Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1871-02-01
Our aJuung folks.
A WOman'S Story of Pioneer Life.


took it hard Of the west that Ayrshire cows
and Chester white pigs were not to be foun,
running wild, and 10 be had for the mer,
! lassoing. The native animals struck hin
as a direct insult from the region to which
! he had so fondly emgrated. = What can
/ be expected of country where the pigs
noses are two feet long2" he tragically
asked. And with an injured air he repacke,
his valise and returned to his stone fenced
acres in New Hampshire.
We had Il good laugh at him, or rathe
after him, and we take much satanic pleas
uIe, even now, n sending him reports of oui
| thousand bushel wheat crop, while he il
buying his family flour at fourteen dollar,
/ per barrel.
| The moral Of this is, whoever permits tn,
nose Of a mongrel pig to brighten him from
the path Of progression, had better never un
dertake pioneering.
4 STORY or A PIG.
Next to possessing no pig whatever Is pos
sessing one with a two foot nose Because
there was no other class Of pig to be had
VIII bought one Of this kind. He was a
young animal and did not have a two foot
nose, for the simple reason that his entire
length amounted 10 but twentv-iOur inches
But his nose promised well. His ears were
stationed precisely in the center of his TWEEN
ty-four inches. From thence he sloped on
one hand into nose and on other into
tail-a tail devoid of curl for the native
pig in his struggle for existence has too
much roofing on baud TO pay much regard t.
his personal appearance.
Our pig, whom lena straightway named
- Ichabod, was rather SHINY built, and
his legs were Indicative Of speed and agility
rather than ham. But lchabod had a fine
o. and k, l-ro,.- L
voice at lunch time in q style that argued
well for the future regularity of his meals
viii made pen for him in the center of a
romantic group OF oaks and because be was
so appeahngly small, and the dead grass had
been eaten for a wide space by fires, Tena
and | gave him generous bundle Of straw
from our own plethoric bed.
We regarded him, a. he stood with his
fore feet IN the trough, eating with artless
eagerness his first dinner, and speculated ur-
on the breadth his narrow shoulders would
soon take on, and the speed with which his
lean form would soon be converted into su-
gar-cured hams and spiced sausage Tena
thought it was cruel TO regard him in this
way lena has that element of sweetness
and tenderness which Is very lovely in pio-
neer life, when combined with healthy
common sense, and ! told her So
Weeks passed away, and Ichabod, in spite
Of his ample fare, could still see out of his
eyes, and never for once thought OF sitting
down in that helplessly fat manner ex ibited
in the pig-portrats Of the agricultural papers.
But any one could see that his nose grew
famously; and his appetite continued so fine.
and there was such twinkle of vivacity in
bis hazel eyes, and his voice rang out 20
famousl y-imparting Tena said, such an
air OF lie TO the otherwise pastoral quiet of
m could J.
ing 20 tenaciously lean
4" He has a capital constitution, anyhow, "
said VIII, tor what ordinary pig could
stand on his hind feet and call for refresh
ments IN such sOnOrOus voice for this
length Of time without sensibly falling away?
L can see that he is one whit thinner than
he was the day | brought him home
- And then he's SO knowing . exclaimed
lena; " the moment he hears the door open.
up comes his nose to see If any one is bring
ing his dinner. And he always watches you
out OF sight, when you go away
" Oh, very knowing such head such
brains " responded Will q only wish
had time to teach him to play cards. | am
perfectly sure he would be more of a success
in that line than in pork"
Z" Sausages need not be very fat said
1" And if Ichabod's health remains unim-
paired, maybe by next Christmas, we -
. We Will be certain of couple of spare
ribs at least Don't count ON ANYTHING
more Let our expectations be moderate,
and then our disappointments will never be
severe, said VIII, with a look Of wisdom.
@ Even spare ribs will be pleasant after so
much bear > said lena
q So much bear Why, child, we have
not had mOuthful of bear for two DAYS =
said THE chief cook-indignantly
TOO MUCH BEAR.
1t had been a new sensation in our cuisine
this barrel of bear lie was fat little
fOur-hundred FOUNDER whom Viii found loaf
ing about bee tree on Crystal Creek. He
was fat and happy but there might have
been time when honey had been scarce.
and bear had been lean and wretched SO
VIII put bullet between his ewes, and
saved him at once and forever from the
futures unguesSed suffering.
Bear is good. Bear steak is verv good
In the mere fact ofeating bear, there is some
thing robust and vigorous VIII was tran
quill, but know in his innermost soul he
rather enjoyed asking Tena and if we would
" have another bit of the bear
We had roast bear, pott bear, bear pie.
brolled bear. hashed bear, cold broiled bear
and every form of bear known and unknown
to established cooks, and aside from these
dishes, there was about two hundred pounds
OF bear sailed down in barrel. Ii was
this sailed bear to which lena had alluded
Sailed bear is not quite so good IL is
inclined to be hard, and the salt takes the
9 gaminess olt of it. But with relief of
prairie chickens, Sunday mess of front
the portable bit of ocean that lies enwrapped
IN Goldfish, and the prospective sausages from
1chabod, we found occasional salted hear