The Grit-advocate., 1905-01-06

-AI ern Wisconsin, were
psI e9# thrown into great excite
lnent by the rining of cow-bell. Per-
haps II it had been an ordinary cow
bell. or had been heard in any other
field, 1t would not have caused even
a ripple of excitement among the stoild
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
to 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
if this name would nave been chosen
il the man who had first applied it
to the cluster of houses that stood
near the spot where the railway
crossed the main road had supposed
that the neighbors would adopt the
name, for Mr.. Clark was not popular
among them. They distrusted 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
all their dealings. and probably be-
lieved 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 n portion of Mr.. Clark's
farm. that there should he n 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 well fenced.
The cow was known to have broken
into the wheat-ficld 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 it was found.
Tommy Garrett. freckled. under
sized. big-eyed Tommy-Mrs. Gar
rett's dull commonplace, fourteen
year-Old and only son-went over and
watched them. and Mrs. Garrett
grieve1. for the cow had been help
10 her, and she could not afford to
replace it.
did they take the bell off Brindle:''
she asked Tommy that evening, as he
sat staring solidly into the fire.
NO" he replied. "thought it wasn't
worth it. It's buried. but not deep,
though"
well. we can't get it, even if il
I'm sorry it wasn't taken off. The
bell and strap would have been worth
something at the junkshop in town
even II no one here wanted them
Fifty cents, maybe"
Tommy's dull face frightened some
what. and his wiry figure Strengthened
for moment.
The old bell worth fifty cents
a pity he had not known it!
This was the way the matter stood
when the second night after the COW
had been buried. Mr. Clark heard &
cow-bell in his wheat-feld.
He dressed hastily. grumbling mean
while about people who allowed theil
stock to run in the road-although ht
was one of them-lit his lantern ant
FASTENED out to the field.
All the way from the house to the
wheat-feld fence he could hear th'
short "clink. clink' made by the bel
of an animal feeding.
Get out, you brute" he shouted
as he set his lantern on a fence-pos
and began to climb stiffly into the field
1t was still night. Every sount
could be heard distinctly. There wa
sharp "clank" of the bell. as if tn
animal had passed. startled by hi
voice, and raised its head suddenly t.
listen. and presently the steady. hal
muffied 'clnk, clink. clink," begai
again.
Mr.. Clark went out few yards int
the wheat. and, holding his lantern Il
high as he could, peered into tn
sem-darkness.
"Clink. clink, clink." sounded th
bell-only few yards away, 1t seemed
to him, but he could see nothing.
Get out. you trespassing BEAST" h
shouted again. stamping angrily.
The bell ratified as If the COW hat
shaken her head, and then al. wa