Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1888-08-01

Neither my friend nor made any res
marks concerning the select-man's
kindness. but Maiden went on to say
that there was 8 place in the curve Of
the road, q few rods to the south, where
q first-rate view of behind the barn
could be had, and that he had noticed
there had been a great deal of ''pass-
ing'' within day or two.
In the beginning of the second week
I said I guessed would have a butcher
come and look at Juba. Mrs. Maiden
glanced so gratefully at me when said
this that I was conscious-smitten that
/ had not said it before. walked six
miles over to the nearest town, and
went into the first butchers shop, and
told the man that had an OK wanted
him to look at. OF course he asked
me where came from, and if did not
formerly reside in the city. Then he
inquired where I got the OK, and I told
him. He informed me that the man
who bought the .'critter'' before me
had been to him on the same errand
upon which I had come, and that he
had gone to look at the animal then.
"Tain't no use goin' ag'in, " said the
butcher. "Tain't fat on that OK.
Bloat, I guess. Anyways, don't want
him."
l went to the only other market, but
the proprietor had gone to Boston. l
next called on a soap-fat man, but his
place was in the hands of sheriff, who
informed me, with a grin, that it was
uncertain when any more soap fat
would be needed there.
Then 1 walked back to my friends,
and there was Juba at the pasture
bars, chewing.
l used to think that having a cud
was sign of good health in ruminat-
ing animals. asked myself if Juba
were indeed bloated. I didn't believe
It. l know he is of no possible use,
but do not believe he is bloated.
1t is now well into July, and have
had my OK about two months. I am
too tender-hearted to kill him; and I
am too proud to go back to ST Rhodes,
as others have done, on the chance of
getting ten dollars from him. lam
looking forward to the fall, when there
will be no feed in the pasture, and
something will have to be done. I
look still further into the future, and
see myself an old man with an OK.
More than that, an old man with an OK
that is neither an off nor a nigh one.
/ ask myself whose fate has ever been
like mine?
Last night as I walked to the post
Office forgot my ordinary precautions
and went by the cobbler's, and there
he stood in the door smoking. He took
his pipe from his mouth, signaled:t to me
with it, and I had to stop. When I
was near him, he said it was fine day,
and how did like my OK? 1t told him
that no money would buy it, and he
said he guessed no money aoouldn1 buy
it.
He went on to say, with great en-
phasis, that there OK had ben thun-
derin good thing for ST Rhodes. Twas
as good as pension, m bout as sure.
'Cordin' to reports, m well-founded re-
ports too, he lodged them to be, 81
Rhodes had sold that OK three times
afore he sold it to me, n each time he
had ben paid cash, m the fellers as
bought had come and arst that the OK
be took back. 81 he told um he WANT
in need of no OK, but if they wanted to
leave it, they might, m he'd give UNI
ten dollars fur it. M they done it, fur
they do say butchers won't have it..
Cash payments is Sis rule, as p'r'aps
you know. heerd you paid cash."
Instead of replying, I asked why, if
he knew all this, he didn't tell me be-
fore, Or why did he tell me now?
He answered that he didn't know it
OF his own knowledge, but them was
the reports, and he was free to say he
believed UNI. He ended by saying
that if he should undertake to find
brains for city folks, his supply would
soon run out.
In conclusion, wish to offer the ad-
vice that person should not, for the
purpose of riding horseback, buy a
single OK. might go as far as to say
that would not advise the purchase
OF single OK with any other object in
view than to secure a companion.
If any one desires such a COM
panion, I have one which I will sell
reasonable" as I announced at the
head of this article.-M. L. Pool, IN
Harper's Weekly.
He Was Boss Of the School,