Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-08-21
.gohn Cults, Secret.

wanting now?"
ayes, hc'8 in OF about somewhere, suppose, >
she replied; "but I'm Mr.. Cuts when business
is TO be done. Hes Mr.. Cults eatin' and drmkin
and Sleepin', sometimes"
''Wcll, my good woman" said the gentleman
81 think he will be Mr. Cults for my business
too. | wish to see him.
"What do you want Of himH asked the
shrcw, thruSting her head still further out Of tho
window
"ro do something for me. But l must see
himself" was the reply.
as it real business, Tor pay, or only a favol
| you want; can let your horse have n peck o
oats, or ! can direct you to the shortest road tC
the -Four Corners, or cam can-why can dc
anything for you that he could; and.a good dca
mOrCl take the money and write the receipts
| and pay the men, and take off the produced
am as good judge of stock as he is, and cant
he beat on horse tlcsh.'
But" said the gentleman, drawing down hi,
face, Solemnlv, lyon can't take his place now
Find him for me at once"
The shrcw was bafled. "Look here, mister
may be You do not know the circumstances Of
the case This here farm is mine, and il was
fathers farm atore me; and Cults he amt nc
more claim to it than that hen down there has
And besides, am several years older than he is
a foot higher, and twenty pounds morel What's
your business on my place, ii | may be Sc
bod?'
"To see and talk with your husband" replied
the gentleman, getting out of his chaise and
hitchng his horse to Il post, as il he meant to
stay until he did see him.
''De You doctor! cause there amt a living
thing the matter with Cults He's the wclcst
man in town, and so be l." said this woman OF
the times"
"No, my good woman, am not doctor. Do
you think your husband will be in soon? Send
that boy to find him." said the stranger.
The boy looked up in his mothers face-but he
knew his own business too well to start without
orders.
"Then you are minister, | suppose, by your
black coat. may as well tell you and save
your time that we don't 20 to meeting and
don't want to. 1t amt no use for You TO leave
no tracks nor nothn'-tor Eve got big dairy,
and amt got no time to lido away readin', and
! keep him about SC early and late that when
he is done work he's glad to 90 to bed and rest.
"Pm no minister, madam; though | wish l
was, for your sake" said the gentleman.
"Senl for your husband; | cannot wait much
longer. must see him at once"
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 q
schoolmaster huntin' up a district school; and
you think he's committeeman; but he amt
this year"
"M0'am Cults" as the ncighbors called her,
dropped her hands at her side and heaved a
groan. She had found a man she couldn't
manage.
"See here, now, mister" she said, az can
read boy right through, and knew what you
was the minute | clapped my eyes on you. |
can tell by your evcrlastin' arguin' that you are
a lawyer. We amt got no quarrcls; don't
want no deeds drawn and wills made, SO if you
are huntin' job of my husband, you may as
well unhich your horse and dive on. We
knew enough TO make little money, and /
know enough to hold on to it,"
"My good woman, you entirely miSunder-
stand my errand. can tell no person but HIM
self what it is, and must tell him in confidence
alone. If he chooses he may break it to you
the best way he cam"
90 my goodness alive. Brother Lifts blowcd
up in the Mississippi boat, | betl 0, Ia me, the
poor fellowl he left a little something, didn't
hep
81 haven dheard of him, and nobody's blowed
up, that know o" replied the gentleman.
"Oh, now | knowl Yon're the man who
wants to 90 to congress, and have come here
buntin' after votes. He shall not vote for you.
| hate politicians especially them that goes
ngin women, and thinks they were made to
drudge, and n0thin' else. | 20 in for free and
equal rights for white folks-men and women
for Scripture says, "thcre isn't neither men nor
women, but ALPS one in politics." ] believe the
day is comm when such as you and me viii
have to bow the knee TO women afore you can
cit the bic places and high pay that's eaten MS
with taXesl You can't see my husband. We
are going to the polls on the way to the mill,
and promise You that he votes right"
"Pm no candidate, and | don't know what
you are talking about. Ali there comes the
man want" And The stranger went towards
Mr.. Cults, who had just leaped q pair of bars
which led from the potato patch into the lane.
