Mower County transcript., 1869-12-23

s4uo"lS Incy 6'sAAVpc" An =" oo"S 'Ao'A 'Ao
yard.
It was evident to Rachels mind that the
hair and hide o. her enemies had suffered
consiperable damage; but still she replen-
ished the fire aud put on more water, de-
termined to be prepared for action should
the porl;ors return. However, during the
remainder of the afternoon there was peace
along the border; and Rachel went to bed
that night flushed with consciousness OF
victory. ~
The next morning early, Mr.. Henderson
and his men went offto distant detached
meadow, to do q job Of top-dressing, and
took their dinner with them The part
ridges had been heard whirring through
the bright wood for some days past, which
caused Jack to shy away with the long
| shooter from the garret-an ancient fire.
arm, supposed to bo worthy Of much rev.
nected it with the war of 1912. It wonld
''kick beastly," as Jack expressed it; and,
by q deal OF coaxing, managed to 60 ofone
time in ten.
Rachel had enough On hand to keep her
pleasantly occupied for two or three hours.
There was tray of solid, golden butter
standing upon the shelf, which must be
worked over and layed down for winter use,
aud the last scald was yet to be given to her
sweet pickles.
She opened the window and let The warm
air in, laden with the mellow, ripened smell
of apples dropping from the orchard trees,
and the crysanthemums aud zenias bloom
ing about the yard door. Over the prisma-
tically tinted woods, softened by q tender
haze, crows were circling, and their loud
caws alone broke the country stiffness, which
always seems deeper of . dreamy autumn
day.
Rachel was contented in the midst of her
busy loneliness. There was something
about the mild glow of the morning. and
coming in through the south window, that
filled her with rest. She had almost forgot
ten the annoyances Of yesterday and those
provoking Braytons, and was stepping
about at her work, singing "Greenville."
in q clear, sweet, hut tuntut0red voice, when
a gawky lad, all of q color-frOm his tow
trowsers, hitched high in the back by i'm.
provised suspenders. to the struggling
locks that strayed from below the rim of a
torn straw hat-made disappearance at the
door. @$s%S& -
;''I thought I'd stop and tell the folks"
said he, putting his head in, ''that Bray.
toms COWS are in your corn. Gosh! they
have stuffed themselves till they're ready
to bustr'
Instantly the strain died on Rachel Hen
derson's lips, the spirit of peace went out
of her, and she was prepared to act on the
old law OF ian eye for an eye and a tooth
for TOOTH" "a 80. 2
''They shall go to pound" instantly she
exclaimed. ''The man folks are away from
home; but if you will help me, Tim, I will
see you get paid for it"
I'D do it to oblige you, Rachel, as quick
as wink; but,you see, father sent me down
to the blacksmith's after coulter. The
horses are up and ready to do a job Of fall
.plowing, and, if should stop by the way,
he might aohale me"
"Go along, thsn," said Rachel, proudly.
II will drive them to pound myself" and
at the moment she looked and felt equal to
anything. Atstarting, Rachel tied on her
sun-bonnet and armed herself with long
carriage-whip having particularly vindic-
tive snapper.
The corrfield, which was rustling with
ripened grain almost ready for the sickle,
lay on q cross.road, and i5 gave Rachel q
peculiar feeling of satisfaction to know that
she would be able to drive the COWS past
her enemy's very door, and thus cast an
other act of defiance in their teeth. Sec
reilly she hoped to find the whole Brayton
dairy of thirty cows bro wsing and crushing
the tall stalks; but instead of that, only two
animals had broken bounds and having
eaten to the point of safety, they were now
stupidity standing by the gap in the rail-
fence. -.
Rachel drove them out into the road at
q smart trot; but a. she neared the Brayton
place she slackened her gait, and looked
up at the front windows. But none of the
family were visible, and thus part of her
triumph proved abortive.
The pound was good long country mile
distant. Rachel Henderson was in hurry;
for she had lett unfinished work at homo.
The heat of the autumnal midday appear
ed to come straight down, with scarcely .
breath of dir stirring; and Rachel did not
spare the. COWS, When she arrived, hot
and tired, at her destination, the pound
master, who was jolly. fat man, came out
to meet her.
'.Well, now, Rachel" said he as he took
in tho situation, ''you are spunky little
girl; but I tell my wife I wouldn't give q
brass farthing for agirl that hasn't some snap
| to her."
''We couldn't stand it any longer" said
Rachel deiantly. ''The Braytop animals
were overrunning us, and it's my opinion
that there's point where patience ceases to
be virtue"
"That's true as preachin, and all the
better for my trade" said the man, walking
slowly round one of the COWS which was
shaking and quivering now as if in ague fit,
"But it strikes me you must have druv q
pretty good jog,' he added. with refresh
ing disregard Of grammar. ''This one acts
as if she was sick. She had eat herself as
full as tick; and it amt safe to stir critters
much in such case. They sometimes die
in less than twenty-four hours. That would
be bad piece of business. You would not
like to kill neighbor's COW, now, would
your"
"Of course, not" returned Rachel, sharp
ly, with dreadful sinking of the heart
''You don't mean to tell me there is any
such danger?" l. -;
'l'm afraid So" he replied, cycling the
COW professionally; lit looks little scaly;
but you had better 60 and find Herman
Brayton. and tell him all about it.; he is
better posted on cattle diseases than half
the cow-doctors in the country; and if any
body can save the critters life he can"
| Rachel turned back on the road, feeling
half-dazed and wholly frightened. Her
father was slow to anger; but she did not
like to think what the consequences might
be should he discover that his girl had
been instrumental in killing neighbors
COW. Her pugilistic spirit had oozed out.
and left her in bad scrape. How could
she face those Braytons with her story; and
how could she beg pardon and assistance,
as it were, of Mr.. Herman Brayton, toward
whom she had begun to feel o settled dis
like?
While she was hurry ing along, with burn
ing cheeks, turning over these wretched
thoughts in her mind, and feeling very
humble, young man sprang over the low
wall by the road side, and politely raised
his hat. He wore farm-laborer's blouse
and checked shirt; but the lines of his form
were graceful, and his manner had charm
quite foreign to the homespun youth of the
neighborhood.
"Excuse me, Miss Henderson," he said,
at once II knew you by sight, and, see-
ing you go by, thought I would take the
opportunity to send word to your fathe.
that six Of his COWS are in my barpyard.-
or course, he can have them on demand.
Old Bess, believe they call her, hos a vi
ious pair of horns. She slipped her ham.
or, aud let the others into my buckwheat
field. shall leave it to Mr.. Henderson to
estimate the damage, for, from what report
says of him. know he will be inclined to
do the fair thing"
For O moment Rachel stood quite over
whelmed by the lesson in Christian tobear-
ance which Herman Brayton had uncon-
sciously taught her; but at last the tears
would come to relieve her painfully excit-
ed state of feeling, and must admit that
for the moment her conduct was not at all
in keeping with The character of high
stung, spirited girl. How confession was