Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1881-04-01
s:Hes gone to bed, answered Miss Let

ty.
"Well. he's nigh about spilled my Jarsey
aheifer; he ought to have tannin'. The
crittur lost her milk, and she's a-blowin'
and a trenholm, and her eyes a-glarin
! nov. I've mind to take him to do, now
I'll tel ye, if he did come from Yorkl''
II dono as that makes no difference, ,
retorted Chimera,
"We kind of expected he wouldn't bt
jest as robustious as boys gener'lIy, our
selves; but they pear all to be cut out o
one cloth. Boys is boys the hull world
over, guess. They change the place but
keep the pain,' as the hymn book says"
81 dono what possessed ye to take him
growled the deacon.
"Well, we kind of had tor answered
Miss Betsey. laying down her silver bow
ed spectacles with sigh. and looking al
Mr.. Cone with deprecating eyes.
"You see, Thomas-that's his pals
some related to us, and brother Zephaniat
he fetched him up; and when he got we'll
to-do down there in York, he was dread
full good to Zephy, and used ter send him
and US lots of things that was pleasant and
helpful"
$50 you see, he up an writ letter tc
say his wife was awful sick-well, you may
say dangerous-and he hadn't got any
place to send the boy without we would
take him to board spell; so he come, and
here he isl
well, if that there heifur's spilled.
shall send the bill tor his pa, SEEM he's got
means," grimly remarked the deacon, shov.
ing his hat on his head and leaving with
out a word of adieu.
Tom, who had gone to bed because his
cow-ride had made even those young
bones demonstrate. heard all this CONVEX
sation through the stove pipe hole. in the
floor, and burned with rage at Deacon
Cone Why shouldn't he ride cows if he
wanted to? and why should that stingy
old man bother his father and perhaps
have him sent somewhere else?
Tom liked Bolton; he WASH t a bit afraid
Of the three old ladies. He had unlimited
pie, and the longer he stayed out dpors,
the better they were suited in fact. his
only letter home, letter to his mother,
kindly Intercepted by his father-and also
opened ran thus
DEAR Maine having bully tyne.
have pi three times day. 1 go out dores
all day they hav got lots of chickens and
a barn, like them they don't bother. 1
want some fireworks for the 4th. luv
you, TOMMY,
Mr.. Perkins could not resist this appeal.
He loved his boy absurdly and foolishly
thought whatever he wanted he must
have. So in due season he filed Toms or
der the letter reached him the very day
after that cow ride H.
But now Tom only lay and thought
what he could do to the man who would
not let him spoil his best COW.
Now in this short week he had already
made friends with the most mischievous
boy in all Bolton Corners, 81 Plummer, a
fcurly headed, handsome, ragged fellow
ready to risk his neck anywhere, and to do
anything any boy could, would or shouldn't
do. :. Jf
To him Tommy Perkins betook himself
next day, as soon as his early breakfast
was swallowed. The dear old ladies quite
too glad to get rid of him to ask any ques-
lions. and sitting down happily to their
knitting in that neat, bare room, which
was their daily dwelling place.
But Tom and 81 were chuckltng under
the caves Of the barn half the day, tucked
away on some old hay, and ducking under
the hay, when Miss Chimera came out to
the hens nests, full Of anxiety, to think
neither Cropple-crown nor Creeper had
done their duty about laying. Deacon
Cones COW, luckily for Tom, recovered,
only losing the nights milk; she was lit
tie more unmanageable than usual, to be
sure. and lowered her horns and shook her
head at people, but the deacon could hard
ly ask compensation for this freak, so he
said nothing.
But awful was his horror the next day
but one, when he went out in the dawn
twilight to feed his rigs-two handsome
Chester Whites, as round as apples alrea-
dy. and tame as cats-tO find them both
turned deep blue. He rushed back into
the house and screamed to his wife.
''Marthy! Marthy =! Don't ye hurry the
vittles I'm a-gon' over to Hollin ter's
to git him here right off. Them pigs is a.
dyin', an a-mortifyin' as sure as you re
born. Cholery, hog cholery ham a
doubt on !" and he hurried into the sta
BILE to get up his sorrel horse.
However, when John Hollister got there
the first sunbeams showed conclusively
that cholera was only blue paint.
Full of determination the deacon strobe
down to Miss Perkins door. where's
that.boy ?" said be grimly.
The sisters 10 'ked at one another. They
perceived tempest.
II dono," piped Miss Betsey, feebly.-
But the question was better answered.
A shrill. CHEEKY whistle came from the
barn, where Tommy was tinkering with
hammer and nails.
The deacon made straight course
across the garden, and before Tommy
knew where he was, sturdy hand clutch
ed him by the collar, and dragged him out
of doors.
The deacon had brought along stout
switch, and it fell fast and sharp on Tom
my's back and legs, with sting clothes
did very little to soften.
Miss Betsey heard the swish of the rod
but was too afraid of the deacon to inter-
fere Her two sisters came do, a the stair
just as Tommy entered, red, angry and
sobbing.
"Folks has got to pay for their play
Thomas, all the world over. You didn't
ride Deacon Cones COW free of charge,