Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-04-13
WHITTAKER'S
PLACE
By JOSEPH c. LINCOLN

where are you? What shall do?"
CAPTAIN Cy ronred in answer.
keep it up. he yelled. I'm aeon.
| in! Shoe, you everlnstin critter! I'll
break your back for you'll"
The COW didn't understand English.
! It seemed, even such vigorous Eng
lish as the captain was using. Emily
| lodged to the last pine. The animal
was close upon her. Her rescuer was
still fnr away.
/ And then the cemetery gate opened
/ and another person entered the pas
ture-a small person, Il woman. She
said nothing. but, picking up her skirts,
ran straight toward the COW. needless
! of the latters reputation and vicious
appearance One hand clutched the
gathered skirts; in the other she held
n book.
Don't be scared. dear" she called
reassuringly. then to the COW: stop
! it. Go away, you wicked thing"
The animal heard the voice and
turned. Seeing that the newcomer
was only Il woman. she lowered her
head and paved the ground.
Run for the gate, little girl" COM
manded the rescuer. Run quick"
! Bos'n obeyed She made desperate
dash frors her pine across the open
| space and in another moment vas safe
inside the cemetery fence
Seat. Go home!" ordered the lady.
advancing toward the COW and shak
ing the book at her as if the volume
was some sort of deadly weapon.
Aren't you ashamed Of YOURSELF Go
I away. You needn't growl at me! I'm
not q bit afraid of you!"
| The growing" was the muttered
below with which the COW was won't
to terrorize her feminine victims. But
this victim refused To be terrorized
Instead Of screaming and running, she
continued to advance. brandishing the
book and repeating her orders that the
creature go home" at once. The cow
d,d not knew what to make Of 1t Be-
fore she couli decide whether to
charge or retrea: good sized stick
descended upon he. back with
''whack" that settled the question.
, Captain Cy had reached the scene OF
battle.
Then the rescuers courage seemed
to desert her. for she ran back to the
cemetery even faster than she had
J run from it. When the indignant cap
tain, having pursued and chastised the
row until the stick was but a splin-
. tered remnant, reached the haven be
hind the iron fence he found her sooth-
ing the frightened Bos'n, who was
sobbing and hysterica.
Emily saw her Uncle Cyrus" com
ing and rushed into his arms. He
picked her up and, holding her with a
!, grip which testified to the nerve strain
he had been under, stepped forward q
meet the stranger. whose coming ha<
4. been so opportune
, And she was a stranger The cap
, tain knew most Of Bayport's inhab-
itants by this time or thought he did
, but be did not know her. She was a
small woman. quietly dressed, and her
=. hat was brown. The hat was now q
, tribe to one side, and the hair was the
4, least bit disarranged-an effect not nj
o all unbecoming. She was tucking In
the stray wisps as the captain, with
i. Bos'n In Ills arms. came up.
O "Well, raaam," puffed Captain Cy-
, "well, ma'am, l must say that was
r the slickest. pluckiest thing ever
saw anywheres. I don't know what
!. would-I-I declare l don't know how
0 to thank you"
The lady looked at him n moment
before replying. Then she began tC
. laugh, a Jolly laugh that was pleasant
to hear.
Don't try, please" she said chok
, ingly. "It wasn't anything. Oh. mer
, cy me! I'm all out Of breath. YoJ
! see, had been warned about tina
: noon. SO when l saw her chasing
, your poor little girl here knew RICH
n nway what was the matter. 1t mus
T.. have been foolish enough to look at
, I'm used to dogs and cats, but
. haven't had many pet cows, I tol(
q her to go home and to scat and al
= sorts of things. Wonder / didn't tel
her to lie down! And the way
q shook that ridiculous book at he
o was"--
O She laughed again, and the captain
o and Bos'n Joined in the laugh, in spit
a of the fright they both had expert
enced.
That book was dry enough t.
- brighten almost anything" continued
y the lady. ut was one took from tn,
table before left the place where In
staying, and a duller collection Of ser
mons never saw. Oh. dear-there
Is my hat any more respectable now?
"Yes'm. It's about on an even keel,
should say. But must tell you
ma'am, you done simply great and
Seems to me the people who owl
that COW must be poor set to let he
make such a nuisance OF herself. Di'
your daughter run away from you"
well, you see, ma'am. she ain
really my daughter. Bos'n here-that'
\ my nickname for her, maam-she an
were out walkin'. set down in tn
pines, and guess I must have doze
of. Anyhow, when l woke up sh
was gone, and the first thing kne'
of this scrape was hearin' her hail"
The little woman's manner changed
Her gray eyes flashed Indignantly.