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

beast for plowng, ETC., and ! could
ride his mare every day, save when he
was driving out to call on his flock.
The idea struck us all as remarkably
good. Mrs. Maiden said that some one
over on the cross-road had had an OK
for sale two weeks ago, a black OK
with white face, price thirty dollars.
Having heard this news, was
seized with a tormenting fear lest the
animal should have been already sold.
/ set out after dinner to walk to Mr..
Rhodes farm, my friend shouting after
me the advice that I unjust be sure
and not seem to want the OK, or Rhodes
would put up his price quicker than q
wink" w..
Maiden is good man, but when with
me his remarks are not always what
is called strictly ministerial. RI:
had to go through the village at
the Four Corners and here commit
ted one of the mistakes of my life, as
Maiden told me when l returned. AS
scrambled over stone wall to 20
through an orchard, in order to shorten
the distance, / raked off so much of
the 'lift' from the heel of my right
shoe, and the loss made me seem so
lame, that stopped at Leftant Shaw's
to have him nail on a new lift. This
was the mistake, for my friend made
clear to me that he would rather fall
into the hands of any malevolent power
of which he had ever heard than into
the hands of that diabolical Shaw.
This was strong language for an ortho-
dox clergyman, who is supposed to know
all about malevolent powers.
AS for me, l did not know the cob
bier as we'll then as I do now, and
while sat with my stockinged foot on
my knee and waited, he got out of me
all about my errand.
thought he spat in a very con-
temptuous manner when mentioned
Mr.. Rhodes OK, and so I asked him
what he knew concerning the animal.
mot a thing" he said.
Nothing more was said until he re-
marked that he should ledge I was
from the city. When I said yes, the
sheer on his face was so strong that it
! diffused itself all over his person; even
the shiny, blackened leather apron ap-
peared to despise me. Dwellers In
great towns may sometimes consider
country people ''green," but that feel
ing is nothing in comparison with the
scorn and pity with which country
man regards city folks.
As soon as could, I went on my
way. 1t was not until it was too late
to do me any good that ''well-
wisher"-that is what he called him
self-informed me that "Leeftant Shaw
told him bout my arskin' bout that
OK, and that he (Shaw) didn't consider
it his dooty to tell me what was re-
ported bout that animal" The we'll
wish@r added, with great apparent en-
joyment, that the leftant had also said,
THAT it want no good. explainin' to a
Ounce as was thinkin' of workin' one
OK. A Teller that didn't know as oxen
went in pairs want constructed SOS
to understand if things was explained
to him."
AS I have said, it was too late to do
any good when this person thought
best to tell me this, and I went on in
nocently, as became a simple city man,
down along the street when the prim
front yards were taking on a bright
green, and where the fat robins were
fighting and counting.
found the old Rhodes place a mile
beyond the village. It was an i'm.
mense two-story, implanted house,
shingled all over, and the shingles
looked ready to fly away if a wind
touched them; indeed, many had blown
off and were lying partially and
placidly imbedded in the quickly grow.
ing grass Of the huge yard. These,
and q few worn-out cart-wheels here
and there, were not cheerful to look at
even on a bright May afternoon.
An old man was leaning against 8
well-sweep in the back of the yard, and
he came imping toward me, revealing
as he approached, thai one side of him
was afflicted with the shaking palsy
l had somehow expected to find 6
young man. I asked if he were the
man who wanted to sell an OK, and
after he had TREMENDOUSLY nodded hit
head, I, remembering my friends
advice, Immediately assumed an air O,
great unconcern, and told my com.
panion that it was fine growing weather
and he nodded again Icontinued to con.
verse at some length about the crops
and manure and loan and timothy. He
nodded to every thing I said. Ate,
awhile his mods began to confuse me g
great deal. They seemed to be kind
of combination of assent and contra.
diction. At any rate, fancied that the
left side Of his face and head, which
was the palsied side, wanted to jerk