The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-05-06
FARMKR JENKINS JACKET

"Anybody thatll take what don't belong to
EN-, even II it amt with morn "a pin, is thief.
and don't care who It's MISC Helen," said Far.
mer Jenkins, as he toasted his feet by the kitch.
en- fire, while waiting for water to heat, that he
might thaw out the Darn pump.
at makes you feel mighty mean, stealin'
does, he continued, after few moments 81
never stole but once, and III tell you how twas
~ on know when | WAS youngster, | lived
down on the Medder Farm with Square Peters.
Wal, Jake Fisher, he hired ont there one sum-
mer, and one day when we was to work together
en- the ma >h, says he
"'Old Thuts pear, are about ripe, Bill
"You didn't know old Sam Flint, spose.
Miss Heeui"
'Sam Fiint'S father do you mean T"
eyes"
Il have heard of him. but do not think |
ever saw him."
"Wal Jake, says he, Let's have some of them
pears, Bill
81 don't want nome says l.
"'Ihey'rs the best lookin pears you ever saw
says he, and We can git some tonight as easy IA
not It'll be Jun
"Wal, after while he kinder coaxed ina int,
it; so told him I'd ga
"At that time had new jacket-blue broad.
cloth--real nice cloth twas. 1t cut me Il little
bout tie armsi2e, but twas u fust.rate Jacket:
and when Id done work evenin's | used TO mt
1t on. So that night l put on the Jacket and
Jake and me went over TO Flnt's orchard. When
we got down there, Jake, says he:
"'Bill you are the lightest; YOU git up Into
tho tree
$50 l stripped Of my jacket and tossed it
down, and was up III that trso quicker'n "A
wink | ~as spry cat in them DAYS. Wal.
Ia jest KIN one stake, and the pears were begin.
MIN, TO rattle down, when up come old SAM
"'Oho'o'o-o! says he, growlin' away, now I've
ketched !t, ste,in' nay peurs!
Jake, lac cut and run, and it didn't take me
long to drop out of that tree, and then made
pretty quoi; time, too, thout stoppin' to pick up
my j'cket. ! heerd old Sam growlin' agin when
he got theIo
"'Ur-r.r them fellers have got off: but one
on ems lett his Jacket
Says to myself, you're goner this time,
Bill! Iuull be hung nowr
Next day l happened along by Old Sans,
and seen him out to the barn.
Some fellers tried to hook my pears last
night says he.
did they says I. who was theyr
~ dunno says he, 'moren nothin''
Didn't You ketch 'e,n 2" says l.
"No, says he; but one on em left his
ibid = says l. What kind of a jacket
was itr
"a new one says ho blue broadclotb: a
fust-rate piece OF cloth
u knew that as well as he did but didn't
tell him so. He went in and fetched it ont IN
let me zee.
That's a iust.rate jacket says l !; what YOU
soin' TO do with it =
Guess sial! sell it, says he; Il hsin't go.
anybody that it'll fit
"'How much be Won yoin' n ssL for !, q,
Gays l.
"'bort two dollars says he. Its wuth more
than THAT Should think it might be Just about
right for you, Bill. Try it on and let's see.'
$50 | pu. it on.
THAT Is good f. saws he
"'WoIl, | can't give no two dollars saws 7
takln, oil the jacket and starting up the team |
was driving
"'Wh, Blll,' says he, If you want it, III let
you have 1t for dollar, srein' it's Won
mo says |, i hahn, got no dollar to rive ::
I'll give yer fifty cents for it,
~" yer don't" says he. Tts wuth a sight
mere 'Aat | can't let you have it for that,
Billy '"'''
80 went off; but I was dreadiully afraid
Squire Peters would hear of it, or would ask me
where twas, or somethu
You seo twas a second hand Jacket he'd
pough' cheap somewneres for me-but it looked
good as new.
"'Twa'nt many DAYS before 7 w.s 5owr %
Sam Fliuts agin.
sold that jecket yet ? say.I.
mo, says he. Can't find anybody that
"'Ic. ye what It's says |, ri give yer sew.
en'y.hve cents for that jacket, and not u cent
more
"'WaL Bill says he, sen' it's you, III let
you have it for thatv
$50 b, fetched IL out, an walked off with il
ii Il hair .la l,,' ~. 4
me, sence."
THAT was good lesson and cheaply learned"
remarked Miss Helen.
"Wal-yestwasl Cos. me seventy.fve cents
an didn't git single pear, nu,her! But you
see seventy.fivo cents in them days was with AZ