The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-01-23
The Temptation of Mr.. Pitts.
By George owen Koch.


man in that he attends church occasionally.
After Mr.. Pitts gets on his wifes nerves
by week of late hours and uncertain be-
havior he allows her to take him to church.
Whereupon Mrs. Pitts tells herself that
Josiah is reforming
Last Sunday evening Or. Pitts went to
church with his wife He was in a state
of mind common with him. He was blam-
ing himself for his misdeeds and praising
himself for his reformation II m pretty
bad, thought Mr.. Pitts. 81 played
poker three nights straight running last
week, and | was more than Woody when
reached home Tuesday and Thursday
mornings. No wonder Maria is angry with
me. But I'm reforming. I'm on my
road to church. Very bad people don
90 to church. | guess I'm not lost yet.
1t feels nice to reform. | like to do it.
Only the innately virtuous like to reform.
Therefore, L m innately virtuous
In church Mr. Pitts sat decorously with
eyes cast down. Suddenly he started.
What was that on the floor under the pew
in front of him ? He peered at the object
which had attracted his attention. 1t
looked like a little, folded square of green
paper There was large figure plainly
visible on it. Could it be
Josiah, whispered Mrs. Pitts,
"there money on the floor. Pick it up.
Mr. Pitts looked at the other occupants
of the pew. Then he studied the people
in the pew in front of him The folded
green paper was too near his feet for it to
have been dropped by any one in the front
pew The people in the pew with him
we're closer to the aisle than he, aud none
Of them was the loser, he was certain.
Pick it up, Kissed his wife
With a swift, cautious motion Mr. Pitts
bent forward and picked up the bill
Barely CHANGING at it. he partly opened it
between his thumb and fingers, crumpled
i, up and quickly showed it into his vest
pocket, He hoped no one had noticed hun
What Is it How much :? asked his
wife in a whisper rendered shrill by excite
meut
Five dollars \ brand new bill, re
Piled Mr. Pitts. tremblin. for fear neigh
bar would say. Il dropped that, " Glanc.
ing furtiyely around him he continued
Il, do,Sn belong To any Of these people
They Re ali women Some man host 1t,
know II vas folded so that it would
20 ia the ,zaich poke, Of pair Of trousers.
Some fellow pulleI 1t cat wh,lc booking
at his watch during the morning service
Well. give 1t to me Il mine unW,
brcasbed Mr. Pitt.
MIR PIis looked a, her Why why
wha, do you mean ; he slsped almost
aloud ; III saw 1t first
You diin { was boxing At IL De.
furc you knew j, va there
josiah Pitts. ii mine, would have
hal !, before you, ouly you were nearer to
ia
But Mr. Pitts had no intention Of re-
bnquishin- his treasure troye, and a sibi
Ian, coIloquy eusued and lasted until ser
vice vas almost Concluded.
.rn give you half, finally growled
Mr. Pitts
No you Il no, | want all or none
Fer awhile silence reiened between them
Mr. Pitts knew that Mr. Puts would no,
&c, honestly with her; for 80 she per
shaded herself be woald be doing in giving
her ghc whole amount Thinking about
honesty made her III up straight for mlu
ute Then she leaned toward her husband
Josiah Pitts, she murmured, YOU have
40 night to keep that money
Il IA going 20 keep it, sas the stub
born reply.
You better send it 70 the minister
and let him announce that it has been
found If there Is no claimant. you may
keep it then.
I'm keep it now
Again there was short silence Mr.
Pits tined to ignore his wife last words
but they would recur to him. He argued
with himself that the money was his He
had found it. Even if he did advertise i,
through the minister, no one could posi-
lively identify it, aud it might 20 to a dis
honest claimant He had no doubt that
there were dishonest people in the church
StiIl, he was not altogether easy The
money had been found in 4 holy place, and
under the circumstances keeping it might
be i greater sin than if he had picked it
up in the street. Maybe be ought to try
to discover the owner. Would he? Would
he not
The decision was a hard one to make.
He felt that he was tempted to DO wrong,
but fear of the possible dishonest person
who would claim the bin had about deter
mined him to keep it himself, when his
wife plucked him by the sleeve,
'.Here comes Deacon Smith up the
aisle, she said softly. Give it to him
to take to the minister. At the same