Wichita eagle., 1886-08-20
THE OLD NAN IS RIGHT.

come more and more charming: for 1t Is
with stories as with many people-they be-
come better as they grow older.
l take it for granted that you have been
in the country, and seen very old farm
house with a matched roof, and moses and
small plants growing wild upon the thatch.
There is seork's nest on the summit of ths
gable for we can't do without the stork.
The walls of the house are sloping, and the
windows are low, and only one of the latter
is made SO as to open The baking oven
sticks out of the house Ike little fat body
The elder tree hangs over the paling, and
beneath its branches, st the foot of the pal
ing. is pool Of water in which few ducks
are disporting themselves There is a yard
dog too, who barks at all comerS
Just such farmhouse stood out in tho
country: and in this house dwelt an old
couple-a peasant ana his wife Small as
was their property, there was one article
among It that they could do Without
horse, which made a living out Of the grass
it found by the side Of the hig gh-road. The
old peasant rode into the town on this
horse and often his neighbors borrowed it
from him, and rendered the old couple some
service in return for the loan of it. But
they thought It would be best if they sold
the horse, or exchanged it for something
that might be more useful to them But
what might this something be:
You'll know that best, old man." said
the wife. 1T is fair day to-day so ride into
town, and get rid of the horse for money.
or make {. good exchange; whichever you
do will be all right to me. Ride to tie
fair"
And she fastened her neckerchief for him,
for she could 90 that better than he could;
and she tied it in double bow, for she could
do that very prettily. Then she brushed
his hat round and round with tbs palm Of
her hand, and gave him a kiss. So he role
away upon the horse that was to De sold or
TO be bartered for something else. Yes, the
old man knew what he was about
The sun saono hotly down, not cloud
was to be seen in the sky. The road was
very dusty, for many people who were all
bound for tie fair were driving, or riding,
or walking upon it. There was 10 shelter
anywhere rom the sunbeams
Anong the rest was q man trudging along,
and driving COW to the fair. The COW
YVES as beautiful a creature as any COW can
he.
''She gives goo milk, I'm sure" said the
peasant. That would be a very exchange
the COW for the horse"
Hello. you there with the cow he said;
I'll tell you what fancy horse costs
more than q COW, bat don't care for that;
COW would be more useful to me. If you
like, wen exchange.
40 90 sure l will said the man; and
they exchanged accordingly.
SO that was settled, and the peasant might
have turned back, for he had done the busi-
ness he came to do; but as he had once made
up his mind to go TO the fair, he determined
to proceed merely to have a look at it; SO
he went on 10 the town with his COW.
Leading the animal, he strode sturdily
on; ard after Z time be overlook man aho
was driving sheep It was good lat
sheep, with a line fleece on its back
- should like 10 have that fellow" said
the peasant to himself lie would find
plenty Of grass by our palings ana in the
winter y.e could keep him in the room with
US Perhaps it would be more practical TO
havs sheep instead OF a cow. Shall we
exchange
The man with the sheep was quite ready,
and the largaiu Was struck. 30 the peasant
went on IN the hishroaI with his sheep
Soon he ogortooe another man, who came
into the road from q field, carrying great
goose uRder his arm.
That's = h savy thing you have there
1t has plenty Of feathers and plenty of fat
and would LOOK well tied to string and
padding IL the water at our place. That
would be something for my old woman; she
could make al kinds OF profit out OF it.
How often she has said, If we only had q
goose" Now, perhaps. she can have one
and, if possible, il shall be hers. Shall we
exchange. Ii give you my sheep for your
goose, AMI thank you into the largain.
The other man had not tie least obiec-
ton, and accordingly they exchanged and
our peasant became proprietor o. the goose
By this time he was very near the town.
Tlo crowd on the high road became greater
and greatr; there was quite crush Of
men anu cattle. They walked in the road,
and co,e ~ the paings and ct the barrier
they even walked into the toll-man's potato
field, where his one fowl was strutting about,
with string 70 its les, lest il should take
fright at the crowd amp stray away, and
SO he lost. This fowl had short tail feathers,
and winEed with both its eyes and looked
very cunning 'Clu k cluckH said the
fowl What it thought when it said this /
can not tell ycu; but directly our good man
saw it he thought, That's the finest fowl
I've ever seen in my life. Why, its finer
than our rarson' s brood hen. On my word,
/ should like to have that fowl. 4 fowl can
always find a grain or two, and can almost
keep itself think it would be a good ex-
change i 1 could get that for my goose.
Shall we exchanges" he asked the toll
keeper.
..xchangc,7 repeated the man; well,
that would not be bad thing.
And so they exchanged; the toll keeper al
the barrier kept the goose, and the peasant
carried away the fowl
Vow. he had done a gooi deal Of business
o. his way to the fair, and he was hot and
tired He wanted something to eat, and
gass OF brandy TO drink; and soon he was
in front OF the inn. He was Just about 10
step in when tie ho.;ler came out. SO they
met at the door The hostler was carrying
O sac-
What have You in that sack!- asked the
peasant
"Ro:ten apples, answered tn. hostl.r; a
whole "a lful Of them-enoush to feed the
pigs with
Why, that's terrible waste / should |
like 70 take them to my old woman st hone
Last year the old tree By the turf hols only
bore sing.e apple, and we kept it on the
cupboard till il was cutie rotten and spoil. |
1t was always property, my Cd woman
said; but here she could see quantity of
property whole s,cktuL Yes, shall -
glad 20 show them to her.
What viii you give me for the sacktulr I
asked the hostler.
What viii l sivel7 I will give my fowl
IN exchange
md De gave ia. fowl accordingly, and !
re-ei-ed tn apples. which he carried into !
- guest room. he leaned the sack care |.
fGlly .gsins. the stove, AMI then went 70 |
TIE t.hle But The stoye vas hot-he hs! |