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A Mean Advantage

A Mean Advantage image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
April
Year
1879
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

There were a score or more of worne gathered together at Mr. Johnson' house. Mr. Jolinson is a good-heartet man and a respectable citizen, thoug he is rather skeptical in some things The women had just organized "Th Foreign Benevolent Society," when Mi Johnson entered the room. He was a once appealed to to dónate a few dollar as a contribution to begin with, anc then Mrs. Graham added : - "It would be so pleasant, in af te years, for you to remember that yo gave this society its flrst dollar and it first kind word." He slowly opened bis wallet, drew out a ten dollar bill, and as the ladie smacked their lips and clapped thei hands, he asked: "Is this society organized to aid th poor of foreign countries ?" "Yes - yes - yes !" "And it wants money?" "Yes - yes." "Well, now," said Johnson, as h folded the bill in a tempting shape "there are twenty married women here If there are fif teen of you who can make oath that you have combed th children's hair this morning, washec' the dishes. , blackened the cook-stove and made" the beds, 111 dónate ten dollars." "I have," answer.ed two of the crowd and the rest said : "Why, now, Mr. Johnson!" "If flf teen of you can make oath that your husbands are not wearing socks with holes in the heels, the money is yours," continued the wretch. "Just hear him!" they exclaimed, each one looking at the other. "If ten of you have boys without holes in the knees of their pants, this X goes to the society," said Johnson. "Sueh a man!" they whispered. "If there are five pairs of stockings in this room that do not need darning, I'll hand over the money," he went on. "Mr. Johnson," said Mrs. Graham, with great dignity, "the rules of this society declare that no money shall be contributed except by members, and as you are not a member, I beg that you will withdraw and let us proceed with the routine business." Above Gossip. - Few peopie m this sinful world are above gossip. I have always counted the man or woman who waives a subject for the flrst time presented to him which turns upon some esclandre of a mutual friend, as being not far from the kingdom of heaven. It is indeed an adorable trait in a man or woman to be above gossip, to be able to push a subject when an opponent offers you an opportunity, as if life were a game of moral billiards. It was of my good 'ortune to drop into a little world for a season where all the gossip was of hings, not of peopie. The rising of a iver, the sailing of a boat, a draught of fishes, the blossoming of a flower.the .railing of a vine, the advent of some new animal, a brood of chickens, or a emarkable sunset - all these were ;hemes, but there were no peopie to iscuss, or fashiona to follow, or manners to speak of, except the best of ïative manners ; and it seemed to me 'here was a purity, and a charm, and I might even say a bloom, about these eople, rough as they might be called, hat I have never since sen equalled If you would be exempt from uneasiness, do nothing which you know or uspect is wrong ; and if you wish to njoy the present pleasure, always do verything in your power which you know to be right.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus