South-eastern Independent. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1871-1871, 1871-04-28
FARMER JENKINS JACKET.

4
FARMER JENKINS JACKET.
"ANY body that'll take what don't be-
| long to 'em, even if it aint wuth MORN a
| pin, is thief and Idon'tcare who It's, Miss
Helen," said Farmer Jenkins, as he toasted
his feet by the kitchen fire, while waiting
for water to heat, that he might thaw out
the barn pump. .rI,.--.-. ..f %.
at makes you feel mighty mean, steal
in does" he continued, after few mo-
ments. Il never stole but once, and I'll
tell you how twas.
You know when was youngster, l
lived down on the Medder Farm with
Square Peters. Wal, Jake Fisher, he hired
out there one summer, and one day when
We was to work together on the mash,
says he - s--,..t-.
"'Old Flint's pears are about ripe, BILL
You didn't know old Sam Flint,
s'pOse, Miss Helen?"
Sam Flint's father, do you means" (
Yes" s-rd -r-I ---r9 -.ff sh-a
al have heard of him, but 1 do not
think ever saw him" il'-''
"Wal, Jake, says he, Let's have some
of them pears, Bill ....--.
"' don't want none, says /.
"f They're the best lookin' pears you
ever saw, says he, 'and we can git some
tonight as easy as not. It'll be fun
"Wal, after while he kinder coaxed
me into it; so l told him I'd go.
:" At that time had new jecket-blue
broadcioth-real nice cloth twas. 1t cut
me little bout the armsize, but twas
fust-rate jacket; and when I'd done work
evenin's, l used to put it on. So that night
put on the jacket, and Jake and me went
over to Flint's orchard. When we got
down there, Jake, says he:'
Bill, you are the lightest; you git up
into the tree
$50 stripped off my jacket and tossed
it down, and was up in that tree quick
ern wink. l was spry as cat in them
days. Wal, I'd jest gin one shake, and the
pears were beginnin' to rattle down, when
up come old Sam.
"'OhO-o-o-op says he, growlin' away,
now I've ketchedye, stealin' my pearsP
Jake, he cut and run, an it didn't
take me long to drop out of that tree, and
then made pretty quick time, too, 'thOut
stoppin' to pick up my jacket. l heerd
old Sam growlin' agin when he got there.
"' Ur-r-rl them fellers have got of; but
one on ems left his jacketl 80 q, .
OAJ L ~ SOAAI JOo ~ 9CANA e---S
time, Bill You'll be hung, nowP
"Next day / happened along by old
Sans, and seen him out to the barn.
"'Some fellers tried to hook my pears
last night says he.
"' Did theyT says /. who was theyY
az dunno SAYS he, 'more'n nothin'.'
"'Didn't you ketch 'emg saysI.
emo says he; but one on 'em left
his jacket
"fDidY says L What kind of a jacket
was it?'
"A new one says he; 'blue broad
cloth; fust-rate piece of cloth
"I knew that as we'll as he did, but l
did't tell him so. He went in and fetched
it out to let me see. ts1,.sH e-J1rs =.
a. That's a illustrate jacket says Il what
you goin' to do with it? 'o' '-
Guess shall sell it, says he; 1
hain't got anybody that it II fit
allow much be you goin' to ask forit?
says I. si1..if, f,-dL a -
""Bout two dollars says he. Its
wuth more'n that. Should think it might
be Just about right for you, Bill Try on,
an let's see.'l r--f- .aa..-, 40. ...
$50 put it on.
as That's good fit, says he. El
."' Wall, can't give. no two dollars
says ], takin' off the jacket an startin' up
the team was drivin,. 1-7H ODD o.
"'Wal, Bill says he, if you want it,
I'll let you have it for a dollar, seein' it's
YOU 10
"' No. says 1 Il hain't got no. dollar
to give; I'll give yer fifty cents for it 30
'' No, yer don'tp says he. Its wuth a
sight more'n n that l can't let you have it
for that Ril1v'
"So Iwent off; but / was dreadfully
afraid Squire Peters would hear OF 1t, or
would ask me where twas, or somethln'-
"You see, twas a second-han jacket
he'd bought cheap sOmewheres for me
but it looked good as new.
"'Twa'n't many days before was down
to Sam Flint's sgin. i3.. elr-1-.i t-r
Sold that jacket yetY says l.
"'No," says he. Cant find anybody
that wants it, saHs ErL.0. .ssrr
@'Tell ye what It's says I, m give yer
seventy five cents for that Jacket, and not
a cent more Fl .- IE .TIree--1
"'Wal, Bill says he, 'sein' it's you, III
let you have it for that?
$50 he fetched it out. an walked of
with it; and haint taken nothin' that
don't belong to me, sence."
"That was a good lesson and cheaply
learned" remarked Miss Helen. .rt
Wal-yes-'tWasl Cost me seventy five
cents, an didn't git single pear, nuther
But you see seventy-tive cents IN them
days was wuth as much as five dollars
now; an I'd been whole year gittin' that
seventy-fve cents.
al was only boy, yer see, and Squire
Peters was plaguy mean with me; and
don't care who knows it. He'd oughter
gin me chance to git some schoolin' but
he didn't"
And with a sigh Farmer Jenkins arose,
lifted the kettle of boiling water from the
fire and marched out to the barn. His wis
dom had been learned by experience.
That is a costly school. Get yours more
easily-6y the experience Of Others-YoUth's
Companion.