The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1881-01-22

Sevcnty-fve dollars is fair, ma am vic
in fact, might say it's low.
wouldn't have a herd of as
cattle and sheep trampling through dr.,
my premises in that way for hundred.' at
"There's one thing I forgot to state; ais
the orchard gate was open, or they gu
couldn't have got in; that may make wi
difference trt
Not bit-not bit. You'd a right
10 have your gate open, but Sma!ls IA
COWS had no right to run loose. l hope be-
Isaac drove them to the pound, didu't be
he?" th
81 heard him say he'd shut 'em up D:
somewhere, and didn't mean to let EN- "
out till the owner calls for 'em. But, as
Mr.. Babcock, suppose he should refuse
TO pay for the damages? should hate =,
to 60 to law about it," Sc
Gle won't refuse; and if he does, keep b.
the critters till he will pay. AS to law, v
| guess he's had about enough of that" n
sim sure thank you for your adj t,
vice." said Miss Letitia, and l mean to s
act upon it to the very letter. O
Scarcely was he out of sight, when r
Miss Letitia sent a summons for MIR. q
Small, which he obeyed as promptly as ,
his neighbor had done. t
She made to him precisely the same ]
statement she had made to Mr.. Bah
cock, showed him the I'M ured property, {
and asked him to fix the damages.
1t was remarkable, before he did this,
that he should ask the same question
MIR. Babcock had asked; namely, wheth'
er she had any suspicion to whom the
animal belonged.
"Well, one of them l observed had s
, terrible crooked horn.'
"Preci>ely-it's Babcock's heifer; l
should know her among thousand:
She was black and white, wasn't she?"
,, "Well, now think Of it., she was;
, one seldom sees so clear q black ana
, white on cow"
., "To be sure, they're Babcock's ami
:, mails fast enough. Well, let me see;
what you want is just fair estimate,
] suppose?'
u s'Certainly."
|, "Well, l should say ninety dollars
! was as low as he ought to be allowed to
+ get off with.'' -.
y ooh, but fear that it will seem as If
l. I meant to take advantage. Suppose we
10 call t-say seventy.five?"
4 "Just as you please, of course; but
~ hanged if I'd let him off for cent less
10 than hundred, if it were my case.'
!. "And if he refuses to pay?"
% "Why, keep the animal until he comes
~ ~ around, that's ALL"
~ "But there's one thing neglected to
~ mentiOn-our gate was standing open )
-, that may alter the case.'
81 81 "Not at all; there's no law against
l ns keeping your gate open; there is against
oa stray animals"
s "Very well; thank you for your ad:
an an vice." said Miss Letitia; and Mr.. Small
AN "A" departed with as smiling 8 cOuntenance
u as Mr.. Babcock had worn.
y. But at milking-time that night HI
wa wa made strange discovery-old brindlt
w.t. was missing!
NJ, At about the same hour Mr.. Babcocl
", 10 made a similar discovery; the black
~ and-white heifer was nowhere to b
. :, found!
= !, \; A horrible suspicion seized them bot
~ "a suspicion they would not have mad
known to each other for the world.
''nS They waited till it was dark, and the
'ui" MIR. Babcock stole around to Mis-
ioi. I.etitia's and meekly asked leave to loo
lole at the animals which had committed tn
-. trespass. He would have done it will
~. ", out asking leave, only that thrifty Mi
IL ,.. ~ Letitia always shut her barn doors
,t;r 70 night. - 1,
ateu pens where the COWS were confined az
o"n trying to negotiate with Miss Letltla
~ . the release of the heifer, along came NJ
w. asa q Small in quest of his brindle.
age; The two men stared at each other
anu anu blank dismay, then hung their heads
.,a,o confusion.
',ons It was useless to assert that the da
~" ages were too high, for had they +
Was fixed them themselves? 1t was usel'
to plead that Miss Letitia was in MI
WA" why ner responsible for what had happen'
p anu on account of the open gate, tor h
o"o' they not assured her that that circu
stance did not alter the case? 1t '
you useless to say she had no right to kt
". 49, the COWS in custody, for had they
shIeu counseled her to do so? AS to going
let vi law about it, would they not become
=, eI Sost sport Of the whole town?
, oes. "He that diggeth a pit, he him
IN ,o% w. shall fall into it," said Miss Letitia'
~ no read what was passing in their mind
,ment WI WI a. 1"aoa,s Io,+orn fell fnll on Il
faces. "However, on one condltlc
49,. will free the COWS and forgive the del
} long o,,ost;an ' hut ~ did not ask it.
" Ine "The condition is, that you prof
n,on ~. to put good new fence in place OF
ln1 " old one that separates your estates
- i''o viding the cost between you, and
= henceforth you will live together pc
Ia fully, so far as in you lies. DO
49, prOmise?"
W VS. eyes" muttered both, in q
:, :. . saa, scarcely audible.
1 i TO- "Shake hands upon it, then."
VI oio Miss I4etitia.
; ~ NJ 10 They did so.
~ WI; "Now let the COWS out, Isaac
- :, az" "no time they were milked,'' said she:
lat you .,o Gm" oo "v ' hoforo them. and wi
It's and S ILL., o toooa o;, crea,1v in contr;
ough to th" 1"ot of t,;umnR with which the
before Quilted her presence.
70 looks a inJ ' ,Jnv +h oorsa was removed
ampag S :. 1 "nv hoforo Mics Iet;tia's n
lids be- y. Nv vas to o"n,a - tho while ear
(ustyou s%o % harsa,f ma;nta;ned = strict 81
,er Sun suS- concerning it, and she enjoined the
4 A"o upon her man-servant, Isaac.