The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-11-27
PARS0N HELPS.
m BY c. q. LEWIS. m
BY c. q. LEWIS.



which fifty OF sixty people had gath
cred. 1t was simply and solely TIL
Widow Skinner, for the widow hat
bought the house and lot Of Seth Trav
ers and was moving over from Rock
ford.
None Of the Liverpool folks had seer
Mrs. Skinner yet, but most of them haC
heard of her. She had been described
as both an angel and a virago-as tai
and as short-as a peacemaker and as
a 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 a rickety old wagon, and
within the vehicle were her household
treasures.
Hitched to the real of the wagon vas
a bony COW, and at her heels, gruntlng
their disgust, came three hogs as thin
as an old-fashloned hoop-skirt. The
boys were nine and twelve years of
age. respectively.
Stand back Everybody stand back -
shouted the squire, as the wagon came
to a halt. Are you goin' to tell me that
you never saw a wilder woman be-
fore ?"
"Why. she's as homely as a cabbage
head!' exclaimed one.
"And she's as tall as a man I" gasped
number two.
Look at them crowbaits Of bosses I"
calculated a third.
Madam" said the squire, as he
stepped forward and raised his Greedy
hat, 'ft is my happy privilege to bid
you welcome to u charming village"
The Widow Skinner looked that
crowd over for 2 minute and then got
down and said:
Il wan nc barney from you or any
of the rest of 'eml Go on with you !"
But my good woman"
But she went through the crowd,
scowling right and left, until all went
away, except Elder Blxby, who stood
leaning against the fence with a smile
on his face.
He was about to receive a 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 a widower fifty-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
ower?'
"Yes."
and I'm a wilder. Drop In now and
then. / shan't bite you"
The widow settled her house In three
days, and then she and her sons began
TO stand the town OF Liverpool on its
head. The boys broke window glass.
got up dog fights, stoned cats and
'oughs every boy that could not out.
-un them. The COW and the horses and
he hogs were turned loose In the
streets to get their living as best they
'ould, and they preferred the vegetable
gardens and lawns to the roadsides.
Squire Lapham had never been
'nubbed by mortal man or woman be-
ore, and his surprise was so great that
he hardly spoke 10 anyone outside his
for two weeks. Then he sud.
ienly reused up and asked Stephen
Brewster:
"Steve, the law won't stand it-no
~ thunder, II WON'T That wilder and
Ter boys have got to behave themselves
IT they'll have trouble on their hands 7"
Meanwhile, the widow kept fairly
'usy. She gave a tin peddler a black
we because he told her that she didn't
NOW a good thing when she saw II
he crippled a hog which was Interior.
ng with the peace of mind of one of
Ter own she kicked a book ~canvasser.
md she tore down a line fence for
uel.
1t was too much for the town of Liv.
rpool. There were mutterings and
hreats, and a committee called on Par.
Turner.
That evening he sent for Elder Blk.
y to come to the parsonage, and when
he good man arrived he was asked:
Il am told that during your married
ife you bossed your house with a
trong handT"
Purity strong, parson-purty strong.
lost wives need a strong hand"
1T looks so to me. The Widow Skin
Ter and her boys need a strong hand.
you've got 1t. / am satisfied that II
he had a husband and the boys a IA
her there would be a great difference
n their conduct. You may not love the
now, but you may grow to-"
To fharo "a UfAnu CIfnna~ n--a ~