Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-05-10
A PAIL OF MILK.

the kind of farmer we read of in the good,
old story books-honcst, big hearted fell
lows who We're supposed to be the real
backbone of the country. He was more
like the modern farmers-close listed, foxy
old coons, who pluo themselves on the
sharpness of their bargains and who value
humanity by the price of corn.
About mile from Farmer Jones lived
another farmer named simpson. He was
not near so sharp in bargain as Farmer
Jones WAS, and was a different sort of
man altogether. Like him, however, he
was a lover of cows
But by some cruel freak of misfortune
it was impossible to squeeze enough milk
out of his COWS to supply his own family.
And yet his cows were extremely fine look
ing. But while Farmer Jones' were a
marvel in the milking line so We're Farm
er Simpson sin an opposite sense.
All at once it was noticed that Farmer
Simpson was oversupplied with milk-in
fact, began to rival Farmer Jones in the
quantity and quality of his butter and
cheese.
Farmer Jones was nos delighted at his
neighbours prosperity. In sooth he was
terribly vexed, not to say astonished, at
it. Farmer Simpson, however, made no
secret of the cause of his sudden tactical
abundance. He had bought new lot of
cows, he said, among them an old brindle,
and they We're astonishing mixers
When he heard this, Farmer Jones'
mind was made up; he must have that
brindle True, Brother Simpson had not
said that the brindle was the best of the
new lot but he must have meant that
At all events he wanted that cow
Ono rOorpipp whom tho two fnr,oarc
were talking together, Farmer Jones point
ed carefully at old Brindle and remarked:
You wouldn't care to sell that COW,
would you, Brother Simpson,"
Well, don't know l might perhaps
If l could got my price for her.
"What do you call her WORTH"
81 couldn't sell that COW less than 500. "
"Whew That's remarkable price,
amt it2'
''Wcll, yes, it is; but she's remarkable
COW too. You've no idea what a milller
she is. | never saw her like in all the born
days of my life "
i've good mind to buy her, Brother
Simpson
but I don't know as I'd sell her to
you. Brother Jones.
"Not sell her to me- Why, amt we
good friends"
Yes, good friends enough, but I've
heern you were very particular about cows,
and if she didn't come up to your idea you
might think l cheated you."
''Oh, no, don't let that trouble you,
Brother simpson l shan t buy her if she
amt worth the money However, I'll go
home and sleep over it, and in the morn
ing l II come down and talk it over. d"
Il have come over to buy that cow" he
remarked as soon as the good mornings
were over. But of course l don't want
to make a leap in the dark. | suppose
you have no objection to answering hon
estly any question l may put about old
BrindleY"
..Oh, certainly not-certainly not, was
tho candid response. If you really in
tend to buy the COW, want you to ask
every question you can think of, SO that
everything shall be fair and square. She
is fine COW, Brother Jones-a remark
able cow
So he asked, "Docs she give good mike
"Wcll, l reckon she does-the sweetest
and richest milk l ever tasted. Makes
butter yellow as gold and sweet as posy
Want to see some OF it,"
NO; never mind now. III take your
word for it. But how much does she give
at IL mlking?"
well, she varies from pail to a pail
and half-never less than u pail and
sometimes more One morning she gave
moro than two pals, but that was when
she wasn't half MIXED the night before
But she is sure of as pailful every time. "
That was enough; a pailful at milk
ing was the average his own cows gave,
and he thought old Brindle might improve
under his treatment.
80 the bargain was struck, the money
was paid, and Farmer Jones went home
rejoicing in his good fortune.
At the end of a week his rejoicing began
to cool in fortnight it ceased altogether
at the end of three weeks he was almost
raying mad.
On the twentieth morning after he
drove that old brindle home Farmer Jones
appeared before Farmer Simpson in tow
ering passion.
Il have come to talk about that old
cow, he exclaimed. You swindled Inc
disgraccfully in that bargain, sir. :"
"Swindled you! Why, how? Don't
the cow give good milky"
"Give good milk Yes, she gives good
milk enough, but she don't give enough
to drown "a mosquito. You said she gave
a pailful every time
And so she did, sir when l had her
Filled pail trimming full twice u day
and sometimes more. "
"And, pray, how large pail was it,
why, three quart pail, OF course!
Same AS l always use"
Tho deuce take your three quart pail"
And, turning on his heel, Farmer John
Jones walked away u sadder, madder and
a wiser man.
Since then, if any one wants to see any
thing more dangerous than a nest of hor
nets, he has only to ask John Jones show
large the pail was. New York News.