St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1878-10-04

knew, but Cuff was sly as weasel, and
alters had story ready for every turn I;
Cuff was one of them fellers that could
talk bird off a bush-master hand he
was to slick things over!
"There was folks as said they believ-
ed the doctor was knowin' to it, and
that he felt sort o. carnal pride, such
as 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 old
Miss Bummiger's funeral, and Aunt
Sally she said the church ought to look
into't. But every body knew Aunt Sal
ly; she was alters watchin' for folks
haltin's, and settin' on herself up to
jedge her neighbors.
"Wal, never believed nothin' agin
ParsOn Williams; 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 Sun
day.
"Wal, of course they never got the
doctors hOss out aSunday. Cuff would
MT IA burst to do that, Lordy massy,
no. He was alters there in church set
tim up in the doctors clothes, rollin'
up his eyes and lookin' as pious as eff he
never thought o. racin' hosses; he was
an awful solemn-lookin' niger in
church, Cuff was.
"But there was lotSo' them fellers
up to Pequot Holler-Bill Atkins and
Ike Sanders, and Tom Peters, and them
Hokum boys-used to go out arter
meetin' Sunday AFTERNOON and race hos
| w al, To tof fe
line, and they couldn't take 'em.
"Wal, it got to be great scandal ;
the fellers talked about it up to the
tavern, and the deacons and the tithing
man 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 that 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 to their bosses 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. o. doin' in his parish and they
was in sort O. day o Judgment frame
O. mind, and, logged along solemn
as hearse, till come to rise the hill
above the hOller, they see three or fOul
fellers with their hosses, gittin' 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 comin,' and he knowed
Tam in mint Ike knowed Tam OF
Old-and he jest tipped the wink to the
rest.
"'Wait bOys,' says he, 'Iet 'em git
close up, and then I'll give the word
and the doctors hoss will be racin' ahead
like thunder
"Wal, so the doctor and his folks
they drew up behind the bushes, and
stood there innocent as could be, and
saw 'em gittin' ready to start. Tam he
begun to shuttle and paw, but the doc
tor never mistrusted what he was up to
!, till Ike sung out, 60 it, bOysn and tho
hosses all started, when, sure as you
live, boys, Tam gave one fly, and was
over the bushes and in among 'em, GO
in like chain lightnin,' ahead of ZEN
! all.
"Deacon POpkins and Ben Bradley
Jest stood and held their breath to SEE
'em all goin' it so like thunder and the
doctor he was took so sudden it was al
he could do to jest hold on any way, Sc
away he went, and trees, and bushes
and fences streaked by him like ribbins
his hat flew off behind him, and his wig
arter, and got catched in barbery
, bush /; but, Lordy massy, he cOuldn'
stop to think o. them. He Jest leaned
down and caught Tam round the neck
and held Oh for dear life till they came
, to the stopping place.
; "That ERE Ike Sanders was the i'm
pudentest felleI that ever you see, ant
he roared and hawhawed at the doctor
, "sGoOd for you, parson = says he
, You beat us all holler,' says he; take,
parson for that, don't it, boys p he
said.
"And then he and Bill and Tom anC
, the two Hokum boys they jest roared
and danced round like critters.
, "Wal, now, only think ont boys
what IL situation that 'ere was for min
, ister,-a man that had come out will
the best o. motives to put a stop to Sab
bath breakin There he was all rum
plcu up anu uuSUO anu WIZ nduSlll
in the bushes, and these 'ere ungodly
fellers gettin' the laugh on him, and al
cause o. that 'ere hoss. There's times
boys, when ministers must be tempted
5 to swear, if there amt preventin' grace
/ and this was one o. them times to Par
son Williams. They say he got red il
the face and looked as if he should bust
but he didn't say nOthin' he scorned tt
answer,-the sons o. Zeruiah was too
hard for him, and he let 'em hev theil
say. But when they'd got through, an,
Ben had brought him his hat and wig
and brushed and settled him agin, th,
parson he says, Wal, boys, ye've hat
your laugh, but warn you now won
have this thing going on here an,
more says he, $50 mind yourselves
"Wal, the boys see that the doctor
J. blood was up, and they rode off prett,
quiet, and believe they never racet
A no more on that spot.
e "But there amt no telling the tall
D this ERE thing made. Folks will talk
! you know, and there warn't house il
E all Billriky, nor in the south parish, no
b.. centre, where it warn't had over an,
r discussed. There was the deacon an,
5 Ben Bradley was there to witness an,
! show jest how the thing was, and tha
| the doctor was jest in the way of hi
t duty but folks said it made a giea
S scandal, that a minister hadn't no busi
p ness to hev that kind o. boss, and tina
S he'd give the enemy occasion to spea
reproachfully. 1t RELY did seem as
t Tam's sins was imputed to the doctor
t and folks said he ought to sell Tai
s right away and get sober minister
l hoss.