The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-01-12
BoWser Was Lonesome For Hog.

"What did that man want of youG'
asked Mrs. Bowser as MI. Bower re-
turned to his seat on the doorsteps after
a quarter of an hours interview with a
man at the gate.
"We-we were talking about hogs"
stammered Mr.. Bowser in reply.
"Hogel You are not thinking of
buying hogs9 We have only summer
rented this farm, you know, and have
nothing to do with the live stock. Be
sides, we had a hog when we first came
here, and you know what a time we
had with him."
But he was only a scrub hog"
He was scrub enough, but why
should we have any sort of hogY'
"L0ok here, Mrs. B1wser," said Mr..
Bower IS he got more courage, 81 am
lonesome, positively lonesome for a
hog. We've got an empty pen out
there and plenty to feed a hog, and 1
want a hog. Hogs go with the farm
You don't feel as if you were out on a
farm unless you can hear the grunt Of
a hog now and then. That the reason
I've hired a hog"
"Hired a hog, Mr.. Bowserr'
"Yes, hired or rented or leased one,
just as you want to put in. I didn't
want to buy, but 1 did want something
in that pen, and so I gave that farmer
two shillings a week for the loan of a
hog. He'll have the animal over here
in the morning, and I shall take more
comfort fussing around with him than
in all the rest of the farming put to
gether."
"But-you-you-"
81 know I had trouble with the other
hog, but this is a different breed. The
other critter and I didn't understand
each other, but this hog will be all
right. He'll come here prepared to
conduct himself in a proper manner
and be as one of the family. and /
shan't want to brain him with the
Gro wbar or hang him by the neck. He's
a Merino hog, this last one"
II never heard of a Merino hogl" ex
claimed Mrs. Bowser.
Very likely. There are plenty of
things you never heard of Mrs. Bow
ser, but if you keep on living they will
come to you, There are Merino, South
down, Suffolk, Leghorn, Holstein and
lots of other kinds of hogs, but I &C.
lected this Merino on account of bis
s geet and lovely disposition. Youth
be glad I Rot him when you see him
That's all now. I was lonely for a hog,
have got N and shall take a heap
more comfort than before"
Mrs. Bowser had no more to say.
She realized that if MI. BoWser took a
notion to buy a rhinocerous to occupy
the empty henhouse, or a walrus to
take possession of the s~mokehouse,
nothing she could say would prevent
it. The hog arrived after breakfast
next morning, and when he had been
placed in the pen and the farmer had
departed she went down to the pen to
view him. He was a long, lean, lank
hog, with three kinks in his tail and
ears, which portrayed a hungry and
grasping character. He was as hollow
as if he had been bored out with an
anger, and he had lost an eye and re-
ceived a dozen on his saout while
battling with a cold and cruel world.
well, isn't he a lulu7" exclaimed
Mr.. Bowser after giving her two or
three mintes to take in all the poin+s
He would be-for a dime museum, "
she quietly replied.
You you don't fancy him3"
"He's worse than the other one. Mr..
Bowser, if you had hunted the whole
of North"
'That's.you-that your way" be in
terrupted as he danced around. 81 go
and hire a hog to make things cheerful
and homelike on the farm, and you lie
awake all night to Think of something
mean to say. G'Wey from here"
Cant 1 give you my opinion of a
hogY"
mo, ma'am. Don't come near this
pen. Don't come within ten rods of it.
You abused that other hog in the most
shameful manner, and that's why he
acted as he did, but I'll protect this one
from your melignancy."
Mrs. Bowser entered the house, and
Mr.. Bowser leaned over the pan and
looked lovingly down on his latest &C
QUESTION. The hog squinted back at
him with one eye and seemed to feel at
home. By and by he lay down with e
sigh and q "Roof.n and Mr.. Bowser