"My experience," she said, "has shown me that the Apostle was right.To properly serve the cause, one must be all things to all men.I have known very queer things indeed turn out to be means of grace.You simply CAN'Tget along without some of the wisdom of the serpent.
We are commanded to have it, for that matter.And now, speaking of that, do you know when the Presiding Elder arrives in town today, and where he is going to eat supper and sleep?"Theron shook his head."All I know is he isn't likely to come here," he said, and added sadly, "I'm afraid he's not an admirer of mine.""Perhaps that's not all his fault," commented Sister Soulsby.
"I'll tell you something.He came in on the same train as my husband, and that old trustee Pierce of yours was waiting for him with his buggy, and I saw like a flash what was in the wind, and the minute the train stopped Icaught the Presiding Elder, and invited him in your name to come right here and stay; told him you and Alice were just set on his coming--wouldn't take no for an answer.
Of course he couldn't come--I knew well enough he had promised old Pierce--but we got in our invitation anyway, and it won't do you any harm.Now, that's what I call having some gumption--wisdom of the serpent, and so on.""I'm sure," remarked Alice, "I should have been mortified to death if he had come.We lost the extension-leaf to our table in moving, and four is all it'll seat decently."Sister Soulsby smiled winningly into the wife's honest face.
"Don't you see, dear," she explained patiently, "I only asked him because I knew he couldn't come.A little butter spreads a long way, if it's only intelligently warmed.""It was certainly very ingenious of you," Theron began almost stiffly.Then he yielded to the humanities, and with a kindling smile added, "And it was as kind as kind could be.I'm afraid you're wrong about it's doing me any good, but I can see how well you meant it, and I'm grateful.""We COULD have sneaked in the kitchen table, perhaps, while he was out in the garden, and put on the extra long tablecloth," interjected Alice, musingly.