The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1906-08-15

most unexpectedly had left me five thousand dollars
If the legacy had dropped down from the skies 1
couldn't have been surprised. Now 1 had three
hundred comm in from it, and it most killed me to
take thirty ont an put it aside for the Lord. 1
couldn't help whinn'.
"Now Huldy," says I, "don't We believe the old
Jews deducted their taxes afore they laid by their
tenth %
'I dunno" says she; eve might read up Leviticus
an Numbers, an Deuteronomy an see."
"Bess my soul, Huldy,' says I, "I'd rather pay
the whole thirty dollars then wade through all them
dull books. An them" says I, thinkin hard, "ac-
cordin' to what these agents that around beg
GIN say spose it would be good pecooniary spec
kerlation to give to the Lord They tell about throw
in out crackers an comm back loaves an show
how them is blessed in their basket an in their
store that bestow their goods the poor. Anyhow
I've made up my mind to try it."
"Now Lyman Tubbs, don't We go into this tenth
business with such worldly motives IF We do
yell be worse than Ananias and Sapphira, who was
struck dead at once Not but that the Lord has
said, will leave thee nor forsake thee and
prove me herewith but if We undertake to
drive a sharp bargain with him, yell find out that
he'll git ahead of We every time. No, he's given us
all we have an I'm thinkin' he'll ask mighty
close questions about the way we've used it."
Hubby didn't very often preach but when she
did her sermons what I call p'inted.
Times passed on, an got used to givin' my tenth
/ didn't squrm it as did; in fact got kinder
raised, an to feelin liberal I didn't sell so much
as a turkey without putin aside tthes of it.
1t happened in the summer that my wife's cousin
Sas an his family to see us, an was
braggin' about givn' my tenth an I supposed he'd
never heerd o. sech thing but Sas says says he
I've done it ever since converted. I arm
two dollars day. an every Saturday night jest lay
aside one dollar and twenty cents, an pray it.;
it's sacred it's the Lords money"
"Don't We take yer lvin' out O. it first?"
Yer what?" Sias amazed lest sO
much arm, an the ability to airn it comes from
the Lord an joyfully give back to him the little
part"
"But" says I, "aint that kinder reskyY Ye might
be took sick, yer work give out; 1 should be
little fearsome."
"These the promises" says Silas: "My God
shall supply all your needs an "Lo am with you."
They all yea an amen.
WAL if 7 didn't feel small after that. 7 had
sixmply given tenth of all I'd sold and grumbled
it at that, an there all those broad acres
that had fed an those big trees in the woods that
kept us warm-blessin's upon blessins that hadn't
counted, an here was Silas with hothin' but his
hands, an yet so willin' hearted an doing so much
When T carried him an his folks back to the city
Jest filled my wagon box full o. things an felt
if givin directly to the Lord
One day the elder an his family was over to our
house. an talkin' His Fred was
playin with my Thomas-they was awful good
friends-an' says the elder "Tf had as much money
you have Deacon Tubbs I'd send Thomas to
school, an ask the Lord to make a minister o. him"
"Bess my soul!' thought T, chats the last thing
want him to be-" We see had other things for my
boy. but 7 said nothin'
Ny next neghbor. old Mr.. Hodges, had a son who
went to the city an studied law an got to he a
Judge, an comes home in his big carriage once in
while to visit the old folks, his wife an children
dressed to fits, an seein' them had a natural han.
KERN for Thomas to turn out like that, a say
in this to Huldy when the elders folks oone
"Now, Lyman Tubbs," says she. a lookin at me