The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1881-08-20

10 "oli ttf' L hllOM Guc iloSo Oll my luCe.
She had balls on her horns, didn't
she?"
eyes, 30 Isaac said."
"And kind of hump Oh her back ?"
"a perfect dromcdary," said Miss
Letitia, "I noticed that myself.
.'"They were Small's COWS, no doubt
of it Mt all," said Mr.. Babcocl, rubbing
his hands. No sheep with them,
hey?"
"Well, now think of it there were
sheep-they ran away as soon as they
saw Isaac. eyes, certainly, there were
sheep" said Miss Letitia.
'I knew it-they always go with the
cows; and what do you want of me"
cts to fix damages" said Miss Lett
tin. GAS I said before, women folks arc
no judges about such matters"
Mr.. Babcock hesitated moment,
and then said:
"Well, I wouldn't take cent less
than seventy-tive dollars, if were YOU
not IL cont"
"Seventy-five dollars Isn't that
good deal, Mr.. Babcock You know 1
don't wish to be hard on the poor nan
all I want is fair compensation for the
mischief DONE"
"Seventy-five dollars is fair, ma'am
in fact, Imightsay it's low. wouldn't
have herd of cattle and sheep tramp
ling through my promises in that way
for hundred"
'"Iherc's one thing l forgot to state
the orchard gate was open, OF they
couldn't have got in that may make
difference"
"Not q bit-not bit. You'd right
to have your gate open, but Small's
COWS had 10 right to run loose. T hope
Isaac drove them to the pound, didn't
he ?"
''I 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? ? 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 hos had about enough of
that"
"I'm sure I thank you for your ad-
vice, said Miss Letitia, "and I mean to
act upon it to the very letter."
Scarcely was no out of sight, when
Miss Letitia sent summons for Mr..
Small, which he obeyed rs promptly as
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"
It was remarkable, before ho did this,
that he should ask tho same question
Mr.. Babcock had asked; namely, wheth-
Ell she had nny suspicion to whom the
animal belonged.
"Well, one of them observed, had a
terrible crooked horn"
''Precisely y-it's Babcock's heifer I
should know her among thousand.
She was black and white, wasn't she ?"
"Well, now I think of it, she was :;
one seldom sees so clear black and
white on cow"
'"To be sure, they're Babcocks ani-
mails fast enough. Well, let mo see !;
what you want is just IL fair estimate, 1
suppose ?"
Certainly"
"Well, should say ninety dollars
was rs low rs he ought to be allowed to
got off with"
ooh, but fear that it will seem as if
I meant to take advantage. Suppose we
call it-say scventy-tive ?"
/ "Just as you please, of course but
hanged if I'd lot 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 al"
"But there's one thing I neglected to
! :nention--our gate was standing open !;
that may alter the cnse."
"Not Mt I'LL ; 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 rs 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 heifor was nowhere to be
found
A horrible suspicion seized them both
IL suspicion they would not have made
known to each other for the world.
They waited till it was dark, an,t thon
Mr.. Bnbcock stole around to Miss
Lotitia's md mcekly asked leave to look
Mt the animals which had committed the
trespass. 'Ho would have done it with
out asking leave, only that thrifty Miss
Letitia always shut her barn doors ut
night.