The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-06-04

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Bessie Moore was out in her fathers
pasture, back Of the barn, picking black
berries, 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 to see if Mr.. Thy
son, the "meat man." who blew his
horn twice week to announce his com
ing, was to stop. 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 on
: 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, Glover,
her only playmate, SO white and SO fond
of her, was TO be sold. Week after week
she had heard her parents discuss the
subject of selling Clover, but week after
week they had heard the butchers horn
blow and had let the wagon 60 by. But
affairs had been coming to crisis lately.
Her father, who had been sick all sum-
mer, 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.. Thyson was man who
ssanted to possess all the rarest speci-
mems Of cattle, and he had been very
anxious to buy this calf, which was said
to be the handsomest creature in color
and shape ever seen in Loudoun county.
He was a selfish man, withal, and was
very ready to take advantage of Mr..
Moore's misfortune to get her. He was
known throughout the county as man
who always got the best of bargain,
who, thought more of making money
than OF anything else, and who never
worried himself about his neighbors'
troubles or felt it his duty to share or
relieve them. He had one child, a boy
about fourteen years old, named Tom,
and he was. determined, if possible, to
teach him to be ms shrewd in business
matters a. himself; but 80 far Tom had
not shown much progress in that direc-
ton. 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 "watch 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 Glover, 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
50 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 it coming
she waved her hand for it to stop, and in
trembling voice cried: .s
"Oh, please stop minute. want to
ask you something. =
Mr.. Thyssn drew us his horses, won
dering what child it was III such apparent
Distress distress, for ne dun id. recognize Bessie at
first, rs, in her haste to reach the turn in
the road before the wagon came along,
she had fallen down in the dust, and
then, Niping her tears with her staiued
hands, had smeared her face SO as to lie
hardly recognizable. Her long, faxen
hair was blowing in every direction, and
her hat was lying on the other side Of
the pasture fence. where it had fallen
when she climber over.
Oh, ples.e phase, Dir. Thyson," she
screamed you won ! xiii my calf, will
you r
Z Father" said Tom, "that's Bessie
more Why, Bessie, what's the mat
4 Oh. I AM 80 afraid your father will
Nil my Clover. You don't know how /
love her, and / can't help crying;;o and
here the poor child broke down, and
sobbod bitterly. Then, as she saw M.
Thyson draw up the reins to start, she
continued:
g Perhaps Il papa gets well he can buy
her back, you know. So you won't kill
her, will jour
g No, no, child; / won't kill her.
She's too pretty to kill. I will take good
care ct her, and you can come and see
her whenever you want to"
Then guess can stand it better.
came ont here 80 that papa could not
re me CRY, Tor that would make him
Wofse. ! knew I should cry when I said
geod-hys to Clover And sure enough.
when the horses started her tears started
again too and there she stood in the
dusty road, weeping and watching the
wagon until it disappeared behind the.
next hill.
Queer aid Mr.. Thyson, as they
drove along, that she should feel 60.
Well, ! can't help it. II hadn't
hclsht her nmebody elss would Well,
its the way Of the world. Il don't do
g give way e Jour feelings for little
things like this you know, Tom. Ii you
D. y0u will never yet ahead. They
bdAjtatt anOFd "a koep her and Ind to
nh her, and that : iii there il abont Il, =,
Bat i it Wa oil fhefe il about it. y
u Aafle him very uncomfortable. In
spito u II kis reasoning lie couldn't help
tAinking bow easily he could spare feed
seQo - ~ loeda Of bay AID stacks
= ff1in With which his barns would
epoa - eyeFAoWine TO keep the calf for
= - How happy that would MIKE