The daily intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Territory [i.e. Wash.]) 1876-1881, 1877-03-09
Voices of the Night .
WHAT Mr. JcsEISS HEARS WHEN liz
RETlHEs 70 REST


RETiREs 10 REST
Hr. Joskias selected a fesil!et.cc ouf
Oh Vest hi! because it was ,ueb
quiet locality /. i = rural kind o.
neignborhood. ani all M Jo-kins
heishbors keep COWS And every co.
wears a bell. Aad with a. iu.tincl
worthy of the Peek family, each neigh.
Dor has selected cow-bell Of differ.
ent KY and tore from Any of the other.
In order that he might know the cow c;
his heart FROM the oiber kIue OF the dis
trict. So that sr Joskius' nights are
/ filled with music, and be has learned &
exactly the tone OF every bell and the
habits OF each corresp poudiug COW tia,
the voices of the night are not az uniu-
teiiigiole jargon to him. 1t makes it much
easier for Mr.. Joskins. who is i yery
nervous man. than If be had TO listen
, and conf jecture aud wonder until he Wa.
fairly wild. As 1t Is. WheL the first
sweet moments Of his slumber are brok-
en- by the solemn, ponderous, resonant
"ka-lum, alum"
Mr.. Joskins knows that the widow
Barserry's old erumple horn is going
down the street looking for an open
gate, and his knowledge is contirme,i bv
doleful "ka lum- pu-lum," that occurs
at regular interval, as old crumple
pauses to try each gate as she passes il.
for She knows that appearances are de-
ceitiul, and that boy can shut front
gate in such a way as to thoroughly de-
ceiye his father ana yet leave every
catch uniastened. Then when Mr.. JOS
kins Is called up from his second doze
by lively screnade of ITO, Iik, to-link.
lank, laDkle-inkie. lankie- -inkle -tika llc-
inkletink, kink, kink:' he knows that
MIR. Threop's young brindle is in Thros-
tlewaite's garden and that Throstle-
waite is sailing around after her In -
pair OF slippers and a night shirt. And
by sitting up IN bed Mr. Joskins can
hear the things that Mr.. Throstlowaite
is throwing against the side of the house
--thud, srat, bang; and the character
Of the noise tells him whether the mis-
sic was clod, a piece Of board or a
brick. And when tho wind down the
street is fair. 1t brings with it fresh
echoes OF Mr.. Throstlew aitc's remarks.
Then when the final crash and tnkle
announces that the COW had bulped
through the front fence and got away.
aud Mr.. Joskins turns over To try aud
get little sleep. he is not surprised,
although he is annoyed. To be aroused
by sepulchra! "klank. klank, klank.'
He knows 1t Is Throstlewalts old
duck-legyed brown COW, going down
10 the vacant lot on the corner to fight
anything that gives milk. And he
waits and listens TO tLe "klank, klank
klank, until ii reaches the corEer, and
terrible din and medley of all the
cow bells on the street tell him that
the skirmishers have becn driven IN
and the action has become general
And then from that until morning, Mr.
Joskihs hears the tinkie. tanklc. ran
kle kaukie," Of the little red cow going
down the alley to prospect among the
garbage heaps. and the rank lie tankle.
rankle-tankle' Of the short-taied white
and black COW skirmishirg down the
street ahead Of an escort Of badly as
sorted dogs. and the "tinkle- eding,
nkle-de-ding, ding. ding" Of the mu-
ley COW that goes along on the sidewalk
browsing on the lower limbs of the
shadetr,es. al the incessant "mo oo-
oo-ah-ah" of the big black cow that
has lost the clapper out Of her bell,
and has ever since kept up an intermit-
taut believing To supply its loss. And
Mr.. Joskins knows all these COWS by
their bells. aud he knows wha. they
are doing and where they are going
And although 1t has murdered his
dream, of quiet home. yet it has CIV
en- him al opportunity to cultivate lab-
its OF intelligent observation. and has
induced him 10 register vow that if
he is ever rich enough be Will keep
uire cows, trained 10 sleep al! DAY, SO
as to be ready for duty all night. and
be will live in the heart of tho city
with them, and make them wear fou,
bells apiece, just tor the pleasure of his
neighbors - Bgrliagfoa Hi'cl- Ege.