Smyrna times., 1878-09-04
Glover.

Bessie Moore was out in her fathers |
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 if Mr.. Thyson, the
Hmeat man." who blew his horn twice a
week to announce his coming, was to stop.
She watched the horses climbing the hill
when she saw her mother 60 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
signaled for Mr.. Thyson 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 it. o, no! She realized
that the event she had been dreading so
long was to happen now-that her pet calf,
Clover, her only playmate, so white and so
fond Of her, was to be sold. Week after
week she heard her parents discuss the
subject of selling Clover, but week after
week they 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 summer, was
too feeble to work, and the small sum 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 a man who wanted to possess all the
rarest specimens 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 Loudoun county. He
was a selfish man, withal, and ever ready
to take advantage of Mr.. Moore's misfortune
to get her. He was known throughout the
country as a man who always got the best
of bargain, who thought more OF making
money than anything else, and who never
worried himself much about his neighbors'
troubles or felt it his duty to share or re-
lieve them. He had one child, a boy about
fourteen years old, named Tom, and he
was determined, if possible, to teach him
to be as shrewd in business matters as him
self; but so far Tom had not shown much
progress in that direction. 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 bC
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 hC
knew how Bessie loved Glover, and that i
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 anC
heard all that passed. Then, as the wagoI
turned to go out of the yard, she wen
back, and running across the pasture will
all her might, climbed over the fence OF
the other side, ran along the road to tn
corner which she knew the wagon mus
pass, and waited for it. As she saw it com
ing she waved her hand for it to stop, and
in trembling voice, said:
'"Oh, please stop minute. want t.
ask you something"
Mr.. Thyson drew up his horses, wonder
ing whose child it was in such apparen
distress, for he didn't recognize Bessie a
first, as, in her haste to reach the turn II
the road before the wagon came along sh
had fallen down in the dust, and then
with her stained hands, had smeared he
face so as to be hardly recognizable. He
long, faxen hair was blowing IN ever
direction, and her hat was lying on tn
other side of the pasture fence, where
had fallen when she climbed over.
"Oh, please, please, Mr.. Thyson," sh
ohOui yOu NOh Nil my N''t -
your"
Father" said Tom, "thats Bess
Moore. Why, Bessie what's the matter
"Oh, am 50 afraid your father will ki
my Clover. You don't know how l 10,
her, and can't help crying" and here Il
poor child broke down and sobbed bitterl
Then, as she saw Mr.. Thyson draw up IL
reIns to start she continued:
Perhaps if papa gets we'll he can bl
her back, you know. So you won't k
her, will you?''
"No, no, child; won't kill her. She
too pretty to kill. I will take good care
her, and you can come and see her whe
ever you want to"
"Then / guess can stand it better.
came out here so that papa could not
me cry, for that would make him worse.
knew should cry when ] said goodbye
Clover"
And sure enough, when the horses start
her tears started again too, and there s
stood in the dusty road, weeping, a
watching the wagon until it disappear
behind the next hill.
"Queer," said Mr.. Thyson, as they drt
along, "that she should feel so. We'll
can't help it; if hadn't bought it sor