A controversy between truth and falsehood

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COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT;

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Chapter I

When I started on the train of life, I got my ticket at the first station on the road called Babyhood (station) or the town of Infancy, and that being some time ago, I don't remember very much about it, but can remember about the time I was leaving there for the next station, which was called Childhood (station). I got in possession of some impression which Mr. Hearing had given to Mr. Mind, for my instruction on the journey, and as all that kind of baggage was free of cost to me on the train of life, I did not object to how much I got, or what kind it was, and proceeded to take all I could get. But by the time I had arived at the next station (Childhood) I formed several acquaintances and among them was a Mr. Teller, and he told me that while we were waiting at the station that there was any amount of impressions, like I already had, and some I did not have, and advised me to take none that looked dingy, as I would not need all that I might get, but Mr. Hearer who carried the news, kept giving them to Mr. Mind for me all the time we were there. Some time during my stay at that station I was introduced to a Mr. Caution, who told me Mr. Teller had informed him that I had quite a lot of impressions on hand, and that there were so many accumulating on our train of life that there had been an inspector appointed by the name of Mr. Truth, and on investigation he was finding some bad impressions that were faulty, and would have to be thrown over board or be paid for. During the stay in the town of Childhood, I continued to meet Mr.

Caution, but not realizing any material difference in the baggage I was getting up, I did not pay much attention to it, but leaving the town of Childhood, and on the way to Boyhood, the next and third station on the road, I learned that Mr. Mind had been promoted to the office of Conductor on the train (of life) and by the time and even before we reached the next station, I saw Mr. Mind and Mr. Truth, whom I had already learned was to be the inspector of the baggage (impressions), were very often in consultation, and on my arrival at the town of Boyhood, I also met Mr. Falsehood, and after learning more about him I found that he had lived in that town, and he seemed to be such a plausible and handy fellow, always ready to volunteer his services, and making himself so handy to Mr. Mind, the conductor, and so frequent among the passengers, I began to notice him closer, and apparently he seemed all right, until one day I saw him and Mr. Mind seemingly in a very pleasant conversation. I noticed Mr. Truth was standing close by and seemed to be listening to the conversation also, and during the time Mr. Falsehood was getting very serious and so was Mr. Mind — so much so that I heard him say he would see Mr. Thought, a gentleman up to that time I had not had much acquaintance with. But at this juncture Mr. Truth stepped up in front of Mr. Falsehood, and to my utter surprise I saw Mr. Falsehood wilt, and look as if he wanted to sneak off, but Mr. Truth looked as pleasant as ever and spoke to Mr. Mind in a sweet gentle voice, so much so that I thought all would be pleasant again, as it was when Mr. Falsehood first commenced talking to Mr. Mind. But not so, Mr. Falsehood only looked the more sneaking and cowed down, and soon he commenced trembling and looked as though he would fall but finally turned and went walking off. Mr. Truth went on to tell Mr. Mind that he had been with him before Mr. Falsehood ever got on his train and besides he went on to tell Mr. Mind, that he had known Mr. Falsehood, from birth, and that he was a fraud and a cheat, and to his personal knowledge he would steal not only money, but goods of any kind or character, and if possible all the baggage he had (his impressions) that would do him any good. At least even that which he would have to use on his journey, if he ever got to the place he was expecting to reach. By this time Mr. Mind had become very much interested and was looking at Mr. Truth very seriously, when Mr. Thought stepped up and took hold of Mr. Mind, thinking there might be something wrong with him. And it was there

