"I think Miss Salsbury is making quite too much of it."
"Of course she is. I dare say she would call me a liar for sending word 'not at home' to a caller whom I wish to avoid, as if it were not everywhere understood that it means you are engaged; or because I reply that 'my tablet is full of engagements,' when a disagreeable gentleman wishes to dance with me. If she knew anything of fashionable society, she would understand that such white lies are unavoidable. It would be an insult to a gentleman to refuse to dance with him."
"Oh, how I wish I could go to a ball!" exclaimed one enthusiastic young lady. "I don't think there would be much danger of my having to tell white or black lies; I'd dance with every one who asked me."
"I shall never go into fashionable society if such deception is necessary," remarked Amelia Davis, in a serious tone.
Friday afternoon was devoted to the composition, each young lady signing hers with a mark known only to the teacher. These were placed in a box, and pupils, generally the highest class, were called to the platform in succession to read them. As some of these explain the different kinds of lying I shall copy them.
The first read was entitled "Lies of Trade," and was as follows:—
"The sin of lying is denounced in the Bible in the same catalogue with the most heinous crimes. In the Revelation we read, 'For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.' The punishment denounced against them is dreadful: 'All liars shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone.'
"There are many kinds of lies; but I shall only mention one of them, which I shall call lies of trade. In these are embraced all the different forms of deception by which persons dispose of the articles they have for sale. I was once acquainted with a storekeeper who confessed many of these tricks of the trade, as he called them, and insisted they were perfectly harmless. For instance, he used to tell customers that calico would wash like a piece of white cloth, which was literally the fact, though they understood him to mean that the colors were fast.
"Or he would say, 'I gave a dollar a yard for this silk by the piece, and cannot afford to sell it less than one twenty-five,' when these very goods had been bought at auction prices, and would bring a good profit at ninety cents.
"Or, when questioned as to quality and durability, he would answer, 'This delaine is all wool,' when he knew it to be part cotton; 'it will wear like iron,' when he more than suspected it to be tender, and, therefore, wished to be rid of it.
"This storekeeper also told me of tricks by which the grocers try to get off cheap or injured articles. They mix sand with sugar, adulterate tea and spices, sell barley for coffee, and Indian meal for ginger, all the time giving their word that the articles are pure and of the best quality."
The next composition began in this way:—
"What is a lie? By some writers it is explained as an intention to deceive.
"Can a person be guilty of lying who does not speak? I think he can; for a single motion of the head will sometimes convey a wrong impression.
"What is the difference between a lie and a falsehood? A person may tell what is not true, or a falsehood, without the intention to deceive, which constitutes a lie.
"What does the Bible say of lying lips? 'The lip of truth shall be established forever; but a lying tongue is but for a moment.' 'Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord.' 'He that speaketh lies shall not escape.' 'Speak ye every man the truth to his neighbor.'
"Is there such a thing as a lie of flattery? There is; and I will give an instance.
"A girl named Hannah Morrill once lived with a lady as a kind of companion. She soon discovered that her mistress had a weak mind and was very susceptible to praise. The lady was exceedingly homely; but Hannah flattered her with the assurance that she was fine-looking and remarkably intelligent. She falsely quoted the opinion of others who agreed with her that her mistress was a pattern of elegance, taste, and refinement, until she succeeded in convincing the lady that her glass deceived her as to her personal appearance and that, as to her other qualities, her modesty had hitherto blinded her as to her many excellences.
"In this way Hannah gained many favors, and was so much encouraged by them, that she became so gross in her flatteries that at last her mistress began to suspect her of insincerity. Wishing to try her, she brought from the store an elegant lilac silk, more suited to a bride than to a lady past sixty. Expressing, herself, a doubt whether this color was becoming to her age, she asked Hannah's opinion, when the girl warmly declared that she was only slandering herself when she thought the color trying to her complexion; for it made her look like a young miss, holding the rich folds up before her.
"Only half convinced, the lady was called from her chamber to see company, from which she returned suddenly, unobserved by any one. Hearing loud talking and laughing in the next room, she stopped a moment to listen, and soon heard Hannah mimic her voice and manner before the mirror.
"'What an old fool she must be to believe you!' answered the cook, with a coarse laugh.
"'I can make the simpleton believe black is white,' urged Hannah; 'I told her, yesterday, that her old yellow, crooked teeth were the envy of half the young ladies, and the silly creature actually swallowed the flattery.'
"'Not quite,' said a low, stern voice; 'that lilac silk I brought from the store to test your frankness. If you had told me what I knew to be true,—that it was ill-suited to me,—I intended to have given it to you. I am glad I have been undeceived in season to dismiss both of you from my service. I will give you an hour to pack your trunks; and at the end of that time, I will have a constable here to search them; for I am not so great a simpleton but that I understand that a person who will lie to her benefactress will steal from her whenever opportunity occurs.'
"Many interesting anecdotes illustrating different kinds of lies are given by Mrs. Opie in her book on lying."
