LEFT-HANDED COMPLIMENTS
Reading edition
A good-looking young minister was driving to the county town of B—— in a buggy. On the way he overtook a very comely young woman going the same direction afoot. He courteously stopped and suggested that he give her a lift, an offer which she gladly accepted, riding beside him several miles to her destination at a country farm-house. On descending from the vehicle she thanked him for his kindness, and he very politely said, “Don’t mention it—don’t mention it.” And she said, “No, I won’t. I won’t tell. I’m as much ashamed of it as you are!”
When he was within two miles of the town he overtook a young lawyer who was returning afoot from a visit to a country client, and took him aboard, and the two had some sharp passages as they rode along. Now, it chanced that a man was to be hanged for murder the next day in the town, and the carpenters were busy erecting the gallows in the yard of the jail. When the two came to the hill which overlooks the town of B——, they could plainly see the top of the gallows above the wall of the jail. Pointing then to the jail the minister said:
“If the gallows had its due, where would you be?”
“I’d be riding into town alone, I reckon,” was the answer.