The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1856-06-14
THE HOUSEHOLD sACRuruCe.
! rom the Old Homestead

THE HOUSEHOLD SACRIFICE.
rom the Old Homestead.
well. as | was saving, when was a
cal, nv father and mother moved
from old Conn",tirut into the Lackawa-
ma valley. in Pennsylvania with ten lt,l,
children. all younger than was. They hal
lost everything, and went out into that dark
pinv region TO begin life again
well they got a patch OF wild land. part
" on credit. built hIy house, and went Ia
work. Before the year was out father died
and We found it hard digging to get aion.
without crops. and deep in debt We gave
up everything to paw store drht.. and should
have felt As rich as kings. If we conli onl,
have raiscd what the law allowed US. Bu,
We had no barrel of pork and beef. which e.
ven the law leaves poor family but VIZ liv.
ed Oh rye and iniun. and little molassr..
when We rouldn! get milk
The law allowed Us two pigs and COW with
calf. Our COW WAS a grand good critter. cap
'ial tor milk. and gentle as a lamb; YOU don't
know how the children took to her and well
they might: she more than halt supporte,.
rh,.rr
Marin did her best for her children. and
worked As hard a she did, spinning and car l.
my wOo., which she woye INTO cloth on a hand
loom.
Well in year or two the calf grew into "A
fine hrittr. and We calculated on havin, milk
from her after little whir 50 we began u
tat up the old COW. though hadn't no ilr.
that We should make up our mind, to Kill
her
There was some debts still. but We hal
gwen up everything once. and neirher marn
or | rlIo".ht OF anvtoi,'s coming on us
gam. 50 We were proud enough OF our tive
cows and As ion1 ~ he children hal plcn,,
OF mix. We never onr- thnuShf of wan,ino
beef. and ,h, OLD COW might have lived I'LL
tins time for what know, II W.T. .ad been
ict ~ Our>clv vt>.
Here St'ina'> voice became disturbed. and
the girls settled themselves IN an attitude Of
profound attention
We'll. A. | WAS saving. things began Z,
brighten with Us. when on" dav in come tn.
town constable, with Il printed writ IN hi,
haud
. il,'i tnni1 o,,; ,ha. h...! On, more COW
than the law allowed. and he came after IT,
thought lo"r marm would gone crazy
She '''lt 80 bad; an! no wonder with all then
. children. aud she IA widdcr 1t came hard
can tell vou
But the constable was determined anc
what could she do hut civ. it up Their.
too! her little children hud,.td together %,
tue hearth. CRYING As IT their hearts wrr,
III
drove on. and there was poor marin. with he
apron ny 10 her tarr. a >ot,ling so pitfnl.
Ir"ul'lnt stand IL; nv heart rose like
vca>tIny ot bread: determined that then
: children and thar hard work mo woman shout,
:. have enough 10 eat. constable or 10 consta
hle
'W AIT. sad Ito the constable, It'll driv
up tie cow j.: shes hard tn find"
r H.. sal dawn W.. ac, ne ,!,u!r,u H..
v gan to sob AMI cry a.ain tell YOU gals,
cruel a> the grave
! went 10 the wood pile. and took the AK
) from between two logs. Across the clearing
It and Just in the edge of the woods, saw tn
l. old COW and the hrittr. browsing on the ur
E dcrgrowth The old COW had bell on, an
every tInSlc as she moved her head. went {
my heart had to think OF marin and tn
; children before could get courage TO 90 or
l. and with that TO encourage me- ] shook an
tremhlcd like murderer, all the way aero.
the clearing.
The old COW and the hcifcr were close
each other. brow<in" on the >wee: birch ur
drrnrarh thar grow thick there. When
came up they both stopped. and stood look
e. Ing at me with their great earnest eyes, ,
wi>htnlly, As il they wondered which | wa
le after"
Here Salira dashed hand across her eve
and the color rushed into her face, as if sh
was opposing pressure Of tears with gres
n bravery
''lt was enough 20 break anv ones hea,
to see that old COW, with the birch twigs
'e her mouth coming towards me so innoren
4 She thouyht-poor critter-that Id come
r milk her; but instead of the milkpaiI. ha
the axe in my hand. She couldn't know
what it meant, and Vet As true as lived,
); seemed As if she did
There she stood. looking in nv face. wor
'e derIng. havnt no doubt. why | didn't $,
4 down on the log, as usual, and fix INV pail
" and there stood. trcmhin. before the 10,
" dumb animal. ready to tall down upon NJ
knees. aud ask pardon for my cruel Thought
'e and there was the heller looking on us bOi
IN oh. gals. gals, hope none OF YOU will ev.
rs have to 90 through thing like that"
The girls thus addressed We're very still
and sob or two was just heard. while II
III tears Ieaped like hsstones down Salina
e. cheeks
r. NV heart miscave me-I wouldn ter dor
- 1t. lEOse great InnO'ent eyes seemed a.
they were human | grew so weak that the a,
:" fell. turned TO 90 back. ready to starve,
ID ANYTHING rather than look that animal in Il
ly face again. with nv axe in nv hand Yes
lv turned away. but there across the clearing VI
the constable. with the writ flying ont in !,
u hand. My blood -ose-I thought Of the chi
n dren with nothing 10 eat-l don't know VII
# Idida't think Of He was talking fast tur
il. ed-the COW was right before me- Oh, girl
there she stood. so quiet. chewing the gree
birch leaves: was like a baby-the a,
,. wouldn't rise from the ground-I could not
'c it.
ne He called out. heard his step in the u
nr der5rush. Then my strength flew back.
h. was wild-strone as a lion. my eyes seem,
u hot with sparks of FIRE. shut them, the a,
- swung back crash. deep. Wild bsllo
H. end she fell like log. When opened q