23. XXIII.
LYING.
As easy az it iz to lie, I am astonished that thare
are so few engaged in the bizzness, and that so few
fust-rate lies are ever told.
I am not prepared to say how mutch real sin thare
iz in what iz kalled a light-colored lie, that haz no
maliss or evil result in it, but I have alwus notised
that the heft ov mankind love to excel in awl they
undertake, and I can't tell how long a man would
be willing to tell white lies for fun when he might
be turning an honest penny for himself by telling
black ones.
Men don't generally bekum drunkards by confinning
themselfs stricktly tew sweet sider.
Lieing is the lowest grade of sin,—it is more cowardly
than stealing, bekause thare is less risk in it
—it is more demoralising than burglary, bekause
there is no cure for it,—it is more dangerous than
swareing, bekause swareing don't hurt enny boddy
else,—it waz the fust sin committed, bekause it was
the easiest and most natral, and it will probably be
the last one committed, bekause no man ever gits
so poor and degraded but what he kan tell quite a
respectabel lie.
Lieing is said tew be constitushionall in sum
folks,—so is the itch constitushionall, because folks
hang around whare it is, and won't doktor for it after
they git caught by it.
Finally—I might as well own it—I hav told a
few very fair lies myself, but i kant reckollect ov one
that I feel proud ov now.
