The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-10-01
ESSEN.
a Lauahahle Incident Farm Notes
and Other Items.
DunnsYllle. Va, Sept 20, 1904

There are just SCORES OF things which
We want to tell you about this wee' &.
The people are moving around. Some
coming. some going and the sorn shoot
ers having ia good time. But before an
other line We must tell yOn abOuI Baylor
ana the bull This il uppermost in our
thoughts The fodder can lie there all
tangled and torn and spelling. We can
pull il ourselves, and we cant pay poe
a hundred 20 hsveit pulled, and We can
pay 7jc IA day and two meals either
Hog weeds make good hay. Newlll cut
them and let the fodder 20. We did not
bring the storm and We did not Esk Tor
il. so let's apply our thoughts 10 more
inviting themes Butyou don't know bay.
Tor. Just wish you did, for then what
we want you 10 see would be easier in
the telling Well, Baylor has seen about
Is summers, ami is we'll grown; long Of
limb. awkward in his movements, wears
about "A ten and a half shoe, and Of dusky
shade In complexion His usual move
ments are slow and slouchy, but to the
music of the mOuth.harp he can execute
all of the steps known TO the iig dancers,
and turn and twist his body like Japa-
nese cOntOrtOnist. Living not far from
~ was Mr. Jones. who owned two
bulls. IL had been arranged between Mr.
Jones and us that one of these animals
should have highland pasture. he resid-
ing on the creek and having marsh land
only. Well, We asked Baylor II he would
not 20 with us and help tn drive the bull
to our field. lie agreed to go. Baylor
was dressed in pair OF white pants
about six inches too short. aud very
tight in the legs. lie wore high collar
and very long white coat, flis stock
ings had fallen down over his shoes. aud
hia cap brim WAS turned back giving him
kinder" daredevil, don t-care" ap'
peArancr.
We had no difficulty in finding Mr..
Jones lie invited US in, and dispatched
Baylor. having given him cOpiOus direc.
tions. To drive up his herd Of cattle of oi
the marsh. Now. be it remembered that
in this marsh there hre many and sundry
muAkrst holes, and muskrat holes and
white pants do not 20 we'll together,
Mr Jones talked with u5 on yRFiOusHub
jpcts, appropriate and pleasing. for an
nour or more After while, he said,
Look here, ! wonder what has become
OF that negro" We went down 20 the
barn lot to hunt him mp. Presently he
came. driving the cattle along aud pick
ing his way As carefully IA he could
through the marsh. Now, we do not
know how many muskrAt holes are in
that marsh, but il seemed that Baylor
had found most OF them, Tor he was
muddy from head TO foot and especially
from the top OF his pants to the bottom
hem thereof.
The cattle were easily driven into the
farm pen Mr. Jones then began 10 give
us the pedigree of both Of bis bulls. One
had horns, the other was q little buffalo,
blood red. and about two years old
Now this one, he said, pointing 20 the
buffalo, ''is the one you can have.
Baylor held one hand on his hip, and the
other rested on the fence, but his eyes
rested on that bull, and the bull not
noticing Mr.. Jones or us in the least,
eyed Baylor with es malicious a look as
we ever saw. Baylor and the bull seemed
mutually hypnotized Mr. Jones then
proceeded % rope the bull, while it WAS
our part 90 be some kind Of a barkeeper
for the time being He is perfectly gen
tie" remarked Mr. Jones; my children
can handle him and drive him any " here.
There was an expression oistrong doubt
in Baylor's face. Ia fact be looked as II
he thought that gentleness was no part
of that animals nature. t was evident
that Baylo was afraid OF the bull, and
il was equally as evident that the bull was
afraid OF Bay lor.
Wa1r hr.l1 f.ff ho ar nd
drive him right along. You will not
have a bit of trouble" Baylor doubted
this, too, but timidly and cautiously Ap-
preached and took The rope, still eyeing
the bull and the bull eyeIng him. Pull
down the bars and let him come" said
MIR. Jones. We Obeyed order The bull
did not bulge. Mr. Jones gave little
Jerk and twist to the caudal appendRge
OF the animal Then he came. There
was no mistake about that. We saw
him and Baylor felt him. His tongue
Was out, his tail stretched as straight az
an arrow and at every bound he below
ed AS if the devil and the deep blue sea
were hitched behind him. No road |
suited his course, but through tomato
field full OF fruit and ready for market
he sped, with the negro following by |
great strides and bounds. Tomato vines
and the fruit thereupon flew at every |
lump they made. The negro held on
heroically. We watched, so weak from
laughter we could scarcely stand up, and
Mr. Jones. with arms akimbo, looked n
picture of grief at the loss OF his toma'
toes. On they went cutting regular
swathe through the patch. Presently
Baylor's foot became entangled IN to-
mato vine. This sudden tripping, TO- !
gether with the impetus the rope gave
him, lifted him bodily into the air, and
then down he came az full length, At
this the bull turned Il perfect summer
sAnlt landing with his head under him
Mr. Jones ran towards them and we fol'
lowed as fast as our aching sides would
let us. They were both lying fiat when
we got there and still looking at each
other. Baylor's first words were;
''NeYer mind, old fellow; | got you"
And the bull we'll might have said that
he had Baylor, for he was mixture OF
ripped trousers, marsh mud and ripe to-
matoes. Well, we got the animal to his
feet, and, strange to say, the rest OF the
way he was as gentle.as dog. Baylor
had conquered the bull, and we had
laughed until we were sore.
The long drought killed much OF the
German clover seeded In August, and
most Of the farmers are reseeding after
the excellent rains we hsyeiust had. The
late tomato crop is coming on finely
and our factories are busy.
The Essex mill is busy grinding wheat,
Messrs Hundley and Aopklns are paying
a dollar bushel for it, and are laying in
a large supply in order to meet the de;
mand for their flour.
MIR. Lamar Hundley ,Oi Newport News,
has charge OF the new store at the Essex
mill. His many friends are glad TO have
him in our midst again.
Rev. Richie v are and Mr.. +. II. Scott
left for Kimberland Heights Last week.
Mr.. Scott will take ministerlsl courae
at the Christian College there.