Connecticut western news., 1878-03-28
Sam Peters Judgment.


 Sam Peters Judgment.
 Sam Peters and Henry Pine, though they were both hired out to old Jehie Calk1ns, were also his daughters lovers "a state of things neither anomalous nor uncommon in old New England where many Jacob served his time fol Rachel. and grew up into a patriarch with hocks and herds of his own.
 Although Henry's father had means, : tAe boy himself was stupid, and Sam, who was very determined in his suit. took every pains to make him appear fully as stupid as he really was. 4 <
 do declare" said father Calkins, as he sat down by the kitchen fireplace one chilly May night, and pulling of hi, big boots, prepared to toast his feet al the embers, "Almiry beats me, mother. I'm darned of she ain't a-settin' to Hen Pine now, s true s ye live ! an 'tain't good two months back could ha' swore ] she was bound to hev Sam Peters. Jee- !, thunder women folks is wuss n the weather; you can't guess on 'en. !" X. <. s
 We-e-ell, {" droned the tired and sleepy wife, q dono as I keer. Hen- ery's got means she won't never want fur nothin' eff she takes up with him. A bird in the hands wuth a good deal, pa. and Almiry is booty keen, now tell ye."
 That's so; that's so,' reioined the old man. But Sam is dreadful likely he's smarter'n any steel-trap; fortino ? (which is vernacular, dear reader, for Tor what I know , he'll be iedge or srthin' afore he dies, and Hen Pine won't never be nothin' but an everlastin' fool to the day after never.'
 We'll, Almiry Il tune him, bet ye, pa. He won't know his souls his own ef that gal marries him."
 Now it was Henry's duty to fetch the cows from pasture at night, and he set of early to-day, that they might be back by sunset, and his chores all done when Mira returned, intending to ask her for walk after supper, and put his fate to the touch, as we'll as bring Sam to con- fusion. But he reckoned without his host. Sam took shortcut across the hlii, drove the only Alderney heifer, the pride and delight of Mrs. Calkins heart, out of the pasture into 6 moving lot where an old barn stood, and shut her up, betaking himself to clump oi hemlocks which overlooked the road, nu Henry came sauntering along, and, letnng down the bars, began to call the creatures out of the lot. They came or after the fashion of COWS, as if time was nc matter and speed unknown or impossi ble; and perhaps Henry would have driven them home without missing the Alderney, had not Sam, who was some. thing of yentriloquist, thrown his voice across to the further hillside, and ut. tered faint ss Moo-oo."
 Henry started, looked toward the sound, then back to the COWS. and afte, rubbing his eyes and counting over the slow procession filing past him, seemed to become aware that Miss Betty was moi among them. Another distant low con vinced him.
 Darn it all P Sam could hear hin mutter that alfred critter's ben an strayed agin. We'll, they'll go hum dy rect, l guess. must hunt her.
 And hunt her he did, first up hill then into deep woods, Sam stalking hin all the time like 6 deer-hunter, ant Henry disturbing the fragrant stiffness, of nature with various explosives of botl wrath and disgust, but not daring to gc home without the COW, which was Miry' especial pet. After various tribulations Sam landed his luckless rival on tn, edge of great swamp, from whose tan gled thickets the distressed utterance O Miss Betty issued more than once befor, Henry dared attempt the boggy surfac, and darkling growth at last, however ne plunged boldly in, and Sam's devic having taken effect, he himself, familia as squirrel with all the wood ways hastened back to the pasture, released Miss Betty, who had been kept auie with a bunch of juicy carrots, and turn ing her into the road where the rest hat gone, took the shortcut homeward. ant would have arrived there in time to h, seated on the doorstep to receive Al mira, but for an unforeseen occurrence And yet fate had ne spite against Sam it was the old story of evil that is onl, hidden good, though it seemed unmixe, evil to him that in jumping over tn five-rail fence into the high-road only few rods from home he should light on rolling stone, that slipped from unde his foot and sent him too rolling mt the gutter, with a broken leg. Now Sam had been properly brought up D, strict New England mother, who be lieved in judgments ready to be hurle, from the hand of God on every sin Q man, while mercies were capricious yisi tants, to be feared rather than welcomed and accepted the platform of the ol, hymn :
 !" We should suspect some danger nigh
 When we possess delight"
 Poor woman her horizon was so straigh and her heart so cramped that she coul