Mohave County miner., 1891-04-25
PIGS In THE CLOVER.


tsfactton on his round, ruddy face.
The flames leaped and roared up the
wide-mouthed chimney. sending back
a cheering warmth, which, although
the spring was well advanced. gave an
air Of comfort 10 the otherwise chilly
apartment
All.his life--or at least as much OF It
as he could remember-had been
made miserable by housskeepers, and
not until meek aud modest Amanda
Brown had become an inmate oi his
a0fne had no known resting place for
the sole OF his foot.
One had been Independent and high
strung and would not allow him the
slightest authority in his own estab-
hshment.
Another had been caught carrying
away sundry packages OF toa, coffee
and sugar 10 her friends. TO say moth
Ing OF the bomespun table linen and
other articles OF domestic value which
she had boldly pilfercd
And still another was 20 pntidy that
the whole home looked like a curiosity
shop before she had been one week
under its roof; and the meals which
she sat upon the table were nauseating
In the extreme and as indigestible as q
rubber shoe
But now there was a most decided
change. From garnet to cellar the old
farmhouse had been thoroughly
leansad and renovated, and as Farmer
Talbut said, ''it shone like new pin. y
Amanda Brown was plump, rosy
checked maiden OF 40 summers. Farm
er Talbut well knew that ne had
secured prize in the way of a house
keeper, and he intended to keep her,
" kind treatment made her willing to
remain.
Many mans heart has been reached
through his stomach, and Farmer
Talbuts heart was In warm sympathy
with his organs pf digestion. He was
a bachelor, and IL was his Intention TO
remain so to the end OF the chapter.
His experience in the housekeeping
line had convinced him what life would
be II he were tied TO woman forever;
and he had made up his mind, long ere
this, that nothing in petticoats could
ever domineer over him SO long as he
was in his right mind.
He was about so years Of age. and
possessed enough OF this worlds goods
to keep him comfortable for life.
But 1t should here be mentioned that,
aside from his aversion to women, he
wss a kind-hearted man.
However, after Miss Amanda Brown
appeared upon the scene his feeling
soon underwent decided change.
Perhaps, after all, he thought,
women were not all alike; at least,
Amanda was widely different from most
of the women OF his experience, and
somehow she had knack OF making
everybody around her 80 comfortable.
One afternoon Farmer Talbot came
rushing TO the door, and in an excited
voice called to his housekeeper.
MANDY! Mandy! The pigs are in
the clover, and there isn't a man with
In mile OF herei Do come and help
me.n
Throwing her apron over her head,
Amanda hurried of to the clover field,
where two half-grown pigs were max
ing sad havoc by tramping down the
patch, Of which the farmer had all the
spring been justly proud.
To encourage the intruders TO make
their way out with as little trouble as
possible he let the. bars down and
tried TO drive them "a. the opening, but
there is nothing so obstinate and ex-
asperating az couple Of young pigs,
and they rushed squealing by the open
Ing without as much as a glance.
Round and round xent the pigs.
squealing and gfdnting at every step;
and round and round went Farmer
Talbut, putting and wheeling in hot
pursuit. with Amanda close at bis
heels.
At last stopping short In the center
OF the field and hopping the sweat
from his flushed face, he exclaimed, in
despairing voice:
'.It's no use, Mandy; the pesky little
things won't go out until they get
ready, so we might as well go back 10
the house"
Let us try once more. said Aman-
da; 'you 60 this way. and I'll go that
and wen head off the critters"
So saying, they started in opposite
directions, with the pigs squealing just
ahead.
II was a laughaJle sight to see the
pigs and their pursuers as they all
rushed excitedly toward the open bars.
As the animals drew near the opening
the foremost one turned as though TO
rush back into the field. As he did 80
Amantia sprung forward II she could
only seize the foremost pig and push
him through the opening she knew the
other one would soon follow.
With a wild spring she swooped
down upon the offender, who, with
prolonged squeal, slipped cunningly
beneath ber>grasp. and Amanda, losing
her balance. fell h9adIong the
arms Of Farmer Talbut. her ngss strik-
ing against his ample shirt-front with
such force that the blood rushed from
it like ciaret from broken bottle.
"Oh! oh! ohln caied Amanda. II
reckon my nose is broxer
Don't faint, Mandy-oh, please
don't I'm very sorry it hurt you so,
said the sympathetic farmer, still hold
ing her. I'M his arms and carefully
wiping the blood from her upturned