Willmar tribune., 1908-12-30
The Woman That Hustled

VoSSS>S
copyright 1908. by T. c. McClure.l
For several years the new church at
Hawesville remained unpainted and
without q cupoia. 1t was owned joint
" by the Methodists and the Baptists.
One day the widow Larkins set the
ball a-rolling with a 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
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.
kins was not present. 1t 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 I have q con
fession to make. There are several
things that weigh on my conscience
and that was the reason l 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."
Il owned 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. would have been glad to sell
her for $40. One day man came
along from Cherry Hill. and l sold
her to him for SIT. never said q
word about her kicking. That $17
bought the first lumber. Do you think
l can ever be forgiven for my sinY'
"Um! I'm" said the parson to him.
self. "You were not asked If the COW
kicked:"
mo"
We'll, shouldn't worry much. 1t is
quite possible that with other sur.
roundings she may cease to kick at
ALL"
II owned two spotted hogs," contin.
ued the widow. ''They were running
around the village for a year and were
several times complained Of as nui
sances."
"Yes; they rooted up my garden last
spring."
'Well, a 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. turned that
odd hog into more lumber"
"Um! I'm! l 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 1t
until too late. l should say that every
hog removed from our village to some
distant sphere was a distinct gain for
US. A hog in mudhole is a nui.
sance: hog turned into cupola Of a
church is a Joy forever"
You know | went to Chicago about
three months ago. l have some world
~ relatives there. When l told them
of tile 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. l was in.
duced against my will to do 1t, and
my horse came in ahead. / got S1OO
In cash. and that went into the cupola.
am feeling now that it was the great,
est sin Of ALL"
"Weil, l don't KNOW" mused the par.
son. You did not bet through any
sordid motiveT'
| "NO I had tho nrno1o l., ..,ns al
the time"
"You didn't see any Of the horses
abused or urged beyond their
strength?"
mo. They really appeared to enjoy
1t. 1t was the first time in all nv life
that ever bet on horse race. and l.
r.
| "Um! OF course the principle of
horse racing is wrong-very wrong
but there are occasions when an limo.
cent person may be persuaded against
his own judgment. You did not 90 to
Chicago to bet on the race?
"Oh. no. no, no! l didn't know that
such thing was contemplated"
1T was your brother-in-law who sug.
gested that you lay wager?
1T was"
"And you showed a proper reluc.
tance for q timer"
II did,"
swell. l don't think the sin is unfor.
givable. Besides. the money has gone
into the cupola and can't be separated
from the rest. Is there anything
more?''
"There-there is!' groaned the wild.
ow as her tears began to fall again.