New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-26
AFTER MANY YEARS.
Ministers Wife Tells Some Anec-
dotes of Conscience Resolutions.

Perhaps there is no department of the govern
ment that so interests the feminine imagination
and is so fun of romance for the general public
as that including the conscience money fund, II
department this may he called II IS not the
achievements of the courts of justice. the to-be-
expected triumphs of right wrong that APP
peal to the poetic sense ingrained in the most
practical. but 1t is the restitution of rights under
no outward force. the payment of debt for the
debtors sake only 1t is curious note how long
and deeply unpaid obligation rankles in a sensi-
tive soul.
minister's wife tells some experiences which
fell to her lot in the line of repentant domestcs
that throw Illuminating sidelight some
phases of human nature An old servant sent
from her deathbed for her pastor. and delivered
to him a certain maroon silk bag in which cnked
a few coins. There's a man by the name Of John
Smith piece down the road nere-the Smith as
owns the white horse" she said. Il worked for
his first wife a matter of twenty-one years
back, and the day after her funeral, when all was
in confusion, I-I-wel my was just about
being married, and l took a of her new bed
linen for sort of a send-OH in his house turnlsh-
ing. 1 didn't mean to keep EN-; leastwise. only
meant TO keep 'em there till few weeks after
the wedding, when my wages would be coming IN
again and ] could replace EN- with some out of
the store over in town. But just the week AFTER
they were married he got job over in StumpNllle
across the river, and had their things packed up
and ready to start most afOre l knew what was
going I couldn't take EN- back then. And
what should happen to head off i'm the other
direction but a cousin of John Smiths come up
and took inventory Of the house furnishings
there afore I could get to town for another set
I didn't have the backbone. pastor; that was the
trouble. I just didn't have the backbone ana the
grit to face either side Of 'em with the truth
Every year that's gone the rounds has made
it harder. and I've kept my mouth smut ana
often ia take another road around to chufch 10
keep from walking past John Smiths front gate
Seemed like sheets and pillow cases just few out
of the front door at me. Mondays when 'he
clothes the line. seemed like they DECK
oned and all but called me in and laid hold
of me
Pastor I dreamed about those bits of hem
stitched linen and I wouldn't have gone out OF
this world with the fold of 'em still Iouno my
feelings for no amount of money. could be
named. I've saved up a few dollars Of cash here;
the farm goes to my boy. the boy as had the
sheets; but if you'd just ask your lady TO DO thar
favor for old woman likely won't see another
morning in this world, sure. blessing Will go
with the buying Of EN-. I don't care If John smith
anybody else knows it all the minute after I'm
gone Seems like sharp words and nara
thoughts couldn't hurt then Maybe there's
such a thing seeing after a body's eyes are
shut the last time. I'll be looking to your ady
while, she's buying, and I'll be locking to do her
any good turn body might If 60 be it's given
to in the good Lords mercy" The tired voice
failed and the eyes closed at last
The minister's wife said that the week atterward'
when she drove over to town and looked over the
snowy linens, as she priced one weave and another
and fingered the fneness Of the soft threads she
felt indeed as if the burden of almost generation
fabric. with the delivery Of the parcel to John
Smith, the Smith as owns the white morse t ive
goad of a lifetime released the hurt or sehslIl'e
soul healed at last. . -, ,,.,d
the g S |9 eed to 2a E9 to turn to as
luton, had servant OF her own, youns VIZ liz
in another town, came back with her p t
embarrassed and nervous. At last she DiuTteG , 9uG
know it. but times while vas liy VII r.o With
yI~ Hfg9u din't need IT, Of course took it
or anything whenever needed 1t, but-Dut THESE
o%ghth rei to! AND somehow. couldn't forget t.
and when my baby here came ana e k eygs
how"weI. I just thought I'd feel better II I
beTe ma5am here they are knew you'd under
stand-you always did-and wouldn't think no
one morning this village pastor was mott So
fed that an express o1Ppa6at pon9erous AFFAIR."
long, narrow box, and very neaEy. CPom DglIIs
With scrawI Of a note, whose signature the min
lister recalled as the name OF day iaDer9 bF %no
The parcel had been freighted in from Iowa. The
awavs trusted me and I've hated myself for going
off with the tools I've never had any b LUCK ann
wanted YOU to have the same ones back. knew
y0I6 uR6gT53pq think a SO bad of me- after all
perhaps my luck would change when I got these
1--WE always trust our servants said this minis
ters wife and feuI9 a e9 to me that in our
reietions with domestics stand almost In the
light Of a conscience once had an amusing e ex
nerience with small darby in my employ; She
had purloined some honey. I knew It, nut l
thought I would wait for either honey or hoIlor
70 do lis work, Though she had made way with a
really amazing quantity she seemed to sueF no
await the workings Of conscience only MeanWhI,e
I gave her all the honey she wanted. and tQ q
naTtic1Ilar pains to be attentive 70 her on the
Subject Sure enough, in a day or two she came ar1
dancing out Of her head and her shiny black Iace
grfnning from ear to ear Got some honey fqr yer
misses she gllrgled. Thought maybe as now
might "a been usin little too much O. yo urn
Az week am 7 JUS pinched this rom Sairy ann
GrTear down de read. case she done me a mean
rick las sunday and it gives her heart misery,
co 7 iIIs' guessed you'd better hev it AL me
same concluded this wise manager Of men, while
tried to show her the enormtty Of her sin agau f
tSaIrv' Ann Green. I felt IN nv heart that tne
dawn Of some sort Of a conscience was posslge
in her little, sleepy soul and nave not yet "e