The Newport miner. [volume] (Newport, Wash.) 1899-current, 1908-11-05
The Woman That Hustled

copyright, 1908, by I. {. McClure.l
For several years the new church at
Hawesville remained implanted and
without cupola It was owned joint
" by the Methodists and the Baptists.
One day the widow Larkins set the
ball a-rolling with view OF getting
the work done Not a hint escaped
her that she was working for an OBJ
ject. 1t was eight months later that
carpenters began work and 1t was
learned who had raised the money.
The painters followed the carpenters,
and the second coat was hardly dry
when the bell arrived and was hoisted
into position. There was grand turn
out for the first Sunday. The minis
tiers of both denominations were to oc-
cupy the pulpit, and there would be
talks" instead of sermons. To the
Amusement Of everybody who looked
over the assemblage the widow Lar
kins was not present. It was known
that she was home, and no one had
heard that she was i'll, and what had
kept her away no one could guess.
After the service Parson Turner wend-
ed his way to her house to solve the
problem. He found her in tears, and
the more solicitous he was the more
tears she she'd There is an end to
even woman's tears, however, and by
and by the widow wiped hers away
and controlled her voice and said:
Il am glad you came. l have con-
fession to make. There are several
things that weigh on my conscience,
and that was the reason was not at
service this morning. Parson, you
know l set out all alone to get that
carpenter work DONE"
II know, and it was a brave thing of
you"
II owned a kicking cow. It was
known to everybody in the village that
she was a kicker She has kicked
over more of her milk than was ever
saved. I would have been glad to sell
her for $40. One day a man came
along from Cherry Hill, and sold
her to him for SIT. I never said a
word about her kicking. That SIT
bought the first lumber. Do you think
can ever be forgiven for my sin?'
"Um! Umw said the parson to him
self. you were not asked If the cow
kicked?"
mo"
"Well, l shouldn't worry much. It is
quite possible that with other sur
ALL
II owned two spotted hogs" conttn-
ued the widow. 'They were running
around the village for year and were
several times complained Of as nut
sances."
Eyes; they rooted up my garden last
spring"
"Well, hog buyer came along one
day and offered me So apiece for them.
He drove them away after dark.
When he paid me he paid for three
spotted hogs instead Of two. He must
have driven away one belonging to
others. I didn't notice the mistake un-
til the drover was gone, and then !.
did not run after him. I turned that
odd hog into more lumber"
I'm! I'm! can't exactly see how
you can be held responsible for the
hog buyer being nearsighted. You
might have run after him and ex-
planned that he had paid you for an
extra hog, but you didn't think of it
until too late. l should say that every
hog removed from our village to some
distant sphere was distinct gain for
us. hog in mudhole is a nui-
sance; hog turned into a cupola of a
church is joy forever"
You know I went to Chicago about
three months ago. I have some world
~ relatives there. When I told them
OF the work l was engaged in they
were much interested. My brother-in-
law insisted that I put $40 on the
races on ten to one shot. was in
ouced against my will to do it, and
my horse came in ahead. got 500
In cash. and that went into the cupola.
l am feeling now that it was the great
est sin of ALL"
well. don't KNOW" unused the par
son. you did not bet through any
sordid motive?"
mo. l had the cupola in mind all
/ the time"
| You didn't see any of the horses
abused or urged beyond their
strength?''
NO. They really appeared to enjoy
1t. 1t was the first time in all nv life
mat ever bet on horse race, and L
'Um! OF course the principle Of
horse racing is wrong-verv wron1-