Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-09-16
a RELIGIOUS THIEF sl-Lnclo.
He shouted in M. Meeting and Stole Ma

| He Shouted I'm Meeting and Stole Hay
from His Neiehboss.
In TIE early days of Sunday River
valley Tthiel Smith lived there. He hail
plenty Of hay in the barn. It was cue
tomary TO go to the barn about o O'clock
| in the evening and fodder the cattle ami
see that they are ali right for the night:
also to have enough hay on the barn
floor to feed in the morning about a. III
On several mornings this hay that he left
on tho floor for morning use was gone
He did not know what had become Of
it.. At first he thought he had forgotten
to pitch the hay from the NOW, but
when every few mornings his hay was
gone he began to think about the cause
Of the loss of the hay, but could not
discover it.
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
were foddered for the night. One night
after this neighbor had been gone for
some time Smith went to the barn. His
hay was gone. Ii was showing hard.
Then he went back to the house and
said not word about the hay.
He made it in his way to go to this
neighbor's about chore time and see how
much hay he had in his barn. He saw
about half q ton on the scaifo!d over the
COWS.
The next time that this man came in
to visit him he did his chores and left
the hay on the floor as usual. When the
man left Smiths house to go home,
Smith went out 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
door, and shouldering the hay went
across lots in the snow to his jarn.
Smith let him go and did rot say one
word, but he put on locks 70 Lis 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 as they came from meeting
this man was along and several other Of
tho neighbors. Smith invited them to
come to his barn; he want, to show
them q curiosity. They all went. He
took them into the barn and crened the
small door that the hay W. 70 ont of,
and showed them the strenk 4 scattered
hay, saying, 1.-The cuiios y was that it
led from his barn to neighIor So-and-
Sos barn, and all the tracks went The
same way from Smiths bsra to this
mans barn." Smith said, Now, good
neighbors, can you solve tlis great
mystery? leave you to find the ca!ise."
They gave their verdict then and there,
saying, "That explained now 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 Sini.ii Any
more, neither was Smiths hay missing |
after that. Drt Smith could not forge5 |
the loss of lis hay. especially by man
that claimed to enjoy religion and would
get shouting happy every tinle that he
went to meeting. 1t puzzled Smith how
this man could be SO happy and not |
make restitution to him for tho hay lie
had stolen from him in the past.
Smith made mp his mind that the next
time this man shouted he would shout
too. After while there was q 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 to God.
am 80 happy that know that all my
sins are forgiven and am free from
SIM"
At this Smith shouted, my hay will
be safe now" This caused laugh.
This man tried to shout again. but
failed. Smith shouted, go on, brother;
my hay will be safe if YOU 90 not back
de."-Lowiston Journal.