Middletown transcript., 1874-10-03
ky, and an uncommon good
rwheu he came up to din
that stray CO W. had bro
Ietable garden
hey the riot they made
Ivas almost ready to use
I'm not sure that
deuce, aud I'm certain
6rn;' and. after all. l
roach him very Sc
bs he has taken with
~ = something Amazing


eding and digging and water
\ Ibp. and now to see it all torn and
trampled SO that you wouldn't kno"
which was beets and which was cucum-
bers, it's enough to rouse anybody
temper
1T is So said Mr.. Babcock.
And that isn't all, for by the looks
of thugs they must have been rampag-
ing in the orchard and clover field be-
fore they got into the garden. Just
YOU come and see (; and putting on her
suu-boppet Miss Letitia showed MIR.
Babcock over the damaged precincts
You don't happen to know whose
animals did the mischief 2 said MIR.
Babcock.
We'll, l didn't observe them in par
ticular myself, but Isaac said there was
one with peculiar white mark, sOme-
thing like cross. on its haunch.
Why, that's Smalrs old brindle,
cried MIR. Babcock know the mark
as we'll as know the nose on my face.
She had balls ON her horns, didn't
she?'
Yes, SO Isaac said
And kind of hump on her back =
"A perfect dromedary, said Miss
Letitia. / noticed that myself.
They we're SmaIl's cows, no doubt
of it at ALL said Mr.. Babcock, rub
bng his hands. No sheep with them,
hey?'
Well, now think Of it. there ,cere
sheep-they ran away as soon as they
saw Isaac Yes, certainly there were
sheep. Yid Miss Letitia. -
Il knew itlAthey aIways 81 viii the
cows; and chat 90 you wishaf me-
Tt'ssto & TIE damag ges. Ssid Miss
Letitia. ~. As said before women
folks srs no r. about such mat
ters
Mr. Babcock meditated moment,
and then said -.
~ wouldn't take ntsnt less
thsa twenty-five dellaHs were
you-not a cent"
Seventy Eve dollars! Isn't that a
goo3deal, Mr.. Babcock? You haow
don't wish to be hard on the poor man
all want is fair compensation for the
mischief done"
| Seyenty-6ve dollars is fair, ma'am
in fact, might say it's low; | would
not have a 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 q
difference
Not q bit-not a bit. You'd o
right to have Jour gate open, but
Small's cows bad no right to run loose.
hope Isaac drove them to the pound.
didn't he
Il heard him say be shut 'em up
somewhere, and didn't mean to let 'em
out till the owner called for 'em. But,
| Mr.. Babcock, what if he should refuse
to pay the damages I? 1 should hate to
20 to law about it.
He went refuse; if he does, keep
the critters till he will pay. As to law,
l guess he has had about enough el
that
I'm sure ! thank you for your ad.
vice. said Miss Letitia, and I mean
to act upon it to the very letter.
And Mr.. Babcock took his depar-
ture with happy expression Of coun.
tenance
Scarcely was be out Of sight wher
Miss Letitia sent a summons for Mr.
Small which he obeyed as promptly al
his neighbor had done.
She made to him precisely the same
statement she had made to Mr.. Bah
cock, showed him the injured property
and asked him to fix the damages. i
was remarkable before he did this that h
should ask the same question Mr.. Bah
cock had asked. namely, whether sh'
had any suspicion to whom the animal'
belonged.
We'll, one of them l observed had ,
terribly crooked horn.'
Precisely-it's Bsbcock's heifer,
sheuld know her among a thousand
She was black and white wasn't che ?
Well, now I think Of it. she was
one seldom sees SO clear a black ant
white on cow
To bs sure; they're Babcock's ami
mails fast enough. Well, let me see
what you want is just fair estimate,
SUPPOSED
Certainly
well. I should say ninety dollar
was as low as he ought to be allowed t.
get off with
'Oh, but I fear that will seem as if
meant to take advantage. Suppose VI
call it-say seventy-6ve?
Just as you please. Of course; bu
hanoed IF I'd lat him off for A cent lea