Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-09-06

- .eeDhllS hlniSelf StOCu ayll2St.
What could il isltan: The pasture wa
one OF the bes il, the country, and th
I'd grass was r'+.en aid tender.
@. Ju,t then Am6s Bean came along again
" He had feared something wrong from til
d first. He instituted a thorough eXamina
e. ton. and pretty soon an exclamation Q
" astonishmcnt signitieG that he had foun
:. the mice
IS look here" said he. pulling open tn
is cows MOUTH
d JoScphits looked and found that tn
IS animal was almost tooth!ess. The from
e teeth We're all gone.
r But" he gaSped. lit can't be her age
, Her horns don't show it,
\. Don't they" echoed Amos. 'Look F.;
$ little closer. The upper ring. have beer
q scrapcd down and the surface colored
: The cat Is out. The COW has been gOod
$ mixer. but .le's bravely over it now. She
n must be along towards twenty years old
J and guess that for some 1ea;s she has
: been fed on swill.''
Josephus WAS beside himself with rage
| and pain.
BY the ju:npin' Jonathan" he swore.
f III go back to john Potnan directly.
Ill make him take the COW and return my
money: and Ill tell him just what think
, of him -
Don't do any such thing said Amos.
''Potnan would only laugh at you. 1t
was what he would call a fair trade: and
if you got cheated he would say it was
your own fault. | know him very We'll
Ii there's any way in which we can come
up with the old rascal. I'll study it out.
just k2ep quiet until tomorrow. and lei
me think the matter over. Don't say a
word to anybedy."
Josephlls promised he would obey the
; instructions of his friend. and Amos went
away.
The poor cooper did not sleep i wink al!
that night. The loss OF his money was
something 10 one i: his situation; but
that was nothing compared to the outrage
which he felt had been pat upon him. His
wife. too. worried a good deal: for she
supposed The purchase money Of the COW
was almost Il dead loss: and she also sup
posed that her husband would be wei!
lauGhesl at for allowing himself to be so
cheated.
On the following morning. Amos Bean
came. and announced that he had thought
Of Il plan by which Mr.. Potman could be
cheated.
Il owe the sl,intlirt punishment said
he. ''and if you viii trust your COW in my
l /; L., Il,
You and myself. In the meantime you
may take one Of my cows, and Use her I'M
til we can make arrangements for getting
another one.
.)osephus did not stop to ask ma't g,,es-
tons! He allowed Amos tO take the an
tiquated animal away, and in return
brought back q good COW belonging TO his
frfn''d.
Amos Bean put the old COW into close
stall. where she could not be seen hv the
passers-by. and one of his first manipUla-
tive operations was to saw off the tips of
her horns, and darken what was left with
a miXt,ire Of potash. after which he rub
bed them down with little French polish.
A bottle of dye stuff. made of logwood
and iron. carefully applied, changed the
cows color from bright red to beaut-
fill brintllp.
One afternoon Bear, saw John Potter in
the store. and he went in and purchased a
piece of tobacco. After passing the time
Of day with the skinfint. he started to go
out, and then turned as though he had for
gotten something.
''Ah-lOok here. Stanley he said, adj
dressing the storekeeper. IF Seth Folsum
comes in here. wish you'd tell him that
he can see that COW this evening. I've got
one that will suit him exactly" And with +;
this. Amos left the store. lie had not
gone but Il few steps. however, when he
heard his name pronounced.
MIR. Bean-stop a moment You spoke
of q cow"
1t was John Potman. Amos had eX-
pected this, for he knew that the old ras-
cal still wanted two or three good milk
erS. s
..Yes. SIR said Bean.
'.What have you gOt?'
"a COW that has been left with me by a
friend who wants money" ;
'.What is she - ,
'Come and see for yourself" ,
'.Where is she - l
''She will be in my barnyard at sundown I
this evening" |
'.I'll ctne and look at her." +
That evening. when Amos drove his {
cattle up from the pasture, he turned the
old COW out into the yard with them. \
handsomer blndle, in the fading daylight,
was never seen; her horns We're dark and
glossy; aisd her bag was SO full that the 5
milk ran cut from the teats in streams. 4
Iii little while Mr.. Potman came. He
looked at the COW. and was favorably inn |
pressed. He looked at the distended udder
md nodded with satisfaction. Id
..IIow old is she:' Re asked.
Il think she is eight this spring" replied Il
Amos.
''What is the price: = O
'.Twenty-five dollars"
"That's too much"
''Very well-I don't ask you to buy g
her," Ii
..But-f should like just such COW, II l
.ould get her al a eair price. Let's look at p
Ter mouth"
There it is" said Amos, and he felt h
perfectly safe in saying SO; for he had e
handled the cows mouth until she would b
lave it handled no more. In short, she V
vas afraid of pain.
Potmail made several attempts to look q
nto the mouth, but was forced to give it
lp as a bad job. al
Il guess you'll find it all right said fl
Amos, as he drew up the stool and pre- IL
jared to milk the aged animal. ft
Mr.. Potman stood by and saw the cow te
ailked. He saw large wooden pail filled W
o the brim, and then a small tin pail be- al