The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1897-08-12
serpent of deceit coil around its con-

Perhaps until the children are able 70
solve for themselves, when they in
their turn will deceive their parents.
They will conceal what they know,
and they will know much in ways that
may not be so wholesome for them as il
they had obtained it from their father
or mother. Deceitful habits will be
formed early, and the virtue of straight
forwardness thenceforth can never be
theirs. When the time arrives they too
will deceive their little ones.
Take employers and employed. Are
they straightforward with each other?
How often are loyalty, fidelity, and the
greatest possible services rewarded by
a mean employer with the lowest pay
and no thanks? How often does it
happen that the more valuable and
necessary the services rendered, the
poorer and doer is compensated in
order that he may be kept down and be
compulsorily dependent? An employer
often values his work more than his
employee. OF course there are many
honorable employers who say: "Well
done, good and faithful servant. Go
up higher" But the mean, the grasp
ing, the ignoble predominant. And so
the employed on their side, knowing
that the most perfunctory services are
frequently best appreciated, become
listless and ultimately neglectful. De-
ceit follows, and the relations between
both become cold and strained. The
selfish employer makes the workman
selfish, and each loses by it in every
direction.
Are politicians straightforward? The
question itself will excite a smile.
Their crookedness is so notorious that
it is difficult to follow them. The late
Hon. W. H. Smith could not under
stand this policy. He was too honest.
"Why can they not say straight out
what they mean and what they want?
he remarked on q notable occasion.
Any man who goes into parliament re-
solving to be straightforward and indie
pendent of party views is like lost
sheep in the wilderness-no one will
hear him or bear him company until he
joins one or other Of the party fiocks.
Straightforwardness will impede in
stead of assist him. He must learn the
art of political chicanery, then he may
get on.
Are lawyers straightforward? Do
they advocate the cause in whose just
ice they believe? Sometimes no doubt /;
but generally the successful counsel is
he who has no legal conscience, who is
Indifferent to the merits of case so
long as he is we'll paid, who can make
the fairest fame look black, and torture
innocence by cross-exsminstion. He
pleads not for right, but for verdict,
and is Indifferent to everything except
the success OF his client. Ttraightfor-
wardness holds little ground in our law
courts.
Are traders and manufacturers
straightforward? If they were the acts
against adulteration and forgery Of
trademarks would not have been re-
quired. Nevertheless, on the whole,
these are perhaps much more straight
forward than the other classes named,
because in their business honesty is al
ways the best policy. It is comparative,
ly uncommon, therefore, to find just
cause of complaint when one deals with
respectable firm in this country, al
though many dishonest men are doing
their best to ruin the good reputation
of our traders and manufacturer
throughout the world.
Among religious bodies it is sad tC
find large amount Of what may bt
called religious dishonesty, or decep
tions practiced for the cause Teneti
are professed which nobody believes
Successes recounted which are baset
more on imagination than sober fact
I The exercise and demeanour of thu
t Sunday are seldom accord with those o
Q the week. 1t Is the fashion to be very
devout on that day, and very world!
, on all the others. If we are scrupulou
: we worship God about fifty days in tn,
] year, and self or Mammon during tn
i remainder, and in this manner every
: body is satisfied.
The home should be the centre o
happiness, the rest of earthly delight
G But how can this be unless HUSBAND
e and wife are frank with each other?
h each have secrets, il much of the every
u day life Of either is artifully conceale
Is from the other, misery is bound to en-
II sue. Here, above all, complete straight
'f forwardness is necessary to avoid mis-
a cry, for the lack of il denotes the deaf
of love.
" This manifest and most womanly {
d virtues deserves a closer cultivation
ir Our happiness and self-respect as il
st dividuals and as q nation depend upO
e. our possessing it. Without it we al
ut hollow, unreal, a reprOach to othel
to and o scorn to ourselves.
n ITO thine one self be true
"a An 1t must follow as the night the day
io Thou canst not then be false to any man.
*
Ut VostArdav Poor an uAfreaa Tadav