Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1872-04-23
Stlttt Storp.
From the Household.
OF X POR X T. X. .

A pig" exclaimed in great as
tonishmenl. pausing in the act OF helping
Nellie to 4 slice of steak. We were at
breakfast
Yes. my dear said Mrs Dobb, "a
pig. We could keep one just as well rs
not. aud it sould be quite little item Ol
saving, when meat is so high"
why, Susan. you'd have to buy food
tor it-corn and apples, and don't know
what all-it would cost more thAn il
would come TO-"
NO." persisted my wife. Iii would
not, james. Father always kept pig
But he lived in the country"
That makes no difference. was
talking with neigh5or Jones about i, over
the fence yesterday. and he said we th,o~
away swilI enough every day to keep ten
pigs"
Il should like to know what Jones
knows about our swill, said l.
Why, he judged from his own ex-
perience. james lie keeps pig"
And while We are on the subject
Susan, I'll just take the opportunity to say
that do not approve OF your flirting
Nth married men over the fence"
James, DO he serious, Flirting, in-
deed-with pigs and swill for u basis OF
conversation You just want to yex me. D."
"Oh, pigs are prctoxt; anything will
DO for pretuxt when 4 woman is de-
termned to firt. knew woman once
who tried TO use the portrait Of her dead
grandmothor as pretext Tor Irritation,
And A. tor jones"
Nov, James. YOU shall not 80 on in
that way before the children, too. Look
at Nelie's eyes
Perhaps you'll pretend" D" continued,
that Jones didnt bring YOU u bunch ot
his lsabelbs at the same time"
"Yes, and you ate the best part OF them
last evening yourself. Tor saved them
for You. and you know MIR. Jones grapes
are much superior to ours; I'm sure I'm
thankful for all he gives me. VIII YOU
get pig for me, James, or won't you ?"
"Oh, if Won ask it as u favor, Susan, OF
course | will. I'll get you anything that
will be = source OF pleasure, You know )
but if you want pig for pet. don't try
to pretend it's for ecOnomy's sake"
"A pei ~ pouted Susan. "How ride
ulous you are detest pets"
Then 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 will get cold
Mrs. Dobb gave one more despairing
look and poured the coffee. Before left
the house | had promised to see about
getting pig.
Now if there is any eatable animal |
know less about than do about another,
it is the pig | remembered having seen
pigs alive when | was boy; but since |
grew up my knowledge Of the species
has been confined to the porcine corpses
have seen suspended from hooks in
narket.places, and to certain works OF
art ia which they had been represented
not in landscapes. | may remark; tha:
if there had been a market for live pigs
adjoining my studio | could not have Sc
lecled an available one from the lot. i
thought about it good deal during the
day, and the result of my meditations
that on my homeward way in the after.
noon made circuit around by the res
idence of Peter Van Popp, a Dutchman
whom | employed to take care OF my
garden, and to DO such other heavy work
as might he necessary about the house
from time to time. On consultation,
found that Peter was just the man for the
business. lie had brother who kept a
small farm up in the vicinity OF Schra-
alenbwgh, back of the Palisades on the
Hudson; and Peter said;
Next week | goes oop TO see hans'
and my vile she goes slong, too, so
brings you pig home. Mr.. Topp."
"Goodm said /. "Ill pay your fare