The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-10-30
TIT FOR TAT.

III Toh AL
Mr.. Tucker and his wife stood side
by side, near the end of the kitchen
garden. and looked into the pig-sty.
There was an old pig and there were
several little pigs there, all eating and
grunting al the same time. The old
pig lay down in her dinner and rolled
in it. The little pigs climbed all over
her. They were all fat and white. ex-
cept for the insides OF their ears-which
were rosy-and their flexible. pink
noses.
'Well, they have fattened up. hav-
en't they, map" said Mr.. Tucker, as
he scratched the neck of the parent
sow with a corn cob. "And ] tell you
what, Well have the little one with
the black spot on his nose for dinner
Sunday next There's nothing, ] think,
more nice and tender than sucking pig,
with plenty of apple sauce"
The aged couple started for the
house, but had not gone far before they
came 10 sudden halt, and finding
Billy. their youngest born. lying on
the ground, crying as though his heart
would break.
BILLY! Billy, dear! what's the mat
ter?" cried the mother.
"Why, Billy! Billy! are you hurtp"
roarcd the father.
At this Billy staggered to his feet,
and. with his face all flushed and his
breath coming and going, gasped
out
.I-I-I arn't hurt! I'm crying be-
cause you're goin' to k-k-kill Bulge!
IL love Bulge! He rubs his nose
against my hand and knows me--e!"
And Billy ended with wild shrek of
sorrow.
"BudgeP Who's Budge?" asked Mr..
Tucker,
''Ile's the little pig with the black
spot on his nose" said the mother.
1.-The children have got names for all
OF them"
OH said Mr.. Tucker. well, Billy,
boy, pigs were made to eat. That's
the plain will of Providence. Aud
everybody eats 'em. which shows it's
right and natural, Why, you'll be a
farmer some day and have cattle and
poultry, and all to sell to the butcher,
and you won't mind it any more than
| do"
Then the parents walked on. but
something made Mr.. Tucker feel uu-
comfortable. The pig was not pork 10
Billy. IL was Bulge, an animal who
knew him, Il thing he loved, that was
about 10 meet Il terrible fate.
Mr.. Tucker mad little appetite for
tea and went to bed early. He was
very fond of Billy, and his tear-stained
face troubled him. The moon set at
eleven O'Clock that night, and it was
very dark. when there came knock
on the house door that opened on the
road.
What can that beP" thought Mr..
Tucker, as he hurried on his slippers
and long ulster, and sought for cam
die in the darkness.
His wife did not waken. Nobody
else seemed to be aroused by the sound
that had so startled him. AS he CROPPED
his way downstairs Che had not found
the candle, after ally he wondered at
this; as he opened the door he won
dered still more, for several strange
little figures like children in sacques
stood about the porch.
He stepped out to see what trick was
being played on him, and in moment
more found himself being driven along
he hardly knew how-in company
with number of other men, all scud-
ding in one direction, and uttering
sounds of distress. Behind them came
the queer little figures he had first
seen. making a strange sort of noise;
and in his terror Mr.. Tucker really
found it impossible to do nothing but
run on, grooming and lamenting as
the other men who were driven on with
him.
At last they were all poked and
pushed into prison OF some sort and
there left together. The prison seemed
to be divided into little cells, and with
him in his were two other men. He
found they were his neighbors, Mr..
Bell and Mr.. Cawley. Neither of them
seemed to know more about it then he
did. He waited until daylight to see
where he was, and what was to come
of it.
At dawn he discovered that he was
in vast shed divided into little CON-
partments. In each were three chairs,
a table, and three gentlemen.
Through the door he saw u vast viii
lage of houses not four feet high. All
was silent at first, but Us the sun grew
higher, strange figures appeared at
their doors. and seemed to 60 about
doing the ordinary work OF country
morning. They were pigs walking on
their hind legs, with hats and coats on,
with ties about their necks, and boots
on their feet. Soon one after the 9TH
er came toward the shed and set bowls
and dishes OF food before the prison
ers.
The food was good, even tempting.
Mr.. Cawlcy drew his char to the Ia.
BILE; MIR. Bell did so likewise. In all
the sheds the men seemed to be eating
heartily. Mr. Tucker tasted the cot
fee before him; it was delicious.
Here were his favori,e griddle cakes.
.They don't seem to mean TO starye
u.s." he said to MIR. Bell.
mo sir; they do not" said MIR.
Bell.
Liberty is all want" said Mr..
Cawley; ''but man must eat.
"Yes; strength must be kept up to
do anything" said Mr.. Tucker.
whats the meaning of all thisp"
1.-The pigs have risen. that's all, -"
said MIR. Cawley. "rhey were grunt-
ing in queer sort of way all last week.
Your old SOW and her litter headed the
procession last night, I'm told. It's II
fearful thing altogether.
Mr.. Tucker finished his bowl of cot
fee in silence. lie was very misera-
bic man indeed.
lie drew his chair into corner and
sat there, feeling rs he did when he
had had the chilis some years before,