Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1875-03-05

mark as well as | know the nose on
my face. She had balls on her horns
didn't she?"
eyes, so Isaac said"
"And kind of Il hump on hel
back?"
"a perfect dromedary," said Miss
Letitia. ''I noticed that much, my.
self"
''They were Small's COWS, no doubt
of it at ALL" said Mr. Babcock, rub
bing his hands. 'No sheep with 'em
hey?"
"Well, now l think of it, there acert
sheep-they ran away as soon as they
saw Isaac. Yes, certainly they were
Sheep" said Miss Letitia.
II knew it-they always go with
the cows; and what of me"
cts to fix the damages" said Miss
Letltia. GAS l said before, women
folks are no Judges about such mat
ters."
Mr. Babcock meditated a moment
and then said:
''Well, l wouldn't take cent less
than seventy-fve dollars, if l were
you-nOt 4 cent"
"Seventy-five dollars! Isn't that a
good deal, Mr.. Babcock? You know
| don't wish to be hard Oh the poor
man; all want is fair compensa'
ton for the mischief DONE"
"Seventy-five dollars is fair, a'am.
In fact, / might say it's low; | would
not have herd of cattle and sheep
tramplng through my premises in
that way for hundred"
"There's one thing forgot to state,
the orchard gate was left open or
they couldn't have got in; that may
make a difference"
"Not a bit-not Il bit. You'd a
right to have your gate open, but
Small's cows had no right to run
loose. l hope Isaac drove them to
the pound, didn't hc:"
Il heard him say he shut 'em up
somewhere, and didn't mean to let
'em out till the owner calls for 'em.
But, Mr.. Babcock, what if he should
refuse to pay the damages? Ishould
hate to 60 to law about it."
"He won't refuse; if he does, keep
the critters till he will pay. AS to
law, l guess he's had about enough
of that"
"I'm sure thank you for your ad-
vice." said Miss Letltia, "and | mean
to act upon it to the very letter"
Scarcely was he ought of sight
when Miss Letitia sent summons
for Mr.. Small, which he obeyed as
promptly as his ncighbor had done.
She made to hlm precisely the
same statement she had made to Mr..
Babcock, showed him the injured
property, and asked him to fix the
damages. 1t was remarkable before
he did this he should ask the same
question Mr.. Babcock had asked,
namely, whether she had any suspic-
ions as to whom the animals belong
ed.
"Well, one of them l observed had
a terrible crooked horn.
"Prccisely-it's Babcock's heifer, |
should know her among thousand.
She was black and white, wasn't
she?"
DWELL, now l think of it. she was;
one seldom sees so clear a black ard
white on a cow"
''To be sure, they're Babec ck's an
imals, fast enough. Well, let me see
what you want is a fair estimate, l
suppose?:'
"Certainly."
"Well, l Should say ninety dollars
was as low as he ought TO be allowed
to get off with"
"Oh, but / fear that will seem as if
l meant to take advantage. Suppose
we call it-say seventy-fve?:"
'Just as you please, of course; but
hanged if I'd let him off for cent
less than hundred, if it were my
case"
"And if he refuses to pay?"
"Why, keep the animals till he
comes rou, ID, that's all"
"But there's one thing | neglected
to mention-our gate was standing
open; that may alter the ease"
'Not at all-there's no law against
keeping your gate open; there is one
against stray animals"
every well; thank you for your ad-
vice." said Miss Letitla; and MIR.
Small departed with a smiling coun-
tenance
But at milking time that night he
made strange discovery; old brin-
die was missing! At about the same
hour Mr.. Babcock made a similar dis
covery; the black and white heiter
was nowhere to be focnd! A horri-
BILE suspicion seized them both-a
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 around to
Miss Letitia's, and mcekly asked
leave to look at the animals which
had committed the trespass. lie
would have done it without asking
lc.ve only that thrifty Mr.. Letitia al
ways shut her barn doors at night.
While he stood looking over into
the pen where the cows were contin-
ed, and trying to negotiate with Miss
Letitia for the release of the heter,
along came Mr.. Small in quest OF his
brindle. The two men stared at each
other for an instant in blank dismay,
then hung their heads in confusion.
1t was useless to assert that the
damages were too high, for had they
not fixed them themselves? 1t was
useless to plead that Miss Letitia was
in manner responsible for what had
happened, on account of the open
gate, tor had they not assured her
that circumstances did not alter the
case? 1t was useless to say that she
had no right to keep the cows in Gus
tody, for had they not counseled her
to do SO? As to going to law about
it, would they not thus become the
sport of the whole town?
"'He that diggeth pit, he HIM
self shall fall into it," said Miss Le-
titia, who read what was passing in
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