Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1878-10-03

their bosses 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 comm, and he knowed
Tam in q mint, Ike knoWed Tam of
old,-and he jest tipped the wink to the
rest. Wait, boys says he, 1et 'em git
close up, and then III give the word and
the doctors hoss will be racin' ahead
like thunder
oval, 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, Go it boys' and the
bosses all started, when, sure as you
live. boys, Tam give one fly and was
over the bushes and in among 'em,
goin' it like chain lightnin', ahead of
! 'em all.
Deacon Popkins and Ben Bradley
jest stood and held their breath to see
/ ;em all goin' it like thunder: and the
doctor he was took so sudden it was all
he could do to jest hold on any way, so
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 a barbery
bush; but Lordy massy, couldn't stop to
think O. them He Jest leaned down
and caught Tam round the neck and
held on for dear life, till they come to
the Stopping place.
oval, Tam was ahead of them ALL
sure enough, and was snorting and snuff
fling as if he'd got the very old boy in
him, and was up to racing some more
on thespot.
"That ERE Ike Sanders was the impu-
dentest Teller that ever you see, and he
roared and raWhaWed at the doctor.
Good for you, parsonv says he. You
beat us all holler,' says he, takes par
son for that, don't it, boys% he said.
And then he and Ike and Tom and the
two HOkum boys they jest roared, and
danced round like wild critturs. Wal
now, only think ont, boys, what a stu
alton that ERE was for minister-a
man that had come out with the best of
mOtiveto put a stop to Sabbath breakin'!
There he was all rumpled up and dusty
and his wig hangin' in the bushes, and
these ere ungOdly fellers gettin' the
laugh on him, and all accuse O. that ere
boss. There's times, boys, when minis
tiers must be tempted to swear, if there
amt preventin' grace, and this was one
O. them times to Parson Williams. They
say he got red III the face and looked as
if he should bust. but lie didn't say
nothin'; he scorned to ansWer,-the sons
O Zeruiah was too hard for him, and
he let 'em hev their say. But when
they'd got through, and Ben had brought
him his hat and wig, and brushed and
settled him ag'in, the parSon he says.
We'll, boys, we've had your say and
your laugh, but [ warn you now l won't
have this thing going on here any more,
says he, SO mind yourselves
oval, the boys see that the doctor
blood was up, and they rode off pretty
quiet, and | believe they never raced
no more in that spot.
"But there amt no tellin' the talk this
ERE thing made. Folks will talk, you
know, ana there warn't a house in all
Billriky, nor in the south parish nor
centre, where it warn't had over and
discussed. There was the deacon and
Ben Bradley was there to witness and
show jest how the thing was, and that
the doctor was Jest in the way of his
duty; but folks said. it made great
scandal, that minister hadn't no bust
ness to hev that kind O boss, and that
he'd give the enemy occasion to speak
reproachfully. 1t RELY did seem as if
Tams sins was imputed to the doctor;
and folks said he ought to sell Tam
right away and get a sober minister's
boss.
'But others said it was Cuff that had
got Tam into bad ways, and they do say
that Cuff had to catch it pretty lively
when the doctor come to settle with
him. Cuff thought his time had come
sure enough, ard was so scairt that he
turned biacller n ever; he got enough
to cure him O boss racin' for one while.
But Cuff got over it arter while, and
so did the doctor. LOrdy massy, there
amt nOthin' lasts forever. Wait long
enough and most everything blows
over. So 1T turned out about the doctor;
there was a rUlmpus and Il fuss, and folks
talked and talked and advised; every
body had their say, but the doctor KEEP
right straight on, and KEEP his boss all
the same.
"The ministers they took it up in the
association, but come to tell the story it
sot 'em ali a-laughin' so they couldn't
be very hard on the doctor.
The doctor felt sort O. streaked at
fust when they told the story on him
he didn't jest likt it; but he got used to
it, and finally, when he was twitted ont
he'd sort O. smile, and say, Amy way,
Tam beat EN-; that's one comfort -
| Harriet Beecher Stowe.