The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-05

The End of Moral Tale and an Elk
PLANTATION of al Historic Fact.

New York Sun.
Did you ever read Sunday-school
book?" he asked at the club.
ITO my sorrow 1 did, said one OF the
group; and most of the others thereof whis-
pered sadly that they. too. had done so. For
this was not a remarkable club, be it under
stood. Men in this club didn't drink eight
of nine rickeys in the course of a before
dinner talk; there was no old-looking youth
who could (and would, which was WOrSe),
reel off mile after mile of carefully bal
anced sentences on q fifth-Second notice by
the StopWatch. In this club the members
were not all men about town or noted club
men; this was just a good club. and though
it had some black sheep and sad dogs
among it's members, most of the men that
composed it were gentlemen by manners
and by instinct at all events. In that fact
it differed from most clubs-at least if some
newspaper writer's always write the truth.
That being the state of things it was NOT
strange that most of the group had read
Sunday-school books
"WeiI said the first speaker, with some
establishment, I'm surprised twice, first,
that the Sunday-school habit should have
been so prevalent, and second that the
habit of telling the truth should still cling
to so many of you--
After the necessary supplies had been
procured, he continued more carefully:
do you remember, in one of those books.
the story of two carpenters employed to
build some little shed or other? The elder
saw the younger planning both sides Of a
that for?' he asked Nobody sees that
side According to the story the young
carpenter explained that he did it because
it was right; because, even If only one side
of the board was seen by men, a higher
power could see both sides, and would
judge him accordingly.
THAT story made 6sn impression on me
as child and when | first struck out for
myself 1 determined to plane both sides,
so to speak. l got job pretty quickly cat
the time / said that | had consented to
accept a situaton); really, my people got it
for me. At any rate, l was soon in posi-
ton to plane both sides. l did, most care
fully; but in a short time complaint was
made that / wasn't doing my work proper
~ and 1 was called UP by the manager.
I explained matters. 'Whered you get that
idea into your head? he added and, with
much confusion, told him
. Look here, my boy he said Il m quot
ing him now, you've got TO learn it some
time or other and think you're the sort
of fellow that's worth learning IL now. Dld
you ever hear the end of that story-that
moral tale?' I said that | hadn't. Well,
said he the contractor came along and
saw the Sunday school boy planning both
sides of the planks, and saw the ola car
penter whom the lad had converted doing
the same; and he had fit right then and
there; and if what he said was charged up
in the hereafter against the sunday school
boy, who'd really made him say it, |
wouldn't want TO insure that boys soul
against fire.
on a temporary job, and that they We're
Just wasting good. rich time planning both
sides; that what was needed was certain
lob done, and then more hands on announcer
Job and so on. And the manager explained
to me that until / got orders WASH TO
plane both sides; and then he opened the
door and said 'Gitr and as l got. he kicked
me; and I've remembered his advice ever
:.D've remember the WARP" asked the old
ish man in the corner. Some OF the group
wen Wen. Mcclellan tried to plane both sides
of the board" said the oldish man.