The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1904-12-04
The Mysterious
CoW-BeII.
\ y = = 4 X X
BY BETH DAY.

one OF the section men, who had been
TO the village and was late in return
Ing, called to his nelghbor:
Whats up. Clarke
Somebody's cattle in my wheat
again, replied the farmer. "Can YOU
see anythlngp
The man stopped until his eyes were
on a level with The top of the wheat
and looked across the field. In the
silence the "clink. clink" Of the bell
WAS distinctly audible.
NO" he answered; II can't see
anything. But | can hear her. There's
only one. think"
Sounds like that cow Of Widow
CARROTS" observed tile farmer.
Wen, it isn't her" rejoined the
man--"nor her bell, neither. for we
buried them both. But 1t does sound
like It,"
1T does that" answered the farmer,
and there wasn't another bell ike II
In the township. Well, / must get the
old critter out, or she'll have half
the wheat trampled down"
lie shuflled away, following the
"clink. cllnk." OF the bell. that seemed
TO come from just beyond the circle
Of light cast by the lantern he was
holding.
Presently he stopped, for the sound
Of the bell had ceased.
Mr. Clark listened for moment.
Then he kicked some Of the hard earth
loose, gathered a handful, and flung
It in the direction in which lie had
heard the bell.
Whey. you old foolr' he shouted.
A light wind stirred the wheat. but
there was no other sound; nor did he
hear the bell again that night. although
he searched for some time; neither did
he find any cattle in the field. He ex-
amncd the fence, but could find no
place where an animal could have
broken in.
Tho more he thought about 1t the
more mystlfed he became. lie feared
that the bell-ringlng would be repeated.
nor were his fears IN vain. 1t began
somewhat earlier than on the previous
evening, and armed with his lantern
stout stick which he had provided,
Mr. Clark sailed out at the first
"cllnk, cinls" Of the bell, and for
nearly an hour followed it about. as
he had done on the previous night,
and TO as little purpose.
Two OF the nearest nelghbors threw
up their windows ANA listened when
they saw the lantern In the field, and
the singular affair began to be talked
Of IN the neighborhood.
The only result Of this second vista
ton was to fix the idea firmly in the
minds of Mr.. Clark and those who
heard 1t, that 1t was really old
Brlndle's bell.
The next day Mr. Clark called on
Widow Garrett
Il came" he began, with assumed
confidence, ITO buy your COW bell. !
suppose you'd as lief sell 1t, as you
have no use for 1t now?'
Il should be glad to do so, assured
the widow but they did not think
it worth keeping, and SO buried it with
The cow"
I'd pay you a good price for it,
he continued watching her keenly.
I'm sorry | have not got it." she
replied. I'D be glad enough to sell
1t il could"
The man turned a shade paler.
IL can't always tell my cow-bells
when I'm hunting my cows, they're
SO like the others, and that was so
different"
I'm sorry repeated the widow.
"Oh. well, It don't matter" con
timed AIR Clark "Now | come TO
think Of it, the bell was cracked ana
wasn't worth much. You'll be buying
a now one, | presume?r
The widow shook her head.
1T would be a great help TO me-"
she said, "but l could not raise the
money to buy one"
That night the farmer decided not
to so out TO the field, hut he dis.
covered. as did his neighbors, that the
bell rang just The same. whether he
went out or not,
Big boys began to whistle when they
had TO pass the field after shutdown,
and little boys would not pass It az
all after dark.
The next night the farmer lay awake
and listened; he did not get up until
the sound of the bell came through
the field, and went up and down. up
and down along his garden fence
'rhen he left his bed. dressed himself
and followed It into the field. A mum
Der of the neighbors stood in the road
/ and shouted out to him.
"Why don't You set the dog on it?'
called one
Mr.. Clark did not keep a dog. but a
neishhor brought one, and it was sent
into the field.
Ii went in fast enough. but II did
not come back. Later the owner found
that II had sneaked out on the opposite
side of the field ana gone home.
The noghbors were standing outside
the fence, and Mr. Clark inside. lust
10 the edge Of the wheat. with one
accord they seemed to Aave left hin;