Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1870-07-21
How "Benr Found a wife.
BY II. AUG. POND.

Yes, indeed, Mr.. Chadwick" (said
Mrs. Fabena to her distinguished VISOR,
as they sat together looking at the adj"in-
ing farm of her neighbor) i've known
Ben many long year; he always was
thriving and forehanded, was Ben .
His father, the old Squire before him,
and the whole Pearce family arc as good
stock as any other folks, l guess"
"But, Mr.. Chadwick, Ben had queer
way of gettin' wife, that same Ben,
continued she after slight pause.
"Ah, how so?" hlandly enquired Mr..
G.
"Well. you see. Mr.. Chadwick, Ben
had always very bad habit Of suffering;
and when be worked on my farm, years
ago, had nigh on TO eighty cows, and
kept two teams going constant to town
with milk. Well, one day the cows came
up as usual, and the men and women
folks went into the yard to milk; twas
on Sunday afternoon, and every one on
'em had on their best "bib and tucker.n
We had powerful shower about an hour
before, and of course the cow yard was
wet and muddy; and you know, Mr..
Chadwick, in them days we always sot
down 10 milk on a three legged milking
stool. We'll, among the lot that Ben had
care of was yound Durham heifer, as
pretty as all nature. and we named her
''Cherry;" but she had a powerful long
tail, and as Ben drew up his stool to milk,
she switched it right into his face; not
because sic didn't like Ben, but you see
the critter wanted TO knock off the flies!
"Yo1 ff.foo fool, k-k.he he keep yer
t.t,ta hail to yourself" stammered Ben
as he sat down. Cherry shook her head,
rolled her eyes. and looked mischievous
as Ben commenced milking. Just then
powerful big horse fly lit on her side;
quick as flash she switched her tail a
whack SO spiteful, right into his face and
eyes. "I'llfffhix- hix you, you BIB bub-
beastl Cc-con found ye," said Ben,
getting awful huffy, and looking at his
Sunday 60 TO meeting store clothes, and
with that, without getting up off bis stool,
be sot his pail to one side, took hold of
the lower part of her tail, and tied it to
one of bis legs, saying to himself, "n-n-
now see if you'll k-kick!"
Cherry shook her head, and was un.
easy all the time. Byeand bye she lifted
ur one leg and kicked over the pail
Ben was so mad he hit her an awful
punch in the ribs with his fist, aud off
she started. Hopping on one leg, he
tried TO reach up and unite the tail, but
the hair was wet and very long, and, OF
course, the harder she pulled the tighter
it grew.
IS $50, no! y,y-you d d darn fffo
fool" said Ben, but she didn't though
All at once she gave big jump, when
over in the mud went Ben, and off went
Cherry all around the COW yard, with
Ben fast to her tail, she believing with
fright, and he hollering "s-s-stop her!
SIS stop her"
The other cows, seeing the heifer so
frightened, and hearing her below, ca.
vorted around otter her; and such scat
terment rs there was for while you
never did see; the mud a-fying! women
screaming J men folks holeling! and the
whole COW yard in commotion. l tell
We, Mr.. Chadwick, there wasn't one on
EN- that looked as if they ever had Sun
day store clothes on.
Well, at last all hands managed to
corner the heifer and cut Ben loose; but
it was difficult matter to say which was
frightened most, Ben or the heifer. The
poor fellow had his ankle broken, and
was ether badly bruised, and was confin
ed to the house for a long time. 81
My smartest dairy woman Sinthy, al
ways pitied Ben more than tie rest on
'em, and was handy tending to him, and
most of my other women giggled about
it whenever they thought ont. But after a
while, when Ben was able to drive team,
Sinthy used 10 help him load, and before
a great while Ben called in pa,son, and
he and Sinihy hitched for life. That was
considerable many years ago, Mr.. Chad
wick, and although Ben limps little aud
always will, he is active as ever, and
thanks his stars for Sinthy's sympathy,
but advises everybody not to tie the cows
tail to their leg if ever they do any milk