The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1886-11-04

screamed for us till her throat was sore.
II have a fine flock of sheep there"
remarked the proud owner, as we
climbed awkardly over the bars.
They are more profitable than cat
tie, because they increase so rapidly
and mature sc quickly. The increase
is quite wonderful. The gentleman OF
whom / bought these says"
"Yaw. yaw-he say o lie," inter
rupted the stolid Conrad. He sell you
forty ram. he keep de eve Increase!
Nein!"
Clissy was silent for two minutes.
Then she said:
"a beautiful, sensitive plant grows
wild here; it IS a briar; perhaps we can
find one here"
Il shall be delighted" I replied,
family. When We reached the yard
fence, AL cried in a~mazement,
where's the barn?" And sure as
am telling it, that vicious little mule
had kicked it down.
1t was what they call a kansas
barn." made of poles, with a straw
roof, tied down, to keep it from blow
ing off, and the beast was eating the
roof. When Conrad went up to see
about it, he was sen flying heels over
head, and l laughed; he lew forgave
HE, either.
1t rained that afternoon, and we
helped Clissy cut carpet-rags for a
kitchen carpet. We were afraid to 90
down cellar on account of the enor-
nous rats, so we stood in the stairway
orI ,,occoI -o;1l- o,l MOO Is ,nJ fro~,
the invincible Conrad. He set the three
gaping steel traps, and we retired the
second night in the blissful fancy that
the rats would soon be vanQuished. To-
ward morning we were awakened by
an oder that would have made those
stenches of the ~plague-stricken Egyp-
tians seem as perfume by contrast.
Poor Clissy sat up and gasped. AL be-
gan to cry, as usual, and l wished that
L were a man long enough to swear.
It would be two hours before Conrad
came to investigate, and WI should all
die in that time [ knew.
were suggested, but the solution was
not satisfactory until Al sprang up from
her cot Eve only had one bed) and
screamed. 'Oh, L know; it's natural
gas. Your bored well has struck it.
We shall light the town and make our
fortunes. Hurrah for old Clissy! Now
you must do the handsome by us. /
will take a diamond necklace for my
wedding-present, and you can build a
house in town and We'll live with you"
1t seemed so probable that even
Clissy forgot her usual caution and
planned a substantial barn on the pos
sibility. We were sure that we heard
a rat dragging the trap down cellar,
and we ventured to the head of the
stairs in the gray dawn and peeped
down. The natural gas, the supply of
which was apparently unlimited,
seemed to emanate from the cellar,
and was so stiff ng that we could not
investigate long at a time.
"Girls," said Al, cts not a rat, but
the dearest little black and white crea-
ture that you ever saw. It's caught by
the foot. Where's your book of natur-
al history. May be l can tell what it
II take him in Won bag und gill
him. said the manly tones of Conrad,
coming up just tnen.
Il schmell him half-mile away. Mein
Colt. how ever l dakes him out Won
dot?"
"Girls," said Clissy, from the other
end of the porch, Its the most beau
tiful sunrise 1 ever saw Only sec the
crimson!'
Perhaps you won't believe me, but
we didn't get that odor out of the
house for three months. or out of u
clothes either, although we almost
bought out the Lubin's extracts from
the Sparta drugstore.
The day that followed was the most
heart-rending of all. We couldn't eat.
and were so faint that we could scarce
ly work. We resolved that no chance
visitor should be admitted to the house
upon pain of death to the offender.
l was learning to make a shortcake
when a scream from AL made me look
up.
Somebody is coming. What shall
we do? Go and meet him, CHS, and
keep him from the house."
"He's only a tramp, and [ think he
is drunk, too. I'd better call Conrad,
I'm afraid of a drunken man." She
walked timidly to the end of the porch
and met the intruder.
Il beg your pardon, but as 1 was
crossing your field in my walk, one of
your rams assaulted me, and made m
so u~npresentable, that l must ask for
some soap and water, and aneedle and
thread. am a clergyman from the
village, madame"
Certainly" said Clissy," II am
very sorry that anything so serious
should have happened to you upon my
place." and she showed him into the
sitting room and gave him the necessary
articles. He staggered as he walked.
and I saw that the blood was dripping
from his hair. He was hurt more
seriously Than he would confess. When
he had been there an hour we thought
we had better peek, and we did.
He had got to the lounge and fallen
upon it. The blood from his head was
dropping upon the floor, and his face
was as pale as death. We forgot all
about our modification at our plight,
and flew about in great distress. CHS
sy is so motherly and knows so much