The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1910-09-13
By M QUAD

We almost broken my back with
bard work, but now that I've married
money I'm going to take things easy.
III hire some one else 10 do the work,
and In do the bossing.'
He fondly expected 20 carry out this
program, but he ran up against a stone
wall the very first thing
You'll not only work as hard as
ever but good deal harder was the
reply Of the wife when he stated his
case. "I've got to do II III the house,
and You won't get out OF It outdoors
The matter is al settled, and wen say
no more about IT,
Peter communed some more As he
couldn't force matters, he determined
to resort to strategy. He went home
from the cornield one day with blank
face and asked the wife who he was.
My stars, what do You mean?H she
exclaimed after a look at him.
Il was hoeing corn and hustling
when something gave way In my head.
] can't remember who l am can't
remember who you arc. but It seems as
II had seen you before. What's the
matter with meg'
TGood lands, but II must be some.
thing awful Don't you remember that
you are Peter Whittier"
"Y e-s; It kinder seems that way, and
yet I'm all the time wondering II
haln't Sam Johnson. Your name is
Schermerhorn, amt ity'
"Hear the man talkw she walled.
Cant you remember that was the
Widow Smith until | married your
We were married only few weeks
ago. Peter, for heavens sake, don't
go out Of your headF'
smith smith, he unused. Il don't
think | ever heard the name before.
Mrs. Jackson. can get supper hereP
HE calls me Jacksonl The poor man
has had stroke or somethingw
Peter was taken in and cuddled up.
Chicken soup and toast were made for
him, and the wife MIXED the cows and
fed the hogs. The doctor came and
looked at Peters tongue and heard
some Of his queer talk and pronounced
1t a case OF loss Of memory. He said
that some time In the years agone PEI
ter had stood under a tree during
thunderstorm and had been knocked
into a cooked hat by a thunderbolt.
The real effects Of the injury were just
coming out.
Peter was 10 sit in the house or wan
der around as he liked. After about a
month OF coddling a slight improve
ment was noticed. He remembered
getting married to some widow or 9TH
er and was willing to admit that It
might be to Mrs. Smith.
just how long Peter might have
worked his little game and continued
to grow fat on it cannot be told, bit
one day when he had gone to The vii
lage a pill peddler stopped at the
house. He was told of the case, and
he did some thinking, He didn't claim
that any one brand of his seven kind
Of pills would restore memory, as
many a faker would have done 10
make q sale. He said that shock
was needed. He had known of five
cases IN his medical career. and all
had been cured by sudden shocks. No
little shock for cent would bring
about a restoration. The brain had
got all tangled up, and the cords of
laziness had got mixed with the cords
Of memory. He talked to Mrs. White
for an hour, and she came to his way
of thinking. Peter awoke next morn
ing glad that he was alive and no
work before him, but that sudden
shock recommended by the pin ped
dler was not far Off He found HIM
self bound hand and foot, and when
he inquired the reason the wife ex-
planned
II think / have got cure for your
loss Of memory. At least / am going
to try it. Can you remember this
morning what your name is?"
tits Rammerdinger, hain't it9'
yes, pretty near. Can You remem-
Der my nameT
Seems to me IFS Dockstader."
Il see your memory is as bad as
ever, and wen try the shock remedy"
Mrs. White was a strappIng woman,
strong and husky With one yank
Peter was on the floor. He struck
mostly on his head OF course he had
something to say, and the reply was.
"Peter, I've got the horsewhip here,
and I'm going to lay it on till you
can remember back to when Captain
Kidd was hung"
The whip was applied. The hus-
band had too soft snap to throw
away, and he held out for a time, but
things became hot. He began 10 call
the wife by her right name. She
gave him ten more cuts and stopped to
ask:
"Peter, who discovered America?"
"Old Columbus" was the prompt an
swer
And after ten more cuts, 'Who was
our first president?
George Washington"
"It's working Peter! It's workingl
And who are your
'sWhlte--Pete White"
"And who was n"
Emma Smith"
About twenty more vigorous cuts
were administered, and then Peter
was asked II his memory was clear
He was sure 1t was. and within half
an hour after the lashings had been
cast or he was saving wood at the
kitchen dnor Memory had come back