The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-07-17
ad. The fox hunters stayed at
,r,a ard the fe110uc thot roocfed On

road, The fox hunters stayed al
home and the fellows that roasted on
Liquor Ridge got sober. The shadow
of Jesse Jeems lay heavy everywhere.
But when Milan and the deacons
heerd about what 1 had up here, they
come hot-footed. Snow was the first
to git in, then Prim and Bud Sock
we'll hove in sight with Milan between
'em, and you may not believe it, but
it took the deepest theological argu-
ment l ever made to git them fellows
to accept that contribution. Snow
was plump rabid at the sight of his
bills, laying like a bunch of crisp,
green leaves in the old hat, with
Mr.. Jeems's compliments stickin up
among 'em like a white blossom.
He lowed it want a collection no.
how, but highway robbery, and he
was for givin' back to every man
what had been took from him.
" Snow I says, lookin' at him
Hard, you can't find a word in the
Bible agin this kind of highway rob-
berry, but there's right smart said in
it about usury.' He was knowed in
them days to be a note shaver, and
that little hint about money shet him
up. But Milan was the hardest to
convince.
Brother Corn, he says, lookin'
shy at the old hat that was settin' on
the floor in front of US, that want
a voluntary contribution to the Lords
cause from the congregation; it was
an involuntary contribution to a high
wayman.
4" That's so, Parson,' I says, but
you'll admit that Mr.. Jeems is givin'
it to you of his own free will and
accord.
"'He didn't come by it honest, he
says.
It's mighty hard for anybody to
come by money that way, I answers,
money is something that has always
been cheated out of somebody before
you git it, even if you didn't git it
that way yourself.
"'I can't feel right about it, he
says.
GA preacher Is curious phenom-
enon in the speretual world, Mister.
He lacks what you might call moral
agility. You never can tell when
he'll plant the forelegs of his faith on
some one of the Ten Commandments
and kick up in the very face Of Prov
idence. Accordingly the only way
to deal with him is as if he were a
child, sorter coach him along thru
the snares and pitfalls of this present
world. So I looked at Milan as if
he'd grieved and disappointed me.
'Parson,' I says, 4 lowed you
was man of faith. If anybody had
told me that an old rapscalion like
Billy Corn had more faith than his
preacher, why, sir, I'd probably
knocked him down for insultin' you.
But in this matter, I'm obliged to
think that my mustard seed has
sprouted higher n your n
How Is that, Brother Corn ? he
asked.
"'Well, sir, I says, You can't
never tell what Providence will do
nohow. And for me, I've got the
faith to believe that the particular
business of Providence is to get the
best of Satan, and that He always
does. 1t is written that all things
work together for good to them that
love the Lord, and amt the one to
fly in the face of Providence when He
gives us sech chance as this to puri-
fy tainted money says, jumping
up and stamping my foot on the floor
to skeer the idea into Milam's heaven
befuddled head.
"Well, sir, he took to my argument
like babe do to its milk. He lowed
I'd put it so clear that he could see
the hand of the Lord in it-he was
that kind, jest obleeged to see the
finger prints of Providence in every
thing, and 1 didn't dar' to draw the
theological line between Satan an
Tom Purcell, and the providential
provision for a roof on old Zion, for
fear it nsettle his mind agin. But
he wouldn't be satisfied till we had
all knelt with him in prayer for thai
wayward son of God, Jesse Jeems.
You never heerd anythin' kinder or
more forgivin' in speret than the petit
ton he made-Milam could set an
example to the angels in Heaven at
that. But when they was gone,
jest lay back in my cheer and laughed
till 1 cried at the contradictory look
on old Jonathan SHOWS face. He
groaned, but he wouldn't say amen
nary time. I've never told who Jesse
Jeems really was, beca'se l know
Snow would have the law on him."
- The Lzdebendent.