I learned that Mr. Thought was a kinsman of Mr. Mind, and always with him, and I noticed that he paid no attention to Mr. Truth at all, but kept holding on to Mr. Mind. I looked and saw another gentleman coming from the other side from Mr. Truth as though he wanted to say something to Mr. Mind or Mr. Thought one, and did not want Mr. Truth to hear it, though Mr. Truth was standing right there. But just at this time a stranger to me walked up and Mr. Truth looked at him and commenced smiling, as did the stranger, and when he was near by Mr. Truth spoke to him and called him Mr. Conscience. Mr. Conscience also spoke to him and to Mr. Mind, as pleasantly as he did to Mr. Truth and Mr. Mind spoke to Mr. Conscience, but still had that serious look of unpleasantness on his face. I noticed that Mr. Conscience kept his eye on the fellow that had come up on the other side from Mr. Truth, as though he wanted to speak to Mr. Mind, and not let Mr. Truth hear what he had to say, and Mr. Conscience then also took hold of Mr. Mind, and asked him if he had been keeping company with that fellow Falsehood, that was standing there. Just as Mr. Conscience called his name, he went walking off, and I looked at him more particularly then to see if he favored the Falsehood, that Mr. Truth had just been talking to Mr. Mind about. And behold it was the same man, but he had been off and changed his clothes. Then Mr. Conscience went on to tell Mr. Mind that he was an officer on the train of life, on which he (Mr. Mind) was conductor, and if he attempted to keep company or let such fellows as that man Falsehood have anything to do with his train that he (Mr. Conscience), would certainly chastize him every time he heard of his being with him, or especially every time he heard of him having anything to do with his words, acts, or deeds in any way. He also told Mr. Mind that he (Mr. Conscience) was supposed to know every thing that went on in connection with the train of life. Then Mr. Truth spoke and told Mr. Mind that he would have to be very careful or that man Falsehood would give him no little trouble — that he had caused many a man to lose his job, and repeated that he had known him from birth, and also called his attention to the fact that he went off and changed his clothes and returned in another dress with the hopes of getting him off from him. Mr. Truth also told him that this was not the first time but thousand and millions of times he had seen him do that way, and Mr. Truth went on to tell Mr. Mind that he had met Falsehood, in every station of life, among all kinds of people, and in all kinds of institutions; that he had even met him in the church, and in every conceivable shape and dress, and that many times he had to take hold of him and pull his robes off to convince people he had gotten in with, that he was really the man Falsehood. Mr. Truth also told

Mr. Mind, that Falsehood was a member of a large family and that some of them were wealthy some of them were not, but all of them had more or less influence, until they were found out, and while Mr- Truth was talking to Mr. Mind he called over several of Mr. Falsehood's kinsmen's names. He (Mr. Conscience) said that Falsehood had several brothers. One of them was named Thief, another was named Robber, another one named Extortion, and another one named Drunkard, and still another one named Whoremonger, and he said the whole family had proved so bad that even Falsehood's sisters had given him a great deal of trouble — so much so, that he had many times been forced to put them in prison, and expose them in many different ways. At this point I had become very much interested, seeing what I had on the trip, up to this time, and being with Mr. Hearing all the time. He had told me a great deal and I enjoyed his company better than any one I had met, except Mr. Mind. I liked him and stayed with him all the time, only when I was asleep, and when I once got acquainted with Mr. Thought I liked him splendid, though I did not see much of him until I arrived at the town of Boyhood.

In getting ready to leave that station on my journey to Manhood station, the next and fourth station on the road, called by a great many the town of Twenty-one, Mr. Thought told me that from the town of Boyhood, where we were then, to Manhood, was the longest distance on the road. But traveling along seeing the sights and up's and down's of the road, the train running at a very slow speed, or Mr. Thought said it was slow, it looked as though we would never get to the next station (Manhood) at all. At any rate we kept going all the time, and in traveling along the conductor, Mr. Mind, was busy looking after the affairs of the train (of life) as were all the officers on board.

As I had been informed before, the baggage was to be inspected, and from what I could see, and what Mr. Hearing was having to say, there was a great deal of it that would have to be thrown off before, or at least when we got to the next station. Mr. Teller said that some of it was so bad that it was going to cost somebody something. It w 7 as so bad that Mr. Truth, the inspector, said that if carried too long on the train it would rust and canker, and so many of those bad impressions, the baggage, being piled up in a pile, that it would become infected with germs of different kinds, so small you could hardly see them at first, but he said they would thrive and grow under almost any circumstances, and when permitted to do so they were inclined to mature faster when there were several of them together

