River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-05-09
OLD BEN'S BARGAIN.
How Two Unfortunate Cattle Driv-
ers Settled Their Differences.

How Two Unfortunate Cattle Driv-
ers Settled Their Differences.
The sun had Just set. leaving bright,
luminous yellow behind il; opposite. in
the pale, frosty blue. hung the clear
silver moon, nearly At the full The
light of the dying sunset and rising
moon blended, and the whole landscape
was STEPPED in a faint mellow light.
There was not a shadow anywhere
the pure soft glow was over every
thing alike purple of wet pillow lands,
brownish yellow of stubble fields, pale
green of young wheat. faint purple
and gray Of distant downs. The thick
branches of the hawthorn in the hedge
were outlined clear and sharp against
the yellow glow in the west. The
wind had gone down. and not a twig
was stirring A little bird was rustling
in the hedge; and in the distance a
thrush was singing clear and soft
Two or three rocks fioated slowly over
head
The long. dusty. white road seemed
deserted for the time being. but after
awhile there was shuftling sound in
the distance. and a man appeared driy-
ing two cows. lie was short thin.
wiry man. with a wooden leg. Every
thing about him expressed determine
ton, from his steel-gray ewes which
looked out steadily from under his
heavy. grizzled eyebrows To his square
chin that stuck out aggressively with
an air of contradicting his thick.
strong bridged, rather Overhanging
nose. Even his wooden leg seemed TO
emphasize his resolution il went
down with such a firm rap. Suddenly,
down from a crOSs-rOad came half a
dozen young cattle at quick trot. fol-
lowed by a man. They settled into a
quieter pace; and the two men walked
along side by side. keeping. however,
the width of the road between them.
They neither Of them took any notice
of the other, and they marched along
silently for some way, save for an oc-
casional tempestuous sniff or snort.
The newcomer was a man about ten
years younger than the first; he was
taller, and of a milder expression. He
was stout and red-faced and carried
himself with faint lingering of sol
dierly bearing. One sleeve was pinned
across his breast.
These two men were the cattle-dTivers
of ShOrnStone parish. and were consid
cred by its inhabitants to he peculiarly
fitted for their office, owing - their
respective misfortunes. Nervous old
ladies and gentlemen, however, were
not so sure Of this sometimes. when
they met them driving fierce bulls in
narrow lanes Each regarded the
other as defrauding him of his rightful
dues and they hated one another with
a deadly hate in consequence.
How set mp some folks be. for sure,
II they gets a few mis- able young calves
TO drive said the little man. suddenly,
apparently addressing the hedge.
''Ah. And there's others as thinks
they be gwine To make their fortunes
IL they gets n couple o old cows only
fifteen % GO - kennel" said the other,
70 his side Of the hedge.
They walked on in silence again for
a space. though both seemed To bristle
with wrath.
''Some folks may hev only one arm
but they've fingers enough on IL to PIT
into Other Peoples pockets and pick
'em Of their honest rights" said the
little man. rcsuming his conversation
with the hedge
And II Others only hev one leg. their
OGDEN uns can carry 'em along fast
enough If they thinks they can get any
thing by H." replied the other to his
side. II was noticeable that his re
marks were always a weak echo of the
other.
Il may hev only one leg. but lost IL
honest, a you med say. Now. If I'D
lost it fur gvine fur a sh;llen day
and cutteu of other peoples. Ia say it
served me jolly well right. Fur shil-
len a day
Henry Legge, as the stout man was
called. could think Of no retort 10 this;
he took of his hat. and pushed mp his
stiff. gray hair angriIy; whereupon the
little man changed his tactics
Il have a-heerd say as there tie some
ms brags as the We lost their arms in
a battle. when twas only they fell un-
der a cart when they was tight. Hce,
hee, hee.'
This was too much for Henry: he
turned round. dropping all pretenSe.
THAT be lie. Bel; amin Creeth, and
You know il Ie,~
BENJAMIN Crceth gave an affected
start. and looked innOcently AT him.
"Lor! didn't know aS anyone was
there. did hear a noise like. but
thO't twas a COW blaren."
Henry'S large red face turned pur-
pie You onc-leggcd old rascal.'' he
exclaimed. fariously.
''Sure. YES, hev only one leg, but
for ali that. there be a Legge too many
in the word. said benjamin, chuck
ling at his own bad joke
''Ah, And there's LeCge ASH kick
you If you gets CHECKING me- retorted
Henry. pasSiona tely.
At this moment. anyone who did
not know the two old men might have
feared. from their expressions. that
they were coming to blows; but just
then the road branched of and they
went away quite peacefully ON their
different routes.
Soon after the cows made a rush in
at an open gate At the sound of
their hoofs man came out of the cow
house and opened the door to let them
in As each one went into her own
stall, he addressed Ben: They didn't
got of, then! Well. l sort o tho't they
wouldn't
NO Market was vurry full. dun
no when I've seed IL 80 full
They be proper glad to set home
again" said the man. with back
ward glance al the cows
"Ahi What he luck for the fox be
loss fur the hounds replied Ben, sen
tentiously.
Ben's cottage. which was abont
mile away. was double one. his side
being the nearest TO the gate. The
other side had an almost deserted APP
pesrance. there were no curtains in
the window. only q pot or two OF