Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1881-05-04


particular myself, but Isaac said there
was one with a peculiar white mark
something like q cross on its haunch.'
"Why that's small's old brlndle,
cried Mr.. Babcock, VI known the
mark ~ well az know the nose on
my face, She had balls on her horns
didn't she.
"Yes, 80 Isaac said"
"And kind Of a hump Oh he'
back I"
"a perfect lromedPry," said Miss
Leltla, ~ noticed that myself"
"They were Small's COWS, no doubt
of 1t at all" said Mr.. Babcock rub
bing his hands, mo sheep with then
hey 2"
"Well now think oiit there vert
shccp-They ran away as soon as they
saw Isaac, Yes certainly there were
sheep said Miss Lcttia.
~ knew il they always 50 with the
cows and what OF mcY"
"Il's to fix the damage" said Miss
Lettia. "As | said before, women
folks are nojudgcs about such mat
ters.'
Mr.. Babcock meditated q moment,
aud then said :
"Wcll | wouldn't take u cent less
than seventy five dollars If / were you
not cent
"Seveniy.nve dollars ! Isn't that 4
good deal, Mr.. Babcock : You know
/ don't wish 10 be hard on tho poor
man all ! want isa fair compensation
for tho mischief DONE
"seventy-fvc dollars is fair, ma'am
in fact, ] might soy it's low. !
wouldn't have had a heard Of cattle
and sheep trampling through my pre-.
misses in that way for hundred
"There's one thing ! forgot to state
the orchard gate was open or they
couldn't have got in that may make
u difference"
"Not bit-not bit. You'd n
right to have your gate open, but
Smalps cows had no rigt TO ran loose,
| hope Isaac drove the'h to the pound,
didn't he r.
81 heard him say he'd shut 'em up
somewhere, and didn't mean to LET
'em ont till the owner cal! for 'em,
BIT, Mr.. Babcock, what if he should
refuse to pay the damage, l should
have to 60 to law about it,"
"lIe won't refuse if he does, keel
the critters till he will pay. As fol
law, l guess he's had about enough OF
that"
"Im sure l thank you for your ad
vice." said Miss Lettia. "And NEAR
to act upon it to the very letter.
Scarcely was he out of her sigh
when Miss Lettia sent asummons fol
Mr.. Small which he obeyed as prom
pity as his neighbor had done.
She made to him precisely the same
statement she had made to MIR. Bah
cock, showed him the injured property
and asked him TO fix damages. Il
was remarkable before lie did that he
should ask the same question MIR
Babcock had asked, namely whether
she had any suspicion to whom thu
animals belonged.
"Well one of them observed hat
a terrible crooked horn.
"Precisely-it's Babcock's heiter /;
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 black anC
white or cow
"To be sure, they're Babcock's ami
mails fast enough. Well let me see
what you want is just fair estimate
suppose ~
''Certainly.'
"Well, I should say ninety dollars
was as low as he ought to be allowed
to get off WITH
"Oh, but I fear that will seem as i'll
meant to take advantage. Suppose
we call it-say seventy-hve.'
Just as you please Of course but
hanged if ! let him off for cent less
than hundred if it were my case"
"Aud if he refuses TO pay :"
"Wby keep the animals until hi
comes around that's ALL"
"But there one thing | neglected tt
mention-our gate was standing open
that may alter the case.
"Not at AL there is no law agains'
keeping your gate open; there II
against stray animals.
every we'll thank yon for you
advice" said Miss Lettia ; and Mr.
Small departed with as smiling a coun
tenance as Mfr. Babcock had worn