Democratic messenger., 1892-09-10
A RELIGIOUS THEE sILeNcep.
He Shouted In Meeting and Stole Ha
from His Neighbour.

from His Nelghbors.
In the early days of Sunday River
valley Ithiel Smith lived there. He had
plenty of hay in the barn. 1t was Gus
tomary TO go TO the barn about o'clock
in the evening and fodder the cattle and
see that they are all right for the night;
also to have enough hay on the barn
floor TO feed in the morning about a. IN
On several mornings this hay that he left
OH the floor for morning use was gone
He did not know what had become Of
it. At first he Thought he had forgotten
10 pitch the hay from the NOW, but
when every few mornings his hay was
gone he began 10 think about the cause
of the loss of the hay. but could not
discover il.
Toward spring he noticed that neigh
Dor used to often come in and spend an
evening with him, staying late. Smith
noticed that he generally came snowy
nights. and staid till after the cattle
We're foddered for the night. One night
after this neighbor had been gone for
some time Smith went to the barn. His
hay was gone. 1t was showing hard.
Then he went back TO the house and
said not a word about the hay.
He made it in his way 10 go TO this
neighbor's about chore time and see how
much hay he had in his barn. He saw
about half ton on the scaffold over the
cows.
The next time that this man came in
to visit him he did his chores and left
- H.. ~ 81.
man left Smiths house TO go home,
Smith went ont carefully to the other
side of the barn where he could look
around the corners and see the small
door on that side. just as he looked
around the corner he saw a bundle of
hay come out of the door: then the
neighbor came ont after it. shutting the
door, and shouldering tho hay went
across lots in the snow 10 his barn.
Smith let him 90 and did not say one
word, but he put on locks to his barn
doors the next day.
In the spring when the snow thawed
there was road across the field covered
with scattered hay TO this mans barn.
One Sunday rs they came from meeting
this man was along and several other of
the neighbors. Smith invited them TO
come 10 his barn; he wanted to show
them curiosity. They all went He
took them into the barn and opened the
small door that the hay went out Of,
and showed them the streak of scattered
hay. saying. The curiosity was that it
led from his barn 10 neighbor So-and-
Sos barn, and all the tracks went the
same way from Smiths barn TO this
mans barn" Smith said, Now, good
neighbors. can you solve this great
mystery? | leave you to find the cause"
They gave their verdict then and there,
saying, That explained how this man
had kept his two cows on one ton Of hay
and had part of it left at this time"
This man did not call on Smith any
more, neither was Smiths hay missing
after that. But Smith could not forget
the loss Of his hay, especially by man
that claimed TO enjoy religion and would
get shouting happy every time that he
went 10 meeting. 1t puzzled Smith how
this man could be SO happy and not
make restitution 10 him for the hay he
had stolen from him in the past.
Smith made up his mind that the next
time this man shouted he would shout
too. After while there was meeting
at the school house. This hay man was
there. As soon as the preacher gave the
liberty TO speak, up got this man that
took Smiths hay and shouted. Bless
God, glory, halleluiah, glory 10 God. |
am so happy that know that all my
sins are forgiven and l am free from
sim"
At this Smith shouted, MY hay will
be safe now" This caused a laugh
This man tried to shout again, but
failed. Smith shouted, "Go on, brother;
my hay will be safe if You do not back
slide. ."-Lewiston Journal.