Mrs. Cults few into the house for her sunbon-
net, to follow them: but by the time she got to
the bars, her mysterious visitor and Cults were
driving down the road
The strong-miuded woman shouted after her
husband, you'd better come back, tell youI"
but the wind was the wrong way and carried her
words into the potato patch.
"Sir" said the gentleman to honest Cults, |
have very simple question to ask you, but
Shall have TO ask you in confidence. l will give
you five dollars if you will promise not to re-
peat my words until tomorrow.
well, | shouldn't like to answer any ques-
tions that would make trouble among nv
neighbors. have my hands full, | can tell you.
to keep out of scrapeS now; but | have borne
J., and han't an enemy in the world, as l
know"
"But, sir, you needn't reply to my question
unless you are perfectly willing" the stranger
said.
"Ask yonr question" said Cuts, "and will
not repeat it,"
"WeIl, Mr.. Cuts, am laying a fence on the
BrSey place, that have just bought, and was
directed to inquire Of you where [ could buy
cedar posts. A fellow in the store said, Cults
can tell you, if his wife will let him, but she
won't She'll insist on telling you herself, and,
perhaps; offer to drive you where you 90 TO order
them"
81 told them ] would see you and ask Won
only; and the fellows bet omit. They are TO give
you ten dollars, and two or three widows in
town a cord of wood each, if succeed in asking
you this question alone, and making sure your
wife does not know my business until after
breakfast tomorrow morning"
Cuts knew his wife'S standing too well 10 feel
sensitive, and, taking the bill fIom the stranger,
he smiled and said:
'Pl 90 with yOu to look out the cedar posts
and keep dark for the jokes sake; but don't
know as she'll let me stay in the house to night;
don't own it, replied the good-natured Cults
suppose you go to the place and see TO
cutting the posts. | will send boy to tell her
you had to go off suddenly, on a little business,
and will be back in the morning." said the
stranger.
'Pll do that" replied Cuts, "for I never
quarrel with her, but let her have her own
way. don't want TO worry about trifes"
Good man" said the stranger, "there are no
trihcs in this life. The smallest act is i'm.
pOrtant, and that easy good nature of yours
will ruin your family. Battle that spirit to-day,
and next Sunday take your boys and go to the
house of God, whatever she says, and be a real
man at the head of your own house and famlv' :.
TITS rather too late TO begin," said Cults,
shaking his head in amanner that would have
warned Others from the trap in which his feet
were fast.
'You sec the purse is hers" he added, "and
that has been a crueler fetter than her will to
me. But will try to begin anew, for her good
and the children's."
The boy was sent with the message, but the
boy wasn't sharp enough. Madam Cults dis
covered the whereabouts of her lord, tackled up
and went after him.
All the way home, and far into the night she
used her eloquence, both in peadings and threat
enings, to ind out the mysterious errand of that
hateful town nabob that had come into the
county to separate happy families,
But Cuts, yielded himself up to "dumb spirit''
for the night and Iothing induced him to Talk
on any subject, lest she should pry the mighty
secret out of him.
About midnight she wore herself out. and
went to sleep; but at daybreak she began again.
He then ventured to say, 'As soon as breakfast
is over III break the news TO you"
you'll never eat morse in my house. | can
tell you," cried Xantippe, "tlI you have told me
what the man wanted of you"
"1hen you'll wait good while to hear IT,"
said Cults, "for I've vowed I'd never tell until
had first eaten my breakfast" and with these
words he went out.
Maam Cults endured the torture as long Ms
possible, and then got breakfast. She called to
| the door, to no one in particular, "Come"
But Quits didn't come After ,vbila oho