The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-02-26
OUR PET PIG.

the roast beef You have heard all
about those five pigs ever since you,
pink toes were first counted, as yor
count baby's now. The one real little
pig this true story is about was smart
enough to do all five things herself
And this is how it happened.
We four, and no more. went to ride
one day. On the way home. who do you
think had come into the buggy. to make
five for Fanny to draw? 1t was this lit.
tie pig, then hardly larger than your
pussy. She had two black spots on hel
round. white body, but you would not
have seen them if yon had been riding
with her. How she did squeal when
the man tried to tie her kicking little
legs. So she was first wrapped in an
old shawl, that the cords might not hurt
her. Dressed in this way, and riding in
a buggy. she looked SO much like the
picture in your book that we all said
This little pig went to market
Though her new home was as nice as
a pen conld be. the little pig did not
like it at all. Where were her mother and
her brothers and sisters: II will 90 and
see." said Piggy. She made very
small hole little larger, and crept
through. Away over the hill behind
white tail in the air. She was soon out
of sight in the tall prairie grass, but
heard her say quite plainly:
''Kwee. kwec. kwee. kwee. think
can find my way lone
But she could not. could have told
her SO myself. if she would have stopped
to listen. For Piggy's first buggy ride
had been three miles long. However
experience is the surest teacher, even
for little pigs.
When it had grown quite dark be.
tween haystacks heard tired little
voice say. sadly:
"Kwee. kwee. kwee. / never can find
my way home"
For a long time after this Piggy
seemed willing to make the best of it
She was firmly set in her own mind
that well-behaved pig, who never die
any harm. should be allowed the free
dom of the barn-yard. At last she
brought us around to her way of think
ing, which saved her the trouble plan
ming out new way of escape, as She
had done every time she was fastened
in.
So. when Fanny went to the lake fol
water. Piggy always trotted behind Xix.
a little colt. At night she soon foune
out better plan than cuddling alone il
the straw. The way came to know
where she slept was this:
a pale little boy. out of breath with
RAINING, burst into the dining-roon
just after | had lighted the lamp
There was little tremble in his vote,
when he said:
'.Oh. there is something alive in Fan
ny's manager. | was putting in NOR,
hay for her to eat tonight. and | fel
it,
lie was sure it could not be the pig
But when | asked him If he reall,
thought it was bear or wolf or fox
he grew drawer with each laughing
shake Of the head. and concluded to lool
again. When he found that it was tn,
pig. after all. she was given another ha,
blanket for her funny bed under Fan
ny's nose.
As for all the other pigs in the world
our one all alone seemed to think tina
they had gone out oft. She certainl,
could not find them, SO this little pi,
stayed at home.'
This was before she took her sccon,
journey. One day buggy drawn by
black horse passed within Piggy's sight
Never stopping to notice that this hors
did not have Fanny's brown nose. Pig
gy thought: There goes Fanny. shall
go, too" No dog in the land ever trot
ted behind team more faithfully thar
this funny pig. Two, four, six. eight
ten miles she had followed at the heel
of the horse she had mistaken for he
| friend.
| A week later we received a postal car,
from another town. 1t said:
I DEAR SIR am told that it Is your MI
which followed my buggy from Fast Tues
day. She is safe at my farm, where you cal
call for her when |. is convenient.
There was nothing for it but to maxi
the best of Piggys blunder, and brin,
her home again. But. as strange horse
looking somewhat like Fanny nigh
pass along at any time, we were oblige,
to make poor Piggy prisoner. Sh
minded the loss of her freedom less be
cause of Thanksgiving and Christina
times. when this little pig had roas
beef, or other daintics quite as good
every day. But the time came whcl
she had none. She was even obliged +
submit to having her ears of corn count
ed out for her. because the pile wa
growing very small.
The little boy who used to care 70
her had another home now. where Their
were little twin calves for him to feed
lie used to say that little boys wer
good to keep milk from souring, bu
Piggy could not see any more of it com
into her trough now he was gone Sh
was once more at liberty. Fanny
strong hoof having helped her out; bu
Fannys next neighbor in the barn wa
Jersey, the cow. If Piggy ever got int
her manager by mistake, She was treate
quite rudely.
So, with one trouble and another, W
began to feel sorry for the pig, and Ell
gagged board for her at farm,
Once more Piggy trotted behind tn
buggy to a land of plenty, where "
left her with other pigs for company
Perhaps it was because this farmer ais
kept Guinea fowls. which she heard a
ways singing: go back. go back
that we heard her familiar grunt at o,
door the very next morning. Pigg
had found her way home alone fro
two miles away, and now rests fro
travels. Though of roast beef this Ii
tie pig had none" after she came bae
to her home. we all felt that some hon,
belonged to her for her faithful attac
ment to us all.-Christian Register.
A LITTLE GRAY THIEF.
Where Bcrtic's Mamma Found Her Lift
Boys Lost Composition.
20 mamma, | just don't know VIII