Mr. Truth went on to describe them pretty thoroughly, and said that in growing out of one stage into another, they would form a kind of slime, that was inclined to cement itself together, that after a certain length of time there was danger of them becoming of an explosive nature Mr. Truth went on to state, that in this composition the germ was formed in its last stage, and up to this time he had not given the germs any name, but he said that they were jus* as hardy and vigorous in this and the last stage, and even more so than at any other time, and with favorable circumstances would soon commence hatching out into little beings commonly called acts or deeds, though some times very small, but invariably every time one hatched it caused an explosion of the slime. Mr. Truth said that after they were hatched out, there was a kind of food grown on this slime, or larvae, that was called indulgence, or practice, if they could get enough of it that it would cause them to grow to such a large size sooner or later, that they would have so much power they could and would wreck the whole train of life, and he said that he had been running on the train of life ever since the road was built and was even looking on while the road was in building, and even before. He was present and heard all the plans for its building, and what kind of trains would run over it. When finished was on the first train that ran over the road, and had been on every one since then, (though not as active and familiar with some of the passengers as he was with others) but he knew the train and the road, and said there was not a place on the road from Boyhood station to the end of the line, but that once those little germs got their start in the baggage (impressions) and afterwards formed into those beings called Acts or Deeds, and fed on indulgence or practice.

They had caused a wreck in places too numerous to mention and when they had wrecked the whole train of life and therefore they must be put off. He said the sooner they were thrown overboard the better it was. After hearing him give such a painstaking description of them and wondering how it was he had never been destroyed, I was moved to ask him a question, and did so. I asked him if he had never got hurt in any of the wrecks, he had been on so many trains, and seen so many wrecks. He looked at me as though I was crazy, but answered the question and said, O, no, he always knew when there was going to be a wreck by the sound of those explosions, and being the inspector he handled the baggage so much he could tell the bad ones from the good. While he was occasionally passing through every coach he had a special car and could uncouple it from the balance of the train at any time, and always did that when the engineer did not obey his orders, and Mr. Truth went on to say that oftentimes they went off and left him and he would be left behind a long time, but sooner or later they would get over loaded with baggage and as he was the only living inspector they would get scared and back back, and as he had a self-acting coupler to his car it always hitched on, and he said as everybody admits the fact that the train of life never did reach the end of the line without Mr. Truth being on board, but {scores of them have run into the suburbs of the city where the last station is, but they were never admitted into the station without his presence, (Mr. Truth), for the grand reason that the high judge, of the supreme court, of last appeals, has given over the keys to Mr. Truth, and Mr. Truth added that he had seen many millions of people perish on the outside of the station because they had fallen out with him on the road, and refused to recognize him or to be confined to his words, but at the end of the line (death) his words are verified. While we may be deluded and be mislead while on the train of life (while we live in the world) but the one fact knowing we must die, is the all sufficient proof that the truth will overtake us in the end.

Chapter II

Then Mr. Thought said to the passengers on the journey from Boyhood station, or the town of Infancy, as some call it, we have begun to learn a great deal more about the ways of traveling. On our arrival in the town of Boyhood, and the experiences while going through the town, gives us a better idea of the trip, and also gives us a better idea of the management at the next station, called Manhood. As you have already noted we have met and formed several acquaintances and know by this time some of the officers of the train, Mr. Mind, the conductor, and Mr. Truth, the baggage inspector, and we have begun to learn that there are some rules and regulations that we are requested to conform to if we get along well with the officers and passengers generally, and especially after we get to the next station, which is Manhood, or the town of Twenty-one. All this we did not know when we started on the trip, but after I learned that Mr. Mind was the conductor on the train and Mr. Truth was the inspector of the baggage, and had heard Mr. Conscience say he was an officer of the road, and heard him tell Mr. Mind that he would chastize or punish him for certain things if he did them, I was more concerned than I had been, and in company with Mr. Thought

