The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1897-09-22
little child fondling and playing with

the enchantment nor pleasure OF the
child in fondling the snake counteracts
the poison or saves it's life after the
bite.
keep saying that character out
ranks everything, but that manhood
outranks money and God is still above
gold. When [ was in Texas a few
months ago l heard a we'll authenti-
Gated case of this kind which happen
cd in that community. A local Meth
odist prcacher-a plain, ~unassuming
man-was riding into town on horse
back. Passing one of his neighbor's
homes on the way the neighbor step
ped out of his gate and asked the
preacher if he would take a check to
town and bring back 5000 in cash
for him ; that he had bought a piece
of land and the man was there with
the deed to deliver and he wanted to
pay him the money. The preacher re-
piled he would certainly do him the
kindness to bring him the money.
He rode on into town and when through
with his business went to the bank,
got the money, put it in his pocket,
got on his horse and started home.
He hadn't ridden more than three or
four miles from town before a man
stepped out from behind some bushes
with a drawn pistol, saying "Give
me that five thousand dollars
The local preacher replied:
~ won't do it, sir"
"Well, if you don'tI will kill you,"
replied the highwayman.
"All right" said the preacher, "you
can get the money after I am dead,
but not while I am alive
"What do you mean p said the
highwayman, don't you know that I
will kill you for that money if I must
kill you to get it p
eyes," said the preacher, II think
you will, but you will have to kill me
to get it."
The highwayman then said to the
preacher: "What do you mean by
this ? Do you think more of that
mans five thousand dollars than you
think of your life 2
"No," replied the preacher, "but I
do think more of my character than [
do of my life. I have a wife and sew
eral boys and girls at home. Their
husband and father is known as an
honest, upright man. If I give you
this money and then go to the man
whose money it is and tell him that I
was robbed on the highway, he would
never believe me. My character
would be gone and my children dis
graced. So I affirm TO you, sir, that I
think more of my character than J. do
of my life. If you will have the
money, whack away with your gun"
The highwayman looked at him and
said
II haven't it in my heart to shoot a
man like you. Go on with your life
and money too
4 few month afterwards this high
wayman did kill a man, was convicted
and sentenced to be hanged. To a
visiting preacher he confessed, among
other things, these facts in reference
to the local preacher, The visiting
pastor went to the local preacher and
asked him if it was true. eyes, said
he, lit occurred just as the highway
man has related it to you"
"Why," said the visiting pastor,
':you never said anything about it,"
ono" said the local preacher, II
never have said anything about it. I
never told my wife about it."
"yVhy ?"
because I didn't think it was any
thing to talk about. Some people
might have thought that I was telling
a falsehood or trying to give an illus.
t~ration of my bravery or. something of
that kind but the thing occurred just
as related"
"Oh, if we had a citizenship like
this, where every man and boy thought
more of his character than he did of
his life, and would die before he'd
bring reproach upon himself or his
family. Then we would have a world
worth living in. But ehattels are put
above character now and men ruin
their character, kill their consciences
and damn their souls for dollars and
cents. And in the end they realize
that they made a bargain that bank
rupted them here and ruined them
hereafter. Let every man be true to
his own character and honest with all
those with whom he has dealings.