Smyrna times., 1878-09-04

Tom. If you do you will never get ahead.
They couldn't afford to keep her and had
to sell her, and that's all there is about it.n
But if it was all there was about" it
made him very uncomfortable. In spite of
all his resoning he couldn't help thinking
how easily he could spare food enough
from the loads of hay and stacks of grain
with which his barns would soon be over
flowing to keep the calf for time How
happy that would make Bessie, and how it
would tighten her parents hearts, He
couldn't get the sick countenance of Mr..
Moore out of his mind, or the tired, worn
face of his wife, or more than all, little
Bessie standing along the dusty turnpike,
watching him as he took away the only pet |
and playmate she had.
1t annoyed him, and it was something |
new for him to be annoyed in that way.
He was glad when he found himself ap- |
preaching another farm house, and if he |
blew louder blast than usual on his horn |
nobody but himself knew that it was to |
give vent, if possible, to emotions that
were getting too strong for him to manage. |
Tom was very quiet all the way hcme. |
He seemed to be thinking very deeply
about something, but when occasionally he
did speak it was sure to be some innocent
| remark about Bessie or her father, which
prick and served to irritate him still more.
So by the time they got home he was, as
his wife said, "dreadful gouty."
AS they were sitting at supper that even
ing Tom burst out suddedly:
| Father, would you sell that calf?"
ayes, and be glad to get rid of her if l
can get my price"
"Well, I'd like to buy her if I've got
money enough in my bank"
"You! What do you want with herr"
"Oh, something. Will you sell her to
me?"
eyes, suppose so. Yes, you may have
her for ten dollars-.ust what paid"
"And do exactly as please with her,
father?"
His father heSitated. He suspected what
Tom was going to do, and he saw diff
Guilty in it for him. However, he replied
at last:
ayes, Tom, you may buy her and do
exactly as you please with her upon one
condition; and that is if by buying her
you get yourself in hard scrape you will
work yourself out without help"
Mr.. Thyson thought by binding Tom to
that promise that he should have q chance
of teaching Tom a valuable lesson in
shrewdness and forethought about making a
bargain.
Tom readily promised, for he could not
imagine what scrape he possibly could get
into by buying Clover. So the bargain was
soon concluded and the money paid.
, Meanwhile Bessie had dried her tears
, andigone home, trying very hard to be cheer
full but as soon as she had eaten her sup
per she crept up to her little bed and Sob
bed herself to sleep. The next morning
g she felt braver, and thought she would try
: very hard to forget Clover Her father
! usually lay on lounge by the sitting-room
window through the day, and for several
, mornings Clover had been in the habit of
: : coming there and putting her head to be
: caressed. So Bessie made point of get
: ting a fresh basket of clover blossoms, with
: which her father would feed the calf while
! Bessie and her mother were at breakfast.
But the morning after Clover left Bessie sat
: down to the table with heavy heart, for
= she missed Clover more than ever. She
: had hardly taken a mouthful though, before
= her father called out:
= "Bessie, Just bring me basket of clover
Z won't your Glover wants her breakfast.
= Bessie sprang from her chair with a
! bound exclaiming. "Why, papa, you've
= forgotten Clover's goner
- But no, there was the sweet, white face
- peering in at the window, and there, hold
| ing Dy ner cOFQt SCOOu lOm I0ySOn1 Ill
4 face covered with smiles.
- "Why, Tom ~ screamed Bessie, "did sh,
~ run away?'
- "No, bought her of father, and l an
y going to give her back to you. She's your
Ie again now. Goodbye" and before Bessi
20 could express her thanks, Tom was gone.
- Now, although the return of the cal
- brought great joy to Bessie, it brough
- equal concern to her parents, for the que'
~ tion arose how Clover could be fed. MI
&c Thyson had seen that difficulty from tn
- first, but Tom, in his eagerness to get tn
Lo calf back to Bessie, had not thought of il
y Mr. Thyson said nothing. He thought
~ ~ would see how Tom would manage.
nt Toward night Bessie's father called he
IN to him and told her that, although Tor
IN was very kind and thoughtful to brin
ne Clover back, she couldn't stay, for he ha
st not feed enough for the winter, and n
n. money to buy any. So the next mornin
4. Bessie started to take her back to Tom.
was two miles away, but it was lovel
much. Tom saw her before he reache
,r. the house, and ran to meet her.
Mt al know you've brought her back" sal
at he, laughing heartily, "because you haven
in any feed for her. forgot she would haN
he to eat, but don't you worry, Bess. Yo
N. shall have this calf for yours, if you have
er wait till she's COW" and they both laughe
or to think she wouldn't be much of a ca
nv by that time. "But, you see," he adde
he "Tm in a scrape, whether l give her
# you or keep her myself, for l haven't al
feed for her, and it will never do to as
he father for any. I'll 60 to bed soon aft
in supper and think it out" So Bessie lie
the calf, and Tom took part of what mon'
s;a he had and went to his father to buy son
81, feed for her. He was determined not
,;l ask him to give him any, and his faith
,va was pleased to see that Tom was stickii
he to his promise not TO ask his help.
.ly. The next morning he said to his fathe
the "Father, have you anything you cou
hire me to do this winter2 | am going
,uy carry the calf back again this mornr
kill am not going to give this job up nj
that I've started. So ! am going to ca
le's enough TO feed her this winter myself"
of "Ah so you are going to work the cal
en- board, are you'll Well, if you want to ia
Jimis place here you can earn her boa
/ and something beside. You could do
see work before and after school if you W.
smart and got up early"
Q to swell, I'll take it and try. I'd like
buy feed enough to keep her this wei
ted and after which time l can earn it a
she carry it over"
and His father smiled at Toms business-li
Al - III