180 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE 



Maech, 1919 



v3 ago an old 



farmer liv- 

 ing about ten 

 miles away 

 brought us a 

 wag'onload o f 

 basswood lum- 

 ber. He was 

 told to take it 

 down to the 

 lumberyard and 

 the foreman 

 would unload it 

 and give him a 

 s,lip of paper 

 giving the meas- 

 urements. He 

 directed this 

 man to take the 

 paper up to the 

 ofSee in the factory and get his pay. Well, 

 after receiving the paper he put his hand 

 in his pocket for his spectacles, and then 

 discovered he had left them at home when 

 he changed his clothes. Of course he could 



OUR HOMES 



A. I. ROOT 



If therefore thou art offering thy gift at the 

 altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath 

 auglit against thee, leave there thy gift before the 

 altar, and go thy way ; first be reconciled to thy 

 brother, and then come and offer thy gift. — Matt. 

 5:23, 24. 



If any man would go to law with thee, and 

 take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also. — 

 Matt. 5:40. 



The peace of God, which passeth all understand- 

 ing, shall guard your hearts and your thoughts in 

 Christ Jesus. — Phil. 4:7. 



I finally inter- 

 rupted the talk 

 by telling him 

 he would have 

 to excuse me as 

 it was time for 

 our Saturday 

 afternoon 

 ]3rayer meeting. 

 This seemed to 

 stir him up 

 worse than ever. 

 I do not recall 

 whether I invit- 

 e d him to g o- 

 with me to 

 prayer meeting 

 or not; but I 

 rather think I 

 did not. I 

 hastily got hold 

 of my old Bible and reached the old 

 brick church just as the meeting was 

 being opened. I soon decided that I 

 was in no shape for prayer meeting. It 

 was so long ago that I can not be exact, 

 have taken the paper so to the office; but But either I recalled the first of our texts 

 it was near night, and he was in a hurry or I absently opened my Bible, and just 

 to get home, and so he concluded to keep it then my eye happened to hit the exact 

 until he drew some more lumber. After place. Did it really happen? I can not 

 arriving home, and with the aid of his remember now; but I am sure my little 

 specs seeing how small the price, as it prayer, " Lord, help," must have welled 

 seemed to him, had been allowed him for up at about this crisis. I never had no- 

 the lumber, he came straight back to our ticed the verse before; but that expression 

 factory and declared he would not sell it about bringing my gift to the altar made 

 for any such price — that he would draw it seem just then plain that the prayer 

 it all back home first. But as it was sea- meeting was the altar, and whatever I 

 soned lumber it had gone to the planer and should have to say or suggest (I always 

 was used up. Under the circumstances he take some part in every prayer meeting) 

 demanded pay according to his own valua- would be the gift referred to in the pas- 

 tion. In this predicament he came to me sage. I considered the situation just about 

 with the foreman, and I was to decide. I a minute; and then leaving my Bible on 

 explained to him that we were buying lum- the chair I rushed out, hoi:»ing I might be 

 ber every day, and the price we allowed able to find my irate brother. Now an- 

 him was the same we paid everybody else, other thing happened right there near that 

 I told him we were better prepared to old church — at least most people would say 

 know the value of such lumber than he it all " happened." I ran across my irate 

 was. But he was stubborn and contrary, friend not very far from the church. I 

 He was a good deal stirred up, and finally put out my hand to him, but he declined to 

 gave me a piece of his mind. Among oth- accept it. Then I said something like this : 

 er things he said something like this: "My good friend, you said you were 



" Mr. Root, we know you pose as a good going to consult your lawyer." 

 man, a church member, etc.; but I have "Yes, I am now on my way over to his 



heard before that, altho you try to keep office." 



your own hands clean, you employ men on " Well, I will go with you and we Avill 



purpose to do the dirty work to sAvindle state the case to'^ him; and if he says I 

 us unsuspecting farmers." should pay you that amount of money un- 



I remonstrated with him; but he finally der the circumstances I will do it." 

 gave me a string of abuse something like His face softened at once, and he re- 



the opening letter in my Home paper for plied, " Why, Mr. Root, that certainly 

 August. I think I asked him if he was a will be fair. But don't you want to consult 

 professing Christian. He admitted he was. your lawyer?" 



