Waterbury Democrat., 1901-03-05
SILAS PUTNAM'S CURE.

"Did you make your money spec ulatin9, Mrs Putnam"
 "No." said she, ''pa made it by hard work on the farm, but he gave it all to me more'n fifteen years ago. and he hasn't got cent to his name. He's just as bad off as Jim Sawyer. feed him and clothe him and shall have to bury him. I guess 1t seems kinder odd to ye, so reckon I'll have to tell you the hull story. I've told 1t a dozen times, but guess it'll bear tellin' once more.
 You see. my husband here. Silas Putnam. was brought up religis and he's allus been churchgoin' man. We were both Methodists and everythln' went all right till one day a Second Advent preacher came along. and then things went all wrong. He canoodled my husband into believin' that the end Of tho world was comin' and 1t was his duty to give all his property away so he could stand clean handed afore the Lord. My dander rig when I hear them maxim their plans, but afore my husband got deef he was great on ar- gifyin' and argumentin'. and I didn't stand much show against two on lem; but when Suas told me he was goin' to give his property away I sot up my Ebenezer. and I says: 'Silas Putnam. if you gives your property to any one you gives it to me- So after a long tussle 1t was settled that way and the lawyers drew up the papers. The night afore the world was goin' to end he prayed all night. You can imagine with that air voice Of his'n I didn't sleeD a wink.
 'When mOrnin' came-it was late in October and the air was pretty sharp -Silas stopped prayin' and put on his white robe, which was a shirt of his'n I pieced out SO 1t came down to his feet. and takin' a trumpet that he bought over to Eastborough Center, he went out climbed up on the barn. sot down on the ridgepole and waited for Kingdom Come. He sot there and footed all mornin' and 'spected the an- gel Gabriel would answer, back. He sot there and footed all the afternoon till the COWS come home and the chick ens went to roost. I had three square meals that day and Silas didn't get a bite. Bout o'clock I did think of takin' him out some doughnuts, but then I decided If he was goin' up so SOUL IL W uS 10 use "ASt1u eQ, so l put lem back in the pantry. He sot there and footed all the evenln' till the moon came up and the stars were all out, and then he slid down off n the barn, and parked both his shins dofn' 1t, threw his trumpet into the pig pen, come into the house und huddled l up close to the fire. He didn't say nothin' for spell. but finally says he. I guess, Heppy, that feller made q mistake in figurin' out the date I guess, Silas,' says l. that you've made an all-flred fool of yerself. And If you don't go quick and take a rum sweat, I shall be wIdder in a very short time'
 'He was sick for more'n three weeks, but I pulled him through by good nussin,' and the fust day he was | able to set up, l says to him. Now, Silas Putnam, when 1 married ye for 1 ty-fve years ago I promised to obey ye: ye was allus a good perwider and l don't perpose to see yer want fer nothin'. but yer have got to hold up yer right hand and swear to obey me for the rest of yer nateral life,' and he did it. He got well, and he Is tougher'n q billed owl, If he Is S6. But the cold sorter settled in his ears, and he's as deef as an adder. Elf Angel Gabriel blew his horn now I am afeared Silas wouldn't hear him. From Quincy Adams Sawyer, and "Mason's Corner Folks'