Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-10-28


Cuff was one of them fellers that could
talk bird off bush-master hand he
was to slick things over!
.'There was folks as said they be-
ieved the doctor was KNOWN to it, and
that he felt sort o carnal pride, sech
as a minister oughtn't fer to hev, and
SO shet his eyes to what was a-goin' on.
Aunt Sally Nickerson said she was sure.
ont; twas all talked over down to Miss
Bumminger's funeral, and Aunt Sally;
she was alters watchin' for folks haltin's.
and settin' on herself up to judge her
neighbors. IL
= .sWall, | never believed nothin' again
Parson William; it was all Cuffs con-
trivances; but the fact was the fellers
all got their blood up, and there was
hoss racin' in all the parishes and it
got SO they'd even race hosses Sunday.
"Wall, of course they never got the
doctors hoss out Sunday. Cuff would
mt a burst to do that, Lordy massy,
no He was alters there in church set.
tin up in the doctors clothes, rollin' up
his eyes and lookin' as pious as eff he
never thought O. racin' bosses he was
an awful solemn-lookin' nigger in church
Cuff was.
"But there was lot O. them fellers
up to Pequot Holler-Bill Atkins and
Ike Sanders, and Tom Peters, and them
Hokum boys-used to 60 out arter
meetin' Sunday afternoon and race hoss-
es. Ye see, it was jest close to the
State line, and they couldn't take 'em.
"Wall, it got to be great scandal !;
the fellers talked about it up the tavern,
and the deacons and the tithlngman
they took it up and went to Parson
Williams about it, and the parson he
told 'em jest to keep still, not let the
fellers know what they was bein' watch
ed, and next Sunday he and the tithing-
man and the constable they'd ride over
and catch 'em in the very act.
$50 next Sunday AFTERNOON Parson
Williams, and Deacon Popkins, and
Ben Bradley, he was constable that year,
they got on their hosses and rode over
to Pequot Holler. The doctors blood
was up, and he meant to come down on
'em strong, for that was his way of doin'
in his parish and they was in sort O
day O. Judgment frame O. mind, and
logged along solemn as a herse, till,
come to rise the hill above the holler,
they see three or four fellers with their
hosses gittih' ready to race; and the
parson says he;
"Let's come on quiet and get behind
these bushes, and we'll see what they re
up to and catch 'em in the act
'.But the mischief ont was that Ike
Sanders see 'em comm, and he knoweG
Tam in a minit,-Ike knowed Tam o.
old-and he jest tipped the wink to The
rest.
"Wait boys, says he, 'let 'em gi
close up, and then I'll give the wore
and the doctors boss will be racin' ahead
like thunder
"Wall, so the doctor and his folk
they drew up behind the bushes, anC
stood there innocent as could be, ant
saw 'em gittin' ready to start. Tam he
began to snuffile and paw, but the doc
tor never mistrusted what he was up t,
till Ike sung out, GO it, boysP and tn
hosses all started, when, sure as 20,
live, boys, Tam give one fly and wa
over the bushes and in among 'em goin
it like chain lightnin' ahead of 'em all.
deacon Popkins and Ben Bradle,
| jest stood and held their breath to Sc
'em all goin' it SO like thunder and tn
doctor he was took so sudden it was al
he could do to jest hold on any way, S
away he went, and trees, and bushes
and fences streaked by him like ribbins
his hat flew off behind him, and his wi
arter, and got catched in barber
bush but Lordy massy, he couldn'
stop to think o them. He jest leane
down and caught Tam around the neck
and held on for dear life, till they cam
to the stopping place.
| "Wall, Tam was ahead of 'em al
sure enough, and was snorting and snui
fling as if he'd got the very old boy i
him. and was up to racing some NOR
on the spot.
s.That ere Ike Sanders was the in
pudentest feller that ever you see, an
he roared and hawhawed at the doctor.
"'Good for you, parson! says he
takes parson for that, don't it, boys
he said.
.'And then he and Bill, and Tom, an
the two Hokum boys they jest roaret
and danced round like wild criteurs.
"Wall, now, only think ont, boy
what situation that ere was for
minister,-a man that had come OF
with the best of motives to put a stop
Sabbath breakin' There he was a
rumpled up and dusty, and his w
hangin' in the bushes, and these 'er III
godly fellers gettin' the laugh on hir
and all acause of that 'er boss, There