The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1890-10-31

go away when l get ready, and not be-
fore, and if that don't suit you help
yourselves if you can"
Five minutes passed, and at the end
of that time, the goat, probably decid-
ing that no further attacks were going
to be made on him, leisurely walked
away in the direction of Parker's, only
stopping once to make a stand" when
Mr.. Ramsey showed some evidence of
pursuit
THAT old varmint has got to die"
said Mr.. Ramsey, as they resumed their
places at the table. Hes a nuisance,
and if Parker don't kill him 1 will. 1
don't see what he wants of him anyway.
It's all nonsense about keeping goat
around to keep diseases away from the
stock"
Anyway" said Mrs. Ramsey, "Park-
er had as we'll have diseases among his
stock as for me to have every thing eat
up and broke up by that goat"
There are people who have an idea
that a goat on the farm protects the
other stock from diseases, but why they
should have such an idea, and in what
they think the goats preventative vir-
tues lie, am at loss to understand.
But there are people who are firm in
that idea, and Barker was one of them.
The Ramsey family consisted of Mr..
and Mrs. Ramsey and Lou Ramsey,
their twelve-yearold daughter. They
lived on a small farm adjoining the
the Parker homestead, and the two
houses were less than quarter of a
mile apart.
However much Mr.. Ramsey was re-
solved on DISCRIMINATING Parker's goat,
ne had to smother his desire for the
time being, for he and Mrs. Ramsey
had arranged to drive over to the store
that day with load of apples and some
butter and eggs, and as the distance was
quite long they were compelled to start
early.
So, when breakfast was over and the
feeding" done, Mr.. Ramsey brought
out the old mules and hitched them to
the already loaded wagon, and as soon
as Mrs. Ramsey got her marketing to-
gether she took her place up in the seat
by her husbands side, and they were
ready to go.
Now, LOU" Mrs. Ramsey called back
as they drove off, ''be careful about
things, and don't you leave the house
to-day, and remember about that money
in the drawer"
Lou promised to remember, and, after
watching the wagon out of sight over
| the hill, she returned to the house
and for an hour or so was quite con-
tented and happy in looking at the
pictures in an old book which Mrs.
Ramsey brought out on special occasions,
and which was a rare treat to Lou, who
had but little to do with books or pict-
ures. But the most fascinating occupa-
ton becomes irksome after time, and
so at last Lou tired of the picture book
and feeling lonely began to look visit
fully out across the big bluegrass past
ure toward the woods where the chill
dren went every day to gather hickory
nuts.
''Oh, dear" she sighed, II just know
all the boys and girls of the neighbour
hood are down there thering nuts,
and why can't 1 go? It's just horrid to
have to stay cooped up here in the
house all day."
Pretty soon there was wild burst of
laughter and hurrah, from seemingly
4 dozen threats down in the woods, and
Lou exclaimed:
'There, I knew they were all out
Oh, how / would love to go!'
Still she remembered her mothers
words, though, and stood debating the
question of duty and inclination for
some time, but another burst Of laugh
| ter from the woods quite decided her.
and snatching her bonnet she pulled
the door shut after her and went flying
off over the grass to the woods.
She ran along quite close to the
hedge, but so eager was she to reach
her playmates and join in the sport of
hunting nuts, that she did not hear a
slight cracking of the dry brush. nor
did she see dark head that was thrust
a little way above the hedge, gazing
after her with sinister looks.
"I'll not stay long" she thought, as
she sped on, land no harm will come of
it, I'm sure"
But once in the woods, and with such
lively companions, Lou forgot every
thing, and time flew by so rapidly that
the first thing she knew it was growing
late and the sun had sunk far down the
Western sky. With a start she cried:
"Oh, my! how the day has gone. 1
must run home at once, or pa and ma
will get back and find me away, and
then I'll get a licking. didn't mean
to stay but minute when came"
Lou was somewhat relieved when she
approached the house, to find that her
parents had not yet returned, and after
all, she thought, no harm was done by
her day in the woods, and it was much
more pleasant than staying at home.
even if she had disregarded her mothers
commands.
But when she entered the house her
spirits fell and she stood aghast. The
drawers were all taken from the bureau,
and the contents scattered about the
floor, and her first thought was of the
money-two hundred dollars, the pro-
ceeds Of her fathers sale of fat hogs.
'Tts gone, it's gone" she cried, land
ga will lose his farm, and I'll get an
awful whipping. Oh, me! 1 wish I'd
minded ma and STAYED at home"