Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-02-23
The Pioneers Pig.
A lady writes to western paper the follow.
inp story of a MO.

A lady writes to western paper the follow
ing story of pig:
Next to possessing no pig whatever, is pos
sessing one with a two-foot nose. Because there
was no other class of a pig TO be had, VIII
bought one of this kind. He was young ami
NAL, and did not have twotoot nose, for the
simple reason that his entire length amounted
to but twenty-four inches. But his nose prom
Used well. His ears were stationed precisely in
the middle of his twenty-four inches. From
thence he sloped on one hand into nose and on
the other into tai-a tail devoid of curl; Tor the
native pig, in his struggle for existence, has too
much roofing on hand to pay much regard TO
his personal appearance.
Our pig, whom Tena straightway named
'IchabOd,' was rather SHINY built, and his legs
were indicative of speed and agility rather than
of ham. But Ichabod had fine appetite, and
he knew how to lit up his voice at lunch time in
style that argued well for thefuture regularity
of his meals. VIII made a pen for him in the
centre of romantic group of oaks; and because
he was 50 appcaingly small, and the dead grass
| had been eaten for wide space by fires, Tena
and gave him generous bundle of straw from
our own plethoric bed.
We regarded him as he stood with his fore
feet in the trough, eating with aItless eagerness
| his first dinner, and speculated upon the breadth
| his narrow shoulders would soon take on, and
the speed with which his lean form would soon
| be converted into sugar-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 pioneer lie, when combined with healthy com
| mon sense and told her so.
| Weeks passed away, and Ichabod, in spite OF
| his ample fare, could see out of his eyes, and
| never for once thought of sitting down in that
| helplessly fat manner exhibited in the pig por-
traits of the agricultural papers. But any one
| could see that his nose grew famOusly; and his
| appetite continued so fine, and there was such a
twinkle of vlvacity in his hazel eyes, and his
| voice rang out SO famoGsly--imparting rs Tena
ssid such air OF lie to the otherwise pastoral
| quiet of our farm-we could forgive him for re-
| naming so tenaciously lean.
| ''He has capital constitution, anyhow" said
| VIII, "for what ordinary pig could stand on his
hind fe and call for refreshments in such a
sonorous voice for the length Of time he does
without sensibly falling away? can't see thai
he is one whit thinner than he was the day
brought him home"
"And then he's so knowingP exclaimed Tena
"the moment he hears the door open, up comes
his nose TO see if any one is bringing his dinner
And be always watches you out of sight when
you 90 away.
ooh, very kuowingl such head! such
brainsP responded VIII. 81 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!'
"Sausages need not be very fat," saidI. "AnG
If Ichabod's health remains unimpaired, maybe
by next Christmas, We"
eve will be certain of couple of spare ribs
at least! Don't count on anything more. LIE
our expectations be moderate, and then our dis
appointments will never be severe" said Win
with look of wisdom.
Even spare ribs will be pleasant after so mucl
bear" said Tena.
$50 much bearl Why, child, we have not hat
mouthful of bear for two days." said I-th
cnief cook-indigaautly.
1t had been a new sensation our cuiStte--thi
, barrel Of beari He was fat little four hun
dred FOUNDER whom Will found loa6ng about
+ bee tree on Crystal creek. He was fat and har
!. py; but there might shave come time whe
. honey bad been scarce, aud bear had been lea
and wreiched; so VIII put bullet between hi
eyes, and saved him at once and forever from th
c future's unguessed suffering.
s Bear is good. Beefsteak is very good. In th
mere TACT OF eating bear, there is something re
. ousl and vigorous. w Il was tranquil, but
know that in his innermost soul be rather en-
d Joyed asking lena and me if we would "hav
another bit of the bear"
We had roast bear, ported bear, bear pie
broied bear, hasbed bear, cold broiled bear, an
t, every form OF bear known and unknown to ei
3, Iablished eooksj and aside from these dishel