Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-06-29
WIDOW MASON,s PIG.
A Fairy story for Little Folks and
Big Ones.
BY AN OLD FASHIONED FELLOW,


Oid Balthazar was very much too mean TO buy
dinner; 80 with his pockets stuffed ont with
bread and cheese, he rode through the woods ON
his lean horse. His short black hair was onrled
up 80 tightly that 1t seemed as If IL was pulllnp
away his eye broWs from his little cunning ewes:
bis hat had belonged to his great grandfather,
and ran up in point, like steeple: while un.
der his saddle went "chink," bag of gold
guineas-the sweetest music In the world In
Bslthazar's ears. "
NOW, il was In the days when fairies and
COLLINS had habit of jumping out at you from
drawers, tea'kettles, stumps of trees, and all
sucn unreasonable places. SO Balthazar was
not In the least surprised, when, sitting under
nne OLD oak, he spied dwarf=-the yery ueli-
est little creature ever seen-beinR covered
with long black hair, with arms twice az long
aS MS podyI head as large as the rest of bis
person. Wrinkled forehead, and mouth that
Mnen ne isugned'opened so wide that IL tseemed
70 swallow MIS- entire face, and even startled Bal
thazar, who could not help stopping 10 ask.
what in the saints name he found to laugh al
In that lonesome forest7p
NO sooner had he spoken than :he dwarf set
up yelling scream, that made Balthaz ara curly
hair stand on end; and rolling himself up in a
ball, ne bounded right on the horses neck. his
ugly little eyes snapping wickedly, almost at the
top of Balthszsr's nose.
Balthazar crossed himself, and tried TO say
prayer; but not thing could he think of but
the multiplication table. The dwarf grInned,
and catching hold of an overhanginR branch,
swung himself up like monkey.
Balthazsr whipped his poor old horse, but the
frightened animal refused to stir. The dwarf
SCI up another of his yelling laughs, and began
to chant in harsh voice:
Five hundred gulneas not to be had.
But poor Balthazar's gone quite mad"
"Ah1 what-how! what Was that von ss;d.
good Mr. Dwarf2" asked Balshazar,
"oh, nothing" grinned the dwarf; "only
you might look behind you, If you were not go
busy saying your prayers"
Balthazar looked around; and there, fastened
Dy an arrow to tree, was royal proclamation.
In letters OF gold, written on parchment
hnoW All men that We, Queen OF Candle
mas ana fnncess OF Plum-cake, do hereby offer
nve hundred guineas for the finest pig in our
united kingdom of Candlemas. Given at the
marble palace with the golden tower, under our
hand and SEAL" ON"'
wonderful" cried Balthazar, "Fiye hun.
dred guneas for pig! have always heard
that great ladies' have strange fancies: but Eve
hundred guineas! Why there ia Widow Mason,s
pig-there is not q handsomer one in the king
DOM saw It only the other day, and this yefy
morning she sent for me TO buy il. She has six
children, and can't keep IL. will give her a
guinea Tor It: or-ten to one she knows nothi.
ng on tne proclamation-I will give her half O
III some one don't get there before you, -
Suosn 1ne dwarf, slyly, swinging himself down,
noiulng Dy one loot on lower branch 40 as to
bring his ugly face on level with Balthazar's.
which go scared him that, seizing his whip, he
began to belabor his horse, who, though tremb.
ling and sweating at every pore, started off at
once on furious gallop
arrived at the cottage, he found the ak
onh9ren playing and the widow spinning, but
sne cropped her distaff and ran to the gate when
sne saw me great man coming, and judging
mom ~ nis LOOKS una. ne was In good humor, began
spray, Mr.. Balthazar," said she' did vou oo,
my message about the pig2 I've got The 6nest
IL the world. He stands as high as IittIe
Martha yOnder. and you won find such another
one In the whole country"
balthazar buried his hands In his pockets.
where the bread and cheese were, and put on
look as II he was tumbling over an old drawer
oil memoIy's bureau, to find out where In the
world he'had ever heard of her Dig before.
'"Pig-pig 2" he repeated, sis il a little black
fellow with short ears7n T. D''N
"Black! littlew cried the widow. 0Whv
iPs as white as snow, and as larRe--but frat
come and see for yourself, Mr.. Balthazar."
a Hardy worth WHILE" drawing up the reins
as II 70 start have more pigs now than I
but, indeed Mr.. Balthaxar, If you would on
y lock at him." urged the widow. And Bslth-
azAr, who thought he had carried the game far
enough, got down and went to look at the pie.
~ ell, what do you ask for him7" Rrowled
he surlily, at length. li0 b. =. ,tsf' -
Would fifteen shillings be too much2p 81
Fifteen shillings! Why, woman, do Won
want tc Iuln me2 You had better asked az
teen guinlas at oncel Ten shilliuRs ig the
most I'll give, and Its poor bargain AZ that!D
The widow sighed. gJ d 10 6C5- = 3
TITS very llttle use,1 Mr.. Balthszsr. but
We cant afford TO keep Il. The pig IA yours .
Balihazar counted outelght shillngs and told
her to call for the other two some other dav,
and taking no notice of the children, who were
all crying because the pig was going, drove Il
out and started on theiWay 10 court. 61 i,
For awhile they went on quickly. the plR
trotting ahead, as If he knew the wav. and
BalthaEar munchiDg bread and ohcese and
chuckling over his, bargain, till they came 40
loud and noisy brook. Then Ralthsvs, hscsn =