Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1856-07-25
Ally's Cow.

Ally's Cow.
When l was a little girl, my parents
lived in q small vilage, which was
pleasantly situated in the valley of the
Pennington River, and which contained
two or three cotton-mills. This was
the chief business OF t:fc place. My
father, however, was farmer, and kept
q dairy. Manv long chase had my
brother and ], Of summer evening, up
the steep hillside and into tbs woods at-
ter the cows. Sometimes we liked the
ramble we'll, and sometimes were right
glad when we heard the tinkle of the
bell that was fastened about the neck Of
their leader, guiding US TO their where
abouts by It's intermittent Sounds
Nearly quarter Of nile up The street
from our house was the preftIest cottage
one could see. Il was brown, but so
covered with climbing roses and vines,
that you would scarcely notice the COL
or. In front was wide yard, where
grass always appeared fresher green
than anywhere else; while In the garden
at the back OF the house, were raised the
earliest peas and cucumbers. the finest
goo1eberries and melons, and the fairest
harvest boughs in town. Here lived
widow Brown, with her son and daugh-
ter. She was poor, and her children
were young; and, more than this, the
little girl was blind, so that they could
do but little toward supporting them
selves or their mother. Still what they
could do was done with willing heart,
and that Lakes any work seem light.
Albert was stout boy Of eleven, and
early aud late, out Of school, would he
do errsnds for the neighbors, 90 for the
cows, feed the pigs, turn hay in the field,
pick up apples or potatoes, or even tend
babies for the mothers, IL thereby he
might earn few pennies TO bring home
to his mrmmn.
The summer that Albert was twelve
years old, farmer Mayfeld, whose farm
adjoined Mrs. Browns, called to him one
n ght, as he came from school, saying:
"Look here, sir, don't you know you
are almost man I"
"Not quite yet, think" replied Al
bert. 49,.
"Well, anyway you are not baby
One would take yoifor a man, you are
so busy oil the time. Do you suppose
you and could drive bargainl"
"What about slrl"
"Your mother would like a COW | sup
poser
"Oh, yes, sir. She has been wishing
for one ever since father died. Atone
time we had half money enough to buy
a COW, and then Lucy was sick and got
blind. and mother had to pay the doctor
with II; so now don't know as we shall
have one until | am man. shan't
have mother work, then. Mr.. Maylield
III buy tho COW and everything else"
"AlI right, oil right; but look hero. Ia d,
you can havea COW before that, u you
like. Come and work for mo until after
harvesting. aud IN give you that red
heller In the lane. She will mako a
grand COW, ! eau tell you. It's a big
prico. too; I know that as we'll as you
do; but, somehow, have taken liking
10 you. ! love 10 help people who try
TO help themselves. Not a word now,
on and SEQ what your mother will say
about t." 4a
Away sped Ally. as fast as his feet
could 20, ana the old farmer turned to-
ward the house. saying. as II In apology
to bis wife. He aln't like other boys
He's 30 sobcr-likei 80 mindful Of wha,
you bid him."
Mrs. Brown did not object. for the
COW would indeed, be AgIeAt comfort
during the long. cold winter. and AL
~ would spend Sundays at home. Sc
10 . day or two he was duly installed
as boy-of-all-work ut farmer MayGelds
Months passed. and the harvest wa,
over. Ally had done wonders. En-
erybody at the farm praised him; and
moro than all. on the evening Of tina
day, the farmer tied rope about the
horns Of the red heiier and giving II is
Albert, said to him. "lIerc, boy. i
your pay. | never thought you coult
do SO much when / made you the OF
fer" ,tHb
How glad the mother was when
Ally drove the COW into.the yard how
| the tears ran down her cheeks as sh,
placed her hands upon his head. ant
thanked the kind Father In HEAVIER
that he had given her such boy lit
tie Lucy ran up. feeling the COW soft,
ly with one hand. and clasping hel
brother tightly with the other.
The earning Of the COW was the be
ginning Of Albert's good fortune II
life. His obedience, industry and up
rightness found him friends who wer,
willing to assist him in whatever cir
cumstancss he was placed.
In after years. when he had riser
high in the public esteem. and wealth
waited his command. he would otter
say to the sons who gathered abou
his Preside, "You can be whatever
you have desire to be. Trust, iirst
In God. and then in your own ability
to do. Be truthful to your Maker
and to your own idea Of right, and
you can not fail Of success.-Neu
York Evangelist.