Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1879-08-21
Co Bessie. Co Bessie. That s

Co Bessie, Co BoSSie,-That's
what our D. j. Cole has been saying
for three weeks past abous milking
time" and then Ed. Mahoney's ..short
horn would walk rightiup to Coles
slop pail and partake of Spaford /
Coles bran like one of the family,
while d. J. would milk. and milk. and
congratulate himself upon having got
SO good a trade out of an honest gran
ger. This is how it was. Ed. Ma
honey, be who squirts the fire engine
has a fine COW that feeds the little ones
with bread and milk, that is, she did,
but ali at once she didn't Ed. won
iered what allied the milk fountain, for
it invariably came home empty. Ed
said words with big. big D and prom
ised himself to find the ''thiaf" who
was milking his COW. Cole had COW,
too, only he didn't have one, for she
went back to her mother almost as
soon as Cole had stripped her, but
Cole didn't know it, for she looked so
nearly like Ed Mahoney's that Cole
kept right on with the milking bust
ness, except when Mahoney got clat
ter at her udder and then Cole would
speak very disrespectfully of the
''scoundrei" who was milking his COW.
GA man who would milk another man S
COW would steal sheep" and. well,
Cole did Just go fer that class Of peo-
pie who milk other peoples COWS. AZ
ter some three weeks had elapsed, in
which Ed. got three milkings ana Cole
thirty-nine, Ed. discovered bran on
his cows nose one morning and he
very wisely concluded to shadow
the animal that day, and see where she
brought up at night. So, while Cole
was filling his pail. sit ting on three
legged stool, Ed. walks up:
Good evening Mr.. Cole That's a
fine cow you have there
Eyes, sir, youjdss bet she is, re-
piled Cole, "and some burned brute
has been milking her three or four
times lately. I'd like to catch him at
it, reckon he'd quit the business
"Well." said Ed, ''that as a mean
piece Of business. -
you're just right it is put in
Cole, - "a man who'll milk another
mans COW will steal sheep, and I be-
lieve [ can lick the man that'll milk
my cow now Cole had flashed
and arose from his milking tripod like
a male Venus from the sea, and Ed
just casually remarked, ':Well, [ guess
III try milking this animal after this,
[ rather reckon [ own this COW, and
I've been wondering who's been milk
ing her these three weeks" :. smile
encircling his honest face. Cole
looked at Ed. and then at the COW, and
then at the COW and then at Ed, and
if the prince Of humbuggists, Barnum,
could have bought Coles eyes for 10
connective mead lights, Cole could have
commanded a fortune for en-. Ed
convinced our cd. j. that beyond al!
question he had been pulling the wrong
teats, and bessie went home, and Cole
went into the house. And now when
Cole comes down to the store he says
something like this in half abstract
ed way
This Is the COW that looked like mine,
That belonged to Ed, of the Fire Engine,
Who came when I called. and ate my bran,
And flied at each milking a ten quart pan.
burned if I know how it happened to be.
But 81 swow' I thought she belonged to me
She looked like mine from her horn to her tail,
And she'd easily FIJI ten quart pail.
Il YUM I believe I can lick the man
Who would milk my cow in a ten quart pan.
But I've fed her well with the choicest bran,
That lay in the house that Cole built.
When you see Cole, ask him if he
is going to make cheese this summer.
@C