Evening journal., 1912-10-16
By NJ QUAD

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Deacon Carter Of the village OF
Romeo was a good man and a good
neighbor He never refused to lend
his hoe OF his wheelbarrow. and his
wife 'ust dotted on lending her darlrons
or washboard. The deacon would have
no more hurt a persons feelings than
he would have jumped OF the bridge
into Thornapple creek. and that be was
ever to be threatened with lawsuit
WIS the last thing to be thought Of
One day the deacon got a message TO
the effect that his widowed daughter
over at Glen Dale was dying. and he
borrowed horse and buggy and drove
over. The daughter had no children
to mourn her. The father got there
in time to receive her last instructions
and 10 close her eyes.
The widow had neither dog nor cat.
but in place Of either or both had
goat. II had been sent to her when
young from a distance. and they had
learned 10 love each other. The goat
had made no trouble at all. and the
daughter charged her father TO take
Billy home with him and watch and
guard him and treat him With loving
kindness.
The goat was brought home and
made to understand that it's future
lines were to be cast in pleasant places.
1t was given the run Of the yard. and
for three days its attitude ELECTED sym
pathy and commendation. It really
shed tears over the mistress and the
home it had lost. and then II braced up
and became playful
The deacon had a tomato patch, and
he went out one morning to pick two
or three tomatoes to 20 with his break
fast AS he gathered them there was
. ccnrussion. and it was ten minutes
later when his wife came out and found
him Just coming 10 himself again.
.sW-what is It JepthaT she gasped-
''The-the goati'
ssWhat about himg
"Came on the run and struck me
with his headr'
"But don't see how he"-
But she did see The goat came
bounding on like cyclone and bowled
her over and over until she struck the
row Of sundowers.
Two days passed quietly. but on the
evening Of the second the goat quietly
slipped his collar and slipped out to
see the sights Of Romeo. While rang
ing around he encountered six different
persons on their way to prayer meet
ing. He took them in as fast as be
came to them. Some went rolling into
the ditch and some against the fence
, but all underwent the same sensation
They thought tree had fallen on
them.
Even a good man can't escape conse
uuences II be is the owner Of a huttina
goat. Next day six limping people
wanted to know what Deacon Garter
was going to do about r. Like the
square man that he was. he offered
them SO apiece and made settlements.
"If it wasn't that l had promised
Hammer on her dying bed" he said tt
: his wife as the last victim limped
A away.
Il know. know. deacon" was the
y reply.
s "We'n have to keep him"
= eve will"
n "Durn his hidew
i "S-s-s-h. There he stands in th'
g doorl'
That night the goat was shut up II
the barn. hut there was a winoov
through which he jumped. taking tn
sash and glass with him. Mr.. Griggs
L the grocer. had locked up and was o.
his way home when some white oh
iect flashed before his eyes. and b
Y knew no more for half an. hour. Thi
n sexton OF the Baptist church had spen
! two hours sweeping and dusting an'
= had sta led for his freside with hi
4 hands ciasped under bis coattails. n
v went down like ripe harley before tn
It sickle His last impression was tha
l. a meteorite had fallen from the nigh
sky and plunked him between tn
:; shoulders.
/; There We're half a dozen others tha
l. were treated to various surprises an,
y sensations. and this time it cost Dea
con Carter $50 to settle.
II We'll have TO sell him." he said Z
81 his wife. with a sigh.
/. "And Hammers ghost will haunt u.s.
= The goat was chained up. and 70
p two days he was a quiet. reflective ami
NAL. he stood most of the time witt
half closed eyes. as If seeing his pas
70 And hoping to see his future.
ID Then Sunday came. and the peopl
II gathered at the church. The goa
IS worked some sort of hocus pocus oi
st that chain and was once more al lih
le erty. The front doors of the churc
= stood wide open. as if inviting all th
IL goats to enter with the sheep. an
this goat entered He entered on tn
:, run. and within three minutes he ha
driven out the congregation.
Could such a thing as that be over
looked and the offender forgiven? 70
n know II could not. With picket
~ pulled from the fence. with clubs an
sr rocks and umbrellas. they swarme
r for the goat. and. though he tough
IS back. they were too many for hin
They finally hemmed him in on tn