The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1911-08-29
SUNDAY CHAT
By ANDREW JOYNER)

I was hOnOred the other day by a
real old-time social call, by a real
old-time servant of God, a fine min
lister Of the gospel. He promised
taking a proffered seat by saying in
equality and no suggestion of special
privilege, as / wheeled from my typ
ist, or typistress. Now ook a-here, |
shall not ask if you are busy, ana
give you a chance to say Sorry, but
etc, because I've come a-purpose to
see you, and to talk with you, so you
can accuse Miss - for half an heur
so we can have it out. Now don {
look scared. for I have no designs on
your body or your soul this
he exclaimed. as his quick eye must
have noted a look of alarm on my
countenance. But I just van to
have a friendly exchange of ideas
along lines you are better veTsed IN
than I, and you shall be the ex-
FOUNDER while I do the knowledge
seeking stunt" Powerful sensible
man" methought to meself on the
sly. before excuying the lady and as
surfing the genial parson that no man
was ever more welcome, and that the
alarmed expression he thought he
had noted proceeded not from fear OF
his having a gospel rod in pickle Tor
me. but from a twinge OF pair from
an aching tooth. and I smiled beaut1-
fully when I said it and so dld ne.
Had his eyes not have tWinkled so
when he smiled so, 1 verify believe
he would have good as meant by that
smile that he felt satisfied l was a
liar. But the wrinkles reassured me,
for surely the ordinary preacher could
not enjoy a lie if he knew it, even
from the highest society sister OF ms
own congregation.
1t may be though that they hear
SO many, in a social way. custom has
scared the raw edge of conscience
until it sleeps in sheep ana
shepherds alike. After some mutual
inquiries of distant friends and rela-
tiv es known and loved in common, the
! preacher got down to business by
asking:
Tell me, how is it a newspaper
man. editor or reporter, can always
make b commonplace idea sparkle
or a dreary meeting or stupid event
appear bright or Important"
I told him I didn't know what he
was talking about.
Then he explained more fully what
he was driving at and why he was
driving at it. He insisted that | could
teach him something he needed to
know, not only for his personal salts
faction but to utilize to the glory Of
God.
This last made me skittish again,
but he DEITY got me on the track OF
ribs with his finger, his tongue mo-
~tionLess, leaving that twinkling eye to
voice the sympathetic assurance you
| poor, timid, sensitive goose, or a har-
dened reprobate just horsing for dam
nation. I'll not preach to you. nor
Iseek to flush the V of your COM
mission or omission sins"
He then went on to say that for
some time he had felt that his heart
must not be right. 4 have for. severa
years been oppressed with a sense Of
my falling or weakening saith in
humanity. But. Providentially. l am
inclined to believe. Several months
ago I had occasion to read a report
er's account OF an insufferably vapid
and ~bo1mbastlc speech and 1 was so.
astonished at the better light he CAV
it by pjecing together in condensed
but consecutive form the few paltry
good things Of the boring address, it
really was big, and in a way was a
truthful report. From this l began
to note carefully not only reports Of
ventiOnS, etc, in all of Which some-
body invariably makes an ass of him.
self, n isn't lonesome for company,
and always the reporter ironed out the
creases Of the occasion. as with skill,
evident careful toll and u~ncounterfeit
SS WpdtHl ne printed his STORY StuC-
coed completely with the best that
~transpired. pointing morals too blunt
for me to see at the time of occurrence
and actually saving some mOuQtebank
for plain fool from exposure by either
suppressing entirely an untoward in
cident or utterance or actually put
ting some brains in a senile thesis or
debate. The climax was reached last
week when at meeting I got over
Jealous on a subject most important.
and being answered by a very keen
weapon Of ridicule and sarcastic inuen-
does, l lost my temper, of course my