Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1871-08-03

up on end and beg" and to haul his
wagon about the yard. So, when l heard
the clatter of Willie's wagon under my
window, and his stentorian orders to his
"team," 1 peeped through the blind to
study his equipage. To my astonish-
on the off-side of the pole, and a pet
Berkshire pig on the other. They were
harnessed with Irvine, eked out with bits
of old brides for traces. 1t was evident,
at the first glance, that the porker was
not. well broken. He was balky and OBJ
stinate, and Willie had his hands full.
The dorg-horse was kind and gentle, and
wagged his absurd stump of a tail vigor-
ously, even while sorely perpleXed by
the cratic course of his "match.' I
forcsa v the catastrophe, which came in
due time. Piggy bolted, tore himself
and vehicle clear of Sneak, and galloped
off to the stable, scattering The fragments
of h wagon to the right and left. 1t
was Il regular smash-up.
AT noon Willie came in to luncheon.
The regulations at this repast only re-
quire clean hands ana face, and large
liberty in the matter of attire is granted.
Our boys habiliments were somewhta
the worse for wear and tear, but his di-
gestive powers were unimpaired. The
quantity of bread and butter, cold beef
and cake, that he put out of sight would
have kept a small family of adults a
week. Inquired into the results of the
RUNAWAY" expecting a doleful COM
plant of loss; but Willie assured me that
the damage was inconsiderable. 81 got
that wagon last Christmas, pa" he OBJ
served, "and it was most broke, any,
how" L then asked if he was satisfied
with the result of his attempt to train
piggy, and received a reply in the mega
tive, very promptly. "1I fix piggy" he
remarked, "after lunch" The young
gentleman did not seem at all discon-
certed, and 1 felt that he might be safely
left to his own resources.
My neighbor is a very enterprising
market-gardner, and probably a valuable
member of society, but Jul intercourse is
limited to purely business transactions.
He also is the possessor of a boy, a few
vanced in worldly knowledge. / have
had a lurking suspicion, for some time,
that this youth, whose name is Dicky, is
not precisely the associate 1 would select
for Willie, and have, consequently,
rather discouraged their Intercourse.
Dicky does not trespass on my premises
very frequently, and the colloquies be-
twiXt the boys are usually conducted
through the partition fence. When L
saw them together at the stable, after
luncheon. L was tempted to call my boy
into the library and sacrifice an illus
trated volume in his entertainment. Be-
fore 1 acted upon this impulse the d~enOue-
meRt arrived.
An unusual uproar, a mixture of yells,
squeals and grunts, drew me to the win
dow, and 1 saw Willie astride of piggy,
who was goaded into a gallop by Dicky
and a sharp stick. Piggy had been in
dulging in a luxurious wallow, and his
coat was not at all nice, but Willie was
not particular. He sat on his gallent
steed with the air of a Centaur, his knees
clasping the reeking sides, one hand
grasping the off ear, and the other
waving in triumph over his head. Dick
faithfully performed his duties, and
poked his stick into ham and shoulders
ind~ustriously and mercilessly. The
porker doubled at short angles, evidently
trying to unseat his rider, who chung to |
him with the tenacity of death. At last
the trio came down the path by the gar
den with the sweep of a tornado. Willie
was dashed against the palings, and the
tortured pig escaped. The last 1 saw of
him was the curl in his tail, as he tore
outinto the main road, hotly pursued by
Dicky.
gNebones were. broken. Our boy was
bathed and dressed for dinner in due
time. L looked at him that night, as he
lay in his crib, rosy and serene in peace
full slumber, and marvelled that his small
body could contain so large a quantity of
what is commonly called the devil.