Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1831-11-18

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10 the Squire's then Joshua made hi
way-not that he had the least wish t,
cheat his old friend. He was too homes
for that; for he was in the habit ofboast
ing that he cheated no-body-told NJ
hes, and never travelled road which
he was afraid to travel again. "Bu
then, thought Joshua, eff the Squire
has mind to cheat himselfit's nobody
business. | can't be to blame.'
His reception at the house of his old
acquaintance was as cordial as he could
have desired and the evening spent as
usual In recounting the incidents which
occurred to each other since they last
met. In the morning the Squire for the
first time noticed the calf. "Ho, Josh
ia, what in the name of common
sense have you got there?' "Nothing
but poor, mean, lousy calf that's all p
"But what did you bring it here for?'
LII tell you what, Squire, it's pretty
considerable long story, and foolish one
to boot but | must tell it to you. You
know the Boston folks are full of no.
tons, ~ amongst them foolish ideas
that's got into their heads, they think if
they can only send to England and get
any thing, it will be as good again as If
they got it at home. So off they sent
last summer, arter drove of cattle and
yOU know, that there were thousands on
EN- in the Bay State and Connecticut to
be got as cheap again" eyes, but Jo-
shua remember, the importance of inn
proving the breed of Cattle in this coun-
try" Improve fiddlestick! | beg
your pardon, Squire, but it puts me out
of patience TO hear folks talk so. Now.
look at that calf and s'posing he'd i'm
prove your breed of cattle?' The eyes
ofSquire Iceland opened wide with as
constituent, and he enquired with the
greatest eagerness, if the calf was in fact
one of the far famed breeds, from De-
vonshire. 81 didn'tsay he was, for |
don't know any thing about breeds; but
II General Brynard has a mind to paw
five hundred dollars for him, 81 give me
fifty dollars to fetch him all the way from
Boston, why, say the greater fool he
The Squire was all ecstacies. He
knew that number Of the first breeds
OF cattle in England had been imported
into Boston, and that General Brynard
had been striving TO procure some of
them. This calf must be one-worn
thin and meagre by his long journey bv
sea and land. He asked few pertinent
questions, which Joshua answered with
his usual circumlocution, and the Squire
was entirely satisfied that he then had
the pleasure, for the first time in his life.
OF viewing one of that identical breed of
cattle which he had so long been desir-
Gus to obtain. Joshua read all that pass
ed In his mind, and proceeded according
ly: "Now Squire, want little OF
your candid advice: you see this poor
calfis almost dead with his journey, and
it's pretty nigh two hundred miles TO
General Brynard s: and l. m mighty lraid
he'll die before | get there. fit want
for my fifty dollars, which | must paw
for my land. | should have killed him
long ago. You can't tell what a plague
he is to me. | have to drive SO con-
founded slow, and spend half my time
in nursing on him, that | don't know
what to do"
"Why, Joshua, if the fifty dollars is
all your trouble, only leave him with me
and I'll give you that sum in Jerk
but don't think of killing him. "T'U
tell you what, Squire Iceland, YOU and
L have been acquainted these four wears
and have always hitched our horses to-
gether pretty well and now advise
you, as friend, to give up your notions
about merino sheep and Devonshire cat
tie to keep your fifty dollars. and have
nothing to do with such a shabby look
ing creature as this is. But then if
you'll have your own way I'll make YOU
an offer. You know a Yankee is al
ways true to his employer; and | shan't
leave Gen. Brynard's calf without civ
ing him a chain to get him again p
The squire looked grave. CHOW; if
you mind to give me fifty dollars. and
make out riting with your name to it.
that any time within six months the
General may have the critter, by paw
ing you back the money, and paving for
the expenses and trouble Of Keeping
him" "rl do it, says the Squire dBut
bark ye Joshua, tell him a pretty bad
story about the bull, and discourage him
ifyou can."-WelI, Squire, YOU may
take the calf; but / shant tell nothing
to the General, nor nobody else, that
ant true. But in this case the truth is
bad enough and l rather guess he won't
come. And now, Squire, remember
what tell you'd rather have one
calf from our old brindle COW than TO
have half q dnunrn oh ..-.ll.--. - Al