The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1904-11-16

th=ll S-lI lHTOWn lHlO great eAClle-
ment by the rining Of cow-bell. Per-
haps If 1t had been an ordinary cow
bell. or had been heard in any other
field. it would not have caused even
q ripple Of excitement among the stolld
farmers; but that that particular bell
should ring in that one field and in
no other. just at that particular time
and that no one should ever catch sight
OF the mysterious ringer, was enough
10 cause excitement, even in a place
where sensations were more common
than they were in that little back.
woods settlement.
Clark's Crossing had been named
after the wealthy owner of the largest
farm in the township. 1t is doubtful
IL this name would have been chosen
IL the man who had first applied it
TO the cluster of houses that stood
crossed the main road had supposed
that the neighbOrs would adopt the
name. for Mr.. Clark was not popular
among them. They dlstrusted and dis
liked him.
He was an ignorant man. but no one
could say he was positively dishonest.
He was too acute to be caught in any
OF the petty meannesses of which they
felt sure he had been guilty; therefore,
they could only watch him closely in
al their dealings, and probably be-
lleved him guilty OF many things he
never thought of doing.
Feeling thus toward him. 1t was not
Strange that when Widow Garrett s
COW was run over on the track just
below the crossing, where the railway
ran through portion of Mr.. Clarks s
farm, that there should be number
ready to say that he had let down the
fence and driven the animal on to the
track: else, how did she get there?
Not from the road: the cattle guards
prevented that. and the railway itself
was we'll fenced.
The cow was known TO have broken
into the wheat-field In the afternoon.
She wore heavy. cracked. peculiar
sounding bell that was well known to
all. Two Of the neighbors had after
ward said that. returning home late
from the village, three miles away,
they had heard the COW there again.
Later still, when the express train
went by. several had been aroused
from sleep by its short, sharp danger
whistle; but the train had gone on,
and afterward the COW had been found
by the section men beside the track,
dead. They notified Mrs. Garret. and,
TO save her any trouble or expense,
buried the carcass where 1t was found.
Tommy Garrett. freckled. under
sized, big-eyed Tommy-Mrs. Gar
retts dull commonplace. fourteen
year-old and only son-went over and
watched them, and Mrs. Garrett
Grleved, for the COW had been help
TO her. and she could not afford TO
replace 1t.
Ibid they take the bell off Brlndle?"
she asked Tommy that evening. as he
sat staring solldly into the fire.
mo" he replied. Thought it wasn't
worth it. It's buried, but not deep.
though"
well. we can't get II. even II It
isn't deep" answered his mother. "But
I'm sorry 1t wasn't taken off. The
bell and strap would have been worth
something at the junkshop in town
even If no one here wanted them.
Fifty cents, maybe"
Tommy's dull face Frightened some
what, and his wlry figure Strengthened
for a moment.
The old bell worth fifty cents,
q PITY he had not known II,
This was the way the matter stood
when the second night after the COW
had been buried. Mr.. Clark heard
c0w.bell In his wheat.feld
He dressed hastily. grumbline mean
while about people who allowed their
stock TO run in the road-although he
was one of them-llt his lantern and
fastened out TO the field.
All the way from the house TO the
wheat-field fence he could hear the
short "clink. clink" made by the bell
OF an animal feeding.
Get out. you brutew he shouted,
as he set his lantern on a fence-post
and began to climb stifHy into the field.
II was still night Every sound
could be heard distinctly. There was
sharp "ciank" Of the bell. as IL the
animal had passed. startled by his
voice. and raised Its head suddenly TO
listen and presently the steady. half
muflled "clInk. clink. cllnk." began
again.
Mr.. Clark went out few yards into
the wheat. and. holding his lantern as
high as he could. peered into the
semi.darkness.
"Clink, elInk. clink." sounded the
bell--only a few yards away. II seemed
TO him. but he could see nothing.
"Get out. yoa trespasslug beastr' he
shouted again. stamping angrlly.
The bell rz;tled as II the COW had
shaken her head. and then all was
still.
The field lay beside the main road.
One Of the section men. who had been
to the village and was late in return.
ing. called to his neIghbor:
whats up. ClarkT'
! Somebody's cattle in my wheat
again" replied the farmer. "can you
see anything?"
The man stopped until bis eyes were
on q level with the top Of the wheat
and looked across the field In the
seilence the "clink. clInk" OF the bell
was distinctly audible.
y. a 49,