Crittenden press. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1879-1907, 1899-11-23
AS BAD AS ANANIAS.
Are Some Men, Says Bill Arp, the
PhiloS opher.
Prevalent PracOce of Dishonesty and
Dcceit-Doy Who Put His Best
Pine on the Top of the
Load.

vs.
the great theologian, added: But he
who acts on that principle is not an
honest man"
The truth is that real, genuine hon
esty is not policy at all, for policy re-
quires thought, plan, and generally
some assimilation. 1t comes from
the head, the brain; whereas honesty
is "A moral principle that comes from
the heart, and takes no time for
thought. Policy is a cold, hard word;
honesty a warm, genial, neighborly
one. The poets like il next best to
love. Ilearn says: ITS guild TO be
honest and true" and Pope says: "An
honest mans the noblest work of
God" The best definition of the word
is: Free from deceit, just in speech
and action. fair in dealing and worthy
to be trusted"
was Eliminating about this because
a clever country boy from whom | buy
my lightwood brought me load to-
day and the top layers and all that
was in sight were rich in rosin and
clean and attractive. He wanted Il
dollar and half, and ! told him it
was too much; but he pleaded like a
lawyer, and said he had hauled it ten
miles. and that kind of pine was get
ting awful scarce; that he could have
sold it downtown, but knew that !
liked rich, clean split pine, and so he
brought il To me. lie is a cookbook
ing. Woodworking boy. and so ]
bought il and stood by while he threw
it off. The top was all right, but that
out of sight was black knots or half
rotten pieces. and disgusted me.
Look here. Felton," said |, edo you
know of boy who would put his best
pine in the bottom of wagon, or who
would even mix it about half and
halle" NO. sir. | don't" said he:
1--WE haven't got any of that sort in the
piney woods" Don't you know"
said |, that wouldn't have given
you your price IL had seen into the
bottom OF your wagon" He smiled
complacently and replied: That's just
the reason we put the best on top; we
couldn't get more'n half price IL we
didn't, and YOU know, major, we get
mighty little for hard days work,
anyhow" "But, FELTON,, that way of
doing is cheating, and they say that
cheating never thriycs. ] should think
YOU would feel ashamed 10 throw your
load right off here before me-" "Well,
now, major, TO ten you the truth, |
was in hopes YOU would go in the
house before | throwed ii of; but ey-
erybody has to put the best on top
and he smiled all over his face. What
kind of boy is that? Well, he is n
little better than the average OF boys,
or of men, either. as to that, for he
smiles at YOU while he deceiyes you.
Heard blind phrenologist tell "A man
once that his bump of coyetousness
was so large he would steal If he had
y fair chance-that is, if he found a
man asleep with his pocketbook under
his pillow he would take il, but at
the same time he had sympathy so
largely developed that he would kiss
his sleeping victim before he left him.
| like that boy for his good nature,
and had rather he would cheat me
than a boy who wouldn't own up to
anything and go off and brag how he
got me. Yes, everybody puts the
best on top, and everybody tries to
get the advantage in a trade-not ev-
erybody, but the exceptions are very
few.
A man can tell lie by conceakng
the truth-when was lad heard old
DIR. Nathan Hoyt, of Athens, preach Il
sermon in our town, and have not for
gotten how he looked straight at me
and said: Little boy, you can tell a
lie by winking your eye" My wife
says she was in Il store one day when
a country woman came in and asked
the merchant if he could match that
scrap of Bingham which she showed
him. He said no, but he had something
very like il, and prettier, and he finally
sold it to her. After she left, my wife
remarked that she might have matched
| it at the next door, for she noticed the
Identical goods in the window as she
passed. Yes, | knew it, said the mer-
chant, but it wasn't my business 10
tell her; | must sell my own goods if
| can" That was the kind of honesty
that was policy, but il wasn't fair or
neighborly-it wasn't doing as you
would be done by. The trading world
is very busy concealiug the truth. l
bought fine SOW from neighbor
once, and she eat up dozen chickens
the day / got her. When | asked him
why he didn't tell me that she was a
chicken eater, he smiled and said he
thought | would find il out soon
enough. A merchant may know that
a certain piece of prints will fade when
washed, but he does not tell it. You
can hardly find real linen bosom shirt
nowadays, but they are all sold for
| linen. These are not frauds of much
consequence, but they illustrate the
Scripture, which saith: "a lie sticketh
close in the joints between buyer and
seller" and: ut is naught-itis naught
saith the buyer, but he goeih his way
and rejoiceth." That was in a horse
trade, reckon. Hypocrisy, deceit, ex-
aggeration are not confined to traders;
professional men and politicians use
all these to gain their ends. Yes. and
| even some preachers will make up a