Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-09-18
POOR OLD WHITNEY
The MATCHMAKER
Happy Result of the Killing of
a Cow.
BY MARIAN. GORDON.

the evening song OF DlTQS anu the
tinkling bells of homecoming cows.
Elida Bissell leaned over the gate
and watched the struggling line OF
animals crossing the dusty road from
to the barnyard. Old Whitley strolled
at the end Of the procession pausing
to nibble at the parched grass by the
roadside while her master labored
with the refractory latch Of the pas
ture gate.
Suddenly there came the blare of a
motor horn and around the curve at
the top Of the hill there darted big
red touring car 1t came plunging
down toward the luckless Whitley
who had paused in it's path to stare
| curiously at the oncoming monster
Crash! There was a frightened
below from poor Whitley uttered with
her last BREATH scream from Elida
who had closed her eyes tightly, a
roar Of warning from Simon Bissell
at the instant Of impact Then the
big car wobbled on from side to side
of the road, gained speed and disap-
peared in a cloud Of dust
The red ear had left disaster in it's
wake for old Whitley lay a still white
bulk in the hedge.
Simon Bissell stamped across the
( road pale with passion. He was an
elder in the church and did not swear
! but his expression was such that Eli
da seemed to hear the profanity Of
this thoughts.
ooh, father, don't!" she cried, i'm
pulsively
NYou-you saw it?" he demanded
"Of course-it is dreadful! Poor
old Whitley. Do you suppose she is
dead?"
"Humph!" Simon went up to the
PROSTATE animal and examined her
Whitley was dead.
Hot tears sprang to Simon's eyes
! Whitley had been the first COW he had
ever owned. When he had married
Elida's mother she had brought the
! beautiful white COW as part of her
dowry. Elida might cry openly over
the loss Of the pet COW and he knew
his wife would mourn it's loss when
she came back from her visit to a dis
tant city, but it was the part Of ST.
mon Bissell to bury the victim of the
red motor car and catch the culprit If
he could.
What a coward that man must
have been!" exclaimed Elida later as
they ate supper together.
Simon nodded. Hell stop and set
tie with me the next time he comes
this way" he said significantly.
What do you mean, father? Sup
pose he just tears past as he did
Today"
I'll make him stop" declared ST.
mon moodily and later, when Elida
saw him cleaning his shot gun and
loading it she understood
'Please don't do anything like that,
father" she pleaded tearfully. "Of
course we loved old Whitley but you
can't take a mans life in return for
that of COW no matter how val
liable"
81 didn't say l would take any
body's life, Ida" he said sternly,
with me-the hound!'
But you might kill him by mistake
If you shot at the car"
mo danger" assured Simon grimly
and thereupon he replaced the loaded
weapon on the wall and went out to
the barn.
Elida's pretty face was troubled as
hn fini
walked slowly out to the scene of the
cate tragedy.
Whitley still lay there in the hedge
and in a locust tree above her still
form OF robin was singing it's evening
hymn.
Its poor Whitey's requiem"
thought Elida as she walked away.
Her foot struck something hard and
fiat and she stopped and picked from
the dust the number plate from an
automobile. The number was 444
Now, father can identify him with
out trouble or Violence" murmured
Elida Fastening toward the house.
But she paused and drew back as
there came the warning sound of a
and once more the red car swept
down, this time at a more sober pace.
The solitary occupant made no motion
to stop the car and as he neared Elida
she stilled her natural shyness and
waved her hand at him.
"Oh, please stop!" she cried eagerly.
To her surprise the red car came
to q standstill within a few feet of
Whitey's recumbent form and a very
good looking young man removed his
cap and smiled at her
is something the matter!" he in
CURED
Elida flushed Indignantly. Perhaps
you kill so many cows that one ami
nal more or less does not count" she
flashed.
81 don't understand" he returned
with a puzzled look. II will confess
TO having slaughtered several chickens
IN my mad career but my conscience
is quite blameless Of COWS" There