Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1882-02-25
HOW JACK ENGAGED THE BEEF.

Early and late had Farmer BrOuce
labOred since taking his little family
out West, trying his best to make an
honest living for them, and lay up lit
tie fortune for hard times; but the hard
times came along before the fortune,
and 1t seemed as though troubles grew
faster than anything else around him,
causing many anxious days and sleepless
nights for him and his good thrifty
wife.
Sickness came first, forcing him to lay
at the very time that his fields needed
him most, and when at last his grain
was planted, a long drought, injuring
the crops of others but slightly. absolute
ly ruined his, and seeming, as he discOn-
sOlately said, as if sent directly against
him.
In truth. its discOuraging, and while
his neighb0rs on all sides-Old settlers,
and well-t0-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 the winters needs,
he grew more and more detected and
anxious.
One by one it had been necessary to
81 VI,
the pigs going first to paw the doctors
bill, the sheep next to buy seed, and now
it had long been a settled fact in the
poor mans mind, long before he would
tell his wife or little Donald or Patsey,
that Glover" the good, gentle cow,
must go too. He had not the heart to
tell them, for had not Clover come all
the way from their far Eastern home
with them, and for four years--as long
almost as little Patsey could remember
had been just like one of the family?
and surely, better or more affecti0nate
COW never lived. b..
Every summer evening Donald and
Patsey weRt to drive her up, and, as soon
as she heard their voices, without wait
ing 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 walking home together,
you would never know but that it was
Clover taking care of them instead of
their driving her. And as for their
mother, a tender-hearted, timid, little
woman, who had never learned to know
her neighbOrs very well. Glover seemed
like real friend to her, reminding her
always of the old home and the friends
she had left there.
And now to think that Clover must be
sold! And, what was worse still, no one
around wanted to buy mich COW, and.
because she was so fat, fed continually
by the children with everything good. it
was the butcher who wanted her. offer
ing more than any one else. Oh, il did
seem 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 wifes eyes. 1--WE are
owing now for the last provision, and |
have not 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 certainty
Of paying, know Of no one who would
probably loan me the price of the cow.
1t looks as though people were not
thrifty or careful, or something, to be 50
poor; but God only knows how hard we
have worked, OF how we have tried to
save. Sometimes it seems as though
even His hand is against u.s."
"Oh, dent say that, James," answered
his wife, quickly, and trying hard to
look cheerful as she dried her eyes. at
will all come right in time if we trust
him, and can give up Glover, if it is
necessary"
But Donald and Patsey were not so
easily reconciled. They cried piteously
when their mother told them, and il was
truly 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 was going on, and sat
up looking very solemn as Clover came
ont 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 in a mute appeal, or
seeking comfort but Patsey forgot all
her own sorrow in her love and sympa-
thy for Door Glover.