Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-30
Rounds With A nVet,"
From Chamber,s journal

live in one of the Midland counties. wbara
the cattle-p plague is raging-has ragged. | should
rather say, as it seems now to be diving ont.
from the simple reason that there are but few
beasts left to be attacked by it; and going one
day last week to my business, which, l may
mention, is quite unconnected with agriculture,
| met a gentleman skimming along the frozen
road in a very light dog-cart, drawn by q
beautiful bay, The driver was Mr.. l.,
a veterinary surgeon, heretofore better known
by a familiar contraction of his professional
title, but now an eminent local authority,
referred to deferentaly as the Government
Inspector" He pulled up at once, the marc
amusing herself with cutting a slide on a
convenient strip Of ice, and then executing q
pas SeUJ as her master accosted me- A merry
looking man, as busy men often are, who has
the supervision OF very large district infected
with rinderpest, and Is constantly to be seen
flying about IN all directions.
"Where are you going today?' | inquired.
hounds, at F. ne replied; ''an eight
mile drive it's lovely morning-will you 90
with me?'
declined the offer, but he detected indeci
sion in the tone of MY refusal, and unbuttoned
the driving-apron, turning it back from the
vacant seat The temptation was great and 1
jumped into the dancing vehicle without tearing
much Of my trousers on the step, or sharpening
both legs on the wheel.
"Emmie!' whispered my companion affec-
tionately over the splash-board, and at tbs
sound Of her name the pretty mare bounded
away | suffered a slight Inconvenience at
first from being partially bonneted by the
descent at regular intervals of my drivers
whip on the top Of my hat. discovered that
this was caused by his constantly raising his
elbow in salutation as he was recognized and
greeted by the people we passed. Sometimes
we had to stop at the signal of an upheld
finger, to relieve some friend S mind, anxious
to know chow things are going on - and I
thought the inspector memory was heavily
taxed when he was called upon to recolect in
a moment how many cows had been lost or
saved on all the farms he attended.
We arrived at length in the neighborhood
my companion meant to inspect. 1t was his
first visit, it having been previously under the
cure ~ of another Inspector, who had signally
failed in his treatment Of the plague; for he
had commenced by adopting ridiculous
theory, and ended by becoming hopelessly
intoxicated. Thus the district had been en-
trusted to l., who, as he had besides to
look after a large one of his own, found him
self almost overwhelmed with engagements.
| He told me, for instance, that on the previous
day he arrived at home, after a long days
| drive, at 8 O'Clock in the evening, and then,
changing his horse, had to start upon a round
of twenty-five miles in another direction. On
arriving at F little town in picturesque
part Of the county, surrounded by dairy farms,
we sought some conductor who could introduce
the inspector TO his new sphere OF usefulness,
and found an excellent one in an obliging
policeman, who seemed on intimate terms with
every one in the neighborhood A rural
constable does not at all resemble the reserved
functionary who guards the London streets,
butts soclable sort Of official, who adequately
supplies in the country places the want of g
| daily paper; leIsurely Srolling over an ex-
tended beat, he sees and chats with a number
of people in the course of the day, and is
consequently posted up in the latest local
| intelligence. Under his guidance we drove to
| a farm which lay short distance beyond the
! town. My companion, while skilfully guiding
/ his mare over the difficult road which led to
| the homestead, learned from the officer the
/ name and circumstances Of the farmer to
whom We were going, and whom we found
standing despOndently at his door. / must
here remark, that most Of the farms in this
part Of the county are held by men in humble
position of life, and consist almost entirely Of
pasture-land, on which great numbers of cows
are fed and kept for the purposes Of the dairy.
Good morning, Mr. said L
cordially to the farmer: "sorry 10 hear you We
been so unfortunate. I've just come to look
over your little stock--if you'll allow me-"
Certainly, sir" he replied; ''but haven {
much left to show you
We went to the cow-houses; the yard
Uttered and disused, looked inexpressibly
dreary and torsaken, while the numerous
| empty stalls, where hve-and twenCy healthy
COWS had stood but a short time ago, told their
| own sad tale. OF all his beasts, the farmer
had only three remaining-two he showed us,
with a CLEAN Of satisfaction in his worn-looking
| face, chasing each other in the field some
distance away; these had quite recovered :;
the third was evidently in an advanced stage
OF the disease and, at glance, the inspector
saw that the case was hopeless one; a poor
lean animal, it stood with dropping head and
qulyering hmbS-a touching picture OF misery.
''l GU must Kill her, Mn said l.,
"Noa, sir; don't say that, appealed the
poor farmer earnestly, "Ive lost 'em all,
and don't know whats to become of US"
Nov, look here argued the inspector
persuasyely: that COW must die. If you kill
her, you will receive half her value, under the
new regulations; If you do not why, you know,
as she IS IN such state, | must, and then
you Il get nothing"
This was to the point; and the farmer gave
way, ordered grave to be dug, and said he
would destroy the COW in an hour from that
time: 1t was arranged that the policeman
should return to witness the death, and the
owner Of the animal, having stated its value
at sixteen pounds, l. made memorandum,
assured him that compensation would be paid,
and with few kindly words of coincidence,
took his leave. Taking up the constable into
| our vehicle, we drove away to another larger
| farm, where no less than torty-hve cows had
died. The tenant had never sold one from
the time of the first appearance of the disease.
Lie was an old man (he had been seriously ill,
| our conductor told US, from the shock he had
| experlenced), and the savings Of lifetime
| were gone.
I've lost my little al, " he said to US, heart.
broken.
ITO be continued.
END J0RDAR'S WHITE SULPHUR