The Starkville news. (Starkville, Miss.) 1902-1960, 1903-03-20

prize with her at the next cattle show.
Fred made for this spot. | was right
behind him, and as soon as | saw he
was going toward the pigpen turned
round and forgetting, in my eager
ness. the necessity of keeping covered
and silent, almost shouted to the boys
behind:
Great Scott, he's going to shoot
the pig!"
We boys were more scared than ever,
for this was far more serious business
than we had bargained for. Luckily,
my action had not "given us away"
and in few moments more we were
all up to the fence. The pig lay facing
US asleep in the sunshine, one ear
down, the other up-a funny habit
pigs seem to have when they are per-
fectly happy. Fred stuck the gun
through the fence in a place where
long board had been broken away.
Pale with dread and fear, but not dar-
ing to demonstrate, the faces of the
other boys might have been seen at
his side, peering anxiously through
the crack. The supreme moment was
at hand.
"When I fire, skip through the high
grass to those bushes, then through
them to the brook, and up into the
woods, and they'll never see u.s. said
Fred. He was cool as a cucumber as
he placed the muzzle of the weapon al
most at the brain of his sleeping VIC
tim. and whispered:
"One-two-three!"
Then a crash! Mingled with the guns
awful report was the unearthly roar OF
the most surprised squealer on record.
The pigs head appeared to be split
open and to squirt torrents OF blood
as she stumbled toward the barn While
keeping up her Internal noise. But we
didn't stop to view the remains. III any
boys ever sledaddled at more livery
pace than we did, history doesn't say
so. Frightened fails to express 1t. For
several days afterward the other 1el-
lows kept away from us. and we three
brothers were so well behaved that
mother asked father if he thought we
were sick.
Strangely enough, not word was
Il
Eaton evidently hadn't mentioned 1T to
a soul AS q week rolled by, and noth-
ing was said about the affair, we boys
uuaked in anguish. sure that some de-
tectiye was secretly arranging our
capture. Our suffering was fit and am
pie punishment for what we had done.
We had by no means recovered our
comDOsure when cattle show opened
in all its glory. and we boys went the
rounds in body.
lets see what this crowd is over
there by the swine department., said
one. and away we went pell NELL for
the point of interest.
AS we reached the pen, and looked
in. YOU could have knocked US down
with a feather. There was Farmer
Eaton's sow standing and looking
peacefully around. one ear happily
erect as usual, and a clean hole about
as big as marble through the ear, and
through It was neatly tied the first
prize ribbon!
.'Why. we thought you'd killed her,
Fred." the boys all said, IS soon as
we could get off by ourselves. "4ou
certainly aimed right at her brains!"
"Now. boys, don't be alarmed an
swered Fred. in his superior way. Its
true the gun was pointed at the pigs
brain, but it was aimed at her ear.
You forget that that gun shoots around
a corner! really meant TO make that
hole and mar the pig so she wouldn't
take first prize. Eaton didn't dare say
a word for fear the judges of stock
would hear what had happened. But
the hole healed up beautifully. and the
judges this morning were sotakcn with
it that they awarded the pig first prize
on the spot, and put the ribbon through
it as an earring"
"All's well that ends WELL" and we
were glad enough to be safely out Of
what we then saw had been a mean
act, and mi ght have turned out very
serious one. We boys never went gun
ming for big game" again.-Farm and
Home.
Cold and Calculating.
She heSitated and asked for little
time for consultation.
"lVhy, certainly" he said. "There
ic no b,,rr.u 1c1,f fhic IOaftar IF