The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1904-12-04

49, ~ rev IdIhnlth Hflhb ~
Clark's Crossing. In West
- ern Wisconsin, were
lsIl laIl thrown into great excite
ment By the rinlng OF a cow-bell. Per
haps IL it had been an ordinary cow
bell. or bad been heard IN any other
fieia. IT would not have caused even
ripple Of excitement among the stolid
farmers; bnt That that particular bell
should ring IN that one field and in
no other, just at that particular time,
AMI THAT no one should ever catch sight
OF The mysterious ringer, was enough
70 cause excitement. even in a place
where sensations were more common
than they We're In that little back
woods settlement.
Clark's Crossing had been named
after the wealthy owner OF the largest
farm fl the township. 1t is doubtful
Il This name would have been chosen
if the man who had first applied 1t
to the cluster Of houses that stood
near The spot where the railway
crossed tile main road had supposed
that the neighbors would adopt the
name, for Mr.. Clark was not popular
nmong them. They distrusted and dis
liked him.
He was an ignorant man, but no one
could say he was positively dishonest.
lie 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 ~
asl their dealings, and probably be-
lieyed him guilty Of many things he
never thought Of doing.
Feeling thus toward him, It was not
strange that when Widow CARROTS
COW was run over on the track just
below the crossing. where The railway
ran through portion OF Mr.. Clark s
farm, that there should be a number
ready 10 say that he had let down the
fence ana 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 well fenced.
Tho COW was known to have broken
into the wheatfeld in the afternoon.
She wore q heavy, cracked, peculiar
sounding bell that was well known to
all. Two Of The ncighbors 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 It's short, sharp danger
whistle; but the train had gone on.
and aficrward the COW had been found
by the section men beside The truck,
dead They notified Mrs. Garrett. and.
to saye her any trouble or expense,
buried the carcass where II was found.
Tommy Garrett, freckled under
sized, bg.eyed Tommy Mrs. Gar
rett's dull commonplace, fourteen
year-oId and oa;y son-went over and
watched iheM, and Mrs. Garrett
grieved, fer t,lN COW had been a help
70 her. and she could not afford to
replace t.
did they take the bell on Brindleg'
she asked Tommy that evening. as he
sat stirring solldly into the fire
no" he replied, Thought It wasn't
worth It, It's buried. but not deep,
though"
swell. we can't get It, even IL II
isn't deep answered his mother "But
I'm sorry It wasn't taken off. The
bell and strap would have been worth
something at the junkshop in town
even IL no ono here wanted them.
Fifty cents. maybe"
Tommy's duh face frightened some
what and his why figure Strengthened
Tor moment.
The old bell worth fifty cents!
a pity he had not known H.
This was tho way the matter stood
when the second night after the COW
had been buried Mr. Clark heard a
eow-bell in his wheatfeld.
He dressed hastily, grumhllng mean.
while about people who allowed their
stock 10 run in the road-although he
was ono OF them-lit his lantern aud
FASTENED out to the field.
All the way from the house to the
wheat-held fence he could hear the
short "cliuk. clink" made by the bell
Of an animal feeding.
Get out, You brutew he shouted.
as he set his lantern on fenco-post
and began to climb stimy into the field.
> II was still night. Every sound
could be heard distinctly. There was
a sharp "clank' OF the bell as if Tho
aaimal had passed. startled by his
voice, and raised its head suddenly 10
listen. and presently the steady, halt
muiiled "clink. clink. cmk.r began
again.
Mr.. Clark went out a few yards into
the wheat and holding his lantern n,
high as he could. peered into ,h,
gemi-darkness.
"Clink. clinS. cllnk.' sounded thl
bell-only few cards away. il SCENE,
70 him. but he could see nothing.
Get out you trespassing beast" h
shouted again. stamping angrily.
The bell ratified as II the COW hal
shaken her head. and then all wa
ahl