So you see there was some reason for my first friend’s saying she preferred honesty to refinement.
Now, perhaps some frank, brave little boy or girl is thinking—I’m not deceitful; I always say what I think, whether people like it or not. My dear little friend, do not be too proud of that honest tongue! Does not the same Bible that teaches us to be truthful, also say, “Be courteous,” and “Be ye kind!” Need I be either a severe Puritan or an insincere Cavalier? You see we old people cannot help feeling that somehow these Puritans and Cavaliers helped to make people believe that one must either be blunt and honest or refined and deceitful. It is a great pity that we should ever think beautiful, lovely Truth, must always speak cold or cutting words.
Now we ought not to fret because we cannot make everything straight in this crooked world, but should we not be a great deal happier if every man and woman and boy and girl who speaks the truth, would always speak it kindly and courteously; and if every one who is truly polite would always be thoroughly truthful? When that time comes, no one will ever think of making such a strange remark as my second friend did yesterday—“She is not deceitful enough to be decent.”
Mrs. T. N. Chase.
Atlanta, Ga.
RECEIPTS.
| MAINE, $186.92. | |
| Bangor. Hammond St. Soc. $53.18, and Sab. Sch. $25.; First Parish $16.19. “A Friend” $2.; Central Ch. Sab. Sch. $25 | $122.17 |
| Belfast. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. | 13.50 |
| Dennysville. Peter E. Vose, Box of C., val. $40 | |
| Machias. “L.” of Centre St. Ch. | 10.00 |
| Milltown. Miss. F. M. A. | 0.25 |
| Norridgewock. Hattie Boardman, Bbl. of C. | |
| Searsport. First Cong. Ch. and Soc. | 20.00 |
| Woolwich. Cong. Ch. and Soc. $9; Mrs. J. P. Frott $2 | 11.00 |
| West Newfield. Samuel C. Adams | 10.00 |