The Republican journal., 1901-09-05
THE ANNEXATION OF cuBY.
An Episode In the Life of Mrs. Wigs OF
the Cabbage Patch.

A new humorist, Miss Alice Caldwell
Hogan, contributes to the September
Century short story about the physi-
cal salvation of a horse.
The Wiggses lived in the Cabbage
Patch. 1t was not real cabbage patch,
but a queer neighborhood where ram
shackle cottages played hop-scotch over
the railroad tracks. The Wigs family
consisted of Mrs. Wigs and five chill
dren The boys were named Jim and
Billy, but it was Mrs. Wigs boast that
her three little girls had geography
names First came Asia, then Austria
liza. When the last baby arrived, and
Billy stood looking down at the small
bundle. he asked anXiously: "Are you
goin to have it for a boy or a girl, MAJ"
Mrs. Wigs had answered: "a girl,
Billy, and her name is Europena."
Hard work and strict economy were
necessary in the little household. Mrs.
Wigs took in washing, jim worked at
the factory, and the others helped as
best they could.
The direct road to fortune, however,
according to Billy's ideas, could best be
travelled in kindling wagon, and while
he was the proud possessor of broken
down wagon, sole relic of the late MI.
Wigs. he had nothing to hitch to it..
Scarcely a week passed that he did not
agitate the question, and as Mrs. Wigs
often said:
when Billy Wigs done set his head
to thing he's as good as got it"
Consequently she was not surprised
when he rushed into the kitchen one
evening about supper time, and exclalm-
ed in excited tones:
Ma. I've got horse. He was bavin'
a tit on the commons, an they was goin'
to shoot him, an asst the man to give
him to me.
MY land. Billy. what do you want
with fit horse?" asked his mother.
''Cause | knowed you could cure
him. The man said if l took him I'd
have to pay fer cartin' away his car
cass: but | said all right, III take him
anyway. Come on, ma, an see hlm!''
And Billy hurried back to his new pos
session.
Mrs. Wigs pinned a shawl over her
head and ran across the commons. A
group of men stood about the writing
animal, but the late owner had depart
ed
He's most gone said one of the
men as she came up. Il tole Billy
you'd beat him fer takin' that old nag
often the mans hams"
We'll. | won't" said Mrs. Wigs,
stoutly. Billy Wigs S got more sense
than most men | know. That hoss's
carcass is worth something. | 'spect
he'd bring bout two dollars dead an
mebby more livin'. Anyway I'm goin'
to save him if there's any save to him"
She stood with her arms on her hips
a,,I c,1rvovod bar natiQpt
III tell you what's the matter with
him. was her final diagnosis; This
lights is riz Bill, I'm goin' home for
some medicine. You set on his head
SOS he can't git up, an mall be right
back in a minute
The crowd which had collected to see
the horse SHOT began to disperse, for it
was supper-time, and there was nothing
to see now but the poor suffering horse
with Billy Wigs patiently sitting on
his head.
When Mrs. Wigs returned she car
red bottle and what appeared to be a
large marble This here is a calomel
pill she explained Il jes rolled the
calomel in with some soft light bread
Now you prop his jaw open with stick,
an Eli shove it in: then hold his head
back, While | pour down some water
an lulkelllle outer IllS DOlUl6.
Il was with great difficulty that this
was accomplished, for the old horse had
evidently seen a vision of the happy
hunting ground and was loath to return
to the sordid earth. His limbs were al
ready stitfening in death, and only the
whites of his eyes were visible. Mrs
Wigs noted these discouraging symp
toms. and saw that violent measures
were necessary
"Gether some sticks an build a fire
quick as you kin. I've got to run ovel
home. Build it right up close to him
Billy: we've got to git him het up"
She rushed into the kitchen, and tax
ing several cakes of tallow from the
shelf, threw them into a tin bucket.
Then she heSitated for moment. The
kettle of soup was Steamlng away OIL
the stove, ready for supper Mrs. Wigs
did not believe in sacrificing the pres
ent need to the future comfort. SHE
threw in liberal portion of pepper
and Selling the kettle in one hand, and
the bucket of tallow in the other, stag
gered back to the bonfire.
Now, Billy" she commanded, 'put
this bucket of tallow down there in the
hottest part of the fire. Look out
don't tip it-there. Now you come here
an help me pour this soup into the bot
tie. I'm goin' to git that ole boss sc
het up he'll think he's havin' sun
stroke Seems sorter bad to keep OF
pesterin' him when he's SO near gone
but this here soup'll feel good when il
once gifts inside him
When the kettle was empty the soup
was impartially distributed over Mrs
Wigs and the patient, but a goodly
amount had ''got inside,' and already
the horse was losing his rigidity.
Only once did Billy pause in his work
and that was to ask:
Ma, what do you think I'd better
name him.
Giving names was one of Mrs. Wigs
chief accomplishments, and usually re
quired much thoughtful consideration
but in this case, if there was to be {
christening, it must be at once.
I'D like a biography name,' suggested
Billy, feeling that nothing was too goo6
to bestow on his treasure.
Mrs. Wigs stood with the soup drip
ping from her hands, and earnestly
contemplated the horse. Babies, pigs
goats and puppies had drawn largely OF
. her supply of late, and geography names
especially were scarce. Suddenly {
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