Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-05-27
thursday EVENING, MAY 81, 1892
Quaint Sayings.


OF people in church, and connecting
it with the promised joys of future
state, remarked, Mother, hope
when go to heaven they will let me
nave Saturday half holiday, that l
may go and have game in hell"
we like that boy, also the infant
daughter of DR.. Hamilton of Regent
square Church, who prayed, go
Lord, open pussy's eyes and make
her tail grow" Here is an even
prettier anecdote of children's
prayer: "a little girl told friend
who was visiting her father that her
brothers set traps to catch the birds.
lie asked her what she did. She re.
piled, prayed that the traps might
not catch the BIRDS Anything
else" Yes she said, Il then
prayed that God would prevent the
birds getting into the traps > and as
II to illustrate the doctrine of faith
and works, L went and kicked the
traps all to pieces.'
Another youngster reminded the
Deity on one occasion that his peti.
tlon "had not been attended to- and
requested that it might not be for
gotten in future. The same child.
offended by his governess, was dis.
covered burying a piece of paper in
the garden. 1t proved to be "a re-
quest to the devil to take the govern
ness below.
And children can sometimes
preach strange sermons as we'll as
invent strange prayers. At the age
OF three child who subsequently
became an eminent minister and pro.
fessor at a college," took for his
text: LEARN to do evil, cease to do
well;" and at the same age Mr.. Rus
kin, we are told, began a sermon
with the inspiring words, Be dood,
people, be dood." -four young bar
barians all at play are not more
more "spiriual" than this, we can
bear it with equanimity.
No book on children is complete,
of course, without some curios in
the way Of childish logic. Mr..
Lewis, an English writer, gives a
few: /" Mother, who was my mother
when you were little girl?" A
youngster, breakfasting on eggs and
bacon, ask, Grandma do fowls lay
bacon ?" Another email boy watch
ing fly in drop Of water, and told
that to the fly the drop was large
pond)-" suppose God learned to
do these clever things when he was
little boy" We offer Mr.. Lewis a
"fy" story in exchange Small
girl ito fyl-" Ickle fly, does 100
love bod ?" (Answers herself)-
Yes; Crushing fiy) do to Dod."
OF merely humorous anecdotes of
children, Mr.. Lewis, preoccupied
with proving their spirituality"
has room for but one or two. "A
little boy sat on the floor crying.
After while he stopped and seemed
buried in thought. Looking up
suddenly, no said, Mamma, what
was / crying about?' Because
wouldn't let you 90 out to play
Oh, yes;' and he set up another
howl"
Children in Spain are enjoined
always to leave little food on their
plates uneaten for the sake of polite
ness. A little girl, tempted by a
peculiarly toothsome dish, whis-
pered: Please, mamma, may eat
politeness to-day ?" A boy, wearied
with school tasks, sighed, &" Oh, if all
the world would but agree to know a
little less 20
ANECDOTE OF MINISTER WILLIS.
The death of Minister Willis in
Hawaii has set Kentuckians to story
telling about him. One of them
describes an incident illustrative of
his method of trying lawsuit ;bs-
fore jury. He was once attorney
for young woman in a case against
prominent and wealthy contractor
of Louisville. The case attracted
much attention, and the courtroom
was crowded when the trial was on.
The contractor took the stand, and
being Of an easy conscience, tried to
swear the case out of court. Then
Willis arose in behalf of the young
woman. He did not seek to cross
examine the witness. He turned to
the great crowd of spectators, and at
random singled out a man on the
front row.
"Stand up and get sworn where
you stand" said Willis to the aston
ished spectator.
"Do you know the defendant ?"
inquired Willis.
YES"
Do you know his reputation for
truth and veracity?"
YES"
Is it good or bad?"
Bad.n
&" Would you believe him under
oath 2"
"No."
Then Willis called on another
spectator to stand up in his place
and be sworn, with similar results.
Thus he called on spectator after
spectator at random, until he had
sworn fifteen or twenty of them
They all agreed that the contractor
could not he believed under oath
1t was proof positive to the jury in
impeaching the contractor, for it was
clear to every one that the witnesses
had not been summoned for the pur.
pose Of impeachment. Willis wor
the case and secured verdict oi
twenty thousand dollars against the
contractor.
WHATS the matter with your
electric cars ?" asked my companion
the lawyer, of one of the loungers o.
a small Southern town.
"Tied up in litigation. Amt run
ming any more"
And the electric lights ?n
They're shut down. Company.
suing the city and the case is in tn,
courts"
: &C Ia that hio poopufaotur;no, h,.,