Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-01-13
tto own affa,fs without anybod BODY ss'-' IN.

says he, Rachel Henderson is as smart as
whip, and any man who gets her will
be doing plaguey well but she'll be awful
pertickerler, / know she will Deary me,
| how late 1t is | must be going. Now !
think Of it, Rachel, could yot. end me your
big dripping pan? Sister Blake is coming
over with her family tomorrow, and mine
won't take in an extra-sized roast
The negotiation for the preserving ket-
tie also accomplished, Mrs Pettigrew went
off, swinging hedrlpping-pan Justify and
Rachel, in the interval of watching her
pies, stood at the window to cool her
| flushed face. Constitutionally she hated
the gossip ofa little country neighbor-
hood and it nettled her to know her name
had so soon been Joined with Herman
'Brayton's.
Now, with positive feeling of dislike,
she looked across the pleasant fields-with
broidories of red and purple and gold hung
upon the fringe of forest trees, and corn
lands ready for the sickle undulating upon
the little knobs until their russell touched
the blue of the sky--to where the chin
ney stacks of the old Shorter place came
out from amidst their nest of trees.
"Rachell Rachel" called out half
grown boy, running at that moment round
| the corner of the house. and holding up
| the lifeless form of fine cock You told
me to let fly if see any of Brayton's hens
or the place $50 when ketched this tall
strut at the cabbages | just chucked him
a stone, and he pumped as dead as door
nail" u I.5 Blu.
THAT was right, Jack but upon my
word, you have killed the Shanghai roost-
err" And Rachel felt little twinge of re-
morse, knowing the expense and rarity of
the dead specimen before her. However,
| am not bit sorry" she said, after mo-
ment's reflection. Experience costs dear,
as the copybook says; and I guess, in
time, our neighbors will find out that we
are not to be imposed upon. Take the
rooster home, Jack, and throw it over the
door-yard fence. 1t will be declaration
of war"
"If father should find it out, said Jack,
rehectively, he might scold like Sam
Hill. Then ! spose you could bear the
brunt, Rachel, eh?"
Ibid you ever know me to shirk re-
sponsibility?" inquired Rachel, loftily,
Geo along, Jack, and don't be coward"
When Jack came in with the menfolks
at dinner time, he looked sulky and out
Of sorts, and kept telegraphing in dumb
show to Rachel across the table, until at
last, when she got up to cut the pie he
followed her into the buttery and shut the
door u .f.
81 tell you what it is, r ichel, he broke
out, that was sneaky piece OF business !;
and don't mean to do any more such
jobs threw the rooster into Brayton's
yard, and then got behind tree; and
pretty soon one OF the girls came out and
found it, and began bohooing like baby
AS near as could make out, it was pres
ent to her, and she had raised it in bas
ket; and felt just as if | had been stealing
a sheep" et M
"Let them boohoo," replied Rachel,
with severe dignity. "They ought to
think enough of their choice fowls to keep
them at home" at..e ts
After the dinner dishes were out Of the
way, and the chores all done up Rachel
replenished her fire, and put on an extra
sized kettle of water to heat Then she
went up stairs and changed her dress ;
and when she came down again there was
bit of a lace collar with transferred work.
and cherry bow at the throat of her de-
laine dress, over which she wore a jaunty
black silk apron with braided pockets.
She seated herself with her work has
ket at the sitting room window, almost as
if looking for company and let her gaze
wander down the visible stretch of road,
where golden.rod and asters bloomed
and the sumac bushes beside the old stone
walls appeared to drip with scarlet color,
and the pokeberry was turning a vivid
purple. IN
Presently her eye litnp 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.snouted, slab sided ami,
mails, with plentiful marks of the slough
upon their coats, and unappeasable appe-
tites
Rachel watched with a grim species of
amusement to see them turn in from habit
toward the Henderson side.gate, which
was shaded by huge black cherry Tree,
and begin the process of roofing under.
They dug with the nozzle, bent the fore.
legs, inclined the dorsal column, and
lifted powerfully, untilthe gate was UNI
latched, and the whole bristy tribe poured
into the yard with grunts of satisfaction,
Under one of the kitchen windows lay
attempting pile of potato parings, previous
ly prepared for bait, which vicious old
female, the mother of numerous disreput-
able children, Immediately scented. They
gathered together pushinga and struggling
for the tit. bits, when slap dash, down came
a pail of boiling water upon the backs of
the miscreants, and, with heart.rending
screams, they galloped in body from the
yard A.
Ii was evident toAsachels mind that the
hair and hide of her enemies had suffered
considerable damage but still she repen'
ished the fire and pnt on more water, de.
termined to be prepared for action should
the porkers return. However, during the
remainder of the afternoon there was
peace along the border and Rachel went