The times., 1897-08-29
MOSES TOOTHACRE'S
SURE THING.

w
From that district they have spread out,
north, east, south and west, till the
name has become not uncommon in those
northern counties. The family, being OF
thrifty turn, have never seen any reason
for emigration, and consequently are not
elsewhere found.
On the top rail OF the gate, then, of
Tootbacre farmyard, sat, one April morn
ing, Moses Toothacre and the new hired
man. The new hired mans name was
Lawson, and he came from somewhere
down country, and had been to horse races
and yacht roces. and bet ON both He, con
sequently, did not profess religion. Neither
did Moses; but Moses knew 1t W as expected
of him in due time; wherein he differed
from Lawson. Lawson expected nothing.
He went through life with joyous and
touching irresponsibility, and nobody that
had had experience with him ever ex-
pected any more of him than he did OF
himself Squire Toothacre had not yet
fully experienced Lawson; 50 he had gone
off to the next town to see about some
sheep, and left Moses and Lawson TO see
after the farm.
Lawson was telling about bets, and it
fired Moses soul. He would have HEED
but no election was due for two years, and
everybody knew which way the county
wouldgo. The Toothacres always voted by
tradition, and they were tolerably nurnef-
GUS There was no horse racing and there
wasnothing morelike yacht than the ship
that was painted ON the face OF the Kitchen
clock. Lawson changed the subject
Awful neat woman, your ma is" said
! Lawson.
'.Aint she, though" said Moses.
''Neves see no dust on her top shelves.
pursued Lawson ruminatingly- mo spots
| on her milk pans; no flies on her" Hemeant
this literally IT would have taken very
active and persistent fly to alight on Mrs
| Toothacre. He couldn't have stayed on her
more than half a secondif he had alignted-
| Pcsides, there were no flies in the Tooth
! acrc house any more than there are snakes
| In Ireland. If mouse had ventured in lie
wouid have starved.
s'She looks nice when she's dressed up,
ma does said Moses; when she gets ON
her best bonnet and shawl. She's goin TO
wear 'em to SEWN circle tomorrer. She
| amt missed a sewin' circle in ten years.
| Ill bet" Therel 1t was out-''she
| aint.''
| What will you bet she don't get thar
| in tiIne termorrue?" asked theaiert Lawson
| If she an pa amt goin' by wilkins
| wooC lot ternorrer afternoon at O'CLOCK
pe-,.lseIy," said Moses, you en- have
| BarklA" Barkis was the new dog and
Moses especial property.
We'll, if she DOESN'T said Lawson, can-
tiously, I'm give ye my jackknife-' =
| Now. Moses had coveted that knife, and
he felt that this bet had no element of
uncertainty. 1t did not cause the fever
ish eN settlement OF gambling, but kis eyes
wer. very bright as he slipped down from
/ tn. gate anG wandered toward the house.
As h. neared the house he could smell
: d.ughnuts frying.
Noses, fiji the kettle, will ye, sOu?''
! Mrs. Toothacre was clipping out the soft
circle Of dough with the deftness and
1 cxrctitude OF machine. Moses dreaniily
obey ed. He lifted the dripping tin dip
per froIE the pail beside the sink and
starte,. toward the stove.
Moses, Nose what are ye a-doin' or
pealeG his mother. Hold dish under
that 'eIe clipper so IT won't strizzle waite
all over this clean floor"
The etyInology of the word "striZzle" is
hidden IN the mysteries OF New England his
| tory, but Moses understood. he meeklyi
as his great original, picked up tin basil
and held it under the dipper, as, with sue
cessiye journeys he filled the kettle. Then
carving {. handful of luscious brown rings,
80 hot that he would fain have put theini in
his pockets, he darted out of the kitchen.
The morning dawned-the morning of tha
day when Moses would possess that four
bladed iackknae. He felt as certain that
bis nlotler, IN satin bonnet and tomato
coiored striped shawl, would pass along
that pleasant road at O'Clock that after
noGn as that the sun would st
Mrs. Toot hacre got her ham-and-egg-
breakfast for the -'fnen-folks,- and packed
them off to wilkins wood lot, two miles
from home, with their tin pals of sub
stantial noon fare. The sky was gray aEL
threatening. but Mrs. Toothacre serenell
got into her best black alpaca gown, an
the squire harnessed the old pacing horss
that he kept for mis- personal use, and they
started The wind was blowing UP colt
from the east.
Looks kin der threat'nin', don't -
mother?" said the squire anXiously.
"Nothiu' more'n a shower, ! guess,
said she, tucking substantial umbrell'
dasher of the buggy, known To their par
lance as the boot" The name conveye,
unknown suggestion To Moses and his sis
ter Celia when they were small. in tim
of storm the rubber blanket folded neat
| against the dashboard was drawn neati
up over their parents knees, and they, ul
their little stools in front, were hidden II
the mysterious black depth, and listene
to the raindrops pattering on their ten
roof with comforting sense of security
They were in the boot. 1t was sometime
like the Shoe-childIen in Mother Goose.
Something more han the boot Tasneeded
however. To keep off the weather whic
came up. like The sweep of storm king
robe, over the purpling hills First
mighty rush OF wind, then thresh OF hail
stones, coming ever larger and larger
They hit the horse, aud made him dane
for the first time in ten years. The
nearly made the squire use bad Language
which he had not done for three times te
years-not since he and some other boy
had been swearing behind the barn to Sc
if they could do it, aud his father ha d COIN
round the corner and caught them at i
Crashi A tree had toppled over benin
them, blocking the road home. There wer
no honses for fcile. There was nothing :
do but drive on.
wonder where the boys are" venture
Mrs. J oothacre, including Lawson, wit
| Moses and Aaron in her anxiety.