The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1878-12-13

fowl. A fowl can always find grain OF
two, and can almost keep itself. think it
would be good exchange if could get
that for my goose"
"Shall we exchange ?" he asked the toll
taker.
Exchanged" repeated the man; swell
that would not be bad thing"
And SO they exchanged the toll-taker
at the barrier kept the goose, and the peas.
ant carried away the fowl.
Now, he had done a good deal of bust
| ness on his way to the fair, and he was hot
and tired. He wanted something to eat,
and glass Of brandy to drink; and soon
he was in front of the inn. He was just
| about to step III when the hostler came out,
so they met at the door. The hostler was
carrying a sack.
"What have you in that sack2" asked the
peasant.
"Rotten apples" answered the hostler; "a
whole sack full of them enough to feed the
pigs with
"Why, that's terrible waste l should
like to take them to my old woman at
home. Last year the old tree by the turf
hole only bore single apple, and we kept
it on the cupboard till it was quite rotten
and spoilt. 1T was always property, my old
woman said but here she could see guam
tity OF property-a whole sackful. Yes,
shall be glad to show them to her. what
will give" l will give my fowl in ex-
change"
And he gave the fowl accordingly, and
received the apples, which he carried into
the guestroom. He leaned the sack care
fully by the stove, and then went to the
fol Inf ha efo hot 1,o hol ,ot
thought of that. Many guests were pres
ent-horse dealers, ox-herds, and two Eng
lishmen-and the two Engishmen were
so rich that their pockets bulged out with
gold coins, and almost burst; and they
could bet, too, as you shall hear.
Hiss hiss-s-sl What was that by
the stove9 The apples were beginning to
roast?
"What is that9"
"Why, do you know" said our peas
ant
And he told the whole story of the horse
that he had changed for COW, and the rest
of it, down to the apples.
"Well, your old woman will give to you
well when you get home p said one of the
two Englishmen. "There will be distur-
bance."
"What-give me what ?" srid the peas.
ant. "She will kiss me, and say, What the
old man does is always right"
"Shall we wager? ?" said the English
man. "We'll wager coined gold by the
ton, q hundred pounds to the hundred
weight"
"a bushel will be enough" replied the
peasant II can only set the bushel of ap-
Piles against it and I'll throw myself and
my woman into the bargain, and fancy
that's piling up the measure"
"Done-taken J"
And the bet was made. The hosts car
riage came up, and the Englishmen got
in, and the peasant got in away they went |
and soon they stopped before the PEASANTS
hut.
"Good evening, old woman"
"Good evening, old man."
"I'vo made the exchange"
eyes, you understand what you're
about" said the woman.
And she embraced him and paid no at
tention to the stranger guests, nor did she
notice the sack.
81 have exchanged the horse for cow"
said the peasant.
"Heavens be thanked 7" said she. "What
SlOIlOuS lullh We udNc, anu anu
cheese on the table That was a capital
Yes, but l changed the COW for a
sheep"
"Ah, that's better, still !" cried the wife. |
"You always think of everything we have
just pasture enough for sheep. Ewes |
milk and cheese, and wooden jackets and |
The cow cannot give those, and
her hairs will only come off. How you
think of everything"
But changed away the sheep for
goose"
"Then this year we shall really have
roast goose to eat, my dear old man. You
are always thinking of giving me pleasure.
How charming that is We can let the
goose walk about with string to her leg,
and she'll grow fatter still before we roast
herr
"But gave away the goose for FOWL
said the old man.
"a fowl2 That was a good exchange"
replied the woman. "The fowl will lay
eggs and hatch them, and we shall have
chickens; we shall have whole poultry
yard. Oh, that's just what was wishing
for"
"Yes, but exchanged the fowl for q sack
of shriveled apples.
"What III must positively kiss you for
that" exclaimed the wife. My dear, good
husband 2 Now, l will tell you something.
Do you know you had hardly left ME this
morning before began thinking how l
could give you something very nice this
evening. I thought it should be pancakes
with savory herbs. had eggs and bacon,
tnn l,,,f he O. 7
to the school master's-they have them,
know-but the schoolmistress is mean
woman, though she looks so sweet. l beg
ged her to lend me handful of herbs
Lena p she answered me, nothing at all
grows in our garden, not even q shriveled
apple. l could not even lend you shriv-
eled apple, my dear woman But now
can lend her ten or whole sackful. That
Pm very glad Of that makes me laugh !"
And with that she gave him sounding
kiss
81 like that 2" exclaimed both the Eng
lishmen together. always going down
hill, and always merry that's worth the
money" So they paid hundred weight
of gold to the peasant, who was not scold
ed, but kissed.
Yes, it always pays when the wife sees
and always asserts that her husband knows
best, and that whatever he does is right.
BLESSING TO THE HoUsEHoLD.-What
blessing to household is merry, cheer
full woman-one whose spirits are not af
fected by wet days, or disappointments, or
whose milk of human kindness does not
sour in the sunshine prosperity. Such
woman in the darkest hours brightens the
house like little piece of sunshiny wealth
er. The magnetism of her smiles and cleo
trical brightness of her looks and move
ments infect every one. The children 60