Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1871-03-22
THE BUSHEL OF CORN.

VI NOhAN
ny 7. 8. ARTHUR.
Farmer Gray had a neighbor who was not
the best tempered man in the world, though
mainly kind and oblging. He was shoe
maker His name was Barton. One day in
harvest time, when every hand on the farm
was busy as a bee, this man came over to Far
mer Gray and said, in rather a petulant tone
of voice
Mr. Gray, wish you would send over
and drive your geese home
Why so, Mr.. Barton, what have my geese
been doing ?" the farmer said, in mild, quiet
tone.
They get into my garden, aud will not
have it."
81 am very sorry for it, neigbbor Barton,
but what can do2"
"Why, yoke them, aud thus keep them on
your own premises. It's no kind of way
to let your geese run all over every farm and
garden in the neighborhood.'
1" But | cannot see to them now. II is
harvest time, friend Barton, and every man,
woman and child on the farm has as much as
he or she can do. Try and bear it for week
or so, and then will see if can possibly
remedy the evil
81 can't bear it, and | won't bear it any
longer !" the shoemaker said. 80 if you
don't take care of them, friend Gray, l shall
have to take care Of them for you"
"Well, neighbor Barton, you can do as you
please" farmer Gray replied in his usual
quiet tone. 81 am sorry that they trouble
you, but cannot attend to them now"
I'll attend to them for you, see if don't, "
the shoemaker said, still more angrily than
when he first called upon farmer Gray.
"What upon earth can be the matter with
them geese ?" Mrs. Gray said, about fifteen
minutes afterwards.
St" really cannot tell, unless ncighbor Bar
ton is taking care of them. He threatened
to do so if didn't yoke them right off,"
"Taking care of them. How taking care
Of them 2''
" As to that am quite in the dark. Kill
ing them perhaps He said that if | didn't
take care of them he would. So suppose
he is engaged in the ncighborly business Of
taking care of our geese"
John William Run over and see
what Mr.. Barton is doing with my geese,
Mrs. Gray said, in quick and anxious tone
to two little boys who were playing near
The urchins scampered off, well pleased tc
perform any errand.
Oh, if he has dared to do anything to my
geese, will never forgive him !" the gooC
wife said, angrily.
Hush, Sally make no rash speeches
1t is more than probable that he has killed
two or three of them But never mind if be
has. He will get over his pet, and be sorry
for it,"
"Yes, but what good will his being sorry
do me viii it bring my geese to life ?"
All, well, Sally, never mind. Let Us
wait until we learn what all this disturbance
is about"
In about ten minutes the children came
home, bearing the bodies Of three geese, each
without head.
Oh, isn't that too much for human cndur
ance, said Mr.. Gray.
ave found them lying out in the road
said the Oldest of the two children. " And
when We picked them up, Mr.. Barton said
" tell your father that | have yokod his geese
for him, to save him trouble as his hands ar,
all too busy to do it,"
"I'd sue him for it - said Mrs. Gray, il
an indignant tone.
And what good would that do ?"
why it would do great deal Of good
1t would teach him better manners. 1t woulC
punish him."
And punish us into the bargain. w
have lost three geese now, but we still hav
their good fat bodies to eat A lawsuit woul,
cost us a good many geese and not leave u
even so much as the feathers, besides giving
us world Of trouble and yexation No, nc
Sally, just let it rest, and he will be sorr,
for it, know"
" Sorry for it, indeed And what goo
will his being sorry for it do us, shoul
like to know. Next he will kill COW, an
then we must be satisfied with his being sorr
for it Now, can tell you that don't be
ieye in that doctrine. Nor do believe an
,, thing about his being sorry, the grabbed, i'll
natured wretch !"
Don't call hard names, Sally" farmc
Gray said, in mild soothing tone. Neigh
Dor Barton was not himself when he kille
the geese. Like every other angry person
he was little insane, aud did what he woul
not have done had he been perfectly in hi
, right mind. When you are little exciteC
/, you know, Sally, that even you do and sa
unreasonable things"
Me do aud say unreasonable things !" e,
claimed Mrs. Gray, with look and tone {
indignant astonishment; me say and do III
reasonable things when | am angry ? don
understand you, Mr. Gray"
Il Marha 4 l,l. l.ttla nan1
T you remember the churn ?"
Yes, but never mind about it,"
IS So you have not forgotten how unreasor
able you were about the churn. II WASH
good for any thing--you knew it wasn't an
, you'd never put jar Of cream into it Q
long as you liyed-that you wouldn't An
yet, on trial, you found that churn the bei
you had ever used, and now wouldn't pal
with il on any consideration So you SCI
, Sally that even you can say and do unrei
sonable things when you are angry, just
! well as Mr.. Barton"
4, Mrs. Gray saw that her husband was righ
: but still she felt Indignant at the outra,
1 committed on her geese. So she took h,
: three fat geese, and after stripping off the
> feathers had them prepared for tho table.
Q On the next morning, as Mr.. Gray was q
= ing along the road, he met the shoemake
and as they had to pass very near to oaC
a other, the farmer smiled and bowed, al
Q spoke kindly. Mr.. Barton looked and fe
I very uneasy, but farmer Gray did not see
4 to remember the unpleasant incident Of 4
c day before.
}, 1t was about eleven o'clock of the same da
y that one of farmer Gray's little boys car
5 running to him, and crying
: "Oh father father Mr. Barton, he