San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-11-27

unueI bic JlOTily burberry DtlSn
Then followed the tradition that a curse
came then upon the Hcrrings that all
should remain poor, and wherever they
went barberry bush should spring up,
even where none could ever be made to
grow before, so that the whole world should
know the danger-tbata Herring was near
But as TO all crimes some atCnement il
permitted, or some cXpiatory achievement
is allowed to wipe out the sin. so in this
case had it in some way become known
that in Titles pond depths lay a golden
table, and if this could be secured by the
industry and skill of some one, compare
lively sinless, all the sins of his ancestors
might be atoned and tine curse pronounced
upon even the third and fourth generation
might be removed.
No wonder that Glib Herring had pom
dered long how to obtain it, and whenever
he heard of white bull calf born at some
neighbours had tried to purchase it, Ira
dition said, twelve yoke of spotlcssIy
white oxen attached to grapnel iron and
driven through the pond by brave, indus
trious, pure young man would bring 10
light the golden table and lift the curse of
ancestral sins from his own and future
generations" Were he sinful or indus
oxen would sink in the, to that day, un-
fathomed depths of the pond; while the
heavy grapnel iron would against all laws
of nature) float for seven days as warn
ing to all that the sin of hypocrisy would
never be permitted to prosper or advance
one in life.
Where the cultured can scarcely shake
off superstition it is not strange that tho
ieynn oil RI
home in deep thought; twenty-four white
oxen he knew must first be trained and in
his possession, and he must go steadily to
work He went out late at night, and find
ing luxuriant brberry bush he dug it
UP with quick, vigorous thrusts of the
spade and shovel. Then, with his heavy
booss, he trampled it under foot, crushing
the blood hued berries at every stamp Of
his heavy, cowhide number mines; then
kneeling down beside the gravelike exca-
walton he had made he soiemnly vowed,
with the moon for witness, that he would
never rest ill he possessed both oxen and
table.
Years We're spent in the search, years of
hard labor first on one farm, and then an
other. Twenty dollars n month and board
for seven months in the year, and $40 in
the winter for chores and wood chopping
and wood drawing, was no small amount
of ready cash for Herring. How careful
ly he husbanded that money and counted
it over and over! With wise forethought
he not only bought each pure white calf Of
which he could hear, and sent it home to
be pastured on the old meadows hired of
his fathcr, but realizing how great was the
profit in the growth of stock, he bought
every "likely cale'' he could secure. AS time
rolled on he he'd herd much too large for
the few home acres, and was hiring mead
ows and rugged upland of his old neigh
bors How proud he grew as he learned
that be was no longer JOSH Herring, but
"Mr. Herring the greatest cattle raiser in
New England"
But the day came Mt last, while he was
still in the prime Of life, scarcely 40, that
the longed for twenty-four oxen were his,
twelve yoke of milk white cattle, not a
dark hair upon them. Some were now old.
sedate oxen; these would make good END
oxen" leaders and wheelers Gf one may be
permitted little license of specify, while
the more frisky, youthful steers would be
sandwiched between the more staid along
the line
Surely this was team to be proud of.
even without the golden halo that the ira
ditional treasure gave to their value in has
eyes. Sometimes he felt so rich with all
the profits of his stock raising, accom-
plished on the so called worn out farms of
New England, that he was almost resolved
not TO try the chimerical scheme suggested
by the Sanders tradition. But the inborS
superstition and faith in tradition, that
leads the whole world more or less this
way and TINT, deny it who will, at length
decided MIR. Herring to set day when the
decd should be accomplished.
The thing most to be dreaded was the
ridicule Of his old ncighhors If he failed:
this must he provided against. Though
he had never heard the old saying, IL yOH
would seal your friends tongue, first dine
and wine him WELL" yet his mother wit
suggested this very thing. He babe all
friends 60 q meadow banquet to be held
from II till on Il cerJain day, and at 3 to
be present as hc drove his team through
the fatcrul pond.
Though the wine was but the best of
cider. yet il served its purpose and washed
away from ;le hungry and thirsty mouths
all hyparyli; cal criticisms that envy might
have sugScs,ad. Is they ate the cold tur-
key and muuChGd the fine pies and cake
not one was heard to croak that the table
would rot be found.
1t was wish some inner trepidation, COW
cred we'll b. outward calm, that he snap
ped his WIN nd started his team down
the slope lgw..rl the pond, while clinking
behind the last yoke of cattle came the
heavy chain witi its graphing hook! All
held their breath IS Josiah stepped boldly
into the water beside the lcadersl All
watched to see him get beyond his depth.