St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1895-06-01
TWO BOYS AND A COW.
How Pete Found the Best Home
He Had Ever Known.


large farm, on which he raised little
but horses, keeping only this one COW.
The squire was passing, and stopped
to give more sturdy caress than
Pete's hand had been.
IF you ever let anything happen to
that cow, Pete" he said, "I'u be likely
to break every bone in your body"
'sYessir,' 2 said Pete, as soberly as If
the words had not been accompanied
with genial twinkle in the squire's
eyes
you're the first small shaver I've
ever let drive her."
"Yessir, repeated Pete, with an Inn
pressiye shake of the head.
You'll always look out for the rail-
road?'
ssYessir-sure.
..And the mill. There's q mighty
mean slope down to the log boom If an
animal got started down."
'sYessir-awfulp
"And no fence along 1t.
'sNot bit"
'sBe sharp, then"
go long, Bunlt'
Pete trudged after the cow, very glad
and proud of being trusted with such
an important duty. He was a poor lit
tie stray, who had turned up on the
farm from nobody knew where. After
hanging about for awhile, making
friends with the animals, attracting
attention by his light-hearted, fun
loving spirit, he had gradually fallen
into place as chore boy and general
convenience, rejoicing in every new
labor set him as giving evidence that
he was gaining foothold on the big
farm, on which he soon came to have a
home feeling.
Bunker p1odded lazily along until,
coming near the mill, Pete faithfully
frightened his hold on the rope by which
he led her.
The mill and It's surroundings pos
sessed fascination for Pete. He had
spent hours and hours lounging about
the old-fashioned building. taking a
kind of awe-stricken delight in its won
derful tangle Of queer machinery. He
had watched, with his breath held, the
great saws eating their way through
the logs which were hauled up an in
cline by the help Of heavy rope and gi-
gantic hooks The dam, the boom,
every feature bore It's charm for him.
The 0 ther of the squire's bugbears,
the railroad, passed just beyond the
mill, crossing the road. One danger
passed, Pete always began looking for
the other. always bearing on his mind
the many stories told by the squire OF
valuable animals killed by locomotives.
He usually aimed to get Bunker past
the slope abov boom as fast as posi-
BILE But just now he made a sudden
| pause.
Hello, Billyi What you doing
there2"
Billy was q diminutive boy belong
ing to the miller. Pete had spent
many an hour playing with him before
his duties on the farm had become SC
well defined
Billy was playing truant, Pete knew
at glance. And not only that, but
the truanoY was of dangerous char.
acter.
Billy, come heret'
I ls
nate shake of his shoulders.
..Billy, you keep off that logi''
s'Me goin' to sail my boat.
| The small rebel held In his hand &
block of wood, and, with the words
stepped out on the first of a number o.
logs which lay side byside in the boom
Pete fully appreciated the danger
which the little rascal was braving.
BILLY, I'll give you some nuts 1
you'll come here
Billy stepped on the next log.
"a whole pocketful, Billy
As Billy set his foot on the third leg
1t gave little roll under him, but ht
recovered himself by quick step o.
the fourth.
| ..Billyi'' Pete's voice took on a tom
of desperation, IF you don't come her,
I'll thrash you within an inch Of you
1ifef'
Billy hastened his step on the fftl
log.
4 Pete looked around In despair. N,
one was In sight. There were still twt
or three hours of the long summe
evenings daylight, but the saws wer
stopped and the wheels quiet.
/ What should he do? With every mo
ment his frightened eyes perceived th.
increasing danger to the small boy
When he should reach the other lot
and attempt to launch his tiny craft
what then?
| Pete called aloud for help, but wa
answered by only the hollow roar 9
the water washing over the dam. TIL
mi1ler's house was beyond the mill
back out of sight.
A switch was SO arranged as to bacl
| cars up for the convenient loading Q
lumber. Pete's perplexed glance fel
upon loaded car standing on th
track With a rougher pull on tn
rope by which he was leading Burke
than that animal had ever before felt
| Pete dragged her towards it. Anothe
moment and he had secured the COW {
| one of the iron step-ladders and wa
wildly rushing down the bank toward
the logs.
.sBilly .boyn-Pete said it coaxingIy
all the while realizing how gladly b
would have carried out his threat of
thrashing IF you'll wait just on
minute I'll make you boat with thre
masts Honest, Biny"
Carefully he made his way over th
logs just as Billy stopped to launch hi
boat. Whether the catastrophe woul
have come quite so soon but for th
friendly pursuit can never be known
but Billy, quickening his motions
fear of being prevented in his desigr