The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1880-08-04

lane, from some heather Teller o.
other: the boy called him Tam, fol
short. Tam was great character
All the tellers for miles around knew
the doctors Tam, and use,l to come
clear over from the other parishes to
see him.
"Wal, this ERE sot up Cuffs back
high, tell you. Cuff was the doc
tors niger man, and he was not
nat'lly a drefful proud critturl The
way he would swull and strut and
brag about the doctor and his folks
and his things! The doctor used to
give Cuff his cast.off clothes, and
Cuff would prance round in 'em and
seem to think he was doctor Of d.
vinity himself, and had the charge OF
all natur'.
swell, Cuff he RELY made an idol
O that ERE boss, a regular craven
image, and bowed down and wor.
shipped him; he didn't think nothin'
was too good for him; he washed
and brushed and curried him, and
rubbed him down till he shone like
a lady's satin dress; and he took
pride in ridln' and drivin' him cause
it was what the doctor wouldn't let
nobody else do but himself. You
see, Tam warn't no lady's boss.
Miss Williams was 'frald as death OF
him, and the parson he he'd to git
her a sort O. low-sperited crittur that
she could drive herself, but he liked
to drive Tam and he liked to 90
round the countryon his back, and a
fine figure OF man he was on him
too. He didn't' let nobody else back
him or handle the.reins but Cuff, and
Cuff was dreffnl set up about it, and
he swelled and Dragged about that
ar boss all round the country. No
body couldn't put in word bout
any other boss without Cuffs teath.
ers would be all up-stlt' as a tom
turkeys taIl,--and that's how Cuff
got the doctor into trouble.
Eye see, there nat'lly was others
that thought they'd got bosses, and
didn't want to be crowed over.
There was Bill Atkins, out to the
west parish, and Ike Sanders, that
KEEP a stable up to Pequot Holler;
they was down a-lookin at the par
sons boss and a-bettin' on their'n,
and a.darin Cuff to race with 'en.
"Wal, Cuff he couldn't STAN it, and
when the DOCTORS back was turned
he'd be off on the SLY and they'd hev
their race and YaR be beat 'em all.
-aasa.ks $500 n ! boss lhaL.
couldn't and wpUE t hev a hos
ahead of him he jest Wouldn't! /
he dropped down dead in his track
the next mint, he would be ahea(
and he allus got ahead, and so h
name gotu up; and tellers KEEP comil
to try their bosses, and Cuf'd TAX
Tam out to race with fust one an
then another till this ere got to be
regular thing, and begun to be talke
about. 8tat
"Folks sort O wondered If the do
tor knew, but Cuff was SLY as
weasel and alters had q story read
for every turn Cuff was one of thei
tellers that could talk a bird off
bush-master hand he was to slic
things over
"Fhere was folks as said they b.
lieved the doctor was known to
and that he felt sort o. carmel prid
sech as minister ougbtn't fer to he
and SO shet his eyes to what was
going Oh. Aunt Sally Nickerso
said she was sure ont; L was a
talked over down to old Miss Bumm
gers funeral, and Aunt Sally 81
said the church ought to look into
But everybody knew Aunt Sally
she was always watchin' tor foil
haltln's, and settin' on herself up ,
jedge her neighbors. $50
oval, | never believed nothin' ag
Parson Williams; it was all Cuff
contrivances; but the fact was I'll
tellers. all got their blood up, al
there was horse racm' in all Il
parishes; and it got 80 they'd eve
race hosses Sunday.
oval, of course they never got tt
doctors boss out Sunday. Gu
; wouldn't "a burst to do that, Lord
massy, no He was alters there
church, settin' up in the doctor
clothes, rollin up his eyes and looki
as plous as eft he never thought
racln bosses; he was an awful solem
lookin' niger in church, Cuff was.
! but there was lot O them telle
up to Pequot Holler-Bill Atki
. and Ike Sanders and tEnm Peters al