The Jennings daily record., 1902-07-14
Alpheus Chubhurk. Gossip
NAN often has 70 try several
different kinds of work before
lsy Susan Brown Isobbins.


~ he finds his true vocation .ca u,
Such was the case with Al
pheus Chubbuck.
First he tried farming. then he
bought small grocery store, and after
the failure of this business enterprise
he failed in various other attempts
to earn n living.
Finally he tried matrimOny and set
tied down with comfortable feeling
that now at last he had found just the
right place for himself. ..,f
His wife was comfortably we'll to do.
She was shrewd business manager
and she kept q firm hold on her purse
strings. Alpheus was we'll fed and
neatly dressed, and his wife allowed
him-S4 month for spending money.
At first he used to spend every cent
of his money within ten days of the
first of the month. but as he found that
Mrs. Alpheus could not he induced to
lend or give him any more he soon
learned to make the money hold out, so
that even on the last day Of the month
he would have little change which he
could Jingle in his pocket. He grew
stout and prosperous looking.
His wife took great pride in her lit
Il, village home and it's trim yard.
She cared for the flower garden, but
it was the duty Of Alpheus to hoe the
vegetables and NOW the lawn.
He did this under protest. He had to
be asked many times, and perhaps be
threatened with reduced ;i4Ae1v1Etiat.e
before the work would be SATISFACTORY
" done. In year from the time of
his marriage he had the distinction of
being known as the LATEST man in
town.
II 1t is said that Satan finds some mis-
chief still for idle hands to do. Who
ever furnished it. mischief was cer
tainly done by Alpheus Chubbuck. Not
by his hands, to be exact. but by his
lively Imagination and his active
tongue.
There was fair prospect that to his
other reputation would be added that
of being the greatest gossip in town,
BY, gentle :riditnle. sly insinuation
and the Repeating of things people
said, he soon had the whole town un-
settled. Old family feuds We're re-
vived, new ones started while half the
people would not speak to the other
half.
One day.. it was the first of April,
Mrs. Alpheus heard g strange sound in
the yard. She went to the window and
saw n Gathering. rickety. ,1ingy. hen
cart drawn by q raw-boned sorrel
horse On the seat of the cart sat her
husband and another man. a shabby,
slouching, isrcputable-loolling man.
Both jumped to the ground when the
cart came to stop IN the middle of
the side yard and with apparent haste
embarrassed the horse.
Then Alpheus took out his pocket
book and gave the man some money.
The man swung himself on the horses
lack and with his legs dangling
against her thin sides ambled out of
the yard and down the street.
We'll, of all things!'' said Mus. Al
pheus, and she went out to make ill.,
uurics.
I'm going into the hen business"
said Alpheus. yAnd just think, Loizy.
! bought that cart for So
and got cheated, .t5b." she. said.
sharply. But then it's your own
money" she added.
Yes. and I've got dollar left to
fix it up with" .. ~,
"A dollar" she said. contemptuous-
II. How far will that 9b?. lit won't
set the tires, to say nothing of painting
it and fixing the broken doors'
A lph
shall have some more money next
month, and III dc, all can on it my
For r more tllah two months Alpheus
was missed from his old haunts. and
the relations of The villagers became
less strained. One pair of lovers "a fter
another becaioe reconciled and NUM-
Der of the family fcuds were ,as, il
they bad Ne"er cen.
All this time Alplleus was at work
his lien cart and people began to
drop III 10 look ut IT,
"l':e got it inst shout in condition
to paint" he would say. proudly. Its
taken me good While tn ger it ready.
but | 'cliev :Ea. il anything is worth
doiES at o4lNAis worth doing WELL and
my wife Will tell you shat it was Il
pretty N1Id-looking oId trap when
got it.. see, it's fixed up pretty
nice ~ or c'gSse. it won't show
)o2V ach I've ,.ade to it until after
TO limited. hd the tires set and
tliayvbroHen s61't meQded. and two
sew spike h a pa of q rim in
ot Ind seel. Iva esalea end
/.u he da6 6gs-why. tI!ere fastened
Win clVe6es pins 9Sn4 got it. And
NE fixed a litte 3ing around the
top - ca. ''"s' there if !