Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1892-05-19
A SHARP YANKEE.
How Jerry Got the Best of Hi in Big
Transaction.

Transaction.
Uncle Jerry Munger is an old farmer
who is celebrated in our part of the cOun-
try for his stinginess, misery habits and
guile. No one ever gets the better of him
in bargain, and he has a crafty way of
ayadng alike the laws Of man and of ma
ture For instance, the other day the
miller saw him soaking his shelled corn in
water
What do you do that forf" asked the
miller.
Saves grinding" said Uncle Jerry.
"Ain't you afraid the good of the corn II
go off in the water?" said the miller, angry
at being defrauded of his grist.
II calk late to make the critters drink
the water" drawled Uncle Jerry,
But the time came when every one
thought he had met his mate. Hiram
Pickett owed Jerry $50, and Hiram was u
lazy, poverty stricken 'longshore fisher
man, who never paid his debts.
Hiram" whined jeremiah, almost
bursting into tears, that ERE $50 is all
I've got to look to to pay my taxes
and insurance and all my winter expenses
Why, Hiram, reilly don't know which
way to turn. Amt there anything you
could sell SOS to pay meY"
mo, there amt" said Hiram
you've got a pig"
"Yes, N mean to keep him too"
pm bound to have that ERE money or
its equivalent, said Jerry, and he took the
sheriff to Hrams hut. There was moth
ing inside or out of the little cottage where
Hiram lived that could be seized by law
except the pig.
The large and noble form of this animal
was reposing in company with one of Hi
rams ragged children on a heap of sea-
weed in an outer apartment Of the house.
1t was the finest pig that Jerry had ever
seen, of short nosed Yorkshire breed fed
on the crumbs that had fallen from the ia
bles Of the rich. 1t had led a wild, green
wood life, roaming in orchards and cab.
bage gardens till it was as desirable pig
as any that had ever grown fat on mast
and acorns in Virginia forests
Take the pigp' cried Jerry
You can't" said Hiram, "the law al
lows the poor man one swine, which nobody
can't attach"
''If he'd had two pigs" said the sheriff,
you could have attached one of them"
A few days later Hiram was going home
with an eelspear and crabnet over his
shoulder He passed Jeremiah's house
and saw the old man leaning over the
gate.
You needn't sink out of my way like
that, Hiram" said Uncle Jerry meekly
81 haven't nothin ag'in you, Hiram, nor
don't bear no umbrage on account of that
bill, Hiram. Pay me when you've mind
| know you've good many mouths to
feed, and hard time to git along with
that family of your'n. You be poor
man."
"Thats fact" said Hiram.
81 have been wondering how I could
help you, know fishing is poor now, and
cells is skurce, and clans don't dig as they
used to, and Hiram, I've changed my
mind about that bill Let it stand over
till spring"
"All right" said Hiram.
And Pm a-going to make you pres.
ent. I've got a lot of little pigs. can't
sell 'em and can't afford to keep 'em.
Now, Hiram, Pm going to make you a
present Of a little pig"
Hiram hesitated Were not the gifts of
Jerry dangerous gifts? Do men gather
grapes vi lhornS, VI pigs vi LHiSllcS!
81 dunno ez kin du justice ter tn pigs"
he said,
Jerry brought the pig out and showed it
to Hiram. 1t was very small pig.
"Lordy massyl'' said Hiram to himself,
"Jerry's getting sort O old N childish, Civ
ing Christmas presents this time O year"
He took it home "Myl" said his wife
scornfully; "tain't with six N a quarter
cents Better look out, Hi. Jerry's up to
some mischief"
They put it in the pen with the big pig
and the little one looked smaller than ever
need not go on with my tale. Hiram
was then the owner Of two pigs, and the
law allowed the creditor to attach one of
them.
That same night the sheriff came to
Hiram's hut with warrant and seized
the large pig.-New York Evening Post,