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I asked him what all this meant any way. He told me in part, but he said he was acting as chief porter on the train (of life) and he was mixed up with the officers of the road and the manager and all the passengers, and had more or less dealings with all of them, and he said some of the officers did not agree, so I had better go to Mr, Wisdom, who was chief of the bureau for information — that he worked for one the same as another. He said Mr. Falsehood and Mr. Truth and some of the other officers were always at variance, and they all used him, and he worked for one the same as the other, and I had better go to Mr. Wisdom. As I knew of the differences between Mr. Truth and Mr. Falsehood, I asked him what about their differences any way, and he told me that Mr. Wisdom would also tell me about that too. And as Mr. Mind and Mr. Thought used the same office and relatives besides, and Mr. Mind, the conductor, being present I asked him if he knew, and he said he was like the porter in that respect, that he was mixed up with everybody on board, and said I had beter ask Mr. Wisdom, that he could tell me all about it. But not knowing any thing about Mr. Wisdom, up to that time, I suggested that he might be like them, and I asked which side he was on — Mr Falsehood's or Mr. Truth's — and the answer was that he was not on either side, but as to that matter Mr. Wisdom and every body else knew that Mr. Truth was right, but that Mr.

Wisdom was independent, and all hands but Mr, Truth had to go to him for information, or to some of his agents about every thing. Then I asked if Mr. Wisdom, furnished everybody that went to him, and the answer was that he did to a certain extent, but that some wanted to know more than others, and that he had an inexhaustable supply of it, and he would furnish them with all they could carry- Some had a better opportunity than others to get to him though, and Mr. Thought spoke and said it was supposed by a great many that Mr. Wisdom was a little partial to some, and it really looked that way. Then I asked the direct question, if Mr. Truth and Mr. Falsehood were to go to Mr. Wisdom at the same time, together, or at different times, separately, would he (Mr. Wisdom) give them each all the information they wanted. Mr. Conscience being present at this time, answered the question and said he certainly would; that he was well acquainted with Mr. Wisdom, and worked in his office, and knew all about the situation, and invited me to it, and said that he acted as dictator when he was in, but in some cases he had gone out after he was fully and thoroughly convinced that the person would not adhere to his advice, though he said he used every effort to persuade and coax them, and often rebuked them severely and never left them as long as there was a shadow of hope for them. Seeing that he was a man of more than ordinary importance, I conferred with him a great deal, and asked him if he would go with me to the office of Mr.

Wisdom, and he said he would and on my arrival at the office I found the door wide open and was informed that it stayed open day and night, and was never -shut at all. Not only that, all sorts of instructions could be had, some good, some bad, but I noticed that there were several different kinds of agents dealing them out, some of them good and some bad, and also noticed that everybody was admonished to search for Mr. Wisdom, and they could approach his in the same way, but after seeing and conversing with him I found there were two ways of going out, after you are instructed even by Mr. Wisdom, that there were two doors and each one of these doors had a door-keeper. While at the office I met Mr. Caution, and I asked him why there were two doors to go out at, and why they had a door-keeper, and he said that was part of his business to point out. Mr. Caution said that was a very noted place and everybody was admonished to search for wisdom and there was no danger of getting lost, to start from any stage of life or any point of the world to hunt that place. He said the whole train of life could run right to it or they could switch off, and surround it, if they preferred, but he said when they went to leave there, after they had gotten their information or instructions, there were certain ways to go from there, and Mr. Caution said Mr. Wisdom knew every path that led out to every nook and corner of the earth. He said that when Mr. Wisdom, himself, went out to take a walk, he always went out on the peaceful path, which is the only safe and profitable way, and he said they were called the ways of peace, and Mr.

