Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1869-12-23

she went up stairs and changed her dress;
and when she came down again there was
a bit of lace collar with transferred work,
and cherry bow at the throat of her de-
laine dress. over which she wore jaunty
black silk apron with braided pockets.
She seated herself with her work-basket
at the sitting-room wind9Y, almost as if
looking for company, and let her gaze wan
der down the visible stretch of road, where
golden-road and asters bloomed, and the
sumach bushes reside the old stoHe-walls
appeared to drip with scarlet color, and the
pokeberry was turning vivid purple,
Presently her eye lit up with CLEAN OF
triumph. There were the Brayton pigs,
nosing along the dust of the road; and, for
once, she was glad to see the pests. They
were long-sno.ted, slab-sided animals, with
plentiful marks of the slough upon their
coats and unappeasable appetites.
Rachel watched with grim species of
amusement to see them turn in from habit
toward the Henderson side-gate, which was
shaded by huge black-cherry tree, aud
begin the process of roofing under. They
dug with the nozzle, bent the forelegs, in.
clined the dorsal column. and lifted power
fully, until the gate was unlatched, and the
whole bJistly tribe poured into the yard
with grunts of satisfaction.
Under one of the kitchen windows lay a
tempting pile Of potato parings, previous
ly prepared for oait, which a vicious old
female, the mother of numerous disreput-
able children, Immediately scented, They
gathered together, pushing and struggling
for the tit-bits, when slap dash down came
pail of boiling water upon the backs OF
the miscreants, and with heart-rending
sqleals they galloped in a body from the
yard.
1t was evident to Rachel's mind that the
hair and hide OF her enemies had suffered
consiperable damage; but still she replen-
ished the fire and put on more water, de-
termined to be prepared for action should
the porEers 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 off to a distant detached
meadow, to do 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 be worthy of much rev.
erence, because of a tradition which con-
nected it with the war of 1912. 1t wonld
''kick beastly," as Jack expressed it; and,
by deal of coaxiDg, managed to go off one
time in ten.
Rachel had enough on hand to keep her
pleasantly occupied for two or three hours.
There wss tray of solid, golden butter
standing upon the shelf, which must be
worked over and layed down for winter use,
= Al l. L
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 and zenias bloom
ing abort the yard door, Over the prisma-
tically- tinted woods, softened by tender
haze, crows were circling, and their loud
caws alone broke the country stiffness, which
always seems deeper of a dreamy autumn
day.
Rachel was contented in the midst of her
busy loneliness. There was something
about the mild glow of the morning. and
the beauty of the world, and the soft wind
coming in through the south window, that
filed her with rest. She had almost forgot
ten the annoyances of yesterday and those
provoking Braytons, and was stepping
about at her work, singing "Greenyille. y
in clear, sweet, butuntutored voice, when
a gawky lad, all of color-frOm his tow
trowsers, hitched high III the back by i'm
provised suspenders, to the struggling
locks that strayed from below tie rim of a
torn straw hat-made his appearance at the
| door.
II thought I'd stop and tell the folks, "
said he, putting his head in, ''that Bray
toms cows are IN your corn. Gcshl 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 en- the
old law of ''an eye for an eye and a tooth
for tooth"
"They shall go to pound" instantly she
exclaimed. 1.-The man folks are away from
home, but if you will help me, Tim, will
see you get paid for it.
.Td do 1t 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 job of fail
plowing, and, If / should stop by the way,
he might rhale me-"
'sGo along then" said Rachel, proudly.
81 will drive them to pound myself, and
at the moment she looked and felt equal to
any tIluB. NJ etaItiue, hdCuSl tleu Ou uel
| sun-bonnet and armed herself with a long
carriage-whip having particularly vindic
tive snapper.
The cornfeld, which was rustling with
ripened grain almost ready for the sickle
Law on a cross-road, and is gave Rachel &
peculiar feeling of satisfaction to know tha
she would be able to drive the cows past
her eneIly's very door, and thus cast an
other act of defiance in their teeth. Sec
reilly she hoped to find the whole Braytor
dairy Of thirty cows browsing and crushin.
the tall stalks; but instead OF that, only tw,
animals had broken bounds, and havinl
eaten to the point Of safety, they were nov
stupidity standing by the gap in the rail
fence.
Rachel drove them out into the road a
q smart trot; but as she neared the Brayto
place she slackened her gait, and lookst
up at the front windows. But none of tn
family were visible, and thus part of he
triumph proved abortive.
The pound was a good long country mil
distant. Rachel Henderson was in hurry
for she had lett unfinished work at home
Tie heat of the autumnal midday appear
ed to come straight down, with scarcely
Sres th of air stirring; and Rachel did no
spare the cows, When she arrived, no
and tired, at her destination, the pound
master, who was q jolly, fat man, came on
to meet her.
swell, now, Rachel" said he as he too
in the situation, '.you are a spunky littl
girl; but 1 tell my wife I wouldn't give
brass farthingfor a girl that hasn't some sna
: to her."
"we couldn't stand it any longer" sal
! Rachel deiantly. THE Brayton animal
were overrunning us, and it's my opinio
that there's point where patience ceases t
be virtue"
"Thats true as preachin', and all th
better for my trade" said the man, walkin
slowly round one of the cows which wa
shaking and quivering now as if inaguefi
s.But it strikes me you must have druv
pretty good jog" he added. with refresl
ing disregard of grammar. This one ac
: as If she was sick. She had eat herself
full as tick; and 1T ain'tsa to stir crittel
much in such case. They sometimes d
in less than twenty-four hours. That woul
be bad piece Of business. You would nj
like to XIII neighbor's COW, now, woul