The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-06-21
cow CRITICISMS.


BY NERNEr THE SKErCHEK.
Several years since, when lived up in
the Georgia cattle country, my next
neighbUr ON one side was Mrs Conncss,
whose business specially was stock rails
ing. The widow owned eight hundred
acres Of land in two plantations, joining
kept always good many head Of horned
cattle-not a third SO many as the two
places might have supported with iudaci-
Gus managemcment-sold Il great many
every year, and was making money fast
er than any cotton planter in the state.
But the widow had never been quite so
fortunate as she ought to have been con-
sidering the price she had paid in the Sc
| lcctions of her managers. Fifteen hun
dred dollars II year with the usual south
crn privileges, ought TO have procured a
better overseer tlin ever fell to Mrs. Con-
ness lot. She knew that herself, and |
had often heard her declare that she
would not bcgrudse. and would freely
give two thousand dollars per annum for
the services OF such man as she needed.
She did not seem likely to find him, how
ever, as every year went by, and every
year an oyersecr came and went at Gas
tlcwood."
One morning, in February | think it
dFPydgG %a5REGf'So 70 fa0l rs lf foF Mrs oVG5 G55nss agN Nomd
barn yard, close by the mansion, where
she had at the time a dozen perhaps Of
her pet cows-all remarkably fine amin
ais for nativls-the widow believed no.
thing in imported and ''grade' stock.
Mis-. Conness was in the yard, and
while we were discussing tho merits of
some Of her pets, there came in North
erner from Nermont-a young man on
the boy side of thirty-.named Birney, Il
wheelwright, agricultural implement ma
ker, and clever mechanic at a good
many trades-a regular universal Yankee,
who had taken a long stretch from the
Green Mountains to far down South. set
tied down and set up among us with his
wife aud two children, arguing that he
guessed he could dew better daown with
US plantationers, who always had pow
er of tools and things to make and mend
up than he colld "tew lum."
And therein Josiah BirLey was right
We had long needed just such Yankee
in our locality, and we paironzed and
paid him TO his entire satisfaction. The
whole region for circuit of twenty miles
knew that 'Siah Birney was Il capital
mechanic and always reliable, and that
was about all we did know about him,
for 'Siah was always too much hurried
with work TO run about much, and we
always sent the ''boys" TO carry and
bring home the work-so we didn't see
him often.
Josiah Biney had come over that
morning to buy COW. lie told the wild
ow that, and was informed that she had
about forty to sell, and after that the bar
gaining went on about as follows
'What is your price for the best cows
you have, madam ?"
swell, Mr.. Birney-I declar | don't
know. 'Spose l shall have TO ask thirty
dollars for the raal best cows Eve got"
swell, Mrs Conness, as 1 only keep
one, want the best | can get"
The widow pointed to II magnificent
animal \ fine, large, bright red COW,
with beautiful horns, white star in her
forehead, two white feet, an immense
bag, coming SIX years old that spring,
withina week of calvWg, and bearing
! every popular mark of Il famous mixer.
"Thar, Mr. Birney, thar's raal beau
ty. That COW II just ksuit you"
No, beg your pardon, madam. That
cow wi.l not suit me at all, Mrs. Conness
| am poor man, and my cow must be
able 10 see her way, and help pick her
own living part of the time"
"Why, honey! Who in the world
ever told you that ar cows blind :"
''No one, madam. Never knew you
had such a COW until came in the yard
here few minutes ago.
''Well, l declar? Why no one else
ever seed that afore so quick. Did you
know the COW war bind, Mr., Vernet"
'No ma'am, confess l din not, and
seen her fifty times, I think"
swell, somebody has to be the first to
see everything remarSed Birney, care
lessly.
Mrs. Comes pointed ont next me-
dium-sized, handsome brindle, having all
the qualifications should have said Of a
frst-class COW.
swell thar, neishbor, tbar's COW
for you. She ara't blind. Take that
brinds"
''Not this time, Mrs. Conness., New
Jerusalcml That bfindle ouss. would