The Republican journal., 1871-02-16
OUR PoRKeR.

/ "a pig :" | exclaimed in great astonisll-
ment, pausing in the act of helping Nellie to
u slice of the steak. We We're at breakfast.
Eyes, my dear" said Mrs. Dobbs, ''a pig.
We could keep one Just us we'll as not, and it
would be quite a little item of saving when
meat is so high
why, Susan, you'd have to buy food for
it-corn and apples, and don't know what
all-it would cost more than it would come
to-
'No,n persisted my wife, sit would not,
James. Father always kept pig"
But he lived in the country
THAT makes no difference. was talking
with neighbor Jones about it over the fence
yesterday, and he said we threw away swill
enough to keep ten pigs
II should like to know what Jones knows
about our swill,' said |.
"Why, he judged from his own experience,
James. He keeps a pig
And while we are on the subject, Susan,
I'll Just take the opportunity to say that do
men over the fence
james, do be serious. Flirting. indeed
with pigs and swill for a basis of conversa-
ton. You lust want to veX me-
''Oh, pigs are pretext; anything will do
Tor preteXt when a woman is determined to
tlir. | knew a woman once who tried to
use portrait of her dead grandmother as a
preteXt for Irritation. And as for Jones'
''Now, James, you shall not go on in that
way; before the children, too Look at
Nellie's eyes"
g Perhaps you'll pretend,' | continued
THAT Jones didn't bring you a bunch Of his
lsabellas at the same time
eyes, and you ate the best part Of them
last evening yourself, for l saved them for
you, and you know. Mr.. Jones' craps are
much superior to ours; Pm sure I'm thank
full for all he gives me. Will you get pig
for me, James, OF won't you"'
ooh, if YOU ask it as Il favor Susan, of
course | will. I'll get you anything that
will be a source of pleasure, You know but
if You want pig for Il pet, don't try to pre-
tend IS for economy's sake
"A pet - poutcd Susan. How ridiculous
you are! | detest pets
''Ihen why don't You avoid them my
dear?"
'.What are you driving at know
"Why, you are in one now, Susan. Be
calm. The coffee with get cold"
Mrs. Dobb gave one despairing look, and
then poured the coffee Before | left the
house l had promised to see about getting Il
pig; ,
NOW IL liltlt - any titlitDlt tHlllltl hiioW
less about than do about another, it is the
pig. | remembered having seen pigs alive
when | was a boy; but since grew up my
knowledge of the species has been confined
to the porcinc corpses | have seen suspended
from hooks in market places, and to certain
works of art in which they had been repre-
sented-not in landscapes, | may remark );
SO if there had been q market for live pigs
adjoining my studio | could not have selected
an available one from the lot. / thought
about it good deal during the day, and the
result ofm medltations was that on my home
ward way in the afternoon | made circuit
around by the residence of Peter Tan Popp,
Dutchman whom | employed TO take care
of my garden, and to do such other heavy
work as might be necessary about the house
from time to time. On consultation, | found
that Peter was Just the man for the business.
He had a brother who kept small farm in
the vicinity of Schralenburgh, back of the
Palisades on the Hudson; and Peter said:
Next week l goes oop to see Hans, and
my wife she goes along too, SO brings you a
pig home, Mr.. Tropp."
Good" said /. cpl pay your fare for
your trouble, Peter, besides the price of the
pig. A good one, now! None of your snub-
nosed, pug eyed fellows, you know-a sleek,
intelligent one.'
YAH" said Peter
A few days later the pig came. | was Just
leaving the house to go down town when |
met Peter with the pig in a bag.
II got him." Peter remarked-very unnec-
essarily, however, for the zig announced the
fact loudly in his own behalf. Nothing but
pig could have squealed so.
"Where put him?" asked Peter.
''Oh, put him in the barn." said l. There
is Il barn attached to our house. but there
was nothing in it. Animated by a desire to
put the barn to some useful purpose, bought
a cow and put her in there last summer, but
she gave no milk after the second week and
so | sold her. | was glad l had another
Tenant for the barn.
But Peter shook his head That wouldn't
do. A barn was no place fora pig. | would
have to have a pen he said.
cit would hardly do to let him run in the
garden | suppose" said, musingly. ''Can
you build pen, Peter?"
Yah, Peter said he could, and so l sent him
Off after tools and materials, having the pig
tied to tree by one leg. My family gather
ed about the newcomer and viewed him with
healthy, as was proved by the capacity of his
lungs.
"Mercy" cried Susan, '.what noise he
makes!' He must be hungry, James" SUI
sans experience with babies encouraged her
to this conclusion.
II know what'll make more noise than
that" said my Fred, with u roguish twinkle
in his eyes.
.'What is it ?" ] asked, simply to cncour-
age my son.
''Two more pigs" said Fred.
When | came home at night the pig was
fast asleep in his pen on u heap of straw and
l felt quite q pride in him. l had secret
homes Of my own in regard to him, though l
did not impart them to Susan. He only cost
$2-that is, per Sc. The pen cost about SIC
more; and Peters fare brought the sum total
up to $14.S3.
1 watched the growth of our porker with
a high degree of interest. The swill-pail al
ways stood by the side OF the wood-house
door, and, though it was not an agreeable
object in an aesthetic point of view, could
not for some time get over vexatious kind
Of curiosity us to its contents. | found some
strange things in it sometimes-viewed as
articles of food; one of Fred's boots, for in
stance, or pair of scissors, or teaspoon
Once when | found silver fork in the swill
| demonstrated with the servant girl-a stu
pid German creature, who had succeeded tc
our intelligent Bridget when the latter got
married
1T is not So much that care for the silver