Delaware gazette and state journal., 1897-06-10

that even TO cheat railroad company,
the privilege of syery human being, be
wouldn't tell lie.
But his conscience was not what
credited it with being. He stood
| around, looked at the boxes, iotted
figures on piece of paper and then
said:
Mr. Forbes, / would like you to
make out the assignment for these
goods.
BY this time caught on to him.
oh. no., | saiu; make ir out for
yourself
No. persisted the clergyman
you make it out.
So l wrote out the number of boxes
of household goods and the amount
that was to be paid, but before / was
half through the preacher put his hand
unon my hand and stopped my writing.
Then he whispered
Mr.. Forbes, would your conscience
stretch SO far that you could cheat a
railroad company?'
answered quickly:
SO far as railroad companies 90, l
have no feeling abort them.'
Very we'll, then, SAID the preacher,
put those boxes down on the assign
ment as Hardware
II did it. As the preacher moved
away he put his hand in his waisrcoat
pocket. took out $40 bill and said:
You're young man, Mr.. Forbes,
and that's for your trouble.
Then my blood was up. made a
ball of that $40 note. threw it at that
mean coward's feet an said:
WAS willing TO do wrong myself
for you because you we're so wretchadly
poor looking, but I'll be land here
used word that l wouldn't say before
youl if any man can buy my con-
science.
" But. persisted the preacher, can t
do something for you?'
Yes, said /. when you get to
that church in California and are con-
ducting prayermeeting, say prayer
for my soul.
'Then that miserable little hypocrita
skunk away as dog does when he is
caught in mean act. He never did
the right thing and the honest thing,
and he mover stopped to think that his
dishonesty not only affected him, but
every human being who was thrown in
contact with him. I'll go to church
when l find a preacher whose actions
and words are in harmony"
My friend, none of US can doubt that
Judas is alive, and he's quite as often
in the pulpit as out of it. He values
the 80 pieces of silver to-day just as he
did hundreds OF years ago, but now
when he gains them it is called "a
clever stroke of business, and there
are no conscientious scruples about
managing 10 gain them.
II you live in small town, you know
Just how important is the miIliner shop.
You know precisely who has the first
glimpse of the now styles You know
how the choice is given to a select few,
how larger number not quite so SO
lert have the second glimpse and how
all the town appear to give it's opinion
on what is known as "opening day."
To me there comes every spring a
special card of invitation, for 1 am
counted among the select TO look at
the new bonnets exhibited by "The
Seven Sisters. :" These ladies' do not
expect me to appear, for they are hun.
dreds OF miles away. but they don't
want mo to forget them. As if that
were possible! Through them / first
lost my faith in humanity. 1t was the
day that Miss Priscilla said to mo in
her high shrill voice:
No, my dear; they amt really seven
of US, only four. But Malinda she
thong Malinda she was always
poetiral-that it would look batter to
have the sign read, The Seven Sisters,
and then to have in smaller letters
under it, Fashionable bonnets and all
small purchases that ladies may de-
sire. >"
OF the four sisters who represented
the seven the first was Miss Priscilla.
She was cross and stiff, so stiff that
her uprightness was said by set of
girls to be due to occasional
doses of veritatle ramrod tea!
Miss Cornelia, the second of the quar-
tet, was veritable mother of the
Gracchi. She was always ready to take
caro- of any miserable cat, chicken or
dog that no on4 else in the neighbor-
hood would be bothered with.
Miss Malinda, who, like Silas Wegg,
occasionally dropped into poetry, showed |
ner sentimentality by crimpiug her
'front.' hair aud by wearing on Sundays |
5he miniature Of young man who, it |
vas rumored. orce kept company with |
her, But as tho story was told, he
went TO sea and got drowned. Whether |
le did this because of his love for Miss |
Malinda or OF his fear that he would |
% forced to marry tne entire family |
history does not tell. But whenever a
storm on the ocean is spoken of SMELL
ng bottle is always handed to the
,lderly maid who, alas, loved and lost
'he gentleman whose picture she wore.
Miss Adelaide, the youngest. waa
Ipoken of by her sisters as 40 proud. Z"
This was said in self satisfied though
IN apologstic way. She waited on no
customers, except those whose position
n life she considered equal to her own,
or Of course none could be superior. 1t
vae said that the grocer's wife allowed
The Seven Sisters" to have their tea
It cost because once, in the presence
4 the Doctors and the minister's wives,
y lss Adelaide chose a bonnet for her.
Miss Priscilla had great eye for
BUSINESS. Say great eye adyisedly,
or early in her youth something hap.
ehed to the other eye, and glass one
ook its place. Whenever she wished
o be friendly with child she would
ake her eye out and let tho small per.
on hold 1t, so that the youngsters be-
an to think that to have glass eye
ave you a tang of aristocracy that
therwise would not have been possible.
liss Priscilla was great diplomat.
'he thoroughly understood her Gus
omers. Once after she thought | had
cached the age of discretion she con-
ded her business principles to me.
ST oet poopla'u bunnat, ,,,a.,I;,, L.. |