Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1906-09-05
BEN'S BIRTHDAY GOAT.


Ben had a goat named William j.
Thompson. He was named so in non
or of Ben's Incle, who had given him
to Ben as a birthday present. Ben
called him Billy for short He didn't
call him William J. Thompson for
long, though, for after he had lived
in Bens back yard for three days and
had devastated the flower beds and
charged and put to fight the grocery
boy as he was trudging up to the back
door with his basket, Ben's mother
said kindly but firmly that William
j. Thompson must find another home.
Sadly Ben went down into the yard,
united the white goat from the clothes
post and slowly led him out of the
back gate and down the road to the
village. At the crossroads he met
Dick Lloyd.
"S'that your goat?" inquired Dick.
Mop said Ben. Mother won't
ist me keep him."
"Pve got an express wagon" said
Dick. "S'pose we go partners and
start an express route"
'Bully!" cried Ben. "Can you keep
him at your ho1se?"
WELL" said Dick, thoughtfully,
"mcther's sick in bed and 1 don't
think it's a good time to ask her to
let me keep a goat. But if We keep
him in the cellar and tell her after
he's been there a week, and show her
he's been so good and quiet she didn't
even know he was there, and he has
not been the least bit of trouble, I'm
sure she would let him stay. Let's
try it anyway"
So it was agreed and the boys
walked on to Dicks house leading
William J. Thompson. When they got
near the back gate Dick went ahead
to see if the coast was clear. He
peeped in at the kitchen window.
Bridget was not there. Back he ran
to Ben. Come quick!" he called.
So Ben and William J. Thompson
and Dick ran up to the house and
clattered down into the cellar.
Now" said Ben, 'yoa run and get
some straw for a bed and I'll get
some carrots for him to eat and then
he'll be quite all right"
Everything would have been all
right if Bridget had not gone down
into the cellar that evening to get
some potatoes. William J. Thompson
heard her footsteps, and, expecting
more carrots, rose on his hind legs
with a joyous "n-a-a-a-a!"
Bridget gave one look and dropping
the candle, fed shriekins UP the Gel
lar stairs.
"Sure and there's an awful crea-
ture with horns downstairs. It's a
banshee, indade it isl"
Mr. Lloyd heard the noise and rush
ed down to the kitchen. He peered
cautiously into the darkness from the
top Of the cellar stairs cure enough,
there was the cleaning eyes and shau-
owy horns. But just then the PLAIN
tive "n-a-a-a!" sounded again and Mr.
Lloyd stepped boldly down and draa-
ged forth the luclkless goat.
"Dick," he asked severely, chow did
this animal get here?"
''It's Ben's birthday goat" confess
cd Dick. eve wanted to keep him 70
run the express wagon"
Mr.. Lloyd looked from his Gresham
len son to Bridget, who sat with the
apron over her head rocking PACK
ward and forward. Then he laughed
Take the goat out in the yard
he said. I'll persuade mother to le'
you keep him. Elizabeth WE'LL II
the Washington Star.
FUNNY BEGINNINGS OF WORDS
There are some very funny stories
told about the derivations Of words
| since people are likely to twist thell
language into strange forms. Ihus
the Pope is even today called by the
name "pontifex," which boys in the
Latin class all know is taken by hin
from the title Of the old Roman
priests Now "pontifex" means bridge
builder, and it is true that the Ro
arIx nf