Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-11-14
THE PARSONS HORSE RACE.
BY MRS. HARRIET BEEcHER STOWE.

So spoke Sam Lawson, dropping in a
discouraged, cOntemplative attitude in
front of an equally discouraged looking
horse, that had just been brought to him
by the widow Simkins for medical treat
ment. Among Sans many accomplish
ments he was reckoned in the neighbor-
hood an oracle in all matters of this kind,
especially by women, whose helplessness
in meeting such emergencies found un-
falling sOlace under his compassionate
willingness to. attend to any business that
did not strictly belong to him, and from
which no pecuniary return could be ex-
pected.
The widow Simpkins had bought this
horse of Deacon Atkins, apparently a
fairly well appointed brute, and
capable as he was good looking. A short,
easy drive when the deacon held the reins
had shown off his points to advantage,
and the widows small stock of ready saw
ing had come forth freely in payment for
what she thought was bargain. When,
soon after coming into possession, she dis
covered that her horse, if driven with any
haste, painted in a fearful manner, and
that he appeared to be growing lame, she
waxed wroth, went to the deacon in an
ger, to be met only with the smooth re-
minder that the animal was all right when
she took him-that she had seen him tried
herself. The widow was of a nature some
what spicy, and expressed herself warm
ly:
''It's cheat and shame, and I'll take
the law on ye.''
F'What law win you take ?'' said the un-
moved deacon. F'Wasn't it fair bargain ?''
s'I'll take the law of God,'' said the
widow, with impotent indignation, and
she departed to pour her cares and trials
into the ever-ready ear of Sam. Having
assumed the care of the animal, he now
sat contemplating it in sort of trance of
melancholy reflections.
'sWhy, boys" he broke out, "why
didn't she come to me afore she bought
this crittur! Why, knew all about him !!
| That 'ere crittur was jest ruined year
ago last summer, when Tom, the deacon's
boy there, come home from college. Tom
drove him over to Sherburn and back that
'ere hot Fourth of July. Member it
! cause I saw the crittur when he come
home; sot up with Tom taking care of
| him all night, that ere erittur had the
thumps all night, and he hasn't never
been good for nothing since. telled the
deacon he was gone hOss then, and
wouldn't never be good for nothing. The
deacon he took off his shoes and let him
run to pasture all summer, and he's been
| a feedin' and nussin' on him up; and now
he's put him off on the widder. L wouldn't a
thought it o. the deacon. Why, this hoss'll
never be no good to her; that 'ere's a
used-up crittur, any fool may see! He'll
mabbe do for about quarter of an hour
ION a smooth road. -hnt come to drive hina
as body wants to drive, why, he blows
like my bellowsis; and the deacon knew
it-must "a known it!'
'FWhy, Sam,' we exclaimed, "ain't the
deacon a good man?"
ssWa1, now, there's where the shoe
pinches! In gin'al way the deacon is a
good man-he's consid BILE more than mid
dim good-gin'ally he adorns he perfes-
sion. On most p'ints don't hev nothin'
agin the deacon, and this 'ere amt BIZ
like him-but there tits! Come to hosses
there's where the unsanctified natur
comes out. Folks will cheat about hosse'
when they won't about most nothin' else
And Sam leaned back on his cold forge,
now empty of coal, and seemed to deliver
himself to mournful train of general re
fection.
"Yis, hosses do seem to be sort o. un
, regenerate critturs,'' he said, "there'!
, suthin' about hosses that deceives th'
very elect; the best o. folks gets trippet
up whan they come to deal in hosses."
"why, Sam, is. there anything bad il
bosses 90 we interjected timidly.
| ssTain't the hosses, boys,'' said Sam
3 with solemnity. "Iordy massy, the hoss
: es is all right enough-hosses is scriptoor
: al animals; Elijah went up to heaven il
= a chari't with hosses; and then all then
? lots o. hosses in the Revelations, black an
> white and red and all,sorts O. colors
n That 'ere shows hosses go to heven; bu
e it's more'n the folks that hev 'em is likel
e to. eff they don't look OUT
:, "Ministers, now,'' continued Sam, in
soliloquizing vein; 'sfolks alters think
Y it's suthin' sort o. shaky. in minister I
> have anythin' to do with hosses-sure t
e get 'em into trouble. There was old Pal
e son Williams, O. North Billriky, got int
y a drefful mess about hoss. Lordy massy
# into the dreffulest scrape you ever hear
d on-come nigh to onsettlin' him.
IS ooh, Sam, tell us all about il, - we DO!
ct shouted, delighted with the prospect of
al story.
d '.Wal, wait now till get off this cri
TO tur's shoes, and we'll take him up to pa
,e ture and then we can kind o. set by Il
E. river and fifth. Hepsey wanted a mess
fish for supper, and wuz callatin to g
,e some for her. You boys go and he di
o. GIN baitand git yer lines"
And SO as we were sitting tranqu
a. " peside the Charles Riyer, watching O
er lines, Sans narrative began:
he aye see, boys, Parson Williams-ht
,d dead now-but when was a boy he w
ed one of the great men around here.
or writ books. He writ tract agin t
nj Armenians, and put 'em down, and
ev writ big book on the millennium Il
W. got that 'ere book now;) and he wal
lid smart preacher; folks said he had invt
tions to settle in Boston, and there Al
no doubt he might "a he'd Boston par
lp- eff he'd ben "a min to take it, but h
ng got a good settlement and handsO
er- farm in North Billriky, and didn't care
ng. move; though s'pose, that twas bet
the to be number one in little place ii
i'm number two in big un; anyway, heC
an ried all before him where he was.
sat. s'Parson Williams was a tall, straig
do personable man-come of good famil
father and grRn'ther before him all III