The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-03-21

wa ant real useiul alter that, not by a
long sight.
1.-TWO weeks after, somebody got
Deacon Peters best Sunday hat one
Sat'day night, high crown beaver,
and that was new, too, and sot it on
the back step and poured the molas-
SEES jug into t so twas half full.
'"Then folks began to look OUT but
Peters folks thought they'd had their
turn, till they heered, another Sun
day mornin, the amazinest jumpin'
and movin' ever was; and what dye
think it wasi Why, there was two
young steers out on the barn floor
tackled up in the deacon's double har-
ness, and hitched to his pole Vaughn.
They'd made short straps out of the
harness by that time, now | tell vel
Lawyer Wheeler he had satin
sofy to his house that his wife sot
everything by, yeller satin; and one
night somebody come in by verandy
window an slep' Oh that sofy. Twas
all mud and stained with wet and the
piller greasy, for it rained that night
like cats and dogs, and whoever twas
hadn't an umbrell most likely. Mrs.
Wheeler, she felt dredful put out
about it, you'd better believe, and |
don't wonder.
Before long there was a black
Grape tied to Wheeler's door knob, and
two punkin lanterns sot on his steps to
show it; that was done just after dark
when folks was all at tea. That kind
err tickled the boys, becas Lawyer
Wheeler wasn't no fav'rit with 'em,
since he stopped their ball playin' OPP
post his house on the green.
Scranton was pretty well stirred up,
now tell ye! Clothes lines was strip
ped by night, and all the clothes piled
up III heap in the barn yard or atop
Of the muck heap. Parson Ebbetts'
hens was found one mornin' all
tangled up, a-kickin' and fiappin' and
squawkin' like mad, for somebody had
strung a lot of corn kernels onto a long
Irvine, an knotted em in about foot
apart, and the hens had gone for I
and swallered Irvine and all.
"Myl wasn't Their time a-gettin'
'em loose. Some of the most likely of
'em had to be killed. l tell we it made
the parson mad an he preached SER
mon next Sunday about it-about
cruelty to brute critters.
Folks knew well enough that Tiff
Shores done all this, but nobody
could catch him at it, though plenty
watched for him.
by n by his wife died, and he
went off. Some said to Californy. If
he did, L bet it didn't do him 10 good,
FOR shif'less folks is shif'less every.
whar; whereas-an-be -it-known smart
Teller can make money eff you set him
down into the middle o sandy plains
or the SALARY desert with nothin' to
bootr
well, l guess you've made out
your case" said Zenas. II dono as |
ever heered of q woman any queerer
n he was, tho I've seen Il good many
of 'em fust and last"
Il should say he was pesky," drawl.
ed Sam; but women is pesky, too,
when they take notion sc 10 be-"
Il donO as it's any use tryin' for to
even 'em up" interposed Uncle Pa
phro, whether or no, in goodness
nor badness. Scripter says that when
the lord made the first folks, Male and
female created he them, and it seems
as though what he done generlly
stays put.
They're that way yet, same as he.
made 'em; hewitt changed no more N
fishes has growed into cows, nor dogs
into cats. 'Tisn't no use tryin' to
make 'em jest alike, for you can't do
it. l surmise that the best way is for
each of 'em to stan in their. own lot,
do their best to have it bear first rate
crops, and havin' done all, to STAN, as
the Scripter somewhere says.
Come boys! we've yarned it long
enough. This is the lastnoonin' we'll
have in the bayfield, this year;
though l dono as it's BEN real solum.
Set to now, spry and load up; I'm
thankful thes a end to haydn time
not but what there is some fun into it,
too. | guess We'll all get together
ag'in somewhere about Thanksgiving
time. Ask Sid!'
Il should say ask Delye" drawlcd
Sam as he got up in his lazy way.
They all laughed, and picking up rallcs
and pitchforks went off to load up the
fragrant heaps of rowen. Haying was
over for that year; so are its stories. -
Rose Terry Cooke in Youths Compan-
ion.