Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-11-19
TALES OF B0YH00D.
The Mean Farmer and His Calf
Go to the Fair.
How the Old Mans Religion Stood b.
Him in a Crisis.
The Quaker Who Got to Church a Lit.
tie Late.

The Journal man got another State
House official in a corner the other day,
and worked him for a boyhood yarn,
like the ones that have recently been
published in the Journal. When ! was
about a dozen years old" he said. land
beginning to be all feet, hands, arms,
legs and aspirations, made my first
visit to the county fair. l can't say I
enjoyed it as much as have some fairs
since. but shall never forget one single
thing which happened, that day. l can
remember even the rocks in the road
You see, we had neighbor, one of the
meanest critters that ever lived"-here
the Journal man noted down the re-
markab.e fact that it is always the
neighbors who are mean-"but wasn't
old enough to understand the ways of
the world much so didn't suspect him
when he drove up to our house, one day
and wanted me to take his prize calf to
the fair. / could take my chum, too,
he said, and we could both get in free.
Well. of course we were in great spirits,
for we had never been to the fair. So
bright and early next morning we COW
cred the mile between our house and his
and We're ready to take the calf. II we
| could have gone across the lake, 1T
would have been only about four or five
miles to the fair grounds, but it was
more than 10 around the road. This
| was something We came to realize,
later.
My chum got into the wagon with the
old farmer and l took Master Calf by
the end of his rope. and the procession
| started. l had always been 4 good boy
and had gone to Sunday school, but
| that calf did more to spoil my temper
and teach me to swear than l could
make up in month of Sundays. He
| was rotional. First he would decide to
put on speed, and would sail through
| the air. heightened out straight on the
end of that rope. Then he would
| switch off to one Side and l would be
| wound around tree alongside of the
| road, only to be unwoand and swished
through the bushes. Finally the calc
would get exhausted and trot on peace
| ably for awhile. until another notion
struck him.
When 7 was banged and beaten and
| dragged out, my chum would give me
spell, and receive the same medicine
| But We were going to the fair and
didn't mind. We got there about noon
| in the heat of the day, so tired that we
| crawled into a shed on some straw and
| lay down. We just couldn't get up to
see the fair at all. And the old skim
| flint never gave US any dinner or money
| TO buy it, so we went half starved, all
| day. He showed up at night though
| and wanted his calf taken home. TAX
IN home! We hadn't thought of that.
| There were all those miles to be done
| ,ver again. and the evil one was in that
| ,alf coming out all the road. He had
| been accustomed to see his Ma at sun
| down. and he was very anxious about
| 1t, as soon as it grew dark. Oh that
Quincy home over the road of sha-
| lows: ! hope I may never meet any
| hing like it in the hereafter. But VIC
i'd get the calf home. finally. and then
| he most unkindeSt cut Of all came /
We had to walk home! Oh, that mile
Il don't want to dwell on it any long
.r. but I'll tell some more yarns about
hat old neighbor and l hope they'll |
iaunt his memory. l got back at him
few years later. He had nice gard
n of berry bushes of various kinds al |
| let out in wide rows, and he thought ?
OF Of them. He used to plough be- |
Ween the rows, and came after me tr
rive his oxen for him. one time. He
,ad fine yoke of steers. but cautioned
| ne not to strike or brad them. That
vas just my cue. After we got tc
,loughing. l let my stick rest across the
,ear ones neck and would gently proc
he off one occasionally. He would rare
nd jump. and the old fellow would vel
Whoa at him until he was quiet again
When I got him pretty we'll worked up
shortened my stick and worked the
ear one the same way. Then there
| Vas fun for the rest of the afternoon
| nd when we got through. the Ole
1an's bushes looked as if they had been
tampeded by herd of elephants. 4
1.-The old chap got his pay in the calf
me, too. and l believe, as a matter of
act. that we all get our pay, sooner OF
alter. He was very pious man, anG
me Sunday morning had just climbed
ntO the carria 90 with his family IN .r1