The Van Buren press., 1874-11-03

"Well, now l think OF 1t, there were
sheep--they ran away as soon as they
saw Isaac. Yes, certainly they were
sheep, !" said Miss Lctitia
"I knew it--they always go with the
COWS; and what do you wish Of me
ITS to fix the damages, said Miss
Letitia "As | said before, women
folks are no judges about such matters !"
Mr.. Babcock mediiated moment, and
then said
"Well, | wouldn't take cent less
than seventy five dollars if were you
not cent "
Seventy.fve dollars Isn't that n
good deal. Mr.. Babcock2 You know
don't wish to be hard on the poor man ;
all want is fair compensation for the
mischief done.
"Seventy five dollars is fair ma'am
in fact, might say it 5 tow; would not
have herd Of cattle and sheep tramp
ing through my premises in that way for
q hundred
"There's one thing l forgot to state
the orchard gate was open. or they
couldn't have got in; that may make q
difference. "
mot bit-not bit. You'd a right
to bave yoar gate open. but Smalfs
COWS had no right to run loose. ! hope
Isaac drove them to the pound, didn't
he p 81
IL heard him say he shut EN- up,
somewhere, and didn't mean to let 'em
out till the owner calls for EN-. But,
lMr. Babcock, what il he shoule refuse
to pay the damages, and go to law about
t?''
"He won't refuse; il he does, keep the
critters till he will pay, AS to tho, law,
! CUES he's had about enough Of that. :"
I'm sure ! thank you for your ad.
vice, p" said Miss Lettia, "and | mean to
act upon it to the very letter "
And Mr.. Babcock took his departure,
with happy expression of eountenanee.
Scarcely was he out OF sight when
Miss Letitia sent summons for MIR.
Small, which he obeycd as promptly as
bis neighbor had done.
She had made to him precisely the
same statement she had made to Mr.
Babcock, showed him the injured prop
erty, and asked him to fix the damages.
II was remarkable that before he did this,
that he should ask the same question: MIR.
Babcock had asked namely, whether she
had any suspicion MS to whom the ami
mails belonged.
"Well, one Of them observed had
terribly crooked horn. F"
Preeisely--it's Babcock's hefer; !
should knew her among thousand, Sac
was badk aud white, wasn't she =
"Well, now ! think of it, she was !;
one seldom secs so clear a black and
white on a COW.
"To be sure; they're Babcock's ami.
mails fast enough. Well, let me see
what you want is just fair estimate,
suppose p
" Certainly
"Well, | should say ninety dollars was
as low as he ought to be allowed to get
off,
"Oh, but / fear that will seem os if we
meant to take advantage. Suppose we
call it--say seventy five dollars"
"Just as you please, of course; but
hanged if I'd let him of for one cent less
than hundred, il it we're my case. "
"And il he refuses to pay"
"Why, keep the animals till he comes
round that's oil.
but there's one thing ] neglected to
mention--our gate was standing open
that may alter the case. ="
mot at all there is no law against
keeping your gate open; there Is against
stray animals.
"very we'll; thank you for your nd
vice, y" said Miss Lettia; and MIR. Small
departed with as smiling countenance
as Mr.. Babcock had worn.
I--D.t mt n,;lkin.y TINA that niqbt p 2 made,
a strange discovery; Old brindle was
missing! Al 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 it was dark, and then
Mr. Babcock stole round to Miss Lett.
tias. and merely asked leave to look at
the animal which had committed the
trcsspass. lie would have done 1t with
out asking leave, only that thrifty Miss
Letitia always shut her barn doors at
night.
Willie he stood. looking over into the
pen where the cows were confined, and
trying to negotiate with Miss Letiqa Tor
the release Of the heifer, along came MIR
Small. in quest of his brindle. The two
men stared at each other, for an instant
in blank dismay, then hung their head in
confusion
It was useless to assert that the dam
ages were too high, for had they not
fixed them themselves 1t WAS useless
to plead that Miss Letitia was in man.
ner responsible for what had happened
on account of the open gate, for had they
not assured her that circumstances did
not alter the cascl 1t was useless to
say that she had no right to keep the
cows in custody, for had they not eoun
scled her to do so? As to going to law
about II, would they not thus become the
sport o. the whole town 7"
a. He that diggeth pit. be 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