The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1908-04-15


building of xle pen was an all day job
Mr.. Bowser stuck right to it. however
and just ct darl: he had Tie ''iustitu
ton" finished an lie bedroom filled
with clean straw. Mrs. Bowser sug
gested a feather bed and wooden blan
kets. but her words passed unheeded
He had figured on going out into the
country mex day to buy his pig, but as
he stood surveying the finished pen q
man came through the alley and stop.
ped to say:
Hello, neighbor! Been building a
pigpeny"
"As you see"
But where's your pig?'
III get him of some farmer tomor.
row."
See here. neighbour" continued the
nan after looking the pen over more
closely, don't YOU think Of buying a
pig or a farmer. He will cheat the
eyeteeth out Of you. l live over on
Chestnut street. Last fall l bought a
pig; but. as l didn't know anything
about building a pen. he hasn't got
along as we'll as l hoped for. I didn't
suppose that a pig wanted any privacy.
and l didn't provide for a bedroom.
My wife is down with rheumatism and
can't feed him, and If you want that
pig I'll give YOU a bargain. l can have
him over here in ten minutes"
whats your lowest price?"
Il ought to get $12 for him; but, see-
ing he will fall into kind and courteous
hands, I'll make 1t ten"
why, l ought to get a pig out in
the country for 81 or $3!" exclaimed
MI. Bowser.
Man. are you joking?' replied the
other. Don't YOU know that pigs have
gone up 400 per cent; that a farmer
VIII put a 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 a city. and 1t will take
you three months to put a single pound
Of flesh on him. Whatever you do,
don't buy a tenderfoot pig. The first
time he hears a 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 a 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 vas brought wei and paid
for. He was a long, lank pig. There
were two knots in his tail and a CLEAN
! n his eye. If the man hadn't Insisted
that he was a thoroughbred Leghorn
and If Mr.. Bowser hadn't seer that he
had bristles he might have passed for
a greyhound. The animal made a dive
for his bedroom as soon as placed in
the pen. and Mr.. Bowser went in to
dinner with q 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 MFR.
BoWser was getting ready to lay down
his orders as to the future welfare of
his protcge there came a long wild
va AAct ~ JAZZ Sulu " I'LL ulEu
out of his chair and cause him to ex-
claim:
by John. But what in thunder is
that
only 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 hycnaish chuckle.
Its the blamed cats!"
Its your I.eghorn 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 agains,
the side of his pen, and he was grunt-
ing and barking and wailing and
chuckling.
Mr.. Bowser spoke kindly to him. No
go.
Then he was cuffed on the ear and
made q savage grab at the hand that
did it and sent out such shrieks as
must soon attract q crowd.
Mr.. BOWSer picked up q piece or
board and menaced the Ieghorn with
1t, and the next moment he was knock
ed fiat on the earth, and the pig was
out Of the gate and %streaking it down
the alley. The II Don porker had left
the two room pen forever behind him.
"Well:" 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
trunks!' NJ. QUAD.
IA Al