Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 9, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 January 1911 — GOT THE BEST OF THE ELDER [ARTICLE]

GOT THE BEST OF THE ELDER

Apt Quotation* of Brer Reuben Saved His Mule and at the Bame Time Rebuked Sin. Elder Harris was making another attempt to Induce one of the members of his flock to trade horses with him. “Dat pony o’ you’n, Brer Reuben,” he said, “is jes’ what I want, an’ my big bay hos is jes’ what yo’ want. ''l kin grit over de groun’ faster wid de pony, an 'you kin haul a bigger load wld de hoss. Hit’d be a good trade fur bofe on us, ’ceptin’ dat It’d be a leetle better fuh you dan it would fur me. You take de bay and give me de ches’nut sor’l." “De pony suits me well ‘nougj), elder,” averred Brother Reuben, for the twentieth time. “I don’ keer t* make noPswap.” “But I jes’ natchelly got t’ have dat pony, Brer Reuben." “Elder,” spoke the other, after a period of profound thought, “f been wantin’ t’ ast yo’ a question for a long time.” “Well, what is it?” “I know w’art one o’ de ’postles sayß ’bout de law bein' done away with, but ain’t we still livin’ undah de ten comman’ments?” “Brer Reuben,” solemnly averred Elder Harris, “we air.” “Well, one o’ dem comman’ments says we mustn’t covet anyt’ing w’t b’locgs f our neighbors, an’ you’re covetin’ dat li’l chestnut sor’l pony o’ mine. Brer Harris!” Then the elder gave it up. Clearly the tenth commandment was against him. —Chicago Tribune.