Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-30

man. You will have 10 take your chances
| at that It's only that If you manage to
bring it round it's well worth Ave dellars to
you, and if you lose it. you lose your 1fty
cents You take your choice, you see It's
| a fine breed"
| Dick was too good farmer not TO be able
| TO see at glance the possibilities that lay in
! a fine calf
"Iiu take it," he said.
/ The man helped him with it out Of the wa
| gon, and Dick had hard time getting it into
a shady place, where he left it lying until he
could bring some cool water. The poor
creature would not, or could not, drink, SO
he bathed its head and then sought the help
Of his mother reliable counselor in all mat
ters pertaining to kindness to dumb animals,
particularly of the weak and helpless sort
Nothing better than you have done" she
said. LET it lie in the shade and rest. By
and by it will take water if it ever picks up
at all"
She was right Before night the exhaust
ed animal lifted its head and opened It's eyes
as If in grateful acknoW ledgment of Dicks
care and sOlicitude. After a few swallows
Of water it willingly took the warm milk
which stood next in the list Of mothers re-
storatives. Dicks father came around and
looked at TIE invalid. Dick told him its his
tory, adding: Its coming TO like every
thing, father"
Good looking calf" said father with an
approving nod.
Yes" said Dick eagerly. I'm going to
take good care of it and feed it up, and it'll
make good COW in time. Be worth a good
deal, hey, fatherf'
AT my expense, suppose" said father.
Dick had not got SO far as to think of that.
He had only, as the worn out animal re-
vived, considered one side Of the question
the pleasure of raising it by his own care and
becoming after awhile the proud possessor of
a valuable cow. But here was the other side
presented His calf must be pastured through
the summer, and when winter came on pro-
vided with food and shelter.
"Well--I don't mean just that" said Dick,
after few minutes thought. 81 want to
keep it here, but l don't expect to have it
kept for nothing l want it to be every bit
mine and nobody else's, and I'd like TO pay
you regular rates for it--that is, if you'll
hire me to work, so I'll have something to
pay with"
Il will" said the farmer, well pleased at
seeing the boy interested in work of any
kind
Dick, as we have guessed, had high hopes
of the profits he was to make on his calf,
which, as it quickly recovered from the eff
fects of its march, gave good promise of not
disappointing him. But he soon began to
realize that it would require a very fair
amount Of what his father called good solid
work" in order 10 provide for bis new charge.
He was not naturally fond of work, and
more than once felt tempted, when the
weekly pay for the pasturage of his pet was
coming due, to make a proposition to his
father to take the animal off his hands, pay
ing him fair advance on what he had paid
for it. But his pride always arose between
him and such way ont from under the bur-
then he had undertaken. His piece of live
stock was doing well, increasing in size and
beauty with a rapidity which he could al
most see from day To day, and tho older it
grew the less he felt inclined to part with it.
Winter taxed him still more severely He
was then attending school, and much of the
time found that it took nearly all his leisure
in the short days TO provide for the support
of his fast growing animal
Don't work the boy too hard" said
mother, one day.
at won't hurt him a Bit" said father.
1.-The vim he's showing, the steady stick to it
that it's bringing out of him is worth long
sight more than the calf Is"
Fright you are" said grandfather 'No,
it won't hurt him. He gets a little time to
take game of checkers ia the evening, don't
heFn
Sometimes, when he doesn't have to
study" said mother, laughing. HE takes
too much after you, father, to let the check
ers go.n
The calf quickly outgrew her calfhood, de-
veloped into a dainty young heifer, full of
grace and beauty III the eyes of many beside
her proud owner and had settled down into
the dignity Of young matron, when one
evening Grandfather Weatherby came over
and challenged Dick to tilt at checkers
IN do it, sir, but you'll be likely to beat
me all hollow" said Dick. 81 haven't played
very much this long time"
He handed the board TO the old gentleman,
then stepped up to his room for a moment.
lesrreiy set his men and then
stood in establishment as Dick took his seat
before the board
"What-heyl What's all this7"
Dick was also setting his men-not, how
ever, the red ones that usually played against
the black, but twelve shining gold pieces
He sat back in his chair and laughed at the
Did gentleman's astonished face before say
ng:
I'm little older than you We're, grand /
,ather, when you SET your board with silver
pieces, but as these are gold don't ysu think .
I'm about event"
"Ho, hop laughed the old man. HE said /
lie couldn't beat me; but am beat--the worst /
Iindi"
Its the price of my cow" said Dick.
Sixty dollars and cheap enough at that,
ather says. Fathers bought her of me, so
he stays here on the farm. | wanted TO sell
Ter and put my money into something else,
'ut I'd hardly have the heart to let her so
way. Mother says she's the best mixer on
he farm. And I've kept the calf, so III have
mother COW before long"
Good for you," said grandfather, approx
ngly. You've made good start Now
isten-nly farms ueo big for such an old fell
ow as l am TO see TO. III give you an acre
If it for every one Of those gold pieces"
"Grandfather. ven don't mean i'll" ex-
laimed Dick. Such land as that OF yours
or five dollars an GORE
NO. don't mean that said grandfather.
You're 10 keep yo,iT money 60 work the land
With, and wait till get through l say I'll
i've you the land Just ss long as you work
we'll aud make che best OF it. You'll need
when there are 50 many boys in the family
BESIDES yourself"
Il can't play checkers tonight, SIR said
lick, shaking his head as he arose and gath
red up his money. I'm too much upset
nth my new greatness. Twelve acresl WAT
hall Go wirb iti How shall beginF-
You've got calf 10 begin with" said !
randfather Better buy few more and
o 70 stock refsine. When your stock out
rows your laad voa can sen some OF il Of.
md then yoHN be AHA IN buy mora Land