Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-09-29

led the streets and the Canadians were
nearly all sent 10 barracks.
The Rocker Club Discusses the Virtues.
The meeting was about to adjourn
when Miss Merivale came hurrying up
the steps, flushed and somewhat out of
breath. Mrs. Weldon shook her head
with assumed severity
You don't seem to realize" She said,
impressiveIy, that punctuality is
virtuei"
is it?" exclaimed the delinquent.
with an elaborate air of surprise.
"Then I'm glad that an unusual num-
Der Of errands prevented me from
practising punctuality. | hate virtues!"
Every one laughed. but Mrs. Holmes
looked somewhat shocked. Mrs.
Easely murmured: so do IT,
IF this refractory frame of mind
continues said Mrs. Weldon, assum-
ing tone of panied indulgence, ''our
sister will forfeit her membership in
this honorable club
II shall be able to prove" said the
culprit, sitting down and tanning her
self. that | have no quarrel with
virtue. but with virtues. There is an
obvious distinction. Several Of you
look as if you thought / had a touch OF
the sun. Please don't glance 50
significantly at that pitcher of ice
water! Is it lemonade? Oh, thinks,
VIII have some-delightfUl. Yes, I
hate virtues; they are SO obtrusive.
And they have so little connection with
goodness
Il can't see that at all!' exclaimed
Mrs. Holmes. TAKE punctuality, for
example. OF course, we accused you
only as a joke; we have no special time
of meeting, but if we had should YOU
really considered it unimportant to 2r-
rive at the appoinUeu tiHIv, OF 20 4Aer,J
a social engagement or business APP
pointment on the minute?"
Mrs. Weldon came to rescue.
Don't you know this Derverse wo-
MANI" she said. laughing. Il never
knew her to be late, and as to business
appointments, billiards. and electric
storms don't stop her. If she is keep
ing q promise, an angel in the way
couldn't turn her from it,"
Thank you, friendi / certainly do
respect a promise, and believe in law
and order. Nevertheless l know of
few virtues that can be more oppres-
sive than punctuality run mad"
I know what you mean said Mrs.
Easely. I've seen families in which
the announcement of a meal was like
the summons TO a fire or call to bat
tlei They fairly fell over themselves
70 get 10 the table, and if anybody was
two OF three minutes late the unfortu-
nate one was greeted with scowls Of
disapproval ana felt like a convicted
criminal. And woe to any one who
slept over the iaexOrable rising bell
though in one case l knew there wasn't
a soul in the house VINO had a real rea-
son for carly rising. 1t was simply
habit"
Anything is better than slovenly,
hit or miss habits of living" said Mrs.
Holmes. Surely, we need rule and
discipline"
Il don't see why we need military
rule. Nothing destroys the real joy Of
living more effectually than such need
less innexibility."
Don't quarrel, children" said Mrs
Weldon. II think myself that you are
both in the right, and / think Miss
Merivale was deprecating the sort Of
ultra punctuality that Mrs. Easley
described. Its the same--as she i'm
pHed-wlth many other virtues. They
can become so obnoxious that they war
against higher goodness. It's like
putting Il religion ahead of goodness,
as / once heard a clergyman say"
Don't they mean the same thing
some one asked.
las he meant it," was the reply.
zone stands for the letter, the other for
the spirit. That is also the distinction
between the virtues and real virtue, or
goodness"
You find the lesser virtues set up as
gods to be worshipped,' said Miss
Merivalc. I'VE all believe in order.
but l have seen it turned into fetch
and made detestable. | had relative
who kept such anxious watch over her
guest room that if its occupant mis-
placed some trifling object before GO
ing out she would find il carefully re-
stored to its exact place on her return.
| never could remain there more than
two or three days at a time. / remem-
ner her comical rcmorse one day over "a
dusty paper knife. Another member of
that virtuous family rebuked her
gently, but with sorrow, and she al
most wept."
Il think even the higher virtues are
sometimes mistakenly worshipped in
the same way said Mrs. Outing.
Temperance and charity are especial
~ liable to misuse"
You have touched a point | had in
mind when / first spoke said Miss
Merivale. "a person often builds q
temple to some one virtue. and sets II
up as an idol to the exclusion of the
others. How often we see justice sacri-
feed to exaggerated notions of char
ity, And how often the dread of some
fancied sin prevents the wholesome
fear Of q real one
Well" said Mrs. Quitting, rising.
that is all very true and very inter-
esting. but I'm going now. for fear we
might drift on to the Sunday question.
New York Tribune.