Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-07-03
Clover,


Clover.
Bessie Moore was out in her fathers pas
ture back of the barn, picking blackberries
when she was startled by the blast of horn
A look Of anxiety came over her sweet face
as she ran quickly and climbed the fence &c
see If Mr.. Thyson, the meat-man," who
blew his horn twice a week to announce his
coming, was to sop. She watched the horses
climbing the hill and when she saw her
mother come TO the back door and swing a
towel she threw herself upon the ground
and sobbed as though her heart would break
She knew full well that it was not to buy
meat that her mother had signaled for Mr.
Thyson to stop, for, although she was but
ten years old, she was aware of the fact that
there was no money with which to buy it
Oh, no She realized that the event she
had been dreading SO long was to happen
now-that her pet calf, Clover, her only
playmate, so white and so fond of her, was
to be sold. Affairs had been coming to a
crisis lately. Her father, who had been sick
all summer, was still too feeble to work, and
the small stock of money he had saved was
rapidly going. She knew that he could not
afford to feed the calf through the winter,
and she knew that Mr.. Thyson wanted her
and had offered large price for her. Mr.
Ihyson was man who wanted to possess
all the rarest specimens OF cattle, and he
had been very anxious to buy this calf,
which was said to be the handsomest crea-
ture in color and shape ever seen in Loudoun
county. lie was selnsh man, wlthal, and
was very ready to take advantage of Mr..
Moores mlsfortunes to get her. lie had one
child, boy about fourteen years old, named
Tom, and he was determined, if possible, to
teach him to be as shrewd in business mat
ters as himself but so far Tom had not
shown much progress in that direction. He
often went with his father as he rode through
the country with his meat, and was advised
by him to "watch sharp" for he would soon
be old enough to take the business himself.
And Tom did swatch sharp" and his large
brown eyes grew moist with tears to see his
father take Bessie's calf away, for he knew
how Bessie loved Clover, and that it was
only necessity that made Mr.. Moore sell her.
Meantime Bessie had climbed the pasture
fence and crept quietly behind the barn,
where, through big crack, she saw and
heard all that passed. Then, as the wagon
turned to go out OF the yard, she went back,
and, running across the pasture with all her
might, climbed the fence on the other side,
ran along the road to the corner which she
knew the wagon must pass, and waited for
it. AS she saw 1T coming she waved her
hand for it to stop, and in trembling voice
cried
"Oh, please stop minute. | want to
ask you something"
Mr.. Thyson drew up his horses, wonder.
ing what child it was in such apparent dis
tress, for he didn't recognize Bessie at first
as, in her haste to reach the turn in the road
before the wagon came along, she had fallen
down in the dust, and then, wiping her tear:
away with her stained hands, had smeared
her face 80 as to be hardly recognizable.
"Oh, please, please, MIR. Thyson," sht
screamed, "you won't kill my calf, viii
you Z"
Father, said Tom, -" that's Bessie Moore
Why, Bessie, what's the matter ?"
"Oh, | am so afraid your father will xii
my Clover. You don't know how loved
her, and can't help crying" and here the
poor child broke down, and sobbed bitterly
Then, as she saw Mr.. Thyson draw up th'
reins to start, she continued:
Perhaps if papa gets well he can buy
her back, you know. So you won't kill her
will you2"
No, no, child; won't kill her. She
too pretty to kill. / will take good care o
her, and you can come and see her wheneve
you want to-"
"Then | guess / can stand it better.
came out here so that papa could not see m
cry, for that would make him worse.
knew should cry when | said goodbye
to Clover"
"Queer," said Mr.. Thyson, as they drov
along "that she should feel so. Well,
can't help it; if hadn't bought her some
body else would. Well, it's the way of tn
world. 1t don't do to give way to your fee
ings for little things like this, you know
Tom If you do you will never get ahead
| They couldn't afford to keep her, and ha
to sell her, and that's all there is about it.
But if it was "all there was about it
made him very uncomfortable In spite @
all his reasoning he couldn't help thinkin
how easily he could spare feed enough fror
the loads of hay and stacks of grain wit
which his barns would soon be overfowin
to keep the calf for time. How happ
that would make Bessie, and how it woul
tighten her parents hearts He couldn
get the sick countenance of Mr.. Moore OF
of his mind, or the tired, worn face of hi
wife, or, more than all, little Bessie standin
| alone In tine dusty turnpike, WatcnlnB MI
as he took away the only pet and playmat
she had.
AS they were sitting at supper that evel
ing, Tom burst out suddenly:
"Father, would you sell that calf Z"
Yes, and be glad to get rid of her if | ca
get my price,"
"Well, I'd like to buy her if I've q
money enough in my bank"
"Youl What do you want of her 2"
"Ohl something. viii you sell h,
to me 2" ...
ayes, suppose so. Yes, You may ha,
her for ten dollars, just what paid"
"And do exactly what ! please with he
father ?"
"Yes, Tom, you may buy her and do g
actly as you please with her, upon one co
dition; and thatis, if by buying her you g
yourself into hard scrape you will woi
yourself out of it without help"
Tom readily promised, for he couldn't il
agine what scrape he could possibly get in
by buying Clover So the bargain was SOC