The Prescott daily news., 1908-10-03
The Woman That Hustled

Copyright. 1908. by T. c. McClure.]
 For several years the new church a
 Hawesville remained unpainted an, without a cupo!a. It was owned joint ly by the Iethodists and the Baptists One day the widow Larkins set tn ball a-rolling with a view of gettin, the work done Not hint escaped her that she was working for an ob Ject. It was eight months later tha carpenters began work and it wa. learned who had raised the money.
 The painters followed the carpenters and the second coat was hardly dry when the bell arrived and was hoisteG into position. There was a grand turn cut for the first Sunday. The minis ters of both denominations were to oc cupy the pulpit, and there would be talks instead of sermons. To the amazement of everybody who looked over the assemblage the widow Lar. klns 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 shed. 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 a con. fession to make. There are several things that weigh on my conscience, and that was the reason I was not at service this morning. Parson, you know set out all alone to get that carpenter work done" ''
 Il know, and it was brave thing of you"
 "I owned a kicking COW. It was known to everybody in the village that she was kicker. She has kicked over more of her milk than was ever saved. I would have been glad to sell her for $10. One day man came along from Cherry Hill. and l sold her to him for $17. never said a word about her kicking. That SIT bought the first lumber Do you think can ever be forgiven for my sin?''
 "Um! Uml" said the parson to him. self. You were not asked if the COW kicked?''
 No"
 Well, shouldn't worry much. It is quite possible that with other sur roundings she may cease to kick at all"
 "I owned two spotted hogs," contin- ued the widow. They were running around the village for q year and were several times complained of as hui sances."
 Yes; they rooted up my garden last spring."
 Well, hog buyer came along one day and offered nae $3 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"
 "Um! Um! I can't exactly see how you can be held responsible for the hog buyer being nearsighted. You might have run after him and ex- plained that he had paid you for an extra hog, but you didn't think of 1t until too late. I should say that every hog removed from our village to some distant sphere was a distinct gain for us. A hog in a mudhole is a nui- sance; hog turned into cupola of a church is joy forever"
 You know l went to Chicago about three months ago. I have some world ly relatives there. When l told them of the work I was engaged in they were much interested. My brother-in- law insisted that I put $1O on the races on ten to one shot. l was in- duced against my will to do it, and my horse came in ahead. I got $1O0 in cash, and that went into the cupola. 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