The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-11-29
GRANNY LEATHAMs REVENGE.

mark ~. where are you, Mark" Mrs
Leatham called as she hurriedly entered
the homestead yard, letting the gate slam
behind her, the noise bringing out the dog
from his kennel and startling the scattered
fowls. Pushing the widows cap back from
her cheek, the better to hear the response
she stood still for moment, her worn face
flushed and her loosened shawl and bonnet
strings fving in the wind. s@ g 81 -
as it 20, missus? But yo' are sharp
back again!' said an elderly man, putting
his keen looking face out of the round win.
dow of the stable loft and speaking in the
strong dialect of one of the Northern of the
Midland counties,
at has come, Joseph! One COW died last
night at Bates's, and another this morning.
and several have it badly. Where is Mark:
l met the constable in the lane, starting to
come up here; for we are not to move a
beast off our own land the justices tell him
to day Mark! Where is Mark?" she cross
ly repeated
''Why,'' said the serving man, finishing a
long whistle of surprise they hammer above
twenty kye at the Fra (Which was the
name of Bates's fsrn;) it'll soon max work
wi 'em at that rate! Dun yo' mean--?''
But Mrs. Leatham moved rapidly away as
Joseph put his arms on the window bottom
to inquire into the matter leisurely. Mark
is somewheer towart tn stacks, he called
after her, aud then again tried to whistle
away his establishment.
''Im here What is it p rather sullenly
asked broad-shouldered, but sickly- look
ing young man, clad in rough farmer attire
as he turned the corner of a detached out
house. 1880 -t.t-.s -E p
1.-THE cattle plague is here, Mark" replied
his mother, putting shaking hand upon
his arm 1.-TWO COWS have died at the FRS
since yesterday, and three or four more have
it. met the constable before | got to the
village, coming round to say from the just
ices, no beast is to be moved above hun
bred yards on the road"
''Why, Bates ill be ruinedr' Aud Mark
Leatham turned still paler and curious
expression came into his eyes, as he stared
at the speaker.
"Ours are in the bottom field, aren't
they? If they are taken, what shall we do?''
Without waiting any answer, the good wo-
man rapidly set off in the direction of the
fields her son following her with equal
haste.
1.-The brown COW is down, and she isn't a
lazy one! J" Mrs. Leatham gasped, as they
came in sight of meadow where a group
of COWS were to be seen.
Mark, by way of answer, made that curl
GUS cry which English kline understand as a
call home, though, in SO doing his voice
was not SO steady as usual, The cattle, of
which there were seven, knew the summons;
those which We're grazing lifted their heads,
the brown COW swayed herself into stand
ing position, aud they all looked towards
the gate. .are
Nothing aiIs her," said the young man,
as the suspected animal came frisking ahead
of the rest to meet them, ''She has been
Illuminating; that was all. .
A minute or two later Mrs. Leatham was
inside the gate amongst the knot of cattle,
stroking and patting them and talking to
them caressiDgly. The sleek creatures, in
turn, rubbed against her, surveying her
with their large mild eyes, and now aud
then lowed softly,
"Whiteface is bit lame of the off hind
leg, but it is a kick, l think. They seem
very healthy, don't they?" and the widow
appealed to her son, who had fallen into a
listIess attitude, leaning with crossed arms
upon the gate.
ITO think we have only these left?" he
said "They look none when they're all
together | am ashamed O anybody seem
'em, an knowing they're all we have. 1t
does ma matter much to us whether the
plague comes or not"
Thou must not talk in that way, Mark,
his mother said quickly, from among the
COWS, and left off patting the beasts. and
tied her bonnet strings with what appeared
unnecessary tightness Perhaps things
may mend, if this Will but keep off; and
pray God it may" she anxiously added
stoopiug again to the dumb creatures, call
ing them by special names, and talking to
them one after another as though they had
been children.
eff Bates lose many beasts, Rawlinsons
won't let Mary meet Sam Bates! He'll be
served like me!'' and the young farmer
laughed bitterly, uplifting crimson face,
with Inundated expression upon it,
Mrs Leatham coming from among the
COWS, said, in half soliliquizing manner,
Il don't know whether they are safest kept
up close or out here Nobody knows how
it comes. The constable says fox can car
ry it,"
''You don't listen to me. Ellen wasn't
at the bridge to day again. They wouldn't
let her come know how it isl -.l
''But you'll see her on Sunday at church;
they cannot help that said the mother sooth-
ingly.
''On Sunday WI all the village lookin'
at us, an all of em KNOWN, from her ia
theirs looks, they don't want her to have
a word wi me! You see what it is to be
poor!" and he afresh. laughed bitterly.
IF we are poor we are honest. Nobody
has suffered for us a penny yet said the
mother facing him, her eyes swimming with
tears. s'Your father shouldn't have got en-
tangled so; but mistake in Judgment isn't
idIeness or wastefulness. That cannot be
said against us, and never shall while I'm
living. Don't give way so Mark 9 ~ g
al would work night and day, would
do anything, if they'd let Ellen meet meg
but when go to the bridge an wait an
wait for nothing, it takes all the heart out
of me- This was said with something
like sob. has sz zIfy
lit is very bad: but if Ellen Astbury is
girl with heart she'll be true to you, Mark;
only we mustn't let things get worse-not if
we can help it. We have paid every half
penny Of our way yet, but if the COWS are
carried Off She stopped to. turn and
look at the animals, which were still stand
ing there, some of them looking up side
ways as if following the conversation. 81
think we had better keep em up Bit for
the wind may bring it across, from all they
say" resumed Mrs. Leatham, gazing with
painful earnestness over the fields in the d.
rection of the infested farm, fully three
miles away.
The wind III get into the cowhouse as
well as here; and where is the fodder to
come from?' the young man asked despond.
ingIy, uplifting himself and opening the
gate for his mother, who had moved to.
wards it. &-
1T is very strange" she moaned, after
short puzzled pause passing out of tn,
field ''Poor innocent things, you ha' no,
done anything aniss to be stricken dowl
: L. d. Ill