The Crittenden record. [volume] (Marion, Ky.) 1904-1907, 1905-12-08
Farmer Bunker and
the Widow
IOriginall

Leke, bllu fhTneT Dunh'T, WHY |
don't y make up TO Mandy Snlflen?
She's purifier n new mowin' ma
chine an as good gal as ever lived"
Him." replied the wary son. win
mems what y say-jlst like n mowln'
machine. They're purity enough TIL y
git 'em harnessed up; then they cut
down everything In their way"
Farmer Bunker since the death OF
Zcke's mother, year before, had. been
casting longing eyes at the widow
Snffen, Mandys mother Knowing
that his son had an objection to hay
ing any one put In his own mothers |
place, he felt II he could get Zeke to |
make match with the daughter he
might overcome the boys scruples (
hut Iekc saw the trap and did not !
relish the advantage his falling into II
would give his father. The old man,
| having failed with his bait, concluded
/ 10 do little counting and then pro
pose. Zeke watched the maneuvers
with anxiety
One morning after one Of the farm
ers visits to the widow he awOke 10
see the widows COW rummaging In
his corn, some ~ which she had tram
pied underfOOt The old man fired up
nt once. but. remembering the situation
between him aud the widow, quietly
drove the COW over low place In the
fence by which she had made her en-
trance 10 the shed where she belonged.
lie asked Zekc II he had carelessly left
the fence lowered, and Zeke said that
he had not Then the farmer sur
missed that the COW had done II with
her horns
In few days the COW was In the
corn again This time after the farm
or had driven her out. lac went 10 the
widow and suggested that she put a
poke around the COWS neck The wild
uw declared that the COW didn't need
poke. that she was M good a COW
, as ever gave milk and that some one
on the Bunker farm must have beer
! careless about the fence Bunker as
: sured her that there was no one OF
D his farm except himself and his sol
], nnd neither ~ them had touched thu
? fence There was a fash Of temp"
b between the two. aud the farmer wen
I away insisting on a poke for the COW
Zckc heard him grumbling and said
. Father. don't y believe me wheI
. I say I haln't touched the fence
"Of course ! do. Zekc'
y We'll. II didn't do II an y didn'
y do il. the cow must a done H. III
wlddcr should get her poke"
That's what tole her an IA
: lows the COW don't need a poke. Sh
y Kind o. fired up when mentioned u"
" "whatd tell y about mowii
J, machines. fathcrr'
" The old man went on snoriing
I, Again the COW was found IN u
" corn. aud this time there was q
change 10 be- noticed In the fence. II
: balance u the farmers corn was d
y stroyci. aud BE- went 10 the widow
!, a frame " mind by no means lovely.
mis- Snlicn." be- began In an una
:. ccptahlc tone. 'yr COW has ruined $
I. wo'th ~ corn Tor me. an suppose
- MIR bunker. | want y 10 undo
=. stand that halnt responsible for II
IN COW gItiln into no farm that's n
do properly protected
n. MY farm l. properly protected q
Al farmer rctortcd.
= At this moment Mandy appeared
no the so.uc aud took hand In the ~
No. p-cdlngs. but not as might be- cNpc
~ 81 MIR Bunker" she said. u thi
oy y are right. uur COWS bad un.
NJ Mandy" said her mother holly.
lr 20 straight iutn the house
.hc Mandy ,bcyci. poutIng and. her
lon trrfrrcucr having only added fuel
I. her mothers ungrr the widow gave
w farmer such dressing ~ be had nc'
70 bad before The oil man went hor
mut,crIng. aud ~ he passed his u
,ri whp had been leaning on the fci
cal listening. be- said. "wimmin Il mo
hnt In machines. true 'nough, Hcsc,
lud except the gal. an she's an angel
the Wouldn't trust amy u 'cm. faihe
n " Kin trust her sartln. She hal
are like her mother a biz. She tolc the
'nd hug Jist what she was"
vat About week after this, when
To feelings " The two old persons
MI hnd time ~ cool. Zckc, who was sl'
!; ing comfortably la hcl, awokc
nds hcuri sound without lie got
ON aud. going IN the window, saw 10y
WIN light ~ the moon. which was
Mandy let down the fence and III
out her mothers ruw mto the inclcsur
hey Zckc jumped into his clothes.
70 downstairs aud caught the rirl bc'
~. she reached her home
'h' MANDY" he said, 'y'r kechc,l.
.hNl sor s. drIyiu' the cow into our "a
''a' whatd = do Il forr'
hn" Mandy hung her head Most !
'' look pretty iu moonlight. aud Ma
., , was pretty g.rl nl any time
''' made a confession. Fearing that
''"' mother would give hcr a sicptai
w. she had lscn putting the COW In an
s''', his corn for the purpose ~ NAL
w trouble. She had served a double
y " nose Tor herself aud Poke
wv "whatd y take sides with dad Z
80, he asked.
ooh. know mother II Id a :
with her she'd "a turned In his 4
lin nm made Il m"