The DeLamar nugget. [volume] (DeLamar, Idaho) 1891-1900, 1897-05-07

I 'h - "FPSti'e lIeq ueIltlN mas got nlfI
into trouble and at the same time has
increased his value in the eyes of his
owner, who knows that some day, when
the goats thread of life is broken, he
will yield up some of the valuables that
he has swallowed. Years ago Mrs. Hill.
house discovered that on wash day the
safety OF the clothes she hung out to
dry depended upon their hanging high
when Sam was in the neighborhood.
She didn't learn this until the goat had
almost completely devoured a wash left
within his reach. On that occasion he
consumed two sheets, a calico dress and
a flannel shirt, table cloth, half a
dozen napkins, pair of boys trousers,
and three cotton stockings. He I'M
doubtedly would have cleaned the line
and devoured the rope had he not been
discovered by Mrs. Hillhouse before he
had reached next to the last garment,
for he made brave fight against the
broomstick that was brought into requi-
sition and tried to get at a bosom shI
and sun bonnet that were still on the
line. Thereafter the clothes were hung
so high that Mrs. Hillhouse was obliged
10 use a stepladded to reach them, and
Sam satisfied himself with walking
around, now and then up on his hind
legs and smiling wistfully.
The wide scope of the goats appetite
was not understood even then, but it
was revealed 10 Mrs. Hilhouse one day
when she hung a hall mat over the
porch rail to let the wind blow the dust
out of it. The mat never was seen again,
but Sam was found lying on the porch,
near the spot where it had been hung,
with look of supreme contentment ON
his face and few wooden rawlings
various colors dangling from his jaws.
A few days afterward, when she wanted
to hang some tides out on the porch rail
to air, Mrs. IIillhouse first tied Sam to {
tree, but, unfortunately, she tied him
with a rope. 1t happened that the
tides were in plain view of the goat, and
they made Il tempting display in the
eyes of the creature that so constantly
hungered for novelties, whether raw or
cooked. Some of them were of fine
linen, richly embroidered, and others
were combinations of scraps of silk and
satin of various pleasing colors. Sam
turned upon the rope that held him and
ate it. Then he tackled the delicacies
displayed on the porch rail, and soon
lad them slowed away in his stomach.
Mrs. Hillhouse demanded that he be
.illed at once, but her husband was
.yarmly attached to the animal and re-
used to end its life. So Sam lived, and
lived to eat. The goats intrinsic value
increased. One day when Hlilhouse's
hired man left his vest hanging on
bar post Sam took notion to go out III
the lotvhere the men We're working, and
while nosing around espied the vest.
When the owner went to get il at nooL
it was missing, and only few bits
lining had been left to indicate its fate
The hired man did not take kindly I
the loss of his vest, because in enc of the
,ockets was brand new $40 open fac
yatch, 10 which was attached three.
i2llar chain. The matches, tobacco, an.
Ter stuff in the pockets he coulU
aaye, but lie couldn't give w his watch
thout 4 protest, and he suggested to
llhouse that there was only one way
recover the timepiece, and that was
y killing Sam and laying bare the in
e-ior of his food pouch. Hillhousc
'tpbbornly refused to have the goa;
lied, aud satisfied the hired man by |
buying him a new watch and chain.
Sam showed no signs of regret over |
he watch exploit and kept on hunting |
for unusual things to devour. One day |
he ind@lEed in meal that caused hin |
physical discomfort. An
insurance agent rode out from Trenton
% see I!illhouse on business. He came |
IN a bicycle, and, leaning the machine |
lgainst the fence, went into the house |
o look over some papers. Sam never
lad seen bicycle before, and he imme
lately began looking it over to find out
f there was anything about it that he
night safely add to the varied assort-
nent already in his stomach. The tires
we're soft. Sam began work ON them
md in an extremely short time had
libbled them from the wheels. The in
agent was hauled back to town
~ Mr.. Hillhouse's horse, and Hillhouse
,aid for a new set of tires for the BIZ
,ycle. The rubber tires did not set 50
veil on Sans stomach as they had on
he wheels, and the day after he had
.aten them he gave intlcat ons of in
ernal disturbance. He was not himself
t all. lie refused to eat and lay
tretched out in corner of the wood
he'd. Hillhouse doctored him, and in
wo days the animal was well enough
o walk out and eat lace curtain that
IRIS. Hillhouse had laid on the grass to
leach. thinking that it was safe be-
ause Sam was sick.
One day last summer Hillbouse went
o Trenton TO draw money with which
o pay his help. He drew 500 from the
anll, $75 IN five-dollar gold pieces and
liver and S25 in bills. He put the money