The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1908-04-24

Mr.. Bowser stuck right to IL, however,
and just at dark he had the 'lnstitr
ton" finished and the bedroom file
| with clean straw, Mrs. Bowser suG
gested feather bed and wooden blar
kets, but her words passed unheeded
He had figured on going out into IN
country next day to buy his pig, but 4
he stood surveying the finished pen
man came through the alley and stop
ped TO say:
'Hello, neighhorl Been building
| pigpen"
"As you see.r
"But where's your plg;"
i "I'll get him Of some farmer tomor
row"
4 "See here, neighbor," continued III,
man after looking the pen over NOR,
closely, don't you think OF buying |
pig OF farmer, He viii cheat tn,
eyeteeth out Of you. l live over OF
Chestnut street, Last fall | bought i
pig; but, as I didn't know anything
about building pen, he hasn't goi
along as well as hoped for didn't
suppose that pig wanted any privacy
and | didn't provide for bedroom
Ny wife Is down with rheumatism and
can't feed him, and II you want that
pig ri give you bargain. can have
him over here in ten minutes"
whats your lowest price?"
Il ought to get SO for him; but, see.
Ing he viii fall into kind and courteous
hands, III make 1t ten."
"Why, I ought to get pig out in
the country for 81 or S3r' exclaimed
Mr.. Bowser.
Man, are you jokingg' replied the
other. Don't you know that pigs have
gone up 400 per cent: that farmer
win put common breed Off on you
and charge you So for bringing him in? :?
He will be a tenderfoot pig, not used
to the ways Of city. and 1t win take
you three months to put single pound
Of flesh on him. Whatever you do,
don't buy a tenderfoot pig. The first
time he hears little German band
playing he may try to commit suicide.
! wouldn't sell this pig Of mine to
everybody, no matter what price was
offered, but you seem to be a man
with heart In you. A pig wants talk.
ing to now and then. He wants to be
made to realize that he has at least
one friend left in the world"
Brought Pig Home.
Mr.. Bowser closed with the offer.
and the pig was brought over and paid
for. He was long, lank pig. There
were two knots in his tail and gleam
in his eve. If the man hadn't insisted
that he was thoroughbred Leghorn
and If Mr. Bowser hadn't seen that he
had bristles he might have passed for
a greyhound The animal made dive
for his bedroom as soon as placed in
the pen, and Mr.. Bowser went in to
dinner with warm glow stealing over
him. Mrs. Bowser had nothing to say,
and the subject of the pig was not
brought up until they had finished and
sat down for the evening; then as Mr.
Bowser was getting ready to lay down
his orders as to the future welfare >of
his protege there came a long wild
wall from the back yard to lift him
out Of his chair and cause him to ex-
claim:
"By joint But what in thunder is
thatY'
"0nly that pig of yours" quietly an
swered Mrs Bowser.
"Pig? Pig? But what ails the pig?"
The reply was another wall, ending
in a sort of hyenaish chuckle.
'Its the blamed cats"
TITS your Leghorn pig"
Mr.. Bowser donned his hat and over
coat and went out to the pen. He had
emptied a pail of swill into the trough,
but none of it had been touched. The
pig had come out of the privacy Of his
bedroom and stood slanted up against
the side Of his pen, and he was grunt-
Ing and barking and wailing and
Mr.. Bowser spoke kindly to him. No
go.
Then he was cuffed on the ear and
made savage grab at the hand that
lid it and sent out such shrieks as
must soon attract a crowd.
Mr.. Bowser picked up a piece Of
board and menaced the Leghorn with
It, and the next moment he was knock
I'd fat on the earth, and the pig was
out Of the gate and streaking 1t down
The alley. The one room porker had left
The two room pen forever behind him.
"WellT queried Mrs. Bowser as Mr..
Bowser came sulking In to sit down
and pick up his paper.
"Well, what| he demanded. Il
know nothing about pigs, Mrs Bow
ser, but do know that you can
catch the 1910 train in the morning
FOR your mothers, and you'd better
ask the cook to help you pack your
trunksr NJ. QUAD.