The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1882-10-18
A PAIR OF ZEN.

Tom and Bert were sitting on the
top rail of the pasture fence. Their
hands aud faces were stained with
blackberry juice. Having bad their
fill of berries, they were now consid.
erin what piece of fun ormischief to
engage in next.
"Beats all Natur," said Deacon
Jones, 9Th amount o mischief them
boys ken crowd inter fourteen hours"
that being the supposablenumbe Of
hours they were not quietly sleeping
in their beds.
The sun fell full an warm on the
slipping upland, dotted here and there
with wide spreading oaks and lower
ing branching hickoriea. The cattle
were feeding placidly OF the white
clover and sweet grasses az but three
who, having satisfied GLl 3 l,n6gsf
stood IN the very deepest part q the
brook, chewing their cuds and switch
ing off the flies with a regular pen
dulum.like sway of their tails. Apart
from the main herd pair Of pretty
red and white yearlings were feed
ing.
Beauties, amt they?" asked Tom,
pointing them out to Bert. Bert was
Il Boston boy, summering at Canter-
berry. "Father give 'em to me; an, I
say, Bert, let's yoke 'em. l heard
father tell Joe the other day it's
about time they's broke"
Now, these boys were spelling for
some fun. They had been trying to
be good all the morning, in consider
alton of a promise made to Nanny
Jones the day before, when Joe fished
them out of the clay-pit, into which
they had tumbled, while trying to
capture a huge mudturtle. The clay.
pit was a deep, black, slippery hole
perhaps a rod in diameter, and full
of water.
So Toms proposition was very vel
come, and without a moments hest
tation, they leaped from the fence
and went together to the barn for the
little yoke used in the breaking of
steers, taking care to keep out of the
range of the windows and doors Of
the kitchen, where Nanny was bak-
ing. If she should chance to see
them, she would be sure to ask what
they were going to do, and, with all
their roguery, Tom and Bert were
truthful aud would never have
thought of getting into or out of a
scrape by telling lie.
1t. was work of time to catch the
risky little yearlings. Just as Bert
or Tom almost had his hand on one,
off he would go, curveting and kick
ing up his heels. With a series Of
flying leaps they dashed in among
the black berry vines, followed by the
boys, the sharp briers Selling their
clothes and making numberless little
ragged tears; then down to the furth-
est end of the pasture, over a bit of
bog that quaked ominously under
the Footsteps of both boys and calves;
now in among the feeding cattle, who
looked up with an airof surprise, but
went on TRANQUILITY feeding again
Cattle understand boys, you knowD
then through the running brook,
splashing the mud over the boys
clothes and completing the destruct-
ion the blackberry vines had begun;
until, at last, tired and heated, the
calves were caught and yoked.
Having yoked the yearlings, the
next question was what to do with
them. Obstinate and terrified they
would not stand, but pulled apart,
straining their necks in way that
threated dislocation. Tom had some
vague idea of hitching them to the
ox,car,; but what could he do with
two steers that persisted in travelling
round III II circle as far apart as they
could get?
"Say, Tom, tie their tails togeth-
err" said Bert, struck with a bright
idea. No sooner said than done; and
the tails Of the unfortunate pair were
knotted into an indissoluble tie
The boys viewed their work with sat-
isfaction. This last move had COM
pletely subdued the spirits OF the
pair. They stood side by side, meek
ly awaiting the will Of their captors.
But just at that moment Tom es.