The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1918-10-17
Plain Tales From the Bible
Continued from page two }

things that is very much worth while ID
courtesy. Here is something that the aver
age person looks upon as too trivial for any
serious thought or notice. Very far from
true knowledge and understanding of life
is such a belief. Courtesy is one of the
''little things" of life that returns to the do
er and giver of it the proverbial hundred
fold, and more, of every good and pleasing
circumstance and condition of living. 1t
will light life with Joy and peace as moth
ing else can do; and even in material things
its power to produce success and satisfy am
bition is unlimited. 1t is one of the most
valuable assets man can possess-to be
known for his courtesy. Strip man of ev
material position and substance, send him
into the world and by the simple practice
| of cour tesy he can win back all tina, was
lost-and abundantly more.
Why courtesy is so rare in the human
intercourse and companionship that truly
makes up quite all of our existance is one
of lite's mysteries. 1t costs nothing. Many
times it requires no physical effort or exer-
ton. To say ''please'' and ''thank you
to smile; to speak encouragingly; in word,
to attend to all the seemingly trivial polite
nesses of life would be no great strain on
any mortal, even if the act was the end of
each of them. But what golden treasures
they are How laden with brightness and
help How they grow and grow until their
worth to men cannot be calculated.
David went through many wonderful ad-
ventures and thrilling experiences. One of
them came about through the working of
the law of ''little things" A mans lack
of courtesy led David very near to a terrible
vengeance he would have regretted forever;
while he was saved from his own hot anger
by the courtesy a woman possessed and also
led by it into one of the happy romances of
his life.
1t was in the days when the youth was an
exile from his home and native land. King
Saul sought on every hand and by every
pretext and strategy to take David's life.
The fearless young warrior was forced to
live with a small band of faithful followers
in the mountain Businesses and even outside
the borders of bis own country. This man
ner of living was burdened with many diff
culties among which their daily sustenance
would hold first place.
1t was David's policy, and pleasure, to
protect the people among whom he was
forced to live from marauding tribes and
bands that were constantly about in the
country. Now. at Maon there dwelt de-
scendant of Caleb, named Nabal. He was
man of wealth, possessing large hocks of
sheep and goats. Davids wanderings took
him into Carmel where Nabal's hocks were
pastured and all the time that the hunted
lad was there not an animal was missing or
did any i'll fortune come to the mans ser
wants.
The time for shearing came and Nabal's
men were busy with the work. David chose
that time to send ten of his young men to
Nabal with reminding word of the service
they had rendered. No fixed reward was
asked, only that the master of all the wealth
in that part of the country would let the
young men find favor in his sight and
should give them whatever it pleased him
to bestow. But Nabal was one of those I'M
fortunate mortals who know nothing of the
courtesies of life, so he sent the men back
to David with empty hands and insolent
words ringing in there ears. Then David
gathered number of his men together and
set out firmly intending to visit death upon
Nabal and all his household.
But Nabal was blessed with more than
worldly goods-as is quite often the lot of
the undeserving. He had a wife who was
devoted and ''of good understanding and of
beautiful countenance." Secretly, she pre-
pared generous gifts of provisions and sent
them to David And then road out, herself,
to meet him.
''When Abigail saw David .. she
bowed herself to the ground;'' she presented
her gifts and prayed that David would for
get the insult her husband had given him.
David thanked the woman for her courtesy
and turned back from his vengeful, bloody
purpose. In the meantime Nabal had feast
ed and drunk himself into senseess con-
dition and knew nothing of what had taken
place. But in the morning, when he was
over the wines effect, Abigail told him
what had happened and the shock killed
him. Then followed David's courtship of
Abigail, her betrothal to him and her jour
ney to be his wife.
Courtesy is ''little thing;'' but not so
with its rewards-they are among the big
gest things of life. Now, courtesy does not
mean that one need adopt servile attiti-
tude. That is not courtesy. Courtesy is
can act of respect How natural, with
such a meaning, that this "littIe thing
should bring such rich rewards. For in all
of life there is nothing can take the place of
respect. There is self-respect, fnudament-
ally inseparable from every manner Of sue
cess known to humanity; and the respect of
e.. Lo:~ IL