A Bit of Limekiln Philosophy.

Otago Witness, Issue 1764, 12 September 1885, Page 27

A Bit of Limekiln Philosophy.

_ " Stepoff Johnsing," said Brother Gardner, in his deep-toned voice, " I war' in a feed-stoh deadder night to see about gittin' two-bit* wuth: of meal fur my hens, when you walked in an r wanted to git trusted fur a bale of iay fur your mule/

" An' he trusted me, sah." " 'Zactly, an' it pleased me to see it. In a few minits de ole man Cummins limped in. Da two of you talked about de gineral wickedness of mankind fur a few minits, an' den a dispute arose as to de aige of de world." " Yes, sah. De ole man Cummins doan' know nuffin, sah." " You called him a liar." " But he called me a fool." " You called him a bigot." " An' he called me a humbug " " 'Zactly—'zactly— l heerd it all, Brudder Johnsing, an' now I want to ax you what you know about de aige of de world ?" " I — I — knows'as much as de ole man Cummins." " How old am de airth ?"

" I dunno, sah."

'• Oh, you don't ! You an' Cummins call names an' almost fight ober what neither of yoa kin cum widin a millyun miles of < knowin' I Da^'s mankind, 'zactly. We kin be bluffed on what we do know, but we won't back water fur any libin' man on what we doan' know. When we git a theory we fight fur it sooner dan fur solemn facks. If we can't convince de odder party by blab we am ready to do it by sluggin'. Brudder Johnsing, it will be well for you to disreckolect a few facks. A gill of argyment am worth a bushel o' abuse. It takes a man of strong common sense to admit his faults an' errors. You may believe wid all yer might an* still be in de* wrong. Find a man who prides himself on stickin' to his opinyuns, an' you has found a dangerous member of de community,' You may now sot down, an' we will attack de reg'lar programme." — Detroit Free Press.