Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1880-07-23

Isaac was almost ready to use profane Ian
guage. | am not sure that he didn't; and,
after all, | couldn't feel to reproach him very
severely, for the pains he has taken with
that garden is something amazing; working
in it, wedding and digging and watering,
and now to see it all torn and trampled so
that you wouldn't know which was beets
and which was cucumbers. It's enough to
raise anybody's temper"
at is so" said Mr.. Babcock.
And that isn't all, for by the looks of
things they must have been rampaging in the
orchard and clover field before they got into
the garden. just you come and see," and
putting on her sun bonnet, Miss Letitia
showed Mr.. Babcock over the damaged
precincts
"You don't happen to know whose ami
mails did the mischief ?" said Mr. Babcock.
"Well, didn't observe them in particu-
lar myself, but Isaac said there was one with
a peculiar white mark, something like
cross, on its haunch."
"Why, that's Smalls old brindle," cried
MIR. Babcock. 81 know the mark as well as
know the nose on my face. She had balls
on her horns, didn't she ?"
"Ycs, so Isaac said"
"And kind of hump on her back?"
"A perfect dromedary," said Miss Letitia |;
81 noticed that myself"
"rhey were Small's cows, no doubt of 1t
at all, /" said Mr.. Babcock, rubbing his hands.
mo sheep with them, hey9"
swell, now think of it, there were sheep
they ran away as soon as they saw Isaac.
Yes, certainly there were Sheep" said Miss
Letitia.
al ewit-they always go with the cows;
and what Of mep'
ats to fix damages" said Miss Lettia.
"As said before, women folks are no Judges
about such matters"
"Mr Babcock meditated moment, and
then said:
"Well, wouldn't take cent less than
seventy-tlye dollars, if were you-not
cent"
"Seventy-fve dollars Isn't that good
htui3 WI DubSOth IOu huOW L uoI u WISH
TO be hard on the poor man; all want is a
fair compensation for the mischief DONE"
"Seventy-iive dollars is fair, ma'am-in
fact, might say it's low. wouldn't have
had a herd Of cattle and sheep trampling
through my premises in that way for hun
dred"
"There's one thing forget to state the
orchard gate was open or they couldn't have
got in; that may make difference"
mot bit--not bit. You'd right TO
have your gate open, but Small's cows had
no right to run loose. | hope Isaac drove
them 10 the pound, didn't he"
81 heard him say he'd shutem up some
where, and didn't mean to letem out till the
owner calls for'em. But, Mr. Babcock, what
if he should refuse to pay for the damages
| should have TO go to law about it,"
="IIe won't refuse; If he does, keep the
critters till he will pay. AS to law, guess
he's had about enough of that"
"rm sure thank you for your advice"
said Miss Letita, land mean to act upon
it to the the very letter"
Scarcely was he out of her sight when
! Miss Letitia sent summons for Mr.. Small,
which he obeyed as promptly as his neigh
Dor had done
She made TO him precisely tho same state
ment she had made to Mr. Babcock, showed
him the injured property, and asked him to
Tx the damages. II was remarkable before
he did this he should ask the question Mr..
Babcock had asked, namely, whether, she
had suspicion 10 whom the animals belonged.
"Well, one Of them observed had ter
rible crooked horn"
"Precsely--its Babcock's heifer should
know her among Il thousand. She was black
and white, wasn't she !"
"Well, now | think of il, she was; one
seldom sees 80 clear a black and white on n
cow"
"'ro be sure, they're Babcock's animals
fast enough. Well, let me see; what you
want is u fair estimate, suppose?'
Certainly"
swell, | should say ninety dullars was as
low rs ho ought " bo allowed To get off
with"
"Oh, but fear that will seem rs IL meant
10 take advantage. Suppose we call it--say
seventy-fyc"
aust as you please, Of course; but hanged
| If I'd let him off for cent less than n hun.
dred, II 1t were my case"
"And If he refuses 10 payS"
"Why, keep the animals until he comes
around, that's ALL"
"But there's one thing neglected TO men
tion-our gate was standing open; that may
alter the case "
"Not at all there's no law against keep.
ing your gate OPEN there Ia against stray
animals"
"Very well thank you for your advice"
said Miss Lctitia and Mr.. Small departed
with as smiling II countcnanco rs Mr.. Bah.
cock had worn.
But at milking time that night he made
strange discoyery-old brindle was miss
ingl At about the same hour Mr.. Babcock
made similar discovery the black and
white hefer was nowhere ~ be found. A
horrible suspicion seized them both--a sus-
picon they would not have made known 10
each other for the world
They waited till Il was dark, and then
Mr. lIal,opck stole round b. Mis- Letitas
and moekly asked leave TO look at the ami. |
mails which had committed the trespass
He would have done Il without asking
leave, only that thrifty Miss Letita always
shuts her barn doors at night
While be sttod looking over into the pens /
where the COWS were confined, and trying |
to negotiate with Misc Letitia for the release |
Of bis brindle. along came Mr.. Small In /
quest u bis brindle. The two men stared /
al each other IN blank dismay, then hung
their heals ia confusion