Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-01-02
Gales md Skttehes.
JOHN CUTS SECRET.

luted by woman from an upper window
with, "WeI, what's wantin' naow ?"
! Yes, he's in or about somewhere,
/ suppose she replied; 'but I'm Mr.. Cuts
| when any business is to be done. He's
! Mr.. Cults eatin' and drinkin, and sleepin'
sometimes"
| well, my good woman said the
gentleman, II think he will be Mr.. Cuts
for my business, too, / wish to see him."
"What do you want of him ?" asked the
shrew, thrusting her head still further out
of the window.
ITO do something for me. But must
see himself" was the reply.
''Is it raal business, for pay, or only a
favor you want; can let your boss have
a peck of oats, or can direct you to the
shortest road to the Four Corner, or / can
i can-why | can do anything for you
that he could and good deal more! |
take the money and write the receipts,
and pay the men, and | take off the
produce! Pm as good Judge of stock as
he is, and can't be beat on horse flesh
But said the gentleman, drawing
! down his face solemnly, ''you can't take
his place now. Find him for me at once"
! The shrew was baffled. 'Look-a-here,
mister, maybe you do not know the cir
cumstances of the case. This here farm
is mine, and it was my fathers afore me
and Cults, he hain't no more claim to it
than that hen down there has. And be-
sides, I'm seven years older than he is, a
foot higher, and weigh twenty pounds
more! What's your business on my place,
if make so boldp"
ITO see and talk with your husband, y
replied the gentleman, getting out of his
/ al, ~ |, nL L.; l.
if he meant to stay until he did see him..
''Be you doctorp Cause there amt a
living thing the matter with Cults. He's
the wellest man in the town, and so be ~
said this woman for the times.'
NO. my good woman. Pm not a doc
tor Do you think your husband will be
in soon? Send that boy to find him y
said the stranger.
The boy looked up in his mothers face
but he knew his own interest too well to
start without orders e
''Then, you're Minister, | suppose,
by your black coat | may as we'll ten
you and save your time, that we don't &c
to meeting and don't want to. 1t amt nc
use for you to leave no tracks nor nothing
for I've got big dairy and hain't nc
time to idle away reading, and l keer
him about SO early and late, that when he (
done work he's glad to go to bed and rest. >
I'm no minister, madam: / wish
was though, for your sake,n said the gon-
| tleman.
"Send for your husband; | cannot wait
much longer | must see him at oncen
| The boy started to his feet again, and
looked in his mothers eye: but it gave no
marching orders.
'Look here, mister, now appearing at
the door, and looking defiantly at him,
you're school master huntin' up dis
trict school and you think he's commit
tee-man; but he amt this year
"Ma'am Cutts," as the neighbors called
her, dropped her hands at her side and
heaved groan. She had found man
she couldn't manage.
| See here, now, mister,n she said, 81
can read a boy right through, and knew
what you was the blessed minute clapped
my eyes on you. l can tell you by your
everlastin' arguin' that you are a lawyer.
We han't got no quarrels; don't want no
deeds drawed or wills made, so if you're
huntin' a job of my husband, you may as
well unhitch your horse and drive on. We
| know enough to make a little money, and
| know enough to hold on to it
| My good woman, you entirely misun-
derstand my errand. | can tell no person
| but himself what it is. and must tell him
| in confidence alone. II he chooses he may
break it to you the best way he can"
80, my goodness sake alive Brother
Lifts blowed up in the Mississippi boat,
bet. y, la me, the poor fellow He left a
| little something, didn't he ."
II never heard of him, and nobody's
'blowed up that know Of replied the
gentleman.
| "O-now | know You're the man what
wants to go to Congress, ha, and have
come here huntin' after votes He shall
not vote for you. hate politicians, espec-
| tally them that goes again women, and
thinks they were made to drudge, and
nothin' else! | go in for free and equal
rights for white folks--men and women
ior scrptur says, there isn't neither men
or women, but all's one in politics. | be-
| lieye the day is comm when such as YOU
and me will have to bow the knee to
women, afore you can get the big places
and high pay that's catin' us up with
taxes! We are goin' to the polls on the
way to the mill, and In promise you thai
he votes right
I'm no candidate, and don't know
who you are talking about. All there
comes the man | want" And the stranger
went toward Mr.. Cults, who had Just
leaped pair OF bars which led from the
potato patch into the lane.
Mrs. Cults flew into the house for hel
sunbonnet, to follow them; but by the
time she got to the bars, her mysterious
visitor and Cults were driving rapidly down
the road.
The stong-minded woman shouted af,
ter her husband, You'd better come
back, / tell your but the wind was the
wrong way, and carried her words into
the potato patch.
"Sir," said the gentleman to honest
Cults, II have very simple question to
ask you, but shall have TO ask you in
confidence, / will give you five dollars il
you will promise not to repeat my words
until tomorrow
"Well, SIR" replied Cuts, II shouldn't
like to answer any questions that would
make trouble among my neighbors. l
have my hands full, l can tell you, to
keep out of scrapes now; but Eve done
it, and haint an enemy in the world, as |
know.n
1 n,,t 81,