Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1891-12-23


Biatchford worked himself up 10 such a
point OF uneaSiness that he stoc,i I'm mo
mentary dread OF some great miSfur~
tune. ~ for old Ntrs. Spicl<lcr. Aunt
Mitchell knocked her clear out Of the
ring at trst sight The lev bow and the
piercing look She gave that old lady
on the occasion OF their introduction
was sufficient To tcrrorizc her for an
time 10 come. Mrs Spiclsler was the
posscssor OF considerable spirit. and
many people had quailcd before her
gaze, bu. she was not equal to Aunt
Mitchclls cutting glance. She tried 10
avoid Aunt Mitchcli's eyes after that
first meeting. and IL by chance she did
catch glance from them she wiltcd
and shrank until she felt that she was
but an atom of humanity--a mere specl,
of flesh and blood
One morning the Blatchford house
hold were assembled ut breakfast.
when Aunt Mitchell came In little
late. n glance ut her face as She cold
~ nodded her salutation was enough To-
reveal the fact that her feelings were
struggling vchcmently To break loose.
She sat down to the table with a snap.
and putting herself in the most rigid at
titnde, preserved n perfect silence
biatchford was detailing to his wife the
particulars of a plan for the rcpainting
and repairing OF the church.
1t can bc done for hundred dol
lars, he said, land that amount can be
easily raised''
Il should think SO" replied sarah.
you will give something, know"
Yes. l have already subscribed
twenty-five dollars. Ten for myself.
ten for you and five for mother"
Aunt Mitchell said nothing just then.
but the corners OF her mouth began In
twitch and she jabbed her fork into the
food viciously. Two or three minutes
passed in perfect silence, then Aunt
Mitchell laid her knife and fork down.
drew long breath. and said:
Hiram. you're fool"
The bomb had been discharged and
its effect was wonderful. Hiram sat
with his knife and fork I'm hand. and
with his mouth and eyes open. trans
fixed Sarah turned all sorts OF colors
and trcmblcd all over. Mrs. Spiclxlcr
felt herself diminishing 80 rapidly that
She Thought sure she would disappear
altogether i'm little while.
Hiram. you're "A fool" Aunt Mitch
ell repeated after giving IA contemptu-
Gus glance around. You're n fool and
worse. You're fool to think that
you have got any religion. You're "a
fool to bc led by the nose, and you're
worse than fool 20 turn your home
into an asylum for these Pickles while
Your own child Is an outcast I'm the
world. without friends or money. | tell
you. Hiram Blatchford. You haven't got
as much religion as IA buzzard. aud
you haven't got as much heart rs n
stone"
"Why-why, MITCHELL" Hiram STAN.
mercd. having recovered n little from
his astonishmcnt.
Don't why me, Hiram" Aunt
Mitchell went on. ~ know what I'm
talking about, and you know do. The
idea of YOU giving money To- convert the
heather and paint the church and all
that sort of thing. when your own child
may be starving for food. It's "A shame
and mocl>cry, and wonder that God
don't damn you for IL. The idea Of you
helping TO convert the hcnthcn! It's
ridiculous. If there Is "a wild niger In
Africa that is any more hcathcnish
toward his offspring than you are
toward yours, then say God pity him.
Oh you may vince, Hiram. but you
know it's the truth I'm speaking. Do
you suppose God il going To give place
in Heaven Co man who has no place
in his home or his heart for
his own child? Not much He
won't. and you can't buy Yourself
INTO His favor, as you do into
Whecdicr's, with the gift of money. As
j said. You are a fool and worse. Talk
about your rcligion Why, there amt
particle of il i'm this house, and there
amt one OF you that knows what
Christianity Is. Not single one Of all
of you knows any more about Christian
ity than pig.
Aunt Mitchell east defiant glance
around as she ceased speaking and ns
she came To Mrs. Blntchford last. and
noted the shamed look of that lady, she
gave contcmptuous sniff Hiram
trembled with rage and shame He re-
allied only too well the truth OF his sis.
tcr's words. but for all the world he
wouldn't have acknowledged anything
with great effort he controlled him.
self 20 certain extent. and with toler-
able hrmness said:
Mitchell, this Is my house. and while
You remain in IL 7 wish you would show
decent respect for my feelings and the
feelings Of my family"
II shall not remain in this house an
other day. Hiram" Aunt Mitchell re-
piled. II feel now. and I have felt
from the first. that / am not wanted
here. could hardly hope 10 find - well
come TO this house when your own child
is not welcome, and | would not have
remained here this long only hoped 60
find an occasion for showing you what
fool you are. You have your Pickles
about you and You are happy. You
give money 70 this thing and that thing
and You Imagine you nrc doing
"a Christian duty. You listen to
hypOcritical professions at home and
flattery abroad. and you think you are
good man. But mark my word.
Hiram. the day will come when You
viii discover that you have wocfully
missed the Christians walk IN life. In
the next world. II not in this. your neg
lect OF your daughter will rise up
against You and make you wish you
had never been born. The time will
come when the compliments ard fiat