Devoted to the Propagation and Defense of New Testament Christianity
VOLUME 19
August 24, 1967
NUMBER 16, PAGE 12b

How Tales Get Started

Jesse M. Kelley

"John Bee is in jail," said Mrs. M. to Mrs. A. as she met her on the street. "Well, who'd have thought it!" said Mrs. A. "I'm not too-surprised when I reflect, though; I'll bet that's what that group of men I just passed on the street were talking about." "They just now caught him," said Mrs. M. "For I saw the sheriff taking him up the court house steps just now." "What did they put him in jail for?" asked Mrs. A. "Oh, I don't know," answered Mrs. M., "but I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't for writing a hot check." "My, my, what a dreadful thing to do," said Mrs. A. as she walked on down the street.

"Did you know that John Bee is in Jail this very minute?" asked Mrs. A. as she met Mrs. R. further down the street. "My gracious no!" answered Mrs. R. "What on earth for?" "Oh, I don't know - something about a check," answered Mrs. A., Probably forgery." "Well, I'm not surprised," said Mrs. R. as she walked off. "I've always been a little skeptical of him anyway."

"John Bee is in jail," said Mrs. R. to Mrs. N. when she met her as she was entering her front gate. "What!" she exclaimed. "So it finally happened," she went on. "I just knew when Ann married him that she was making a big mistake. I'm not surprised at all, but are you quite sure?" "Oh, I imagine he's already sentenced by now. Probably got five years. Serves him right though, anyone who would forge a check deserves it."

"Only think of John Bee," said Mrs. N. to Mrs. W. as she walked up to her in the department store. "What about him?" said Mrs. W., apparently more inclined to think of the new hat she was trying on. "In the penitentiary, that's all. He got five years for forgery." "He has always been a great favorite with everyone," said Mrs. W. "Ah, but we've all seen a great change lately," said Mrs. N. "When did you notice it?" "I don't know that it was spoken of till this morning, but anyone might have seen it long ago."

At that moment the sheriff and John Bee walked down the courthouse steps. The new deputy badge that had just been pinned on John's shirt by the sheriff was apparent to all.

Do you think we have exaggerated? Well, maybe a little, but not much. A lot of John Bee's have been ruined by loose tongues.

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and is set on fire of hell... it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison." (Jas. 3:6-8)