The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1895-10-18
TOM LOVELL'S REFORMATION.

"No, he's not with his salt an hin
married to one of the finest WINNER
in this country. You wouldn't think
/ to look at him, tibet he used ter be t
reg lar dude, would yer now?-neck
tie an white pocket handkerchief every
day an Sunday, too
You don t sesso.
"Yesser: there's no denyin he 'uz d
fine lookin' chap an he'd a mighty
takin' way with the wimmen an
children: but the men never did set
much sto' by him, though you couldn I
help likin' him when you knowed him
ter save yer life; but yer see he 'uz
from Talathy town, an our settlement
nothin' from Talahty town don't go,
The men 'uz down on him from the
fust, an when he got to drinkin' so
bad they's downer'n ever. -
"Mebbe you didn't give him fair
chance, an he got discouraged. "
"Now, tibet proves yer's stranger
er the circumstances. Yer see it uzt
this a-way,'' and old 81 jackson
ierked his chair to an upright posi-
tion, and, swelling with the import
ance of village, or rather cross roads
raconteur, for "HowelIses' was moth
ing more than store situated at the
intersection of the roads, with a saloon
or tavern opposite, he stretched the
fingers of one tobacco stained hand to
their fullest extent and with the fore,
finger of his no less adorned other mem
Der began telling off on each his state
ments, as if they were divided into so
many heads.
Maggie Barton wuz the prettiest
an peartest gal in the settlement an
had mo 'beaux' an she could tote;
but Jim Sibley, he WI gittin ahead of
'em all. The rest of the fellers wuz
ta1in' it good natured enough as long
as 'twuz Jim Sibley, but when in
stepped this here Tom Lowell from
Talahy town, an dude, they couldn't
stand that, so they up an tole him to
GIT back on his own side o. the creek.
Tom, he laughed good natured like, an
said he would when he could cay the
prettiest gal from Howellses with him.
Well, wimmen is Gurus humans. |
don't mean to say ez Maggie Barton
wuz deceitfujl, but she did act Gurus.
She wuz seemin' to set great sto' by
jim Jim could a-licked the socks off n
Tom Lowell quicker'n you could spit),,
when all at onct she turns aroun' an
marries Tom. Bout that time OIL
man Barton up an dies an Tom,
stead o. ca'yin' her tother side O. the
creek, stays here at the OF Barton
place (Which never wuz much of a
place nohow), accordin' to the OF |
mans request. An bad as the OF place
is, hits mortgaged clean over the ruff. |
Tom Lovell's just drunk it plum up. |
POI Maggie, she's goin' aroun' tryin'
TO support herself an chile an tritilin'
husband to boot. 1t 'ud be long |
sight better if he wuz outen the way"
The subject of ST. Jackson's en-
ightenment was truly pitiabe sight.
He was half reclining on rude wood
an bench in front of the saloon. The
not sun, from which he sought no
was glazing full In his face
hat had in it the elements of beauty,
mt now so distorted and bloated as to
ne repulsive. His hat had dropped to
he ground and lay crushed beneath
lis feet. The rough countryman
PASSED him with look of contempt.
lie had long been a warning against
,ver indulgence.
Men who thought themselves strong
anne and went, drinking as their APP
,etites demanded, but often cautioning
ounger men who drank with them to
look at poor Tom Lowell. Thet's
vhat comes of not knowing yer capac-
ty. A mans fool to drink till he
cells hisself gettin 'muddled. " And
hey mentally patted themselves on the
,ack for being good, sociable fellows,
mt too clear headed to get drunk.
Tom had been forbidden the saloon
of for lack of responsibility the
wner of the saloon, as well as the
ther inhabitants, were not over nice
hout such small matters, but for lack
f payment. which was a much more
prions affair yet Tom still hung on the
utskirts, and in some mysterious
,ay managed to keep drunk.
lie was later and drunken than ever
hat afternoon as he started home. lie
,ade his journey by easy stages. HIS