Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1881-12-09

now JACK ENGAGED THE BEEE

since taxing MS little family out West, trying
his best to make an honest living for them,
and lay up little fortune for hard times
but the hard times came along before the for
tune, and It seemed as though troubles grew
faster than anything else around him, caus-
ing many anxious days and sleepless nights
for him and his good, thrifty wife.
Sickness came first, forcing him TO lie by
OF the very timo that his fields needed him
most and, when at last his grain was plant
ed, long drought, injuring the crops Of 9TH
ors but slightly, absolutely ruined his, and
seeming, as he disconsolately said, as il sent
directly against him.
In truth, il was dscouragng and while
his neighbors on all sides-Old settlers, and
well-to-do-were prospering and thriving,
storing away their gathered produce, the
poor farmer only found himself growing
poorer and, knowing that he had little to
put by from his summers work for his win
ter's needs, he grew more and more detected
and anxious.
One by one. it had been necessary to sell
the few pieces of stock they had owned, the
pigs going first to pay the doctors bill the
sheep next to buy seed; and now it had long
been settled fact in the poor mans mind,
long before he would tell his wife or little
Donald or Patsy, that ''Clover," the good,
gentle COW, must go too. He had not the
heart 10 tell them for had not Glover come
all the way from their far Eastern home with
them, and for four years-as long almost as
little Patsy could remember-had been Just
like ono of the family, and surely better or
more atfectionate COW never lived.
Every summer evening, Donald and Patsy
went to drive her up, and as soon as she
heard their voices, without waiting to give
them the trouble of looking for her, she
would come quickly from the woods or the
meadow to meet them and, all three walk
ing home together you never would know
but that it was Glover taking care of them in
stead of their driving her. And, as for their
mother, tender-hearted, timid little woman,
who had never learned to know her new
neighbors very well, Glover seemed like a
real friend to her, reminding her always of
the old homo and the friends she had left
there.
And now to think that Glover must be sold!
And, what was worse still, no one around
wanted a milch COW and because she was so
fat, fed continually by the children with ev-
erything good, it was the butcher who want
ed her, offering more than any one else. Oh,
it did seem too hard and yet, look at it as
they would, there seemed no help for it,
''It is to get bread for our children, Mary"
said Farmer Bruce, as the tears streamed
from his wife's eyes. 1--WE are owing now
for the last provisions and have not a cent
with which to buy more. And you know we
are almost strangers here still and even, if
/ felt it right to borrow with so little certain
ty of paying, l know of no one who would
probably loan me the price of the COW. 1t
always looks as though people were not
thrifty or careful, or something, to be so
poor; but God only knows how hard we
have worked, or how we have tried TO save.
Sometimes, it seems as though even his hand
is against US.
"Oh, don't say that, James," answered his
wife, quickly, and trying hard to look cheer
full as she dried her eyes. 'It will all come
rightin time, If we trust him and l can
give up Glover, if it is necessary"
But Donald and Patsy were not so easily
reconciled. They cried piteously when their
mother told them, and it was truly a sad
group that gathered round when the butcher
came that afternoon to look at Glover for the
last time. Even Towser the dog, seemed to
realize that something sad was going on, and
sat up looking very solemn as Glover came
out of the stall where she had been kept all
day to be in readiness. Donald crept close
to his father, and slipped one arm around
him as if in a mute appeal or seeking COM
fort but Patsy forgot all her own sorrow in
her love and sympathy for poor Clover.
''She shall not listen to what that cruel
man is saying!" she cried, and, running of,
brought handful of green grass and leaves.
LOOh hb OlONOl, uSdI Olu OlONtIg
she said coaxingly. Don't listen to what
they are saying. 1t will make you so sad
and unhappy"
shes in good order Farmer Bruce" the
butcher was saying, land will give you
twenty-five dollars for her. And q good price
it is for the way COWS are selling this season"
II suppose will have to let her CO." an
swered Mr.. Bruce sadly. "But it's almost
like selling one of the family"
e, III. l., , 4 Al.
''and am sorry for you, indeed l am but
il you have to sell, why, might as well take
her as another"
Mrs. Bruce covered her face with her apron
to hide the tears that would Gomez but she
uttered no complaints to make her husbands
duty harder than it was.
All this time, Jack, the butchers son, had
been standing at the gate within sight and
hearing of this scene, and it was with face
really sad and full of pity that he obeyed his
fathers call to help drive Glover away.
Little Patsy ran up to him, as if fancying
him more tender-hearted than the fat butch
er, and, with the tears streaming down her
face, she sobbed, L.
'Please-please kill her-just-as-easy-
as you can"
Jack could not say anything to comfort
her, and he and his father walked along be-
hind the gentle, patient-looking COW for some
distance in silence.
81 never felt SO sorry in my life, father"
said he at last, ito take a COW as this one."
eyes, it is pity" answered the butcher,
absently.
Don't you think, father" said Jack again,
''that you could loan Farmer Bruce the mon
ey, and let them keep the COW while longer?
Things may go better with them next year"
"That couldn't" answered his father, de-
cidedly. Il have no money to spare, even
if thought it likely he'd be able to pay back
as much and I'll tell you now, Jack, that,
though it's well enough to be tender hearted
and all that, it won't do in this world to have
too much of it, especially in the butchering
business"
But under his rough, fustian coat Jack
carried a heart warmer and kinder than most
boys brought up to seeing young lambs and
calves led away daily from sorrowing moth
ers to be slaughtered in the butchers pen,
and he could not drive from his mind the
thought of the sad faces he had seen that
evening. They walked on again in silence,
and it was only when he reached their gate
that he said half jestingly, half in earnest, -
II suppose you'd have no objection, if
could buy the COW back?"
''None in the world" answered his father,
with an easy smile. II have no grudge against
the poor animals life"
Jack treated Glover to as good a supper as
even Donald could have wished but she
seemed uneasy and troubled in her strange
surroundings, and Jack could not help feel
ing almost as sorry for her as those she had
left
The butcher and his wife sat at breakfast
the next morning, both wondering where
Jack could be; and they had finished the
meal before he came in with glowing cheeks
and eyes bright from active exercise in the
fresh morning air.
"where have you been so early, Jack9"
asked his father.
"Why, 1 thought would be ahead of you
for once, father" answered Jack and l have
been out since daylight engaging the beef"
CHow it would have panied Donald and Patsy
to hear their dear Glover called "the beet"D