Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-01-18

that Brayton's COWS are in your
corn. Gosh! they've stuffed them
selves till they're ready to bust"
Instantly the strain died on Rachel's
lips, the spirit of peace went out of
her, and she was prepared to act on
the old law OF "an eye for an eye and
a tooth for a TOOTH"
"They shall go to the pound imme-
diately," she exclaimed. "The men
folks are away from home; but, if you
will help me, Tim, | will see that you
get paid for it."
I'D do it to oblige you, Rachel, as
quick as a wink; but, you see, father
sent me down to the blacksmith's af-
ter a Golfer. The horses are up ready
to do a job of fall blowing; and if |
should stop by the way, he might
whale me"
Go along, then," said Rachel,
proudly. II will drive to the pound
myself" and at the moment she looked
and felt equal to anything, At start
ing, Rachel tied on her sunbonnet and
armed herself with a long carriage
whip, having particularly vindictive
snapper.
The cornfeld, which was rustling
with ripened grain almost ready for
the sickle, lay on a cross road, and it
gave Rachel a peculiar feeling of sat
istaction to know that she would be
able to drive the COWS past her ene-
my's very door, and thus cast another |
act OF defiance in their teeth. Secret
y she hoped to find the whole Bray |
Ton dairy Of thirty cows browsing 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 bT the gap in the rail fence.
Rachel dove them out into the road |
at smart rot; but as she neared the |
Brayton place she siackened her gait |
and looked up at the front windows. /
But none OF the family were visible, |
and thus part Of her triumph proved !
abortiye.
The pound was a good, long coun- /
try mile distant. Rachel was il a
hurry, for shehad left unfinished work /
at home. The heat of the autumnal .
midday appetred to come straight
down, with scarcely a breath of air
stirring; and Rachel did not spare .
the cows. Wien she arrived, hot and .
tired at her destination, the pound .
master, who WIS a jolly, fat man, came
out to meet her
We'll, now, Rachel" said he, as he
took in the situation, you are a spun
Ky little girl; but | tell my wife that
| wouldn't give brass farthing for a
Girl that hasn't some snap to her
We couldn't stand it any longer"
said Rachel defantly. The Brayton .
animals were ovrrunning Us, and it's !
my opinion that there's point where I
patience ceases 70 be a virtue"
That's true as preachin', and all .
the better for my trade" said the man,
walking slowly around one of the /
cows, that was shaking and quiyering
now, as if in al ague fit. But it |
strikes me that you must have druv a
pretty good jog" he added, with a re-
freshing disregard for grammar. This .
one acts as if she was sick. She had .
eat herself as full. as a tick; and it
amt safe TO drive critters much in
such a case. They sometimes die in
less taan twenty-four hours. That
would be a bad piece of business
You would not like to kill neigh |
bors COW, now, would you?"
"Of course not" returned Rachel, |
sharply, with a dreadful sinking of the
heart. you don't mean to tell me |
there is any such danger
@I'm afraid SO" he replied, eyeing
the COW professionally; "it looks
little scaly; but you had better 90 |
and find Herman Brayton, and tell .
him all about it; he is better posted !
on cattle diseases than halt 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 frighten-
ed. Her father was slow to anger;
but she did not like to think what the
consequences might be should he dis
cover that his girl had been instrumen-
tai in killing a neighbor's COW. Her
pugiHstic 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 Herman Bray
ton, toward whom she had begun to
have a settled dislike?
While she was hurrying along with
burning cheeks, turning over these
wretched thoughts in her mind, and
feeling very humble, a young man
sprang over the low wall by the road
side, and politely raised his hat. He
wore a farm laborer'S blouse and
checked shirt; but the lines of his
form were graceful, and his manner
had a charm quite foreign in the home.
spun youths of the neighborhood.
"Excuse me, Miss Henderson," he
said at once. 81 knew you by sight,
and seeing you go by thought would
take the opportunity to send word to
your father that six. Of his COWS are in
my barnyard. Ofconrse, he can have
them on demand. Old Bess, | be-
lieve they call her, has vicious pair
of horns. She slipped her hamper,
and let the others into my buckwheat
field. / shall leave it to Mr.. Hender-
son to estimate the damage, for from
what report says Of him, know that
he will be inclined to do the fair thing"
For a moment Rachel stood quite
overwhelmed by the lesson in christ
ian forbearance which Herman Bray
ton had unconsciously taught her but
at last the tears would come to re-
lieve her painfully excited state OF
feeling, and | must admit that for the
moment her conduct was not at all 10
keeping with the character of a high
strung, spirited girl. How concession
was made | do not quite know; but
certain it is that Herbert, as old Mrs
Pettigrew expressed it. "took shine
to Rachel, even in her tears.
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