Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-07-02
HOW JACK ENGAGED THE
BEEF.

HOW JACK ENGAGED THE
BEEF.
Early and late had Farmer Bruce
labored since taking his little family out
West, trying his best to make an honest
living for them, and lay up little fort
une for hard times but the hard times
came along before the fortune, and it
seemed as though troubles grew faster
than anything else around him, causing
many anxious days and sleppless nights
for him and his good, thrifty wife.
Sickness came first, forcing him to
lay by at the very time that his fields
needed him most, and when at last his
grain was planted, long drought, in
juring the crops of others but slightly,
absolutely ruined his, and seeming, as
he disconsolately said, as if sent directly
against him.
In truth, it was discouraging, and
while his neighbors on all sides-old
settlers, apd well-to-do-were prosper
ing and thriving, storing away their
gathered produce, the poor far
mer 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
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 a settled fact
In the poor mans mind, long before he
would tell his wife or little Donald or
Patsey, that "Clover," the good, gentle
COW, must go, too. He had not the
heart to 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 Patsey could re-
member-had been just like one of the
family? and surely, better or more
affectiOnate COW never lived.
Every summer evening Donald and
Patsey 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 walking home to-
gether, you would never know but that
it was Clover 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 neighbors very well, Glover
seemed like real friend to her, remind
ing 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
tod %ch 1,xy III
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, it did
seem hard, and yet, look at it as they
would, there seemed no help for it.
1t is to get bread for our children,
Mary" said Farmer Bruce, as the tears
streamed from his wifes eyes. sWe
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 T felt il
right to borrow with so little certainty of
paying, 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 u.s.
sob, don't say that. James, answered
his wife, quickly, and trying hard to look
cheerful as she dried her eyes. "It will
all come right in time if we trust Him.
and can give up Glover, if it is neces-
sary."
But Donald and Patsey were not SO
easily reconciled. They cried piteously
when their mother told them, and it was
truly q sad group that gathered round
when the butcher came that afternoon
to look at Clover for the last time. Even
Towser, the dog, seemed to realize that
something sad was going on, and sat up
looking very solemn rs 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 In a mute appeal, or seek
ing comfort, but Patsey forgot all her
own sorrow in her love and sympathy
for poor Glover.
"She shall not listen to what that
cruel man is sayingl'' she cried, and,
running of, brought handful of green
grass and leaves.
"Look at me, Glover, dear old Glow
er," she said, coaxingly; "don't listen
to what they are saying; it will make
you SO sad and unhappy"
"She's in good order, Farmer Bruce"
the butcher was saying, "and will give
you $25 for her; and good price it is
for the way COWS are selling this season."
II suppose I will have to let her CO."
answered Mr.. Bruce, sadly, "but it's
almost like selling one of the family"
It's pity, truly" answered the
butcher, "and I am sorry for you, indeed
1 am but, if you have to sell, why, I
might as well take her as another"
Mrs. Bruce covered her face with her
apron to hide the tears that would come,
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 Patsey ran up to him, as If fam
cying him more tender hearted than the
fat butcher, and, with the tears stream
ing down her face, she sobbed:
Please-please kill r-just-as-