Conscience said that was the way he always dictated (pointing to a certain door.) He said that Mr* Truth, would never go any other way — but he being inspector of all the baggage, he had to be at all the courts of justice, and at church, and in fact anywhere inspection was needed, and he said under the proper influence, with the proper instruction, Mr. Mind and Mr. Thought were inclined to want to go that way, but would go any way they were directed. I was still interested in those two doors, and two ways to get out of Mr. Wisdom's office. So I asked Mr. Conscience why they were there. He said, that the names of the door-keepers, indicated the way, and asked me if I did not notice the door he was pointing at when he was telling me about the way Mr. Wisdom himself went. He said Mr. Right, kept that door, and never had failed to open up a passage if any obstruction was in the way. Then Mr. Truth spoke and said there were always enough messengers going in that direction (on the ways of peace) to keep me on the right way, and by going this way, I could get out and take a walk any time the train of life was lying over for any purpose and always get back on time, though I might be informed by Mr. Thought, as he is very quick motioned at times, that I would get left. But if you will call on Mr. Mind, the conductor, he will keep you posted on that, for he knows all the baggage that can safely be carried on the train of life will have to go to Mr. Wisdom's office to be stamped before you can have it rechecked at the next station, which is Manhood, (station). While Mr. Conscience makes his headquarters at Mr. Wisdom's office, and unless you abuse him until it is past all endurance to bear it, he is always ready to serve you, but he never acts until Mr. Truth has passed on your baggage (impressions). Then if you refuse to obey his decision you may look for chastisement. Mr. Truth is always ready to serve you in every need and never fails to win in every case, though sometimes he is delayed, sometimes for one reason and sometimes another. A great many times he has no conveyance; sometimes he is left on purpose, when there are plenty of conveyances; sometimes he, for some reason, is delayed so long that he fails to be on hand, at some important meetings. And many cases and differences are settled before he ever gets there, but one thing is sure and certain he gets there after awhile in some way and his influence is so great that in every transaction since the world was made, where he was not present, on his arrival the verdict was changed. There is no power, no opinions, with all other influences brought to bear, that can be, though it be used cunningly with all kinds of chicanery, that will not fade and lose its color in his presence. As the sun sheds forth its light in darkness when it appears, so it is with Mr. Truth on the train of life.

Chapter III

There is not a passenger on the train of life, who does not believe all of this, if he has ever been in his company verv much. But Mr. Thought continues to call my attention to the two doors that I saw at Mr. Wisdom's office, with the two doorkeepers, and as we have been told about the way we would go when we started out by Mr. Right, and heard that way described. But what about the other door? It seemed to be wider than the door that was kept by Mr. Right, and seeing Mr. Truth was in the office I asked him what made that door so much larger than the one Mr. Right kept. He said there was no good reason for it, but there were several different kinds of ways that led off just after you pass out at that door, and many passengers were going out and in — that it took more room that way. Seeing Mr. Truth did not take any pleasure in describing that way, I asked Mr. Conscience who kept that door, and he said it was kept by a man by the name of Mr. Wrong, and did not say any more. And I saw he, like Mr. Truth, did not take any pleasure in describing that way. So I did not feel disposed to worry him, and I started on in that direction.

Mr- Thought told me I could look at the door for myself, and in conversation with Mr.

Thought, I was looking around the door. Mr. Wrong, the keeper of that door, was on duty and saw us and spoke to Mr. Thought very pleasantly. Mr. Thought being well acquainted with him, (Mr. Wrong) introduced me to him, and Mr. Thought met me, shook hands and was very pleasant. He offered to lead me through this door, and said there were many different ways that led from his door and I could take any of them, but I told him I did not know the ways. About that time I heard Mr. Conscience speak to some one, and I looked around and he was talking to Mr. Caution. It sounded to me like he said, "If that fellow starts out that way he may get hurt." About that time Mr. Caution motioned to me, and I stepped up close enough so I could understand what he was going to say, as Mr. Thought said he (Mr. Caution) might want to speak to me about something. Mr. Caution said he was glad I heard him and turned back, saying that he was Mr- Conscience's private secretary, and as Mr. Conscience himself never had anything to do with Mr. Wrong, only when he or some of them who were always going out and in at that door tried to pass some tickets that Mr. Truth had turned down as no good. Then he would personally interfere,

Mr. Hearing had told me about the rules and restrictions that were going to take place at the next station, Manhood, and that interested me about my ticket. I produced it, and he said, "O, that ticket is all right, everybody has one like that/' and he said that was my ticket that gave me the privilege of going on the train of life; that Mr. Birth, the regular ticket agent, issued them to everybody, but that ticket was not the ticket he was talking about. It was the ticket for the baggage, that was signed up by Mr. Truth, he was talking about. He said sometimes they would forget Mr. Truth's name, and Mr. Mind, the conductor could not always tell the difference. He said that man Falsehood could write almost any kind of a hand, and come so near imitating Mr. Truth in everything, that no one but Mr. Truth himself could detect the difference.