Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1876-03-03

TuE TRICKS THAT Belly PLAYED, AND THE
TRICK THAT WAS PLAYED UPON BELLY.

= PatSey'S 60at.
THE TRICKS THAT Belly PLAYED, AND TH
TRICK THAT WAS PLAYED UPON Belly
Honesdale PA. Correspondence Pi,tsburg Chrcn.c
When Mr.. Terrence McFadden died, hi
widow made rattle of her househol
goods. Out of all the collection, Patse
Conley drew three-weeks-old billy goat a
first; but when-before it had been a mem
Der of his family two days-it butted th
baby down cellar, ate up the weeks wasl
that was spread on the grass, and climbe,
to the top of a l5-foct board pile when Mrs
Coz ey came out at it with the clothe
pou4der, and looked calmly down at her
as he chewed the last rufiie on a night
gown. Patsey set his heart on the kid anC
took 1t under his special protection. liz
named it Beelzebub.
As Beelzebub increased in size and age
he made it extremely lively for the Conley
neighborhood. lie was always ready for q
fight. and would eat anything that he came
across. lie would go mile out Of his way
TO lunch off door mat, and it would never
do to hang carpet out. lie took especial
delight in butting school children over in
the street. and eating their lunches, books,
and satchels.
Finally the people got out of humor with
Beelzebub, and they told Patsey be had
better keep him in. So he tied long rope
to one of the goats hind legs, and fastened
him 10 post. But BeelZebub quietly but
ted the post down, and then deliberately
proceeded to take in the rope. lie swallow
ed it all up to his leg. and was beginning
on that when Patsey discovered him, and
cut the rope.
Mr.. COnley was obliged to give Bsezs-
| bub holiday now and then. On one of
these, last summer, he wandered down by
the river side. Two boys were in swim
ming, and Belly recognized in one of them
boy who had a few days before fed him
pack of lighted fire crackers The goat
walked leisurely up to the spot where the
boys clothing lay, and ate up pair of
pants and two shirts. Every time the BOYS
made as if they were coming out at him he
put himself i'll the shape of buck-beer
sign. and they went back. lie kept the
boys in the water three hours.
On another of his holidays. few weeks
ago, Beelzebub acquired an accomplish
ment which t1r time gave the most unmit-
igated pleasure to his master. Laborers
were engaged IN charging cut on rail
road a mile down the track. The goat,
hearing the noise of the blasts, went to see
If there was anything in the Job Tor him
Some of the men lived long distance away,
and carried their dinners with them The
bright tin lunch-pails standing here and
there along the track struck the eye of Bel
". lie had smelt Of one. pranced about it
awhile, and at last, with one grand butt,
sent 1t living down the track, scattering its
contents along the route. and giving 1t the
appearance of a hittened oyster-can. The
result of this so delighted Bselzebub that
he forsOok all other pleasures and laid IN
ambush about the cut, watching for din
ner-pails Patsey became aware Of his anna
bic pets new diversion, and daily bore him
company to the spot to enjoy the fun. By
and by the men took to hiding their pals,
and Beelzsbub grew morose and ow-spirt-
ed. One day last week Patsey and his pet
walked down to the cut. Beelzebub seem
ed more than usually sad lie hadn't seen
a dinner pail IN some days. Suddenly, as
they neared the cut. Belly became strange
IL elated Ahead of them, near the track,
stood a pail. Ii was beauty, and had been
placed on a stone, aiordIng a splendid
mark for the goat. PatseY rolled on the
ground, he felt 50 good. Belly fairly
glOated ever the prospect. lie stopped
within few PAGES of The pail. lie reared
up on his hind legs and pranced about in
perfect frenzy of joy. lie shook his head,
and made several ieints of bearing down on
the pail, a if reveling a while in sweet ex
pectancy. Presently Belly walized back
little further. lie threw his head down,
and with bl-a-a-t that expressed all the
unadulierated cussedness Of his nature,
went for that pail as if he had been shot
out Of cannon. He struck it like bat
tering ram. There was sound as OF
thunder clap, and by the pieces Of goat.
rock and earth that fell thickly about. Pat
sey knew that Reelzebub had been deceived,
and would never, never but: dinner pals
any more. Belly had butted can cf nj
trO-glycerine.