Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-06-21
Old Brindle's Fate.


Wife, you can't possibly guess
what John Martin just told me.
Mrs. Young looked up. Motto
ing her husbands animated coun-
tenance, she replied:
Perhaps not; but Judging from
your looks, it must be good news Z"
Good news! That don't begin
to express it, wife"
What can it be them" said his
wife, becoming interested.
"Well, John Martin said he
would sell me COW for sixteen
dollars, and that | might pay for it
in work"
why, husband, is it possible?"
1T is possible; and"
And what, husband?"
And ] accepted the offer; ! am
going for the COW tomorrow.
IL declare, it's most too good to
be true. But ! have felt all day
that something good was going to
happen"
"Well, it has happened. 1t has
been two years since We had a COW,
and it seems to me that some milk
will taste the best of anything in
the world"
"And | believe it will to me.
Won't it be real blessing to the
children
Eyes, wife it will be that"
1t was more than sixty years ago
that this conversation took place
in the Ammonoosuck Valley, in
the town of Lisbon, n. H. Mr..
Young had settled there two or
three years before. He had wife
and several children, and with
house and barn to build, and land
to clear, and crops to care for like
many others, he found all he could
do to provide food and clothing for
his family. But by diet of great
economy and self-denial, they had
managed to get along, with a pros
pect of a better future.
They had no cow, and no money
to buy one. There was no luxury
they coveted so much as sdpply
of milk. Mr.. Young had hesitated
when John Martin proposed to sell
him a COW for his work. Wages
were only half a dollar day. But
he rendered the privations of the
last two years, and decided as we
already know.
There was gladness in the hearts
of the young family that night.
Already they felt rich They were
going to have a cow. How little
1t takes to make humble people
happy!
The next day the COW came
home, with bell attached to her
neck. She was a large, beautiful
creature. The children christened
her "Old Brindle," and the fondest
anticipations of the family were
realized.
As the summer advanced, Mr..
Young steady worked out the
price of his purchase, and on one
night in early autumn, he came
home, and with look of real salts
faction OH his face.
"Well, Wife" said he, ut is all
paid at last Now the cow is ours,
and we shall have milk all winter,
for ] have cut enough hay to keep
her.
At that time it was u common
practice to let the cows run in the
the wood and get their living. 1t
was turned turning them out ito
brouse.' Mr.. Young had been
compelled to do this, having as yet
no cleared and fenced pasture.
Guided by the bell, he had general
ly found his COW at night without
difficulty.
But one evening soon after the
COW was paid for, Mr.. Yonng
could not find her, He went
round and round the clearing,
searching and listening, but could
hear nothing of the bell. When
it became too dark to look longer,
he went home, full of misgivings.
At that time bears were abun-
dant in the forest. They often
destroyed sheep and had been
known to kill cattle, and Mr..
Young feared Old Brindle had met
such fate.
When he reached home without
the cow every face became serious.
His brother had come to stop with
him that night, and they sat up
late talking the matter over, and
listening for the bell. After re-
firing, he and his wife were too
full of anxiety to sleep. Suddenly
Mr.. Young exclaimed:
"Hark! What's that"
II didn't hear anything she
replied.
III thought | heard the cow-bell." :"
Tinkle! tinkle! tinkle,
"That is the COW, certainly"
There was no doubt by that
time; Old Brindle was coming, and
they were thankful enough,
The path to the barn led by the
corner of the house past a large
pine stub nearly forty feet high.
The sound of the bell grew more
distinct every moment. The COW
came out of the woods and crossed
the road; then she went up the
path towards the barn. Mr.. Young
and his wife were listening as she
passed the corner of the house.
Suddenly there was a sound as of a
heavy body falling, followed by one
terrible, agonized below from the
cow, mingled with the fierce grows
of bear.
Both Mr.. Young and his wife