The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-08

the mysterious woman, and what she
said, and what Mrs. Davidson said.
But, Mrs. Davidson, said l, break
ing in upon a torrent of details, how
about that woman? What do you think
of her for taking that money 7? What
do you think of any woman VINO ex-
torts money from some unfortunate
wretch she happens to hold In her pow
er?"
my dear" said Mrs. Davidson. bend
ing her yelled blue eyes upon me.
Judge not, that we be not judged The
woman told me" And then heard all
about the woman again, and about Dr.
Brown, and about her friends in the
church, and her enemies out OF II.
My friends are standing by me-, she
said
"I had three ladies, prominent in the
church, to see me to-day. Three. Let 5
see there was Mrs" and she counted
them off on her fingers. Then my BIZ
BILE class all came to see me and upno.u
me in my hour of trial. Is my supper
ready? Can't you give me knife and
fork? / send out for my meals, you
know. No knife allowed, or fork. eth
err? Well, I'll eat with my fingers.
That's one of my trials, 1 suppose. l
hope I shall get a little rest tonight.
shall break down If don't. The first
trial will be a formality. Wen go into
the next court, of course.
MY dear, let me tell you'll" She arose
to her full height; rather imposing
height 1t is too, and lifted her plump
hand in stiff, apostolic gesture. THE
enemy may triumph for a time, the
hosts of evil may seem 10 prevail, the
banners of the righteous may tran IN
the dust, and i may be sent 20 san
Quentin, but truth VIII prevail. 1 shall
not be forSaken I'm the hour OF my neeo.
Good night. Come again
We'll" said / to a friend who was
with me.
II wonder"
IT don't" said the friend who was
with me.
"Oh, yes, 1 do, too. but not at her."
And what them" said l.
AT you. and at people like YOU" said
my friend.
You are so bigoted. You think that
any one who happens to use different
phraseology from the one to which you
are accustomed to iH a hypOcrite. You
think that a woman or a man, who Is
religious, has got TO be good too"
Now that woman in there may be
both religious and good, or she may be
| religious. and sincerely religious, and
not be what you call good. You like
| music, don't you, and pictures-and
there are certain things which you be-
lieve-are you a hypocrite, because you
| can't paint and can't sing?
The turnkey was jangling the big
| key to the outer door in the lock, but
1 turned to my friend and said:
| How can you help being indignant
| when the words which have meant so
| much to countless generations, the
| ideas which have sustained good men
and good women through the stress of
terrible griefs, are taken in vain
| by"
There" said my friend. there you
are. Taken in vain! How do you
! know they are taken in vain?
| oOh II krlnvu all those things nj
vice borrowing the livery of virtue, and
| all that, and let me tell you, l
don't think much of that same idea.
do let poor old vice get respecta-
BILE suit of clothes on, once in a while.
THE world will be none the worse
for it.
IF all these miserable things that
woman in there has been telling us,
| should be true. what then?
| rs a man any worse because he tries
| to do what he thinks is right in one
| way, IL he's doing what he thinks is
wrong in another? Found QUIT That's
| Just It. Did you ever hear any one say
that they'd found some one out in a
| good action? Oh, no. You can be good
and generous, and high-minded all your
life, and do one bad thing. and you're
found out Your true character is
exposed.
You can be bad and vicious and
| tfftdH-dIu 10 n SOOQ tnlnS now anu
then, and nobody ever finds you out
in that. Your true character is never
exposed, that way
True character Who knows any
thing about any ones character, IL IL
comes to that?
"Cloak; you're going to say that idi-
otto thing about cloaks-don't deny II
I'm tired of hearing about people who
use religion as a cloak to hide their
| vices. They don't If it's a cloak, they
use it to keep them warm. Their sins
as you and all the rest of the people
who call names say, are faults, which
have nothing to do with their religion
i don't see why a blackmailer or q liar
or even a thief, should be denied every
single one of the virtues. Do let them
have the consolation of religion, any
way. Do let them"
Ladies'" said the turnkey, stepping
out from the shadow of a post.
Mrs. Davidson has some further
particulars to tell you about"
Goodbye" said my friend and I In
one breath, and we went out into ths
clean night air and began TO talk about