Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1883-01-31


He mas come back, ma'am." ST..
"Wbo?"
"The littlepig. They say they are very
much obliged, but none of the family
like pork"
"He is not pork, " l cried Indignantly.
A sweet, tender, loving, sucking pig,
call him common "pOrk T. 1t was
profanity.
Still, nothing could be done, and the
moments were flying. turned to
benevolent lady visitor and told her
my grief. She laughed, but sympa-
thized. -......
Will you take him. said, hope
fully. Indeed he is a great beauty,
and am sorry to part with him, but if
you would take him
81 don't think my brother cares for
pig, but some of the rest might like it, !"
answered the benign woman. $50. if
you are quite sure you don't want
him"
eff [ wanted him ever SO much I
couldn't keep him. Do take him. And
| hope at least that your visitors will
enjoy him"
Not until they had eparted-little pig
and 8ll-dId [ recollect, and felt hot to
the ends of my fingers, that to remote
ancestors of these, my dear and excellent
friends, the ancestors Of my little pig
must have been the most obnoxious of
food But when one has "put ones
foot into it, the best thing is TO let it
stop there, without any attempt to draw
it out. SO / rested content. My pig
was safely disposed of.
At his usual hour my husband en-
tered looking pleased and amused.
$50 you've got your little pig at last.
NJ was SO delighted about it, and so
kind. 1t was kept on purpose for you
till we came home from the north. He
put in his carriage, drove to town with it
himself, and sent it by messenger in full
time to be cooked for dinner to-day.
And the last word he said to me was
Now be sure there's plenty of apple
sauce, and tell me tomorrow morning
how you all liked your pig"
| listened in blank dIsmay. Then |
told the whole story.
My husbands cuuntenance was a sight
to behold. "Given him taway! Given
away your little pig! What will NJ
say, after all his kindness and the trou-
4
tomorrow morning!'
In truth 1t was a most perpleXiug posi-
ton.
"rhere is only only thing to be DONE"
said my husband, decisively. "You
must send and fetch the pig back imme-
diately."
1 explained with great contrition that
this was difficult, If not impossible, as he
was probably just then in the very act of
being roasted, SIX miles off.
"But we must have him somehow or
other. We must eat him-or at least be
able to say we have eaten him. NJ
will be so disappointed-quite hurt in
his feelings-and no wonder. How could
you do such thing?"
l felt very guilty; but still if [ had
had to do it all over again, did not see
[ could have done differently. And the
pig was safe to be eaten and enJoyed-
by somebody.
"But not by you, which was what
NJ wished. Couldn't you manage
it somehow? Why not invite yourself
to dine with your friends-and the
pig?"
Alas! it was, as [ said, six miles off,
and there was only half an hour to
spare, and we had houseful of friends
ourselves that day.
"But the day after? Couldn't we
drive over, fetch him back-at least
what remains of him and eat him cold
the day after p
This was too bright an idea to lose.
But still one difficulty remained, What
was 20 be said TO our kindly friend when
he asked, "HGw we had enjoyed our
pig?" tomorrow morning.
81 declare | don't know how to face
him, said my husband, mournfully.
CATER all his kindness, and the trouble
he took, and the pleasure he had in
pleasing you. The first question he is
sure to ask is, How aid your wife like
her pig? What in the world am I 10
say to him?"
Crushed with remorse yet suggested
that +" the plain truth" as people call it,
is usually found not only the right
thing, but the most convenient. How
ever, this merely feminine wisdom was
negatived by the higher powers, and it
was agreed that our donor should only
be told that the pig was not to be eaten
till tomorrow; on which tomorrow we
should drive over and fetch what re-
manned of him, so as to be able to say,
with accuracy, that we had eaten him
and found him good.
This was accordingly done. The fatal
moment passed-hcw, 1 did not venture
to inqulre-my husband reappeared at
home, and we took pleasant drive, and
presented ourselves for afternoon tea at
our friends house. They were too hos
pitable to look surprised or to wonder
what we had come for.
After few minutes polite conversa-
ton, we looked at one another to see
which should make the confession and
put the request.
"The-the little pig ?" said /, at last,
in great humility.
ooh, the little pig has been cooked
and eaten. He turned out great sue
cess. Some OF the family enjoyed him