New-York tribune., 1896-12-06
MRS. PUTyAWS SLIGHT MISTAkE.

We believe it was ThOreau who said III enec'
that II YOU cannot be successful in an under-
taking then make your failure heroic ana you
are lust about as well off. This might not Apply
TO a business failure In this field it would
nrobablv look better to make a commonplace
failure and pay 90 cents. say. on the dol'ar'
than to make it heroic by giving the prelerreu
creditors | per cent and then sandbagging them
in n dark alley and robbins them of this But
in other matters the idea is, no DOUBT sounu
There comes ut this moment from Port JerV's
~ Y, the account Of a recent happening 'here'
which seems TO be not without interest IL 'e''S
OF the attempt Of a lonG-suffering wle u "'
minister a mild rebuke to a brute OF huspahu'
The lady failed, but. anyhow. she got III "ia'
we NAV call good crack on man. anu "o
doubt he deserved 1t. woman can seio'"
go aIniss in rebukng man. 1t appears 'iia'
the Rev Mr.. Stuyvesant. Of Susquehanha feh'''
on recent afternoon went to attend some sort
of special meeting in one or the Fort 'ei'i'
churches When the services were over IL was
rather late and Mr. Mason Putnam one OF the
elders of the church. invited him home 10 sup
per The reverend gentleman accepted, ana the
two walked away together. Now II happened
that Mrs. Putnam was In no way prePa'eu i'i
visitors The groceryman had failed on apoue
half the orders that day and the cat had got
at fine boiled tongue and eaten up haif OF II
and considerably disileured the remainder be-
Sides IT was the hired girls afternoon OUT
there was n caster off the dining-room tap'e
and one Of the children had the whoophs
cough Mr. Putnam knew all OF this. but. man
ukc he went ahead and invited the minister
without saying a word 10 his faithiui heip"'ee'
She stood at the window and saw them coming
Just then another Of the children reported 'hat
the cat. having finished the heavier courses. was
making his dessert on cream pie. which she
had set on the window sill to cool. Mrs. Put
nam turned away. leaving her foolish HUSBAND
and the unfortunate minister to make the best
OF their way in. and gave her attention 10 'he
cat This intelligent beas. made his escape out
Of the window and retreated arourd the wood-
shed. apparently looking for a cigar with which
to round Off his repast
Mr. Putnam and his guest entered. talking
weakly and unsuspectingly Of the need OF
greater circumspcc,ion In charity work. II hap
pnned that smart shower had fallen on the
way home. and. by a strange coincidence. both
had lost their umbrellas at the meeting; so they
were pretty well drenched. Come right up
"stairs Mr. Stuyvesant. and l will give you
some dry clothing" said Mr.. Putnam; and he
leo the way Here he fitted out the minister In
clothes Of his own. ending with a dressing g-gown.
which proved an excellent ft "Go on down
white I look for my slippers said Putnam. 1
guess You'll find Mrs. T. In the sitting-ro
reading or doing fancy work" The minister
started for the stairs
Mrs Putnam was indeed In the sitting room.
though scarcely occupied as her sangune spouse
had thought probable Rather she stood with
one hand on the family Bible. n large and we'll
bound volume containing the Old and New
Testamen.s. translated out Of the original
tongues and diligently compared. together with
the Apocrypha and family record She glanced
out into the hall and saw. apparently. the
wretchcd man to whom she was linked for life
descending. comfortably arrayed in his Dress
ing-govn Just then she heard the hollow re-
verberations Of the child with the whooping-
cough while the other announced from the
cellar that the furnace fire had gone out. The
man In the dressing gown put his ZOO. Oh the
hail floor Mrs Putnam steope! noiseessly be-
hind hin. with the family Bible carried we'll
back over her righ, shoulder. She brought IT
forward with all her strength II struck with a
deep. dull sound the side OF the mans head,
while she exclaimed in n fierce whisper: There.
take that. YOU wretch. for bringing that
preacher home here tonight"
The good man In the misleading dressing
gown reclcd caught himself and turned. Mrs
Putnam collapsed in convenient chair. her
husband peercd down from above with a white
ard hunted face. and the boy came in and said
that the cat was up on the pantry shelf yowllng
apparently hungry.
Thus We see that II you are destined to fail
ure fail largely. nobly. grandly; be not like
dumb. driven cattle--bc a hero in the strife.