The DeSmet leader. (DeSmet, Kingsbury Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1883-03-03

was constant and most uncomforta-
bic thorn in the side of that unhappy
premier Sir John was a conspicu
ous railroad magnate, and just before
the opening OF parliament one winter
Sir Peter called on him to induce him
TO pay $40 for widows COW that had
been run over by the cars. Il don't
believe there's anything in it,' ex-
claimed the premier premptorily; its
probably trumped-up case, but I'll
inquire and you call to morrow"
The gentleman from New Bruins
wick was not used to being treated so
cavalierly, but he pockcted it and
called in the morning.
There's no Justice in it. We won't
pay for the cow" broke in SIR John
You won't; won't you?' rejoined
Sir Peter with manner quite as
bouncing as that of the leader Of the
government. "Have you been there
or sent there and Investigated it?"
NO, / haven't, but | won't pay for
the COW. It's mere triHe. and she
ought to have kept off the track"
Don't the law say you shall have n
fence?"
Il won't pay for the COW; now.
that's all the answer you'll get"
"Iou won't pay for the widows
COW; won't you. Sir John Mackenzie!
l will make you pay for it," exclaim-
ed Sir Peter, now thoroughly arous-
cd.
You will; you will! How will
you?' growled the premier.
I'll take it out during the session.
as sure as you are a living man The
widows $40 isn't much, isn't it, I'll
take it out of youw
1t was an Irishman against a
Scotchman, and both were angry
The sequel proved that Sir Peter
took it out of him very thoroughly.
He is round headed man, hard
worker, a pugnacious and redoubta
bic foe. an unforgiving enemy, bold
and elegant in dobate, no dilettante,
but hard hitter, and some of his
onslaughts were furious. IT he bad
not great tact he had great force, and
he never forgot the COW. In the
speeches he made every day against
the measures and methods of the
government, then under serious sus
picion, he told the story of tho cow
and trotted her out with frequency
that must have seemed like cruelty to
animals.
Finally the last day of the session
dawned, and the consideration of
Mackenzie's expense budget was re-
sumed. 1t provided the appropria-
tons for the coming year.
Sir Peter Mitchell took the floor
and launchcu into q etI1Ogy OF tue
deceased COW and the propriety of
making an appropriation for the
widow. He was greeted with laugh
ter and mocking applause, and then
his auditors waited uneasily for him
to finish He continued. He told
the story over and over again with
Celebrations and embellishments. He
contrasted the stinginess of the veal
thy ruler with the quiet endurance of
the penniless widow. He began to
read from the Bible the commands to
mercy, justice and charity, when the
honorable members struggled out one
by one to dinner. Sir Peter bit bis
cult, drank a swallow Of water, and
continued, impressing upon the emp
ty chairs about him the tender duties
and graces Of humanity. Members
struggled in again. He quoted the
"Song of the Shirt" They appealed
him to draw his remarks to close.
He retold the story Of the cow. Mean
time, Sir John Mackenzie was per
spring with wrath and anxiety in the
rremier's apartment near by. All
his hopes were bound up in the ap-
preparation budget. What il it
should not come to vote! The hon
orable member from New Brunswick
could not be stopped, for this was the
one bill in the Canadian parliament
on which member could talk a.
long as he wished. There was 10 way
of cutting short the debate. No
motion was in order while he was
speaking, except the motion to adj
journ-and that woul Id be adjourn
ment sine die. The government
members were in CONSERVATION as
the orator delivered speech on the
blessings OF vaccination. gave stats
tics on the cost of fences in the United
State, passed an elaborate encofnium
on the superiority, for draft purposes,
OF Devon cattle, to which class tho
deceased domestic friend of tho
widow belonged, and then began to
describe the religious ceremonies in
which the sacred COW Of Burmah
takes part, when the bell rang for
vespers A short time more and tho
session would expire by law, and the
government had passed no appropri
alton bill.
At this critical juncture one of the
government members returned ex-
citedly from the premiers room, rush
ed to the orators desk, and exclaim-
ed: "In the name of God, what ails
you, Mitchell! What do you want?"
still" said Sir Peter, finishing the
sentence he had on his lips, "not
cent has been paid for the widows
coww The member uttered yehe-
ment exclamation about the animal,
and added: ''Sir John Mackenzie au-
thorizes me to say that he will pay
for the COW, if you'll let this bill como
to n vote"
Sir Peter sat down, rather tired,
and the widow got her pay. The gov
ernment organs declared that the
widows COW cost $4,000. Her cham
pion is still known in Canada as Bis
marck Mitchell, on account Of his
boldness and shrewdness in outwit-
ting a cabinet and making himself
long the adviser-in-chief Of a yacil-
lating government.