The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-12-30
Her BESETTINe SIN,

Her BESET1INe SIN.
We choose to call it q sin, because it
can hardly be called vice, and yet it is
vicious and demoralizing a venal
sin, but one Of those sins against the
peace and comfort Of home which, when
allowed to become habit, renders not
only the principal ridiculous, but rem
ders other people uncomfortable. Mrs.
Sawtelle's besetting sin was mirrored
in the speech delivered daily, and al
most hourly, II told you so; o, knew
it would be sol" When her husband
needed comfort-when he had been be.
trayed-when accident had befallen
him--no matter what the occasion-no
matter what the circumstance, from her
you so; 0, knew it would be so!' And
then she was wont to blame him for his
stupidity, for his stubbornness in not
having listened to her.
''Polly, would you believe it, Jack
has sold the Jersey stock-the whole of
it, twenty-five head, and has used the
money in paying his debts, and I
can't"
"I told you So" Interrupted his wife,
Polly, without allowing him to finish.
81 knew it would be so; now see what
you'd ave saved if you'd only listened
to me. Stunia ~
Poor Sam Sawtelle! It was of his
wife's own brother, Jack Gordon, that
he spoke, and he had gone in with him,
and advanced one-half the purchase
money toward the obtaining Of mag
nifcent stock of pure Jersey COWS
twenty COWS and two prize bulls
he had done this at his wife's own ur-
gent request. She had let him have no
peace until he had done it. He had
feared Jack from the first-had distrust-
ed him-and now the treacherous part
ner had gone and sold the whole herd to
heavy cattle dealer, had taken cash in
hand, and had spent, put away, beyond
reach of any other party, every dollar of
it Every nearly $4,000 he had obtained),
and that was far less than the stock was
worth under the hammer.
II told You so I knew just how it
would be. Sam Sawtelle, you're a
fool !"
What could he say? He could not
tell his wife she ied-he had too much
heart. He could only bow his head and
suffer. AS for argument and reproof I!
Mercy! It would have been like at
tempting to sweep gunpowder into a
heap with broom Of living fire.
But the time came when Sam had an
opportunity to give his wife lessen. He
had recently purchased anew patent hay
cutter for the work of chopping feed for
his horses and cattle. It was ponder
GUS machine arranged to run by foot
power, or by hand, with an iron balance
wheel, weighing very nearly half ton,
ana large revolving knives. It was a
grand thiug-it did its work perfectly,
and could do a vast amount Of it. Even
his wife was willing to acknowledge that
it was great improvement on the old
cutter. The truth was, she was proud
bee Ause none of the 'neighbors had such
one. l 81
Well-one evening Sam and his wife
had company. Twenty to thirty couples
had come up from the village and there
were, besides, nearly all the neighbors-
fully sixty guests. all told.
Supper had been eaten in the great,
old-fashioned kitchen, and the company
had adjourned to the large, double draw.
ing.room called " the parlor ;" and lul]
had just followed the old clergyman's re.
cltal OF a circumstance of his boyish re.
membrance when Sam-the host-came
in, wild-eyed and Austered-his breast
heaving and falling seemingly laborinq
for breath. His wife was frightened.
'Sam p she cried, with vigorous
effort, "what's the matter with your"
80, Polly, you wouldn't believe it =
"What is it? Don't set there SILVER.
in like a toad under harrer! What is
it? Out with it I"
Polly my new hay-cutter. The
old brindle COW has got at it, and made
clean sweep of it-swallowed it, knives
balance wheel and all O, I'd rather y
30, Sam Sawtelle, didn't I tell yor
so? I knew 'twould be so if you left il
layin' round as ye always do everything
knew it! I knew it! Eff you'd only
listened Eh?"
By this time she had detected the
broad grin which her husband could M
longer keep back. And then somebod,
oEh?NtheMthe3eeSid brindle ,-th.
hay-cutter -swallered! o, Sam Saw
telle -
And then the roar burst forth, in thu
midst of which Sam wickedly cried:
80, Polly You told me so! 70,
knew it! II I'd only listened to you
o, Polly what keen-eyed woman 70,
are. And now," he mercilessly con
tinued with grin that was wickednes
simmered down and crystallized, "per
haps you'll be so good as to tell thes,
good people what You told me how 70,
knew. Come, Polly-you told me so
You knew it would be SO! Do let u
know when and how
It was dreadful; and Polly sawtell,