The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-11-17
A STORY FROM LIFE.
But It Is No Less Interesting On That
Account.
BY MRS. CLARA J. DENTON.

Look at that COW. A pretty fix she's
in. Did you ever see such an idiot?'i
And the words were followed by a
loud laugh.
Attracted by this evidence of amuse-
ment, the other loungers on the wharf
turned about and watched the COW with
grateful interest. In her explorations
along the pier the creature had come
upon a discarded salt barrel, and had
licked up the salt still clinging to its
edges.
Had she been content with this, no
harm would have resulted, but in the
eagerness of her appetite for the salt,
she pushed her head farther and farth-
er inside the barrel, until her horns be-
came fastened there. Held tilus, as in
a wise, she made frantic but unavailing
efforts to free herself, and in so doing
foundered blindly about the wharf.
The loungers watched her without
going to her relief, and at last, in her
aimless struggles, she plunged head
long into the water. Thefeupon the
heartless spectators broke out inio yells
of delight.
Outcries were unusual in this peace
fdl village, and in a moment the Occu-
pants of the stores in the neighborhood
of the wharf were rushing pell-meIl to
the river.
''Irs the Widow Howelis cow"
cried one of the throng, as the poor
beast, selfblind folded, wsdt swim
ming madly around in a circle.
"Here, bessie, bossier' called another
hoping to lure her towards the shore.
Several other voices took up this cry,
but the commotion served only to ter
rify the creature, for, with a sudden
plunge, she turned about and began
swimming vigorously down stream.
"She'l never stop until she reaches
the lake" cried dozen voices.
At this juncture boy, carrying a
basket of eggs, rushed through the
crowd to the edge of the wharf. He
seemed to take in the situation at a
glance. In moment his basket was
on the ground and his ragged clothes
were on top of it.
"What are you going to do?" ex-
claimed tall fellow on the edge of the
crowd.
For answer there was splash in the
water, and then a tow head arose above
the surface and steered off in the di-
rection of the COW. The crowd watch
ed breathlessly. This slender boy had
done what not a man among them had
either cared or dared to do.
The river was wide at this point, but
the boy struck out in a bee-line, and
was able, after some minutes of strong
and swift swimming, to head off the
animal by catching hold of the barrel.
He then swan around her, caught hold
of her tail and steered her towards the
wharf again, amid the cheers of the
crowd.
Throw me a club" he shouted,
when within speaking distance.
This was done, and the boy climbed
onto the cows back with the club in
his hand. Raising it aloft, he brought
it down upon The barrel with few
vigorous blows, shivering the wood,
and in another moment the liberated
COW was nn shore, running with all
her might towards home, and the boy
was drawing on his clothes.
"Are you the Widow Howell's boy?'
said voice over his shoulder.
'sINo, sir" was thequick answer, and,
looking up at the tall, fine-looking
man, the boy went on by way of ex-
PLANTATION; ''she hasn't any boys. Pm
Pete Mobiles boy, and my name is
Harry"
"WeIl, Harry" said the gentleman,
'..you're just the sort of boy i need.
How would you like to go to the city
to live?D
Harry gave little gasp of pleasure,
but did not answer immediately. All
his short life he had been longing to see
the city. To be sure, it was only five
miles away, but it might as well have
been five hundred. Here, then, was
his opportunity.
"wen, sir, I'd like to CO." he said,
"but haven't any clothes but these"
"No matter about the clothes" said
his new friend, they're for sale in the
city. / want boy 10 stay in my rooms
at tho hotel and answer the telephone
and sometimes goon errands. You'll
have $40 month and your board and
lodging. If you want to go, and your
folks are willing-I don't want run
away boy-meet me at the 5 O'Clock
train"
"My folks will be willing" said
Harry. 'I haven'ta any but my father,
and he wants me to get something to
do"
"All right; here's my card; you may
want to tell your father to whom you
have hired yourself"
The slip Of pasteboard passed from
the delicate white hand to the hard,
sunburned one, and the two parted.
Harry, with his basket on his arm,
went on slowly, lost in admiration OF
the finely engraved script on the card.
sJerome X. Montgomery" he said
TO himself. ''I wonder what father
will think of that for a regular swell
name?'
When, few hours later, he followed
his new employer into the railway
coach, be said to himself:
Harry, you're in luck"
For three happy months he contin-