Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-12-07

as death OF him, and the parson he'd to
git her sort o. low sperted crittur that
she could drive herself, but he liked to
drive Tam, and he liked to go around the
county on his back, and fine figure of
man he was on him, too. He didn't lot
nobody else back him or handle the reins
but Cuff, and Cuff was drefful set up
about it, and he swelled and Dragged
about that ar hoss all around the country.
Nobody couldn't put in word bout any
other hoss without Cuffs feathers would
be all up stiff as n tom turkeys tail-and
that's how Cuff got the doctor into
! trouble.
"Ye SEQ there nat'lly was others that
thought they'd got hosses, and didn't
want to be crcwed over. There was Bill
Atkins, out to the West parish, and Ike
Sanders, that KEEP stable up to Poquot
Hollow they were down a-looking ut
the parsons hoss, and n bettin' on there
own, and a darn Cuff To race with 'em.
"Well, Cutf couldn't stand it, and when
| the DOCTORS back was turned he'd be of
on the slN and they'd hev their race an
Tam, he'd beat 'em all. Tam, ye see,
boys, was II hoss that couldn't and
wouldn't have II horse ahead of him-he
jest wouldn't. Ef he dropped down dead
in his tracks the next mint, he would be
ahead, and he always got ahead, and so
his name got up and fellows KEEP comm
to try their hosses, and Cuff 'ud take Tam
out to race with fust one and then anoth-
or till this ERE got to be reg lar thing
and began to be talked about
"Follla sort o. wondered il the doctor
knew, but Cuff was sly ms u weasel, and
alters had a story ready for every turn. r
Gun was one of them feilers that coulC
talk bird oil tree--master hand he wa
to slick things over.
"There was folks as said they beloved
the doctor was knownin' to it, and tha
no felt sort o. carnal pride, such rs
minister oughtn't fer 10 hev and so she
his eyes to what was agoin' on. Aun
Sally NickersSn said she was sure on it
twas all talked over down to old Mis-
Bummngers funeral, and Aunt Sail,
she said the church ought 10 look into it
But srybody knew Aunt Sally, sh,
was aliers watchin' folks haltings, and
settin' on herself up TO jedge her neigh
bors.
oval, | never believed nothing agin
Parsen Williams it was all Cuffs con
trivancs, but the fact was the felors nj
got ther blood up an there was hos
raoin' in ali the parishes, and it got 81
they'd even have boss races oh Sunday
oval of course, they never got tn
doctors hoss out II Sundy. Gun wouldn
burst to do that, Lord massy, no II
, was alters there in church sittin' up il
the doctors clothes, rolin' up his eye
and loobin' as pious MS sf he neve
thought Of lacin' hOsses he was an aw
fu solemn lookin' nigger in church, Gu
was.
"But there was a lot of them feller
up in Pequot Holler-Bill Atkins an'
Ike Sanders and Tom Peters ana then
lIokum boys-usod to go out arter meet
in Sunday afternoon and race horses
Ye sec, it was close to tho State lire, an,
If the s'lcctmen was to come down on zen
they could jest whip over tho line, AN
they couldn't take 'em.
"Wall, II got to be a great scandal
the fclers talked about il up 10 the tavern
and the deacons and tithingman they too
it up and went to Parson Williams abou
it; and the paison he t0ld 'em to kee
still, not let the fellows know that the
was being watched, and the next Sunda
he and tho tithingman and the constabl
ride over and catch them in tho yer.
act.
$50 next Sunday afternoon Parsol
Williams and Deacon Popkin and Bol
Bradley Che was constable that year. the,
got onto their HOSES and rode over Il
Pequot Holler. The DOCTORS blood wa
up, and he meant TO come down on ZEN
strong, for that was his way Of doin' il
the parish and they we're in sort o
day o Judgement frame o. mind, ant
logged aleng as solemn as hearse, Til
come to rise the hill above the holler they
see three or four fellows with their hosse
gettin' ready to race and the parsor
says he, Let's come on quiet and get bo
kind those bushes, and we'll see wha
they're up to and catch 'em in the act
"But the mischief on it was that Ik'
Sanders see 'em comm and no knew
Tam in a minit--Ike lSnowcd Tam Of old
and he just tipped tho wink To the rest.
"'Wat, boys, says he, let 'em 81
close up and then I'll give the word, anC
the Doctors hoss will be racin' ahead lik'
thunder
"Wal, so the doctor and his folks they
drew up behind the bushes, and stood
there, innocent as could be, and saw then
Citing ready to start. Tam he began t.
snufle and paw, bat the doctor neve
mistrusted what he was up to till Tx
sung out, go it, boys ? and the hose
all started, when, sure as you live, boys
Tam give one fly, and was over the bush
es and in among 'em, going it like chai
lightning, ahsad Of 'em all.
"Deacon Popkins and Ben Bradley jes
stood and held their breath to see Zen
goin' it so like thunder and the dooto
he was took so sudden it was all he coul
do to jest hold on any way, so away h
wont, and trees and bushes and fence
streaked by him like ribbons his ha
few Of behind him and his wig arter,an'
he got caught in barberry bush, bu
| lord maesy- he cOuldn't stop 10 think o