The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-06-12

cows; and what YOU wish OF me -"
lis TO Tx the damages" said Miss Le-
titia. AS said before, women folks are
no judges about such matters
MIR. Babcock meditated moment, and
then said
well. | wouldn't take a cent less than
seventy-tive dollars, II were yos-not a
cent"
"Seyenty-five dollars Isn't that good
deal, Mr.. Babcockg You know l don't
wish TO be hard on the poor man; all /
want Is a fair compensation for the mis-
chief DONE
Seventy-five dollars Is fair, ma'am-in
fact. may say it's low; | wouldn't have
herd OF cattle and sheep tramping through
my premises in that way for hundred"
There's one thing forgot to state !:
the orchard gate was open or they couldn't
have got IN that may make difference"
Not bit, not bit. You'd right to
have your gate open, but Small's cows had
no right 10 run loose. hope Isaac drove
'em all to pound, didn't hey'
II heard him say he'd shut 'em up some
where, and didn't mean to let 'em out till
the owner calls for 'em. But, MIR. Bah
cock, what If he should refuse 10 pay the
damagesg should hate to go to law about
it,"
/
critters till he iciN pay. As To law, guess
he's had about enough of that"
Pm sure | thank you for your advice
said Miss Letitia, "and mean To act upon
it TO the very letter"
And Mr. Babcock took his leave with a
very happy expression of countenance.
Scarcely was he out of sight when Miss
Letitia sent summons for MIR. Small,
which he obeyed as promptly as his neigh
Dor had done.
She made to him precisely the same
statement she had made 10 Mr.. Babcock,
showed him the injured property, and
asked him TO fix damages.
Ii W sremarkable that before he did this,
he should ask the same question MIR. Bah
cock had asked, namely, whether she had
any suspicion TO whom the animals be-
longed.
"well. one of them | observed had a
terribly crooked horn"
Precisely it's Babcock's heifer.
should know her among thousand. She
was black and white. wasn't she?"
"Well, now | think of Ii she was; one
seldom sees so clear black and white on a
cow"
ITO be sure. they're Babcsck's animals
fast enough. Well, let me see, what you
want Is just about fair estimate, sup
pose?'
Certainly
"Well, should say ninety dollars was
as low as he ought to be allowed to get OIL
with
20. but | fear that will seem as if /
meant TO take advantage. Suppose we
call it-say seventy-five?"
"Just AS you please. of course: but
hanged if I'd let him off for less than "A
hundred, If twas my case"
And if he refuses to pay?"
why, keep his animals till he comes
round. that's ALL"
But there's one thing neglected to
mention our gate was standing open that
may alter the CASE
Not at all there's no law against your
stray animals"
Very well thank you for your adj
vice." said Miss Letitia and Mr.. Small de
parted with as smiling countenance as
Mr.. Babcock had worn.
But at milking-time that night he made
strange discovery old Brindle was miss
ing!
At about the same hour Mr.. Babcock
made similar discovery; the black and
white heifer was nowhere to be found!
A horrible suspicion seized them both
suspicion which they would not have
made known to each other for the world.
They waited till il was dark and then
Mr.. Babcock stole round TO Miss Letitia's,
and meekly asked leave to look at the ami
mails which had committed the trespass.
He would have done IL without asking
leave. only that thrifty Miss Letitia always
locked her barn doors at night.
While he stood looking over into the
al.
trying to negotiate with Miss Letitia for the
release of the heifer. along came Mr.. Small
In quest of Brindle. The two men stared
at each other for an instant in blank dis
may, then hung their heads In confusion.
IL was useless to assert that the damages
were too high, for had they not fixed them
themselves? Ii was useless To plead that
Miss Letitia was I'm manner responsible
for what had happened, on account Of the
open gate, fer had they not assured her
that circumstance did not affect the case.
10 was useless to say that she had no right
to keep the cows in custody. for had they
not counseled her to do so? As to going
to law about it, would they not thus be-
come the sport of the whole town?
50 He that diggeth pit. he himself
shall fall into it," said Miss Letitia. who
read what was passing in Their minds as
well As If they had spoken, for the light of
lsaac's lantern fell full on their faces.
However, don't wish to be hard upon
you, and on one condition | will free the
cows and forgive YOU the debt"
What il that - Both looked the ques-
ton, but did not ask it.
The condition is that you promise to
put good new fence in place of the old
one that separates your estates, dividing
the cost between you, and that henccforth
you will live peaccably together as far as
In you lies. Do you promise -
Yes muttered both, in a voice scarce
ly audible.
Shake hands upon it, them said Miss
Letitia.
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