The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-28
KEEPING IT HOLY.
A Maine Deacon Who Respected the Sab
bath and AlNO a Good Baryuin.


A Portland man went up in the coun-
try to buy a horse recently 1t was on
| Sunday, by the way. the only day that
the busy citizen could spare from his
occupation. He had no definite idea
just where he was going, but he had
his eye out for anything on four legs
that looked promising. Finally as he
drove along a pretty country highway,
he espied three horses in a small sta BILE
yard. He drove up, hitched his steed
and leaned upon the fence, looking the
stock over. One young mare attracted
his attention especially. and he was adj
miring her when the house door opened
and an cid man OF very trim counten-
ance came out. There were the usual
preliminaries about the weather. and
then the farmer asked:
Looking for anything particular"
We'll, l want to buy horse, and /
must confess like the looks of that
mare there very much. What is your
price,"
tut, tut. l never do business on
the Lords day. Why, sir, I'm deacon
in the church, and whatever else ] NAV
do, | will not profane the Lords day
by buying and selling. Why, sir, seems
as though all you city folks wanted to
come out here and dicker on Sunday"
The Portland man commenced to feel
ashamed before the grave. gray eyes of
this old man. The farmer continued:
Isn't there one day that you can
rest from your everlasting trading?
Now. last Sunday man came along
here. said ne was from Portland, and
he offered two hundred dollars for
that mare. Dear me. ridiculous, Why.
she's worth mean scandalouS-to
talk trade on the Sabbath. Two hun
dred dollars never can buy her. Why
she can show a two-tut. tut, ! mean !
shall show any one the door who
comes round here talking trade Sun
days. No offense to you, mister. / see
you take quite an interest in the mare.
You won't find a better one round here.
I'll tell you that We had a little brush
on the road day before yesterday. and
cleaned EN- out, and consider that
the least that man can do is to
keep from trading horses on Sunday.
and fifty dollars to-day Sunday
wouldnb look at him; no, sir, /
wouldn't
The Portland man gravely took ont |
his pocketbooN, and opening IL laid IL |
on the fence. Then he moistened his /
thumb and forednVer, and, not paying |
the least attention to the farmer, he /
counted out two hundred and twenty /
five dollars, doubled it up and adj |
vanced toward the deacon. The latter |
danced backward. Tapping his hands /
like n great shanghai 4
and expostulatin0 earnestly. The viz
itor paused and impressiysiy added a
$40 bill 20 the wad while the cleaning
eyes regarded him intently. He walked :
plump up TO the deacon. grabbed his 4
hand. and attempted to cram the money
into his broad palm The deacon
would not allow tho. not he. he
ba cked away toward the yard, unfsst- !,
ened the gate. and disappeared in the
sta bic IN a minute he came ont.
halter in his hand said he with queer
grutFness:
I've a good mind to order vou of
the premises. ! see you're determined |
to steal the mare. You're bigyer'n
am and don know a. . can help my
self, bu, Il you're bound 20 do il
s pose You'll steal this halter, too
The old man had whirIed around his
hack TO the visitor. lie heid his gr~a.
hand behind his back, palm upward
and the fingers we're vsriggling Ike
obster's claws The Portland man
iptoed MP. TANNED the money into the
itching hst. caught the mare ard
owed her away behind his carriage
I'll this time he vas getting good