The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-19

II happened In This way. We were
| spending the summer on Uncle Peters
| iarm-Jack and T. One morning when
| going the rounds We found Mrs. Zig
Curly-tail was taking care Of thirteen
| little sons and daughters.
One OF them was very small. The man,
| Elijah, took 1t Up In his hands for us
TO see. 1t had. a little black spot under
| its chin and alrrthe rest OF IL was white.
1 think JACK had the idea first and l
took 1t up afterward, but we decided
that we must have that little pig for our
pet, and we must ask for it. This WAS
very hard to do
Uncle always read his paper after break
fast before he took the train for town,
and never liked 10 he disturbed then. 40
we planned well and then made great
preparations, seeing 20 it that our hats
and faces werc quite c.ean; that JACKS
necktie was tied sfraisht, with the bows
pulled out, and that our hair was neatly
brushed. Afters I--sAd@ put on "a white
apron. tied with precty lows on the should
ders, auntie said we looked pretty well.
After we had done all this we went
into the room where Uncle Peter was
reading: We had agreed that We would
not Interrupt him, but just stand still.
II seemed a long while to us, hut auntie
said it was not more than four minute s
before uncielaid the paper down and looked
over his spectacles at us, sl ying. Hm-,n'
children, are you waiting to speak to me-
Yes, sir" said Jack. Jill and would
like to have the smallest pig l.. zen No.
r for our pet. to live in the house like a
cat or dog. Won't you please let us?"
Uncle Scowled, bit his mus; ache, looked
over his glasses again and said II might If
/ felt sure you wouldn't make trouble for
anybody in the house or ON the farm. Pigs
are intelligent animals and would max g
a 5 good pets as many that ladies or children
have now. Yes; YOU can have il. when
you allow it to incOnv enlence others 1t must
go back 10 tine pen. Talk with Elijah and
dom tax e the pig away from its IT other un-
til il is able to take care of ITSELF
80, thank you. Uncle Peter!" we both
cried: and made our best dancing school
bows: then ran away TO the pig pen in
high glee.
II.
When at the end of six weeks we finally
got him, the first thing we did WAS 10
give him bath, just as Cousin Ella
washed her poodle dog He locked too
funny for anything standing up in the tub
snuffing his nose al us and look ing around
with those little bright eyes. After we
had taken him out and wiped him dry,
we rolled him in an old flannel and put
him in the sun for 4 nap.
When he woke up We took him out to
the orcha rd for his first lesson, which was
to come when he was called.
We put him down by a large tree,
walked some distance away, then called
him. Come, Piggums, Gomez He only
looked at us and turned his ears up. We
put our hands out to him and called again,
Come Pig, Pig, Piggums, come!' This
time he took two steps forward, then
began scratching up the grass with his
sharp little hoofs, looking at us all the
time as much as to say, How smart !
AMI
He was so funny that Jack and 1
laughed until we were tired. In "a few
minutes we tried again. This time We
gave him a piece Of cracker, and while
he ate IL we walked away. Then we
called him, holding out another piece,
aud he came after it pellmell, as IL he
meant to knock us over. While he ate
this we walked away and called him az gain.
He came: we patted him, called him good
little mig - and when he had become very
much interested in buttercup growing
there. we went off and wbistled for him.
H. ca me all right and Jack said we should
never have 10 teach him that lesson az ain.
But thong ht he might forget, as boys and
girls do So often. He didn't. though, and,
ever after. no matter how interested he
was in ANYTHING. be came the minute he
was called-except once and l shall tell
about that by-and-by.
We were much troubled about nam.,
but he made himself one in this way. The
Cook had been frying doughnuts and auniie
said we might each have one. They were
in a dish 1T the end 0f the pantry. Piggums
followed us in tffere and we didn't know
II so he was shut in when we went out.
Ranged along the pantry shelf were
five SQUASH pies large and deep. As we
the cook came out and began to shake
me. Jack sprang up and held her-arsss
telling her to let me alone.
whats the matter BeezieT' I said. -
matter enough yen find she gasped.
THAT fine pig has walked through an my
SQUASH pies. He'll soon he walking into
q pen and stay there till it's butchered he
is." She was so angry and Could hardly
breat the.
Look at the yeller feet of Aiinl' she cried,
as Plggums came around the corner.
You don't know how Badly Jack ana
feItI We. were sure our pet would be
banished to the pen. but as it was his
first piece, OF mischief, he forgiven. |
As we carried him off to wash those yell |
low feet, Coo SIN Ollie met us and christi
ened him Squash, SO Squash he was
ever after.
III. .s.Sa,as -
Squash played with US all summer. He |
was good natured and meat, very quick
to learn tricks and altogether a delightful