The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1878-10-24

isiers; be was patty up and down An,
oommAndin IN bic ways, and things har
to 20 putty much as be said. lie was
good deal sol By, Parson Williams was
and his wife was Derby, one O. then
rich salem Derby, and brought him a 10
o money, aud SO they lived putty cas-
and comfortable 20 far SIS the world
goods goes. Well now, The parson WASH
reeiy What you call worldly-minded, bu
I then be was one q ihem folks that know
what Is good 10 lemporals as we'll as spir
ituals, and alters liked to hev the bes
that lheere was goiu'; aud he alters had
au eye to a good boss.
Now there was Parson Adams aud Par
son Scranton, aud most OF the other min
listers, they didn't know and they didn'l
care what boss they had jest logged
round with these ere poundin' pot-bel
lied, sleepy crilturs that ministers mostly
hes, good enough TO crawl round TO fu'
nerals and 10 ministers meetin's and asso.
Citations and sich; but Parson William.
be alters would hey boss as was boss
tie looked out for blood, aud when these
ere Vermont feliers would come down
with droya, the parson be had his eyes
open aud knew what was what. Couldn't
none of 'em cheat him on horse flesh /;
aud so Que time when Zach Buel was
down with drove, the doctor be bought
the best horse In the lot. Zach said be
never saw parson sfore thai he couldn't
cheat, but he said the doctor reely knew
as much AS he did, aud got the very one
he'd meant to kept for himself
This ERE hoss was peeler, tell you.
They called him Tameriane, from some
heathen feler or other; the boys called
him Tam for short. Tam was great
character. AN the felers for miles around
knew the doctors Tam, and used to come
clear over from the other parishes TO zee
him.
Wal, this ere sot up Cuffs back high,
. wa lSH 1Hh Hos AHC hO1t0t hiESNA
man, aud he was nat'ally dreful proud
crittur The way he would swell and
strut and brag about; The doctor used to
give Cuff bis cast of clothes, aud Cuff
would prauce round in 'em and seem TO
think he was the doctor OF divinity him
self, aud had the charge OF all natur'.
Wal, Cuff be reely made an idol o. that
'err boss, reg'lar craven image, and
bowed down and worshiped him; be
didn't think nothin' was too good for
him; he washed and brushed and curried
him, and rubbed bin down till he shone
like lady's satin dress; aud he took
pride in ridin' aud drivin' him cause it
was what the doctor wouldn't let nobody
else do but himself. You see, Tam
wasn't no lady's hoss. Miss Williams
was 'fraid as death of him, and the par
son be he'd TO git her sort o low.sperit-
ed crittur that she could drive herself,
but be liked to drive Tam and he liked
to go round the country on his back, aud
a iine figure of q man he was on him too.
He didn't let anybody else back him or
handle the relns but Cuff, and Cuff was
dreful set up about it, and be swelled
and Dragged about that ar boss all round
the country. Nobody couldn't put in a
word bout any other hoss without Cuffs
feathers would be all up,--stiff as tom
turkeys tail--and that's how Cuff got the
doctor into trouble.
Ye see, there nat'alIy was others that
thought they'd got hosses, and didn't
want to be crowed over. There was Bill
Atkins, out to the west parish, and Ike
Sanders, that kept stable up to Pequot
Holler; they was down ookin' at the
parsons boss, and a.betln' on their'n,
aud a-daring Cuff 10 race with 'em.
Wal, Cuff he couldn't stan it, aud
when the Doctors back was turned he'd
be off on the sly aud they'd hev their
lace; and Tam beat 'em ALL Tam, ye
see, boys, was hoss that couldn't aud
wouldn't hev hoss ahead OF him be
jest UoUldat! Ef be dropped down dead
in his tracks The next mint, be Coaid be
ahead, aud 50 his name got up; and fel-
lers KEEP comm TO try their bosses, and
Cuii "a take Tam out TO race with fust
one and then another till this ere got to
be reg lar thing, and began TO be talked
about.
Folks sort o wondered il the doctor
knew, but Cuff was sly as weasel and
alters bad story ready tor every lurn I;
Cuti was one of them felers that could
talk bird on bush--master hand he
was to Slick things oyerl
There was folks as said they believed
the doctor was known TO IL, aud that be
felt sort o. carnai pride, sech as a minis.
ter oughtn't for TO hev, and so shet his
eyes 10 what was goin' on. Aunt Sally
Nickerson said she was sure ont; twas
all talked over down 10 old Miss Bnmmi-
gers funeral, and Aunt Sally she said
the charch ought to look into Z. Bot
everybody knew Aunt Sally; she was
alters watchin' for folks haltin's, aud
seltin' on herself up to judge her neigh
bors.
Wal, never believed notbin' agin'
Parsou Williams; il was all Cuffs con-
irivanees; bat the fact was the felers all
got their blood up, and there was boss
racin' ia all the parishes; and II got SO
they'd even race hosses on Sunday
Wsl, Of course they never could get
The doctors boss out sunday. CnfI
wouldn't a. dursi TO do that, Lordy mas
-, no. lie was slers there In church
seltin' up 10 the doctors clothes, rolln'
up his eyes and lookin' as pious as ef be
never thought O. racin' hosses; be was an
awful solemn. lookfn' Niger Ia church,