Betsy Gaskins (Dimicrat), Wife of Jobe Gaskins (Republican) Or, Uncle Tom's Cabin Up to Date

COPYRIGHT, 1897, BY W. I. HOOD. All rights reserved.

NOTICE.—The illustrations in this work are engraved from original drawings from life, and their reproduction, except by special permission from the publishers, is prohibited.

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PREFACE.

THIS book is written for a purpose. It is founded upon actual occurrences. Betsy and Jobe Gaskins are characters well known to you, if you will but reflect upon events coming under your own observation within the past few years.

The author claims no inspiration or gift of genius. This is only a simple statement of facts deserving the consideration of every intelligent human being. While you read these pages, if you will permit your intelligence to assert itself over your prejudices, and if finally you will do that which the nobler instincts of man prompt you to do toward bringing about a better condition of things under the government of which you are a part, the author will be fully repaid for his labor. He asks you only to keep in mind at all times that Jobe Gaskins is your brother; that Betsy Gaskins is your sister.

W. I. HOOD.

New Philadelphia, Ohio, April 24, 1897.

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“GOD, by giving to man wants and making his recourse to work necessary to supply them, has made the right to work the property of every man; and this property is the first, the most sacred, the most imprescriptible of all.”—_Turgot._

“THE right to work is the right to worship. The clink of the anvil and the hum of the harvest field, the music of the poet and the meditations of the inventor are chords in the anthem of creation.”—_Henry D. Lloyd._

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER Page I. Jobe Sets and Studies 15 II. An Argument on the Money Question 22 III. Jobe Sleeps in the Spare Bed. The Dream 27 IV. “The Comers” 38 V. Jobe Must Raise $2,100 43 VI. Betty, the Drivin’ Animal 49 VII. They Drive Old Tom 53 VIII. Another Letter from Richer 61 IX. A Few Reasons by Betsy 65 X. Is there a Woman in the Barn 69 XI. “In Town” 73 XII. The Decision 78 XIII. Jobe Cheers Up 84 XIV. A New Mortgage 89 XV. Jobe, Out of Trouble, is Unruly Again 93 XVI. Jobe is Scared 97 XVII. Jobe Sleeps in the Barn? 104 XVIII. The Spittoons 111 XIX. A Big-headed Man 118 XX. Bonds Sell Well 121 XXI. The Sermon 124 XXII. Jobe Working to Raise the Officers’ Salaries 128 XXIII. Plan to Relieve the Rich of an Expense 132 XXIV. Them Promises 138 XXV. Jobe Excited Over a Nomination 141 XXVI. The Bloomers 145 XXVII. “Them Populists.” 149 XXVIII. Trouble with Billot 155 XXIX. “Inforcin the Law agin Billot” 158 XXX. Betsy Discusses “Fiat” Money 166 XXXI. Jobe Blows a Fish-horn 180 XXXII. At Court Again 185 XXXIII. Judgment Rendered 189 XXXIV. The Little White Rose-bush 195 XXXV. Jobe Talks of Things that Are Gone 200 XXXVI. Bill Bowers on the Fence 202 XXXVII. Betsy Faints. A Vision 207 XXXVIII. The Parting 211 XXXIX. The Preacher and the Saloonkeeper 216 XL. Them Rooms. The Director of Charities 228 XLI. A Sore Hand 235 XLII. Hattie Moore 244 XLIII. A Family Reunion 249 XLIV. After the Woe, then Comes the Law 256