The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-05-01
OUR NEW PIG.

We were at breakfast.
" Yes, my dear" said Mrs. Dobb, "a
pig. We could keep one just as well as
not, and 1t would be quite an item of
saving, when meat is so high"
"Why, Susan, you'd have to buy food
tor it--corn and apples, and / don't
know what allit would cost more than
1t would come to-"
mo" persisted my wife, "it would
not, James. Father always kept u
pig"
"But he lived in the country"
q But that makes no difference. was
talking with neighbor Jones about it
over the fence yesterday, and he said we
threw away swill enough every day to
keep ten pigs"
~ should like to know what Jones
knows about our swill," said /.
Why, he judged from his own eXpe-
rlence, James. lie keeps pig"
"And while we are on the subject,
Susan, I'd just take the opportunity to
say do notapprove of your flirting with
married men over the fence"
"James, do be serious. Flirting, in
deed, with pigs and swlll for basis of
conversation. You just want to veX
me-"
"Oh, pigs are preteXt; anything will
10 for a pretext when woman is deter
mined to flirt. | knew woman once
who tried to use portrait of her dead
grandmother as preteXt fora Irritation.
And as for Jones"
Now, James, you shall not go on in
that way before the children, too. Look
at Nellie's eyes"
" Perhaps you'll pretend" ! contin-
ued, that Jones didn't bring you n
bunch of Isabellas at the same time"
- Yes, and you ate the best part Of
them last evening yourself, for l saved
them for you, and you know Mr.. Jones'
grapes are much superior to ours; I'm
sure I'm thankful for all he gives me-.
Will you get pig for me, James, or
won't you ?''
"Oh, if you ask it as favor, Susan,
Of course ] will. I'll get you anything
that will be source of pleasure, you
know; but if you want a pig for a pet,
don't try to pretend it's for economy's S
sake"
. A petl'' pouted Susan. How ridic-
ulous you are! / detest pets.'
"Then why don't you avoid them my
dear ?''
"What are you driving atp ! don t
know"
Why, you are in one, now, Susan.
BE calm. The coffee will get cold"
Mrs. Dobb gave me one despairing
look, and then poured the coffee. Before
1 left the house 1 had promised to see
about getting pig.
Now, if there is an eatable animal l
know less about than / do about another
it is the pig. L remembered having seen
pigs alive when was boy, but since
grew up my knowledge of the species
has been confined TO the porcine corpses
L have seen suspended from hooks in
the market places, and to certain works
of art in which they had been represent
ed-not in landscapes, may remark
so If there had been market for live
pigs adjoining my studio, could not
have selected an available one from the
lot. thought about it good deal dur
ing the day, and the result of my medi-
tations was, on my homeward way in
the afternoon, made circuit around
by the residence of Peter Won Popp, q
Dutchman, whom employed to take
care of my garden, and to do such other
heavy work rs might be necessary about
the house from time to time. On con
sultation found that Peter was Just the
man for the business. He had brother
who kepta small farm up in the vicinity
of Schraalenburg, back of the Palisades
on the Hudson; and Peter said:
Next week goes up to see Hans
and my wife she goes along, too, so
brings you pig home, Mr.. Dobb.''
GOOD ~ said l. "I'll pay your far
Cor your trouble, Peter, besides the pric
OF the pig A good one, now! None o
your snub-nosed, pug-eyed fellows, yol
know-a sleek, intelligent one.''
Yah, said Peter.
a few days later the pig came. / wa
Just leaving the house to go down tow
when l met Peter with pig in the bag
got him." Peter remarked-ver,
unnecessarily, however, for the pig an
nounced the fact in his own behal
Nothing but pig could have squeale
so.