South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1878-08-09
A Calf Shall Lead Him.

pasture. back Of the barn, picking black
berries when she was startled by the
blast OF the horn. A look of anxiety
came over her sweet face as she ran
quickly and climbed the fence TO see il
Mr.. Thyson, the 'meat man." who blew
his horn twice a week, 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 we'll 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. o no! She real.
lied that the event she had been dread
ing so long was to happen Low-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 sell
ing Clover, but week after week they
had heard the butchers horn blow and
had let the wagon 90 by. But affairs
had been coming to n crisis lately
mer. was 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
Cor her. Mr.. Thyson was man who
wanted to possess all the rarest speci-
mems Of cattle, and he had been very
anxious to buy this calf, which was to be
the handsomest creature, in color and
shape, ever seen in Loudon county. He
was selfish man, withal, and was very
ready TO take advantage OF Mr.. EIoore-s
misfortunes to get her. He was known
throughout the country as man who
always got the best OF a bargain, who
thought more Of making money than of
anything else, and who never Worried
himself about his neighbor's troubles or
felt it his duty to share or relieve them.
lie bad one child, boy about fourteen
years old, named Tom, and he was de.
termincd, If possible, to teach him TO he
as shrewd in business matters as him.
self; but so far Tom had not shown
much progress in that direction. lie
often went with his father as he rode
through the country with his meat, and
was advised by him 10 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 Bcssie'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
tho pasture fence and crept quietly be-
hind the barn, where, through q big
crack. she saw and heard all Chat pass.
ed Then, as tho WAGON turned to 90
out OF the yard, she went back. and
running across the pasture with all her
might, climbed the fence on the other
sidc, ran along the road to the corner
which she know 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, said:
ooh, please stop minute. I want
to ask you something"
Mr.. Thyson drew up his horses, won
dering what child il was in such appar
ent distress, for he didn't recognize Bes.
sic at first, as, in her haste to reach the
turn in the road before the wagon came
along, she had fallon down in the dust
ard then, wiping her tears with her
stained hands, had smeared her face
so az to be hardly recognizable. Her
long flaxen hair was blowing in every
direction, and her hat was lying on the
other side Of the pasture fence, where il
had fallen when she climbed over.
''Oh. please, please, Mr.. Tbyson." she
screamed, you won't kill my calf, will
your
Father" said Tom, that's Bessie
Moore. Why, Bessie. what the matter?'
ooh, | am SO afraid your father will
kill my Glover. You don't know how |
love her, and 1 can't help crying :" and
here the poor child broke down and
Sobbed bitterly. Then, rs she saw Mr.
Thyson draw up the reins to start. she
| continued:
Perhaps if papa gets we'll he can buy
her back, you know. so you won't kill
her, will your"
mo, no, child won't kill her,
She's too pretty to kill. I will take
good care Of her, and you can come and
| see her whenever YOU want TO-"
"Ihen / guess ! can stand 10 better
camo out here so that papa could not
see me cry. for that would make him
worse. / knew ! should cry when
said good-by 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" eaid Mr.. Thyson. as thcy
drove along, THAT she should feel so
Well, ] can't help it. II I hadn't bought
her somebody else would. It don't do
to give away 90 your feelings for little
things like this, you know, Tom. II
you do. you will never get ahead. They
couldn't afford to keep her aud they had
TO sell her, and that's all there is A.
4 bout it,
But if twas "all there was about /, -
IL made him very uncomfortable L,