The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-10-12

M been an ordi-
N nary cowbell,
or had been heard in any other field, it
would not have caused even ripple OF
excitement among the stolid farmers;
but that that parti cular bell should
ring in that one field and in no other,
just at thatl particular time, and that
no one should ever catch sight OF the
mysterious ringer, was enough tocause
excitement. even in a place where SEN
sations were more common than they
were in that little backwoods settle
ment.
Clarls's Crossing had been named after
the wealthy owner Of the largest farm
in the township. 1t is doubtful if this
name would have been chosen if the
man who had first applied it to the
cluster of houses that stood near the
spot where the railway crossed the main
road had supposed that his neighbors
would adopt the name, for Mr.. Clark
was not popular among them. They
distrusted and disliked him.
He was an ignorant man, but no one
could say he was positively dishonest.
He was too acute to be caught in any of
the petty meannesses of which they
felt sure he had been guilty; therefore,
they could only watch him closely in
all their dealings, and probably believed
him guilty of many things he never
thought of doing
Feeling thus toward him. it was not
strange that when Widow CARROTS
cow was run over on the track just be-
low tho crossing. where the railway
ran through portion of Mr.. Clark's
farm, there should be number
ready to say that he had let down the
fence and driven the animal on to the
track; else, how did she get there?
Not from tie road; the cattle guards
prevented that, and the railway itself
was well fenced
The cow was known to have broken
into the wheasfeld in the afternoon.
She wore a heavy, cracked. peculiar
sounding bell that was well known to
all. Two of the neighbors had after
terward said that, returning home late
from the village, three miles away, they
had heard the cow there again.
Later still, when the express train
went by, several had been aroused
from sleep by it's short, sharp danger
whistle; but the train had gone on, and
afterward the COW had been found by
the section men beside the track, dead.
They notified Mrs. Garrett, and, to save
her any trouble or expense, buried the
carcass where it was found.
Tommy Garrett, freckled, under
sized, big-eyed Tcrnmy-Mrs. CARROTS
dull, commonplace fourteen-year-old
and only son-went over and watched
them, and Mrs. Garrett g-ieved, for the
cow had been help to her, and she
could not afford to replace it.
Did they take the bell off Brindle?@
she asked Tommy that evening, as he
sat staring stolidly into the fire.
No" he replied-'thought it wasn't
worth it. It's buried. but not deep,
though"
well, we can't get it, even II it
isn't Deep" answered his mother. But
I'm sorry 1t wasn't taken off. The bell
and strap would have been worth some
thing at the junk-shop in town, even if
no one here wanted them. Fifty cents,
maybe"
Tommy's dull face frightened some
what, and his why figure Strengthened
for moment.
The old bell worth fifty cents! What
a pity he had not known it
This was the way the matter stood
when, the second night after the COW
had been buried, Mr.. Clark heard cow
bell in his wheat field.
He dressed hastily. grumbling mean
while about people who allowed their
stock to run in the road-although he
was one of them-lit his lantern and
fastened out to the field.
All the way from the house to the
wheat field fence he could hear the
short "clinls. elink, clink'' made by the
bell of an animal feeding.
Get out, you brute he shouted, as
he set his lantern on fence post and
began TO elm b stiff1y into the field
1t was a still night. Every sound
could be heard distinctly There was
a sharp 'clank'' of the bell, as II the
animal had paused, startlcd Or ms
voice. and raised its head suddenly 20
listen, and presently the steady. half
mufied ''cljnk, clink, clink" began
again.
Mr. Clark went out few yards into
the wheat, and. holding his lantern as
high as he could, peered into the semi
darkness
''Clink. clink. clink" sounded the
bell-ouly few yards awaT. i seemed
to him. but ne could see nothing.
Get out, you trespassing beast. ne
shouted again. stamping ang-ily-
The bell ratified as If the cow had
shaken her head. and then ali was still
The field Law beside the main road
One of the section men. who mad been
TO the village AID was late II return
ing, called to his ueirhoer:
What's up. Clarke"
Somebody's cattle in M wheat
again." replied the farmer. Can you
see anythinge''
The man stopped until his eyes were
q q laysI With the ton Of the wheat