The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1876-02-25
THE COOPER'S COW TRADE

skirts of the village, where he
shaved and thumped away, early
and late. A more honest man
never Iived-or, at least, he was as
honest as man need be. He own
ed q respectable dwelling and a
few acres of land, and kept a pig,
some hens, and q COW, this brute
property being under the special
care of Mrs. Josephus Allen. 1t
was generally acknowledged that
nobody's pig was so sleek and fat
as Mrs. Aliens, nobody's eggs
were SO large and so sure to be
fresh, and nobody's butter was so
fresh and so yellow. ''This is Mrs
Josephus Aliens butter" Mrs.
Josephus Allen brought these
eggs !" Let the shopkeeper thus
announce, and the things were
bought immediately. And Joseph
US himself occupied a place equal
ly firm in the confidence OF his
fellows. His word was as good as
a bond, and his work was In de-
mand.
One spring, Josephus met with
q misfortune. His cow broke
through the floor of the barn, and
broke her leg-broke it so badly
that mending it was out of the
question. What should he do for
another COW?
"You must go and buy one,"
said hia wifa
"But COWS are SO high, at this
season"
"Never mind. A COW we must
have. You ought to get a good
one for fifteen dollsrs-a good
new milk cow"
"Ah! but the fifteen dollars,
Mrs. Allen"
81 can let you have ten of it
ten dollars that l have laid up
from the sale OF butter and eggs"
Thus furnished with the 'sin-
ews'' of trade, Josephus started
forth in search of a cow, and af-
ter tramping a whole day without
finding what he sought, he finally
brought up at Mr.. John Potman's.
He had seen many just such cows
as he wanted, but they were not
to be bought, He had thus far
avoided Mr.. Potman, because he
had no very good opinion of that
individuars honesty. In Fact, he
know that John Potman was 9
man who cheated when he could.
But he concluded to take a look al
Potman's stock, trusting that be
knew enough about COWS to take
care of himself.
John Potman was a farmer, and
did considerable business in buy
ing and selling cattle, and he also
loaned money to needy men at ex'
orbitant rates of interest. He
took no mortgages for security
When he loaned money, he wanted
a right-out bill of sale of some
good property, and thus did much
stock, in horses, oxen and cows
fall into his hands.
It was in the morHing when Jo-
sephus called upon Mr.. Potman
and when he had made known his
wants, he was informed that he
had come just in the "niek Of
time"
"I've got just exactly the ami
NAL you will want" said the stock
trader-s'a fine, large COW, healthy
and strong, kind AID gentle;
took her only few days ago. fol
q debt. Come and look at her,"
Josophus followed Mr.. PotmaI
to the barn, where the cow wa:
pointed out. She appeared to bt
all that had been represented
She had a large good frame, was o
J . light red color, and was in res
pectable flesh. The udder wa
ample, and when Josephus tried
the teats, he found that she yield
ed the milk freely.
"Of course" said Potman
there's no milk now, for the cal
? has taken what he wanted, an
, the women folks have got tn
: rest. But you can see what sh
is. Did you ever see a bette
! bag"
"Hew much milk does sh
give?" asked Josephus.
II Haven't had a chance to fin
:. out exactly replied Potmar
: give only had her few days, an,
3 the calf has run with her all tn
3 time: but the man got her O
!; told me she would give twelv
!, quarts at q milking; in the heigh
|, , of feed. If l hadn't already NOR
stock than I can feed, I wouldn'
Z sell her at any price. Just lool
], st the calf. Isn't he beauty"
t "She cannot be very DID," h
, said, looking at the rings on he
horns, where the growth of eac
= year is marked.
1.-THE man said she was eigh
years eld," replied Potman; san
a / shouldn't say she was niue
!, younger. 1 guess she's eight"
? Josephus walked around tn
: COW several times, and finally ash
her price.
al ought to have twenty dollars
! Mr.. Allen. She's worth it-ever
. cent"
Josephus shook his head. II
3 could not pay so much for a COW
D Then followed a long discussion
b upon the value of such an ANNA
3 and finally Potman grew genel
Gus. He let the cow go for fiftee
dollars, though with seemingl
painful reluctance. Josephu
' paid the money, and drove tn
r COW home. He did not want tn
calf, so that very night he sold
: to a neighbor, who wanted it t
r mate one he already owned.
On the following morning, tn
cow was MIXED and turned int
: the pasture. The quantity {
It milk given on this morning wa
). remarkably small; but then it wa
Il not to be wondered at. The CO
= had probably missed her calf, an
had eaten nothing. At nigh
a however, after cropping the tendt
= grass ali day, she would be sui
- RI oivo q o0Od aoenuuf of baroaI