, And
one day when Almira was coming
down the street, and JabeZ knew that
her entrance and assault upon him
were as certain as foreordinati0n, he
set the trap.
"Jabez," said the sharp voice. as
its owner entered the store. "Jabez
Dickinson" it repeated, as she cross
ed the floor.
Look out. Almiry," said the dea
con, "stop jist there or you'll spill
somethin' !!
"What are you taIkin' about, ia.
bez Dickinson ?" said the keen, pierre
ing voice. "I've come in because |
can't find it in me to pass by without
warnin' you -" At that moment
there descended around Almira
Smith cloud of fine black pepper.
1t began gently, and she interrupted
her TRADE with a sneeze. She tried
to resume, but the more she tried,
the more she sneezpd, and the clouds
gathered thicker around her.
Sncezing and dignity are incompa
tible. Continuous dignity is incom
patible with self respect or self.admi
ration. AImira had no idea of charg
ing her convulsive affection to the
deacon's new doctrine of resistance to
v,,>al and other physical assaults
She abandoned the field, She sneez'
ed along the road home, She sneezed
all night.
And Jabez chuckled and kept his
secret, ana lived. and is living now,
a sensible man. "Ye see," he said
in confidence. II could a. stood Silas
, and if he'd a come back I'd told
him l was sorry. But SIIas came
. in, and before l got chance he told
me he was sorry. and l kind o. con-
cluded l had been doin' right. But
. the nat'ral man couldn't stand Al.
miry Smith.-Ne,o York Journal OF
Commerce.
THE PRESIDENTIAL OUTLOOK