The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1917-10-13
m m N m "a ~ N N N n N N I'M
.THE PARSON HELPS.
n BY c. 3. LEWIS. -

BY c. B. LEWIS.

which fifty or sixty people had gath
cred. 1t was simply and solely the
Widow Skinner, for the widow had
bought the house and lot of Seth Trav-
ers and was moving over from Rock.
ford.
None of the Liverpool folks had seen
Mrs. Skinner yet, but most OF them had
heard of her. She had been described
as both an angel and virago-as tall
and as short--as peacemaker and as
q troublemaker.
And the crowd had gathered In front
OF the Travers house, and the widow
was at hand with her bag and baggage.
a mystery that had troubled the vii
lage for two weeks was about to be
solved.
Squire Lapham was the father Of the
Town. 1t was for him to welcome all
newcomers and shake hands with all
who moved away. He had on his Sun
day suit on this occasion, and he was
On the ground early. 1t was for him to
boss, and for the others to obey. The
widow drove two skeleton horses at
tached to rickety old wagon, and
within the vehicle were her household
treasures.
Hitched to the rear Of the wagon was
bony COW, and at her heels, grunting
their disgust, came three hogs as thin
us an old-fashioned hoop-skirt. The
boys were nine and twelve years Of
Rge, respectively.
ISLAND back Everybody stand back"
shouted the squire, as the wagon came
to halt. "Are you goin' to tell me that
you never saw wilder woman be-
fore"
"Why, she's as homely as cabbage
head!" exclaimed one.
"And she's as tall as man!' gasped
number two.
"Look at them crowbaits of hosses"
calculated third.
Madam" said the squire, as he
stepped forward and raised his Greedy
hat, at is my happy privilege to bid
you welcome to our charming village"
The Widow Skinner looked that |
crowd over for a minute and then got |
down and said:
II want no blarney from you or any |
of the rest of 'em Go on with you!"
''But my good woman"
But she went through the crowd,
scowling right and left, until all went
away, except Elder Bixby, who stood
leaning against the fence with a smile
on his face.
He was about to receive kick, when
the widow withheld her foot, and said:
"Take off your coat and help me get
the stove and bureau out of the
wagon"
Eyes, ma'am."
Elder Bixby was widower flfty-four
years old. He helped to unload the
wagon and carry the things in, and
when he put on his coat the woman
thanked him, and added:
Il kinder suspect you are a wild
ower7'
Eyes" II
"And Pm wilder. Drop in now and {
then. I shan't bite you" t
The widow settled her house In three 9
days, and then she and her sons began I
to stand the town Of Liverpool on Its I
head. The boys broke window glass, G
got up dog fights, stoned cats and
fought every boy THAT could not out
run them. The COW and the horses and
the hogs were turned loose in the a
streets to get their living as best they
could, and they preferred the vegetable
gardens and lawns to the roadsides.
Squire Lapham had never been
snubbed by mortal man or woman be- !,
fore, and his surprise was so great that r
he hardly spoke to anyone outside his =
family for two weeks. Then he sud- =
denly reused up and asked Stephen a
Brewster: II
Steve, the law won't stand it-no, O.
1y thunder, 1t WON'T That vidder and V
her boys have got to behave themselves N
Or they'll have trouble on their hands !" u
Meanwhile, the widow kept fairly 81
busy. She gave tin peddler black
I'VE because he told her that she didn't re
know good thing when she saw It pl
the crippled hog which was interfer- q
NC with the peace of mind Of one of q y
Ter own; she kicked book canvasser, %
md she tore down a line fence for -
uel. y,
1t was too much for the town of Liv- ~
'rpool. There were mutterings and Ia
hreats, and a committee called on Par "a
on Turner n,
That evening he sent for Elder Blk to
y to come to the parsonage, and when m
he good man arrived he was asked: it
Il am told that during your married tn
fe you bossed your house with a OF
trong hand?' ~
Purity strong, parson-purty strong. pa
lost wives need a strong hand"
at looks so to me. The Widow Skin.
er and her boys need strong hand
ou've got ii. l am satisfied that II
he had husband and the boys a ia De
her there would be great difference CHI
! their conduct. You may not love the tn
'ldow now, but you may grow TO-" Re
Is there a Widow Skinner now? No. ia
Are there two bad boys OF her name? ize
10. col
Copyright, 1917, by the Mcclure Newspa-
per Syndicate)
Not Bit Noisy.
Apartment Agent-Are these your Ma
sta
Prospective Tenant-Tes. hut tbav lat