The Osceola times., 1878-06-08
CLOVER.

Bessie Moore was out in her father
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 ss she ran quickly
and climbed the fence 10 see If Mr.. Thy.
SOD, the "meat mai" who blew his horn
twice a week tn announce his coming,
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, shs threw herself on the ground
and sobbed as though her heat would
break. She knew full we'll that it was
not TO buy meat that her mother had
signaled for Mr.. Thysen to stop, for, al
though she was but ten years old she
was aware Of the fact that there WAS no
money with which to buy 1t. Oh. no !!
She realized that the event she had been
dreading 30 long was to happen now
that her pet calf Clover, her only play
mate, 80 white and so fond OF her, was
to be sold. Week after week she had
heard her parents discussing the subject
of selling Clover, but week after week
they had heard the butchers horn blow
and had let the wagon 20 by. But
affairs had been cening 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 10 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
wanted 10 possess all the rarest speci.
mems Of cattle, and be had been very
anxious 10 buy this calf which was said
TO be the handsomest creature in color
and shape ever seen in Loudon county.
He was a selfish man, withal, and was
very ready to take advantage of Mr..
Moore's misfortune 10 get her He was
known throughout the country rs man
who always got the best of bargain,
who thought more q making money than
of anything else, and who never worried
himself about his neighbors' troubles or
felt il his duty 10 share or relieve them.
He had one child, boy about fourteen
years old, named Tom, and he was deter
mined, II possible, to teach him 10 be rs
shrewd in business matters as himself !,
but no far Tom had not shown much pro-
gress in that direction. He often went
with his tather az he rode through the
country with his meat, and was advised
by him to "watch sharp" for ne 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 Bessies calf
away, Tor he knew how Bessie lovedC Glover,
and that 1t was only necessity that made
Mr.. Moore sell her. Meantime Bessie had
climbed the pasture fence and crept
quietly behind the barn, where, through
a big crack, she saw and heard all that
passed. Then, a. the 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
side, ran along the road To the corner
which she knew the wagon must pas,
and waited for II. As she saw it coming
she waved her hand for it to stop, and
in a trembling voice cried:
"Oh, please stop minute. | want to
ask you somett ing"
Mr.. Thyson drew up his horses, won>
dering what child il was in such apparent
distress, 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 tears with her stained
hands, had smeared her face - ds to be
hardly recognizable. Her long, hsxen
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 climbed over.
ooh, please, please. Mr.. Thyson," she
screamed, yen won't kill my calf, will
you f'
"Fsther," said Tom, "tnat'. Bessie
Moore. Why, Bessie, what's the mat
ter"
"Oh, am so afraid your father will
kill my Glover. You don't know how
love her, and can't help crying" and
here the poor child broke down, and
sobbed bitterly. Then, as she saw Mr..
Thyson draw up the reins to start, she
continued
perhaps if papa gets well he can buy
her back, you know. 81 you won't kill
her, will you 7"
"No, no, child; won't kill her. She's
too pretty to kill ! will take good care
OF her, and you can come and see her
whenever you want to-"
"Then guess eau stand it better.
! cane out here so that papa could not
see me cry, for that would make him
worse. knew should cry when | said
'good>bye' 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" said Mr.. Thysop, ss they
drove along, that abe should feel
20. Well, can't help it II I hadn't
bought her somebody else would. Well,
it's the way OF the world. 1t don't do
to give way to your feelings for little
things like this, you know, Tom. lfyoa
do you viii never get ahead. They
couldn't afford To keep her and had tosell
her, and that's all there 1. shsat It."
But II Il we "all these h ahoit IL"