The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-07-20
a Big Mistake.

Tel.
He is nice, good, sociabe gentleman; but
from distant state OF course he was totally
unacquainted with our people.
Therefore, it happened tnat during his pas
toral calls he made several ludicrouS blunderS
One of them us follows;
The other evening he called upon Mrs.
Hadden. She had just lost her husband and
she naturally supposed that his visit was in
relation to the sad occurrence.
| So, after few common places had been eX-
changed, she was not mt all surprised to hear
him remark:
1T was Il sad bereavement was it not, Mrs.
| Hadden 2"
Eyes" faltered the widow.
Totally uneypected?"
"Oh, yes | meyer dreamed of it,"
| "He died in the barn ?"
"Oh, no; IN the house"
"Ah-well, | suppose you must have thought
great deal OF him."
"Of course, sir,''-this with Il vim.
The minister looked a little surprised, cross
ed his legs, and renewed the conversation.
Blind staggers was the disease, believe 2"
he SAID
mo sir" snapped the widow, "apoplexy"
Indeed; you must have fed him too much"
"He was always capable of feeding himself
sir"
Very intelligent he must have been. Died
hard, didn't hey'
ale did"
you had to hit him on the head with an
AK to put him out of his misery was told"
Mrs. Hadden's eyes snapped fire.
whoever told you SO did not speak the
TRUTH" she haughtily uttered. james died
naturally"
"Yes,' repeated the minister, in "A slightly
perpleXed tone, "he kicked the side of the barn
down IN his last agonies, did he mott"
mo, sir he didn't"
We'll, l have been misntormed l suppose.
How old was he?"
Thirty five"
Then he did not do much active work.
Perhaps you are better without him, for you
can easily supply his place with another"
'Never, sir-never will see one as good as
he"
"Oh, yes, you will He had the heaves bad
ly, you know"
"Nothing of the kind"
"Why, recolcct | saw him one day, with
you on his back, and distinctly recollect that
he had the heaves, and walked rs if he had
the springhalt.
Mrs. MADDEN stared at her reverend visitor
as if she imagined that he was crazy.
ale could never have had the string halt
for he had cork leg" she returned.
"a cork leg!-remarkable. But really,
now, didn't he have IA dangerous trick Of stop
ping suddenly and kicking the wagon all to
picccs?n
Never; he was not IA bad man. sir"
"Probably not. But there were some good
points about him."
II should think sou
The way in which he carried his ears, for
example"
NJ J,, al hot nrt, Lon
merit" said the widow, with much asperty
"hc was warm-hearted generous and frank"
Good qualities" answered he unconscious
! ". How long did it take him to go a mile"
About fifteen minutes"
Not much Of Il goer Wasn't his hair apt
to fly"
"He didn't have any hair He was bald
headed"
"Qute Il curiosityy"
| mo, sir; No more of curiosity than you
are"
The minister shifted uneasily, and got red
in the face But he returned to the attack.
did you use the whip much on him? :"
"Never sir"
Went right along without it, Ell"
yes"
ale must have been good sort of brute 2"
Mrs. MADDEN turned White and made no re-
lply
The minister did not know what to say, but
| finally blurtcd out:
What most admired about him was the
beautiful waggle of his tail"
The widow just sat down and cried.
The idea OF you coming here and insulting
mcw she sobbed. "If my husband had lived
you wouldn't have done it. Your remarks in
reference to that poor dead man have been but
II series Of insults. I won't stand it,"
He colored and looked dumbfounded.
Amt you Mrs. Blinkers ?" he stammered.
NO no."
And had not your old grey horse died?"
II never owned a h-horsc, but my husband
died w-week ago.
Ten minutes later the minister came out of
that house with the reddest face ever seen on
mortal man.
And to think" he grOaned, as he strobe
home, that | was talking horse to that wo-
man all the time, and she was taking hus