Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-05-22

wi MY obu lcbiy beSau W LINK
he had been deceived by the butch
er's boy.
1T would be pretty hard joke If
Wade bad not paid for that
bird after all and the bill should be
sent to me. Wouldn't be get the
laugh on me then p But at the end
of the month, as no bill came Henly
began to feel quite easy, feeling
that the boy had told the Truth.
Still he thought it very singular
that neither Wade nor his wife new.
er mentioned the affair to him or
bis neighbors, as he felt satisfied,
bad they done 80 is would have
been laughed over at the Red Lion,
for who does not knt how rapidly
jokes, scandal and gossip are carried
from one to another in a quiet
country village until every man
woman and child is familiar with it
before it is week old.
Early the following autumn,
Wade's wife informed her husband
that there was hole in the pork
barrel-or in other words that the
pork was all gone. She had come
10 tho bottom of the barrel aud
found nothing but salt.
Now Wade had always argued
that 1t would never pay to patron
ize the butchers stsll much; poor
farmers could not afford it But it
| tun a.lx . bA
in his pork for the winter; so what
was to be done, for meat of some
kind must be had. A happy thought
finally struck him. He had never
settled with Henly, though the tur-
key affair was not forgotten: here
was an OPP ortunity to have his res
venge.
Jack Wade knew Job had fine
heifer about two years OLD feeding
in pasture adjoining his, which
had become quite troublesome of
late by jumping over the enclosure
to find better feed than Henly's
pasture afforded
Now | know what I'll do said
he, 'Henly is about out of pork and
he won't scruple TO mean thing
for gain. I'll 90 down there to night
and tell him | know of nice young
cow that has strayed into my pas
ture. for which there seems To be
no owner, AID if he has II mind to
butcher the animal L II go halves
with him. 1t will be 10 mora than
pay for that trick be served me =
And Jack rubbed bis hands glee.
fully.
The joke was so good that J4ck
could lot wait until night came
50 he sauntered leirurely down 10
wards HeDly's house, hoping to
meet him !; but AS be did not ap-
pear, he walked as slowly back. and
finally saw Heuly apI reaching from
the top OF the hill, and waited until
he came up. After passing the
customary salutations of old neigh
bors, Wade. in very Indifferent
manner, asked Henly how his beef
and pork held out? Mime be said,
lis all gone, and as it is too early to
kill, what is man to do?'
Il should be glad to lend or ex
change with you, said Henly, sbut
wife Informed me yesterday there
was but one more piece 10 the bar
rel; the corned beef gave out
week ago. 1t is awful hard on US
farmers said Honly, soberIy, 'as
we have nothing but our hands to
work with, and with potatoes de-
caying every " here, what IS poor
fellow to dor
Il believe you are about right,
neighbor. | never knew a rich
man in my life--'hat is, one who
begun life as you aud | did, as you
say, with nothing but cur hands.
If man inherts farm all stocked,
why that's another affair but here
you and | have worked hard all our
lives, and what have we got to show
for it Now, I've come to the con-
clusion that every one must look
ont for himself what you can't get
by fair means, why you must get
| NY bOne Olnef.
amen responded Henly.
Il know of game said Jack
Wade, drawing near and speaking
in a whisper, and if you're disposed,
We'll go halves, and keep SO Egypt
Of coarse Henly was on the qui
utue TO learn the particulars, so he
promised faithful obedience in all
things. Tnen Wade told him there
was nice young heifer that had
strayed into his pasture, for which
he could find no owner. She's been
there says he. more or less for
six weeks, and as no claimant ap.
pears, no one seems to have better
right to the animal than L.
You're about right there. chimed
in Henly.
Now, them said Wade, 'if you'll
take the responsibility of killing the
heifer, We'll go halves, and you shall
have the hide for the killing; and,
mind, we're both to keep dark
should the owner ever appear
I'll do IT. said Henly, without a
moments hesitation. But look
here, Wade; it can't be my heifer,
can it? You know she's little
6reechy, aud might once in while
get into your lot
Bless your hearth don't | know
your heifer with her white spot on
her forehead ? | should know her
among thousand. The one 10 my
| pasture is all red-not a sign OF
white about r. Better kill about
nine, and III 10 over soon after ana
help divide. Be sure and keep dark
shouted Wade ~ the men separated.
That evening, about eight O'Clock
Jack Wade lighted his lantern, went
to the barn, took from a high beam
a large piece of red chalk, and pro.
ceeded hurriedIy down to the pas
ture back of the house, where be
knew Henly's spotted heifer would
be feeding. He had no trouble in
finding the animal. There she was,
quietly sleeping under large apple
tree quite near the wall. A beau
tiful creature she was, too. Jack
almost regretted having anything
to do with the affair, but be argued
that he was only paying Henly in
IN bis own coin, as he expressed it (;