Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-08-25

"Why, that's Smalls old brindle,
cried Mr. Babcock. Il know the mark
as well as know the nose on my face.
She had balls ON her horns, didn't
she"
Eyes, SO Isaac said.
"And kind of hump on her back p
"a perfect dromedary," said Miss
Letitia, Il noticed that myself"
"They were Small's COWS, no doubt
of it at all, " said Mr.. Babcock, rubbing
his hands. No sheep with them,
hey?"
"Well, now think of it there were
sheep-they ran away as soon rs they
saw Isaac. Eyes, certainly, there were
sheep" said Miss Letitia.
II knew it-they always go with the
COWS; and what do you want of me-"
Its to fix damages" said Miss Lett
tia. ''As | said before, women folks are
no Judges about such matters"
Mr.. Babcock hesitated moment,
and then said:
well, l wouldn't take n cent less
than seventy-fve dollars, if I were you
not a cent.
"Seventy-fve dollars Isn't that n
good deal, Mr. Babcock? You know |
don't wish to be hard on the poor man
all want is fair compensation for the
mischief done"
"Seventy-fve dollars is fair, ma'am
in fact, might say it's low. | wouldn't
have herd of cattle and sheep tramp
ling through my premises in that way
for Il hundred"
There's one thin I Sorgot to state
the orchard gate was open, or they
couldn't have got in that may make n
difference"
mot bit-not bit. You'd II right
to have your gate open, but Small's
COWS had no right to run loose. [ hope
Isaac drove them to the pound, didn't
he ?"
Il heard him say he'd shut EN- up
somewhere, and didn't mean to let em
out until the owner calls for 'em. But,
Mr. Babcock, suppose he should refuse
to pay for the damages ? l should hate
to go to law about it."
HE won't refuse and if he does,
keep the critters till he will pay. AS to
law, i guess he's had about enough of
that"
I'm sure I thank you for your adj
vice" said Miss Letitia, ''and l mean to
act upon it to the very letter"
Scarcely was he out of sight, when
Miss Letitia sent "A summons for Mr..
Small, which he obeyed as promptly rs
his neighbor had done.
She made to him precisely the same
statement she had made to Mr.. Babcock,
showing him the injured property, and
asked him to fix the damages"
1t was remarkable, before he did this,
that he should ask the same question
Mr.. Babcock had asked; namely, wheth-
er she had any suspicion to whom the
animal belonged.
"Well, one of them observed, had
terrible crooked horn"
"Precisely-it's Babcock's heifer l
should know her among thousand.
She was black and white, wasn't she 2"
"Well, now 1 think of it, she was
one seldom sees so clear a black and
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 %
Certainly"
"Well, l should say ninety dollars
was as low as he ought to be allowed to
get off with"
ooh, but fear that it will seem as if
I meant to take advantage. Suppose we
call it-say seventy-fve ?"
Just as you please, of course but
hanged if I'd let him off for cent less
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"
'Not at all there's no law against
keeping your gate open; there is against
stray animals.
every well thank You for your adj
vice" said Miss Letitia; and Mr.. Small
departed with as smiling countenance
as Mr. Babcock had worn.
But at milking time that night he
made strange discovery-old brindle
was missing
At about the same hour Mr.. Babcock
made similar discovery the black
and-white heifer was nowhere to be
found !
A horrible suspicion seized them both
"A suspicion they would not have made
known to each other for the world.
They waited till it was dark, and then
Mr.. BabcOck stole around to Miss
Letitias and meekly asked leave to look
at the animals which had committed the
trespass. He would have done it with
out asking leave, only that thrifty Miss
Letitia always shut her barn doors at
night.
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