Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-10-17
Continued from first page

constable, they got on to their bosses and
rode over to Peauot IIoller. 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
hearse, till they see three or four fellers
with their bosses, gittin' ready TO race;
and the parson says he:
LETS 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 a minit,--Ike knowed Tam OF
old-and he jest tipped the wink to the
rest.
".Wait bows SAYS he, let 'em git
close up. and then I'll give the word and
the doctors boss will be racin' ahead like
thunder
"Wsl. so the doctor and his folks they
drew up behind the bushes. and stood
there innocent as could be, and sawi'em
giitin' ready to start. Tam he began to
shuttle and paw, but the doctor never mis-
trusted what he was up to till Ike sung
out, Go it, boysr and the bosses all
started. when, sure as you live. boys, Tam
give one fly and was over the bushes and
in among 'ew, goin' it like chain lightnin',
ahead OF 'em all.
"Deacon Popkins and Ben Bradley jest
stood and held their breath to see 'em all
eoin' it so like thunder and the Doctor he
was took so sudden il was all he could do
to Jest hold on any way. so away he went,
and the trees and bushes, and fences
streaked by him like ribbins his bat flew
of behind him, and his wig arter. and got
catched in barbery bush; but. Lordy
massey he 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 came to the stopping place.
"Wal. Tam was ahead of 'em all, sure
enough. and was snorting and snufiiing as
il he'd got the very old boy in him, and
was up to racing some more on the spot.
That eve Ike Sanders was the impu-
dentest Teller that you ever see, and he
roared and raw-hawed at the doctor.
"'Good for yon parson !! says he. You
beat us all holler.' says he; takes a par
son for that, don't it, boys he said.
And then he and Bill and Tom and
the two Hokum boys. they just roared,
and danced around like wild critturs.
"Wal. now, only think of it, boys, what
a situation that ERE was for a minister
man that had come out with the best of
motives to put a stop to Sabbath breakin' !!
There he was all rumpled up and dusty.
and his wig hanging in the bushes, and
these ere ungodly iellers gettin' the laugh
on him. and all accuse O. that ere boss.
There's times, boys, when ministers must
be tempted TO swear, ii there amt pre-
ventin' grace, and this was one of them
times to Parson Williams. They said he
got red in the face and looked as if he
should bust, but he didn't say nothin'; he
scorned to answer,-the sons O. Zeruiah
was too hard for him. and he let 'em have
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, you've had
your say and your laugh, but l warn you
now, won't have this thing going on
here any more says he; 80 mind your
selves
"Wal. the boys see that the doctors
blood was up, and they rode off pretty
quiet. and believe they never raced no
more in that spot.
But there amt no telling the talk this
ere thing made. Folks will talk, you
know, and there wasn't house in all
ire, where il wasn't had over and dis
cussed. There was the deacon and Ben
Bradley was there to witness and show
just how the thing was, and that the doc
tor was jest in the way of his duty; but
folks said it made great scandal, that a
minister hadn't no business to hev that
kind o. boss, and that he'd give the enc
my occasion to speak reproachfully. 1t
really did seem as if Tam's sins was i'm
puted to the doctor ;and folks said he would
sell Tam right away and get sober min
ister's boss.
''But others said it was Cuff that had
got Tam into bad ways, and they do say
that Cuff had to catch 1t pretty lively when
the doctor come to settle accounts with
him. Cuff thought his time had come,
sure enough, and was so scairt that he
turned blacker'n ever; he got enough TO
cure him of boss racin' for one while. But
Cuff got over it after a while, and SO did
the doctor. Lordy massy, there amt
nothin lasts forever. Wait long enough
and most everything blows over. SO it
turned out about the doctor; there was a
rumpus and fuss, and folks talked, and
talked. and advised; everybody had their
say, but the doctor KEEP right straight on.
and KEEP his boss all the same.
The ministers they took il up in the
association, but come TO tell the story it
sot em all a-laughing so they couldn't be
very hard on the doctor.
1.-The doctor felt sort o. streaked at fust
when they told the story on him; he
didn't jest like it but he got used to it,
and finally, when he was twtsd ont
he'd sort O. smile, and say, ANY way
Tam beat EN- that's one comfort"