Smyrna times., 1883-04-11
A Midnight Deal.
How A TALBOT COUNTY FARMER GOT
THE CHAMPION cow OF THE EAST
ERN SHORE.

Oio ever Tell you Oh my IamOuS
purchase of a COW last May, Mr.. Edi
tor? ?" said we'll known gentleman of
Talbot county to our agricultural
editor.
"Well, its worth hearing, SO drop
that pen and listen"
Il was driving through Queen
Anne's county accompanied by my
servant in search of a few cattle. To
ward evening of a beautiful day |
reached a cozy little roadside tavern
where l put up for the night. The
landlord was fat, good-natured fell
low, with deep, innocent blue eyes
and healthy, rosy cheeks. He was the
perfect embodiment of honesty and
confiding verdancy. l caught myself
thinking it was pity for such a man
to be engaged in a business requiring
qualities the very opposite of those he
possessed.
. Before going into supper 1 walked
to the barn with my host. 1 saw there
the handsomest Alderny cow my eyes
ever gazed upon. A maid was milking
her. am afraid to tell you how
much milk she gave. 1t was simply
enormous. A desire to possess that
COW siezed me instantly. knew that
she was worth $125, and that l could
make my neighbOrs turn green with
envy if l could get her. Therefore,
after tea 1 cautiously brOached the
subject to the landlord as we sat on
the porch smoking He Immediately
showed evidences of suppressed ex-
citement.
"Not so loud, my friend Speak
low, for mercy's sake! The whole
house will be about your ears if the
women hear you talking about buying
that COW ~
"Are they so fond of her as all
that?"
Fond of Betty" there was world
of emphasis in that interjectiOn-" fond
ofBetty! Why my wife thinks as much
of that cow as she does of any child in
the family! She's such a gentle affcc-
tionate beast, and gives more milk
than any two cows on the Shore
Man, that COW is one of the family"
"This only increased my desire to
possess the COW, and | determined tC
have her at any cost within reason
Well, the upshot of this interview wa;
that the fellow confessed that he haG
to pay some security money the mex
week, and if l would give him $1O(
down l might have the COW. But ht
stipulated that l was to call by abOu
midnight upon my return two day
later and drive Betty away without
letting the women of the house know
anything about it,"
Il returned in due season and fount
the man waiting for me. l paid hin
500 and he went to the bars ant
drove the COW out to the road. NJ,
servant started off with her, as per in
structions, and paused with partin
word with the landlord"
81 pitisd the fellow. He was yer
: detected and heartily deplored the ne
cessity which compelled him to par
with Betty. He seemed to entertain
real affection for the cow.
We'll, good by, sir" said he, "yo
are going home with the best COW i
Maryland, while have got to face IN
wife and children, and what to say
)" them l don't know to save my soul
There'll be an awful time here, 81
when they find Betty is gone y
That COW was the marvel of tn
neighborhood for a month after e
q her home. But then she began to Civ
less milk and in sixty days she Wa
dry"
II was puzzled and wracked m
. brain to discover cause for it. Or
y day Queen Anne's cattle buyer W;
at my house looking over my stocl
= Seeing Betty he said -
u "Where did you get that cow?"
81 bought her in your county"
~ 81 thought so Bought her of 81
R, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Well, she's not worth $50. 81
.. goes dry regularly in about thr,
months after calving. But she bea
the world for about thirty days"
"But the man ! bought her from al
his whole family loved that COW, 81
and valued her highly as a phenom
~ nal mixer"
eyes, that's Sims way of playing
= He's the smartest man in Queen Anne
at game of poker or deal in catt
or horses. He's as good as Tom Pc
per at lying and can play the innOce
dodge to perfection. You'll find VIII
q 1 tell you to be true of that cow"
~ al sold the COW for beef last F;
and have since determined never
buy another cow beloved by all t
family and that has to be sold by
owner in the dead of night under t
pressure of stern necessity."-Rdmbl,
Wilkie Collins last story is call
"My Lady's Money" In this count
it would have been: Mother-in-La
has got the Stamps" or "The @
lg Woman is Well Heeled," remarks
paragrapher. All Americans do n
hnnDloxy euob ontrouaous cloDor ,obrae