The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1912-11-07
BY M. QUAD
Copyright, 1912, by Associated Lit
erary Press.

row of sunflOwers. The deacon got
hold Of bean pole and kept the goat
of, and they got into the house, famed
1t was the end Of the goats serenity.
Men had to be called to help tie him
up. and those who hadn't looked upon
him before now came to gaze. Nobody
wished the animal Ill. On the contrary.
1t was generally held that grief had
driven him to desperation. The deacon
was advised to sit up all night and
watch to see that Billy didn't commit
suicide by hanging.
Two days passed quietly, but on the
evening of the second the goat quietly
slipped his collar and set out to see the
sights Of Romeo. While ranging around
he encountered six different persons on
their way to prayer meeting. he took
them In as fast as he came to them.
Some went rolling into the ditch and
some against the fence. but all under.
went the same sensation. They thought
tree had fallen on them.
Even a good man can't escape conse'
Quences If he Is the owner Of butting
goat. Next day six limping people
wanted to know what Deacon Carter
was going to do about it. Like the
square man that he was, he offered
them s. apiece and made settlements.
If it wasn't that l had promised
Hammer on her dying bed he said to
his wife as the last victim limped away.
II know-I know. deacon" was the
reply.
"We'll have to keep him."
1--WE will"
"Durn his hide!''
"S-s-s-h! There he stands in the
door!"
That night the goat was shut up In
the barn. but there was window
through which he jumped, taking the
sash and glass with him. Mr.. Griggs.
the grocer. had locked up and was on
his way home when some white object
flashed before his eyes and he knew
no more for half an hour. The sexton
Of the Baptist church has spent two
hours sweeping and busting, and had
started for his Preside with his hands
clasped under coattails. he went down
Abraham Davis, the undertaken, was
taking little walk before going to bed,
or had stepped outside the gate to take
one. when he went down with crash
and was out of range of the wireless
for ten minutes. Then he crept into the
house on hands and knees to ask his
wife how the earthquake had affected
her.
There were half dozen others that
were treated to various surprises and
sensations, and this time it cost Dea-
con Carter $50 to settle. He was a
good man, and he had the interests Of
Romeo and the United States at heart,
but his fellow townsmen didn't pro-
pose to be butted into insensiblity for
nothing.
well have to sell him." he said to
his wife with sigh.
"But think Of Hammer looking down
from heaven"
Then We'll give him away to some
good family"
And Hammers ghost will haunt us!''
The goat was chained up, and for
two days he was a quiet, reflective ami
NAL. He stood most. of the time with
half closed eyes, as If seeing his past
and hoping to see his future:
Then Sunday came, and the people
/ Eathered at the church. The goat
worked some sort Of hocus pocus on
that chain and was once more at lib
erty. The doors of the churches stood
, wide open, as If inviting goats to en-
. ter with the sheep. and this goat enter
3D. He entered on the run, and within
three minutes he had driven out the
congregation. Those that were little
slow were given aid.
| Could such thing as that be over
looked and the offender forgiven? You
know it could not. With pickets pulled
from the fence, with clubs and rocks
and umbrellas. they swarmed for the
goat, and though he fought back they
were too many for him. They finally
hemmed him In on the bridge, closing
In to take his life, when he went over
the rail into the creek and was
drowned.
II s'pose Hammer Is an angel" OBJ
served the deacon's wife as they sat
together that evening.
| YES, s'pose so"
"And she saw 1t ALP
! YES"
"what do you think she thunkr
Probably that she had fool for q
father"