The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1881-05-12
HER BESETTING SIN.

can hardly be called vice, and yet it Is
vicious and demoralizing-not venai
sin, but one of those sins against the
peace and comfort of home which, when
allowed to become habit, renders not
Conly the principal ridiculous, but rem
ders other people uncomfortable. Mrs.
Sawtelle's besetting sin was mirrored in
the speech delivered daily, and almost
hourly, 81 told you SO; o, knew it
wonld be sol" When her husband
needed comfort-when he had been be-
traped-when accident had befallen him
no matter what the occasion-no mat
ter what the circumstance, from her he
only received the inevitable 81 told you
80; o, I 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"
IT told you So" interrupted his wife,
Polly, without allowing him to finish.
II knew it would be SO; now see what
you'd saved if you'd only listened to me.
Stupid"
Poor Sam Sawtelle! It was of his
wife's own brother Jack Gordon, that he
spoke, and he had gone in. and advanced
one-half the purchase money toward the
obtaining of magnificent stock of pure
Jersey cows-twenty cows and two prize
bulls and he had done this at his wife's
own urgent request. She had let him
have no peace until he had done it. He
had feared Jack from the first--had dis
trusted him-and now the treacherous
partner had gone and sold the whole
herd to heavy cattle dealer, had taken
cash in hand, and had spent, put away,
beyond the reach of any other party,
every dollar of it NEARLY $4,000 he had
obtained) and that was far less than
the stock was worth under the ham,
mer.
II told you so! 1 knew Just how it
would be. Sam Sawtelle, you're q
fool"
What could he say? He could not tell
his wife she lied-he had too much
heart. He could only bow his head and
suffer. As for argument and reproof!
Mercy! Itwould have been like attempt
ing to sweep gunpowder INTO heap
with broom of living fire.
But the time came when Sam had an
opportunity to give his wife lesson. He
had recently purchased new patent
hay cutter for the work of chopping feed
for his horses and cattle. 1t was pom
derous machine arranged to run by foot
power, or by hand. with an iron balance
wheel, weighing very nearly half ton,
and large Revolving knives. 1t was a
grand thing-it did its work perfectly,
and could do vast amount of it. Even
his wife was willing to acknowledge that
it was q great improvement on the old
cutter. The truth was. she was proud
because none Of the nelghbors had such
one.
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 nelghbOrs-
fully sixty guests, all told.
Supper had been eaten in the great,
old-fashioned kitchen, and the company
had adjourned to the large, double
drawing-ro called "the parlor;" and a
lull had just followed the old clergy
mans recital of circumstance OF his
boyish remembrance when Sam-the
host-came in, wild eyed and hustered-
his breast heaving and falling-seem-
ingly laboring for breath. His wife was
frightened.
SAM she cried, with vigorous
effort, whats the matter with you?"
80, Polly, you wouldn't believe it!'
"What is it? Don't set there shiverin'
like toad under harrer! What is it?
Out with itv'
"Pollyl-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
80, Sam Sawtelle. didn't tell you
so? l knew 'twould be so if you left it
layin' round rs 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 no
longer keep back. And then somebody
snickered-then a giggle.
-the-the-old brindle! = the
hay-cutter !-swallowed o, Sam Saw
telle!"
And then the roar burst forth, in the
midst of which Sam wickedly cried:
80, Polly! You told me SO! You
knew il! II I'd only listened to you
o. Polly! what keen-eyed woman you
A..,J cOx.v - ha merci1esslv cOntin