The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1903-01-29
THE REEFER-E END UNI.
You Don't Understand It An Hum
mating Colloquy. Conclusion, 81
Shall Vote No."


town one day and stopped in the road
his neighbor, Sam Collins, "What
is this referendum heerd them talk
| ing about down town today? Some how
or ruther lots of folk seemed mighty
sight OF. interested about it. My boy
Dicks got a REFER, but it don't near
| cover the end of him, and what in tar
nation referendum is, I'd like to
| know"
Farmer Collins took in the situation
at once and concluded he would have
a little sport with his honest neigh
| Dor, who had so much to do that he
| did not take the time to read and keep
| posted on current events, but, new
ertheless, was possessed of a great
amount of solid common sense, and
knew good thing when he saw it.
So, he replied:
"Well, what did you hear said, any
way?"
Uncle Tom gave the old mare jerk
and crossing his legs and clearing his
mouth of fresh quid, went on to say ::
"Why, 1 heerd old Squire Junkins,
| he that's BEN justice of the peace
down to the Corners nigh on to twenty
years and sot ON Squire Doolittle's
courts-I heard him say-sez he-he
hoped they would carry that REFER
endum-sure pop-and then, seq he,
If Doolittle can get up case agin
Bill Shocks and have it before
me, and can prove by two or three of
those loafers that Shocks had given
one drink of whiskey in some of his
boss trades, won't l give Shocks all
he wants?' Yes, SEE he, III get
even with him for that time he cheat
ed me in swapping bosses. I'll fine
him four thousand dollars and send
| the bargain, an then see him squirm. ,
An then old Junkins laughed an shook
his sides like all git out and took off
his hat and with that great big ban
danna kerchief wiped the big sweat
off from his face. -
"Golly, that would be REFER,
wouldn't it, said Farmer Collins.
"But, Tom, they re stuffin' ye; there
amt no common justice that ever had
or ever'll git any such powers. It's
unheard of,
"well, / Dunno said Farmer Steb-
bins cit did seem to me kind of curis
that an old numskull like Squire Jun
kins, who hain't any larnin' no more
than the rest Of us, should be given so
much power, but the old Squire
seemed so kinder tickled over it that /
did not know but they were tryin' to
turn things upside down in the old
State, and make us back numbers
"Well, Stebbins, said Farmer Col
Inns, sis that all you heard?"
"No, not 'zactly all" came the
prompt reply; "when l was goin'
over t'other side o. the street, just
there in front of Tim Smiths grocery,
| overheard some more talk. | heerd
that deputy sheriff, Gus Blarney, talk
in to anuther Teller that had on tar
nal nice blue coat an bright yalle1
buttons-guess they want gold though
and said kinder familiar like Steve
that referendum is going to pull
thro and if it does, that license act
vii be corker for u.s. That act is
chock full, running over and crowded
down with fines and 'prisonments, SO
that the common folks will have tC
keep their eyes peeled and hire Fill
edelphy lawyer to tell 'em what tC
do and what not to do, to keep out OF
the work house at Rutland.
"Then t'other one said: By hockey
Gus. they do say they are goin' to gil
the Ticker law; Clement seq he's go
the noses counted and it's sure POI
this time.
''Then he kinder grinned to t'othel
one and the t'other one seZ, seq he
Good gracious, do ye 'spose there i
be fools enough in this State to pas
such u law?'
"Then t'other one-the old he one
guess he was the high-cock- -lorum-
got kinder warmed up and said, seq he
&" Let er rip; all the better for us
You and know thing or two. Whel
they git two or three open saloons il
, every town, and a dozen or more il
every city, and all the drug stores cal
sell rum, the boys will get drunk I
fight, an go hum an lick their wive
an children an pound their cattle an
bosses, an forgit to feed 'em, an roI
an steal, an raise the devil ginerally
! and then there'll be business for us
sure-no mistake Well hev the jo
o snappin on to some one ev'ry day
! an takin' him to Jail or to Rutland
J N lots of big fees.
"Then the boss 'un laughed an the
both hit t'other in the ribs an slappe
shoulders, an the next | saw the.
! went off TO the boss barn an as the
went into the door, one pulled suthi