The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-08-09

parson, somewhat disconnected by the
old bucks belligerent aspect while
he cautiously and hesitatingly went a
little nearer.
And the dear, good sheepie came
Lowering his head until the short
pasture grass tickled the end of his
nose, the old fellow shot forward like
cannon ball. Before the good young
parson could make single move t,
save himself he got crack in the
shins that loosened every knee cap he
possessed. Right over the buck
back the unlucky minister landed
coming down head first in the crown
of his Immaculate L" tall slick" with a
violence that drove him into it clea,
up to his shoulder-blades; while the
ram, unable to stop in his ungodly
career, kept straight onward for sew
eral rods.
The poor parson arose to his knees
and was just trying to get his head out
of his ruined beaver, when the ram
rushed again to the conflict. Right
in the pit of the stomach did the old
fellow collide with the unhappy fol-
lower of Bergh, hammering a grun,
out Of him that sounded like an en-
gne letting off steam.
A holy circus ensued. Every time
the miserable elder raised his head he
got butt somewhere that knocked
him at least half rod. Finally, in
sheer despair, he lay still for few
moments and thinking he had killed
his man the old buck moved slowly
away.
Slowly and with great caution the
shattered Christian worked his head
out of his equally shattered tile, to dis
cover his late antagonist feeding
gently some little distance away.
Still clutchsng the dillapidated beaver
with grip of death, he arose to his
feet and made a break for the pasture
fence, limping like setting hen-tur-
key at every step. He almost reached
it in safety: almost; alas! not quite.
The mecca Of the parsons hopes
was just before him, when the old ram
happened to notice what was going
on and started in hot pursuit. As he
overlook the flying man he gave him
another one, just for luck, right on
the miserable creatures anti stomach.
The wretched divine was knocked
head first between the wires and half
way through tine fence, but there he
stuck.
In the meantime the boy had slid
down the elm, gained the roadside,
and stood there watching the gladaito-
rial arena from the coigne of vantage.
AS the would-be sheep-tamer's head
appeared through the fence, the CRATE
full youth clutched him by the sacred
coat-collar, and tugged with might
and main to haul him through, but in
vain. Those barbs were in to stay.
But help was at hand. The old
buck came to the rescue with one tre-
mendous final butt, squarely delivered
in the exposed gable-end of the min
islerial breeches. There was sicken-
ing "TRIP of rending cloth, the par
son went through between wires like
a stone from an ancient catapault, and
he and his human rescuer rolled by
the roadside in one vast promiscous
heap.
What sight was that sanity NOR
tai when at last he scrambled to his
feet! He looked more like some dis
reputable bum just arrested by a New
York policeman than he did like any
respectable divine.
The erstwhile shining beaver was
smashed and battered till it looked
far more like a hat; while the once
Immaculate black suit was only a
bloody, dusty mass of rags and tat
tiers. And just over the fence the vic
torious ram was calmly lunching on
ali that remained of stiff black tie
and clerical collar. That minister
was wreck.
"What will you charge TO work for
ME the rest of the afternoon?" he in.
quired between his groans.
81 reckon 'twould be wuth bout q
dollar replied the wondering boy.
Without a word the Elder thrus
one torn and bleeding hand into the
bosom of his tattered garments, drew
out a consumptive pocket book as fiat
as fat bachelors bed, and carefully
extracting the single lonesome bill /
contained, he extended it toward hi:
companion, saying as he did SO:
"There! Take that, sit down or
the nearest rock this side of the fence
and d. that cussed RAIN for me til
the sun SETS"