Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1890-02-01
POOR COUSIN PARKER.
How He Returned All Favors
With Interest.

1t had long been the custom of the
Tasker family to hold an annual meet
ing in August at East Village. Such
Taskers as were present asked about the
Taskers absent. The Taskers absent
wrote letters to Abram Tasker at East
Village, who read them aloud at the
family gathering. They related to each
other the stirring family events which
had happened during the year since the
previous family meeting. Sometimes
the Taskers present were called upon to
.commiserate death, or to discuss an
engagement, or to congratulate young
bride. Sometimes they read of new
Taskers who had come into the world.
Sometimes the squalling new-coming
-Tasker presented himself in proprfa per-
soma. AhodgS they met to pity and to
.blame poor Cousin Parleer
There were Boston Taskers, and Chi
pago Taskers, and New York Taskers.
Then there were Taskers from every
State in New England. Universally,
however, the Taskers present felt called
upon every year to contribute for the
benefit of poor Cousin Parker. He lived
away off up in New Hampshire some
where-it was quite indefinite where he
lived, and hitherto he seemed to live on
his relatives.
He had had, it was said by kind-heart-
ed old Abram Tasker, at family gath
ering, the hardest kind of hard luck"
Ut made the Chicago Tasker very angry
to hear about his ''hard lucky "In the
first place." said Abram, che never had
ought to hev married Mis- Frink, the
school aam. Mis- Frink was widder
lady with nine children; an those chill
dren! they ate Cousin Parker outen
house an home; yes, they did. Then
he want fitted for business, an he
oughtn't t. have started to manufacture
oleomargarine in butter community.
Cousin Parker nigh lost his life-he was
shot at because of that there oleomarga-
rine in q butter community. Then he
hednt ought t. hev tried borin' for lie
up in that granite region where he lived;
there want no lie there, an Parker
he ought t. hev known better. Then he
tried farmin' an failed, because he tried
it accordingto city farmers journal.
He planted at the wrong season. He
done every thing wrong. He seemed to
hev mighty hard luck"
Every year there would come to the
meeting either Cousin Parker himself, or
long wall of letter from Cousin Par
ker describing his Affections and asking
for help. Every year purse was raised,
and the relatives were taxed for "Mis'
Frink-Parker's benefit and her nine chill
dren. Every year the assembled Task
ers grumbled, and the Chicago Tasker
stopped coming East because of it. sit
do seem," said Abram, "as if the hull
family was merely livin' from year to
year to kinder support Cousin Parker" "
Miss Perkins, whose mother was a
Taslser of Newburyport with the ac-
cent, please, on the ''port'0, was used
to speaking out in meeting, and she
usually freed her mind every year-she
was a regular attendant at these family
meetings. She freed her mind, but at
the same time She gave literally. And
itrwas noticed that the louder were her
protests, and the more severe her con.
demnation of Cousin Parl1er's un!o.tu,
nate business habits, the larger sum she
gave toward his support.
''Cousin Parker" she snapped out a;
the meeting last August, don't deserve
any luck. Turned inventor aoio, has he:
Well, land! what can he inyent?'
"Hush,t Miss Perkins!" said Abram
's.Cousin Parker is present with u.s."
Miss Perkins put on her eyeglasses
and looked around the circle of Taskers
who had assembled in the great barren
parlor OF Abram Tasker's great farm
house. There were several BostoI
-'Taslscrs IN. g., the rich Taskers); there
were the New York Taskers very wei
Off; there were all the Vermont Task
ers ,(hard, earnest follt); and there, las
of all. in corner. almost out OF sight