The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-12
THE EVENING STORY
CaIIing II souare.


of the deacon's, had been a widow for
three years. and it was common talk |
that she and the widower would make |
a match.
In early spring the widow had |
bought a cow and that COW had jump |
ed every. fence on the deacon's land |
within two weeks, but he had always
driven her back home without word
of complaint. On this occasion, how |
ever, the deacon was vexed.
I've stood it and stood it and stood
it, he said to himself as he surveyed
the damages, but ] can stand it no
made to understand that her COW can't
go about like a roarin' lion, knockin
down fences and tramplin' down corn.
estimate that she has damaged me
$40 worth. and that wilder has got to
be sharply talked to-"
He drove the cow to the home of
her owner, giving her a vigorous
wl1ack on the way whenever he could
get near enough. and when he had
| reached the house and been Saluted by
| Mrs. Green he said
| Wilder, L told you two months ago
Yes, you did,
And that you must put poke on
her.
well, you didn't do it, and she's
damaged me $40. When I found her
| in my corn field just now, almost
wanted to kill her"
/ m sorry, deacon, was tne num-
But bein' sorry won't do" said the
deacon. who felt that he had the adj
vantage and should press it. "Jumpin'
COWS should be poked. I told you that
long ago. but you don't seem 10 care
two cents
'I was goin' to poke her.
But goin' to poke COW and pokin'
the way with Mirandy. She's dead,
and don't want to say anything agin
her, but she was always goin' to DO
and never dom You're a wilder
but you must obey the law same as
other folks. The law says that O.
jumpin' cow
Never mind what the law says.
deacon Albright" interrupted the
widow. "You are maxim great fuss
over few stalks of corn, and if you'n
tell me what the damage is I'll pay it
never thought you was such man.
But you've got jun1pin' cow"
''Then let 'er jump. I stand ready
to pay all damages"
But you are mighty sassy about it,
i've a right to be. I've got no man,
thank heaven. to boss me around
ut would be better If you had. Then
YOU'D know that any one who owned q
| junpin' COW was obleeged'-
Deacon Albright, how much do
owe you?" exclaimed the woman
"If twas any one else I'd say SO, but
bein' it's you
Il won't pay 10 cents
Then I'll sue you for damagesi"
You can sue till the chickens become
ducks. You could boss Mirandy around
and make her feel as humble as a cat,
but you can't boss me. Go ahead with
your old lawsuit
The deacon said he would and turned
away. Before he had gone forty reds
he changed his mind, and there would
have been no legal trouble but for the
COW.
Not satisfied with what she had done,
she took advantage of the occasion to
die. 1t was from overlooking on the
juicy stalks and young ears, and q wit
ness was found to come forward and
lswear to certain whacks the deacon had
bestowed upon her anatomy as he drove
her along the road.
Hes so powerful quick to talk about
lawsuits that I'll give him oner' said
the widow when she heard that the
jumping COW had passed away And
within four hours she was in the VIII
lages consulting a lawyer.
When Deacon Albright received no.
tice that he had been sued he, of course,
Estarted a countefsuit. Then some one
told the widow that he was talking
about her, and she started a SANDER
lsuit. %
He heard that she was talking about
him, and he instituted another suit.
Then the deacon's sister Clipped In and
had her say. and the widow began a
her barn after it had been struck by
lightning, and now he instituted claim
for salvage.
The law works slowly in a country
town. A lawsuit is a thing to be hung
on to as long as possible and made the
most of. The first two suits we're tried
and appealed, and the two others were
called and adjourned several times, and
finally two years had passed away and
no one was better off and no point had
been settled.
One morning almost as soon as the
deacon was out of bed he received no
tice that his spotted OK was lying dead
in the Widows Green cornfield. The
animal had broken down the fence and
overfed. The deacon was met at the
gate by the widow, who said:
st could say that you had a iumpin
OK and that he should have been poked
and that you had damaged me $40, but
1 shan't do anything of the sort. lost
a COW, and you've lost an OK. I sued
and you sued 1 was fool, and you
were ditto Shan't we shake hands and
call it square?'
II guess we'd BETTER" the deacon
replied after taking a moment to think
it over--''that is, provided you'll have
me and we both wear the same poke
after this
a'wen. 1 don't mind. But, dear me
what ounces we were to go and lose
M. QUAD.
Copyright. 1905, by R. B. McClure.)