good

   counselor, he was "looked up to," and abided by.

   It so fell out that a congregation in Mr. Bulkley's vicinity got to loggerheads, and were upon the apex of raising "the evil one" instead of a spire to their church, as they proposed and

    split

   upon. The very nearest they could come to a mutual cessation of the hostilities, was to appoint a

    committee

   of three, to wait on Mr. Bulkley, state their

    case

   , and get him to adjudicate. They waited on the old gentleman, and he listened with grave attention to their conflicting grievances.

   "It appears to me," said the old gentleman, "that this is a very simple case—a very trifling thing to cause you so much vexation."

   "So I say," says one of the

    committee

   .

   "I don't call it a trifling case, Mr. Bulkley," said another.

   "No case at all," responded the third.

   "It ain't, eh?" fiercely answered the first speaker.

   "No, it ain't, sir!" quite as savagely replied the third.

   "It's anything but a trifling case, anyhow," echoed number two, "to expect to raise the minister's salary and that new steeple, too, out of our small congregation."

   "There is no danger of raising much out of

    you

 Prev. P 12/430 next