Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-11-12

EXAMPLE.
Hans Christian Anderson1
take it for granted that you have
been in the country, and seen a very ole
farm house with thatched roof, and
MOSES and small plants growing wild
upon the thatch. There is stork's g nest
on the summit of the gable; for we cant
do without the stork. The walls of the
low, and only one of the latter is made
so that it will open. The baking oven
sticks out of the wall like q little fat
body. The elder tree hangs over the
paling, and beneath its branches, at the
foot of the paling, is pool of water in
which few ducks are disporting them
selves. There is yard-dog, too, who
barks at all corners.
Just such farm house stood out in
the country and in this house dwelt an
old couple-a peasant and his wife,
Small as was their property, there was O
single article they could do without-a
horse, which made O living out of the
grass it found by the high road. The
old peasant rode into town on this horse
and often his neighbers borrowed it from
him. and rendered the old couple some
service in return for the loan of it. But
they thought it would be best if they
sold the horse, or exchanged it for some
thing that might be more useful to
them. But what might this something
be?
you'll know that best, old man"
said the wife. ''It is fair dag to. day, so
ride into town and get rid of the horse
for money, or make a good exchange !;
which ever YOU do will be right to me
HE to the fair"
And she fastened his neckerchief for
him, for she could do that better than he
could and she tied it in double bow,
for she could do that very prettily. Then
she brushed his hat round and round
with the palm of her hand, and gave
him kiss. So he rode away upon the
horse that was to be sold or to be barter
ed for something else. Yes, the old
man knew what he was about.
The sun shOne hotly down, not q cloud
was to be seen in the sky. The road was
very dusty, for many people, who were
all bound for the fair, were driving, or
walking upon it. There was no shelter
anywhere from the sunbeams.
Among the rest was man trudging
along and driving q COW to the fair. The
COW was as beautiful y creature as any
COW could be.
"She gives ood milk, I'm sure" said
the peasant. "That would be O ve.y
GOOD exchange-the COW for the horse.n
"Hailo you there with the GOVT" he
said. "I'll tell you what-I fancy a
horse costs more than COW, but don't
care for that; COW would be more USE
full to me. Ifyou like, we'll exchange. y
ITO be sure 1 will, :" said the man and
they exchanged accordingly.
So that was settled, and the peasant
might have turned back, for he had done
the business he came to do; but as he
had once made up his mind to go to the
fair, he determined to proceed, merely
TO have look at it SO he went on to the
town with his COW.
Leading the animal. hestrode steadily
on and after time he overlook a man
who was driving a sheep. Itwas good
Gat sheep, with fine fleece on it's back.
81 should like to have that fellow" /"
said our peasant to himself. "He would
f.pd plenty of grass by our palings, and
in the winter we could keep him in the
room with us. Perhaps it would be more
practical to have sheep than a cow
Shall we exchange ?"
The man with the sheep was quite
ready, and the bargain was struck. So
the peasant went on in the high road
with his sheep.
Soon he overlook another man, who
came into the road from q field, carrying
8 great goose under his farm.
"That's a heavy thing you have there.
It has plenty of feathers and plenty OF
fat, and would look well tied to string,
and padding in the water at our place.
That would be something for my old
woman she could make all kinds of
profit out of it. How often she has said
if we only had goose! Now, perhaps,
she can have one; and, if possible, il
shall be hers. Shall we exchange? I'll
give YOU my sheep fer your goose, and
thank you into the largain."
The other man had not the least objec-
ton and accordingly they exchanged
and our peasant became proprietor of the
goose.
By this time he was very near the
town, The crowd on the high road be
came greater and greater; there was
quite a crush of men and cattle. They
walked in the road, and close by the
palings and at the barrier they even
walked into the toll mans potato field
where his one fowl was strutting about
with string to his leg, lest 1t should
take fright at the crowd and stray away
and SO be lost This fowl had short tail
feathers, and winked with both its eyes
and looked very cunning. "ClucA
cluck ~ said the fowl. What it thought
when it said this cannot tell you; but