The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-10-06

Lsw the amateur swineherd's example.
Philip Hayn was not a prodigal; he had
spent none of his inheritance except as spe-
cially ordered by his father, and his only
ground of self reproach was regarding an
affair about which the neighbors had no
means of obtaining information; yet the
special efforts made by the family to mani
fest their joy at regaining him were unequal
| to the task of overcoming the diSquieting
| effects of the neighbors' tongues.
| The dreadful man who had caught Phil on
| the train had spread the news of the boys
return, so next morning the road from
| the village TO Hayn Farm presented an ap-
pearance as animated as if an auction had
been announced in that vicinity, or if some
| one had been found dead in the woods Men
old and young, wives and maidens, and even
| little children, devised excuses for visiting
| the farm People who came from the other
| direction were already supplied with the
standard excuse-they wanted to borrow
something; those who had really borrowed so
often as to doubt their welcome made heroic
! efforts to return what they had already Dor
! rowed
| To escape the succession of visitors at the
house Phil went to the barn yard to see a new
family of pigs OF which his little brothers had
! informed him, but just above the fence line
he saw two pairs of eyes-with their attend
ant heads, of course-that had been lying in
waitfor an hour or two, after the manner of
that class of countrymen, evidently among
the last offshoots from the brutes, who ap-
parently have an inherited animal apprehen-
sion of harm should they enter the den of any
species higher than their own.
''Guess you didn't see any pigs like them
| down to YorS!n shouted the owner of one
| pair of eyes, while the other pair opened as
if they would engulf the returned traveller
Phil nodded his head negatively and precipi-
lately retreated to the barn. where he found
quite respectable old farmer studying the
beach wagon
'Reuben reckoned mebbe he could gimme
bargain if I'd take this off his hands," he
said, by way of explanation, $50 l thought
| I'd take look at it.n The old man shook
! fhe wheels, tapped the bed, examined the
| iron work closely, remarkiug, as he did SO:
Reckon, by his wantin' to dispose of it,
that them city folks amt comm here next
summer to be druv down to the beach, eh2"
81 don't know" said the unhappy youth
| He was grateful to the old fellow for not
| looking him in the eve, like a witness teaser,
| as ue dSlleu Jus ulleSOlOIl, 1Sb ue lOuSeu 10
kicl, him out of the barn and lock the doors
so that there would be one less place for the
enemy to lie in wait. He returned to the
house, and entered the kitchen just in time
| to hear feminine reighbor say:
81 spose he'll wear his new clothes-them
that Sol Mantring fetched word about-to
| church on SundayG"
Phil abruptly got an ak and went to the
wood lot; his first impulse was to take his
gun, but half il jest and half in earnest he
told himself that he would not dare to have
arms in his hands if the torment was to con-
| tinue. Yet even while in the depths of the
ancestral forest he was not safe, for, on the
| hollow pretense of tracking dog who had
been stealing sheep, a neighbor followed Phil
| to the woods, found him by the tell tale blows
| of the AK, and had him ut his mercy for full
hour The visitor had mentally set apart
| half day for the work.
"There's one way O. gettin' rid of this raft
o. people," said Mrs Hayn, who rapidly be-
came as indignant as her son at the persist
ency with which people brought Lucia's
name into conversation. Zone would s'pose
that the world had got back to the way it
was in old Father Adams day, as far as gals
was concerned, am there was only one female
that anybody could take notion TO. They
come a-pesterin' the life out O. me, just as if
| knowed any more about it than they do
which | don't" Then the anxious mother
looked slyly, and somewhat reproaehfully, at
her son, who flushed and said:
TELL Us the way of getting out of it,
mother, and at least one of your children will
arise and call you blessed"
''Why, it's to have the minister an his wife
to tea. It's manners, an pretty much every
body knows it, not to disturb anybody the
day they're goin' to have the minister"
Lets have him." said Phil, eagerly; "T'n
do anything to help you get ready-beat
eggs, stone raisins-anything but go to the
store for nutmegs and be caught by the pro-
prietor and all his customers Say, mother,
why can't you invite the other ministers too,
ON successive daysi"
"You will wear your new clothes, though,
when the minister comes, won't your asked
:he old lady with some timidity "You know
hain't seen 'em on you yet, an I'm a-dyin'
to, though l hain't liked to put you to the
trouble of dressin' up on purpose, KNOWN
how men hate to try things on"
Phil promised; he could not resist his
niother's appealing eyes. As the old lady
prophesied the family were not annoyed the
day of the supper to the minister. Pills
conscience was not easy in anticipation Of
the expected guest, for he knew he would be
questioned about the appearance of noted
NJ. Uo-- ,,,hor,, ha WOULD ha c,rr1-