Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-01-05

a young man in the tonneau OF the
machine the auto would have passed
on with dignitied indifference. He or
dered stop and got down Before
him lay the huddled remains Of what
had once been goat in his halcyon
days He was now smashed. frazzled,
broken-pulped. Never again for himl
Some men would have dropped Q
silent tear and passed on to kill dog
in another village. but not Fred Glea-
son. His inquiries as to the owner OF
the victim were answered, and he
straightway proceeded to the resi-
dence of Broker Vale and sent his
card in to Miss Cherrie She came
into the parlor prepared to find book
agent and make short work OF him.
and was therefore somewhat sur
prised TO behold gentleman who
bowed and stammered. and finally
said:
Il was told on the public square
that you were the owner OF a goat"
Yes, sir"
Would you be willing to put q
price on him and let him go?"
"Sir, am not selling goats!"
mo. but you see-you know"
81 have a goat, but he is not for
SALE"
81 know, but you see ii have killed
him and wish TO pay damages!"
What - killed Plutarch!" half
shouted Miss Cherrie.
Yes. He was in the street and
made a dive for my auto. We were
going too fast to stop and"
Il will never forgive you, sir
never! He had as much right to the
street as your auto. You are prob
ably proud OF the feat you accom-
plished. You probably chuckled over
it. The wonder is that you did not
sneak away after your crime!"
Miss Vale, ~" stammered Mr..
Gleason, but before he could get fur
ther she haughtily said:
1T was an insult to come here and
tell me you had slain my goat!
shall lay the facts before my father"
With that she turned away, and the
young man found his way to the front
door. He had been embarrassed and
confused. but he had noted that Miss
Cherrie Vale had big brown eyes.
chestnut hair handsome face and a
figure to be admired. Had II been
some old woman or spinster her words
would have angered him. as he had
done all that could be reasonably
looked for. but in this case, while he
felt humiliated, he kept the picture OF
the girl before his eyes and took q
solemn VOW to himself. A boy and q
spade were engaged, and in a grove a
quarter OF mile down the highway
the remains OF Plutarch were laid in
their last resting place.
Three days later. as Miss Cherrie
stood at the gate. wondering in which
direction she would walk, an auto
halted, young man raised his cap,
and Mr.. Fred Gleason saluted her
with:
Miss Vale. ! have a goat here to
replace the one killed the other day.
Will you kindly look at him? He is
real angora and a great pet"
The girl never raised her eyes, but
turned and entered the house as II
Mr.. Fred Gleason did not exist.
On the evening of the second day.
after Mr. Vale came home from the
city to say:
Say. dear, the young man who
killed your goat has got me going. He
wants to make good and he is asking
me If you would accept OF this or that.
Better take comeI or Giraffe opd coll
it square,"
A week later the father telephoned
that he would bring a friend to din
ner, and when ne arrived the friend
proved to be the goat killer The
smile faded from Miss Cherries face
at once, but the father laughed in his
jovial way and pinched her cheek and
said:
"Mr. Gleason is here to provide
Plutarch with grave stone and an
epitaph- There's just time to fix 1t up
between you before dinner, And then
We can attend the funeral in a body"
Dinner was delayed half an hour by
the fixing up" but when the young
people came to the table at last both
were smiling. and 1t was while the two
were down In the grove, later on, at
the grave of the goat that dared an
auto. the broker said to his wife:
Wouldn't 1t be funny II the killing
Of that old goat was foreordained SO
as to provide us with son-in-law be-