The Washington herald., 1913-12-14
Richard K. Powers Makes
Boast that Pretty Cousin
Was Heroine of Incident.
She Says John Roulstone
Was Author.

Richard n Powers of Lancaster
Mass, was 1O3 years old last Sunday. And
Richard X. Powers cousin Mary had a
little lamb says the Philadelphia Public
Ledger.
Now. when { respectful world was in
formed of Mr.. Powers birthday, it was
informed also of a certain fact concern
ing his cousins famous pet. Mary.
said Mr. Powers, was my cousin. Her
full name was Mary Sawyer. Her lamb
was one of twins, born on the Sawyer
farm in 1874"
1t was good of Mr.. Powers to make
this important contribution to literary
and natural history. There were many
who then learned for the first time that
Mary's lamb was not unique. But, as a
matter OF fact. the story of that amiable
beast was told twenty-four years ago,
and by Mary herself.
For in the year 1889 Mary Z. Tyler,
whose maiden name had been Mary Saw
yef. wrote for a Vermont newspaper the
following narrative. She was then
eighty-tfffee years old and lived at y
central street in the pleasant town of
SOn-eTVilie, Mass.
"One cold, bleak March morning l
went out with father to the barn, and
after the cows had been fed we went to
the sheep pen and found two lambs there
which had been born in the night. One
Of them had been forsaken by its moth
rr, and through neglect was about dead
from the cold and for want Of food. I
saw ii had a little life and wanted to
take it into the house. but father said
no: 1t was about dead any way, and at
hest could live but for a short time. But
! could not bear to see the poor little
thing suffer so. and 1 teased until I got
it into the house, and then I worked
upon mothers sympathy.
1T couldn't at first swallow, and the
catnip tea | had mother make it could
no. take for a long time. I got the lamb
warm the first thing, which was done by
wrapping her in an old garment and
holding her in my arms beside the fire.
place. All night long 1 nursed the lamb.
and at night it could swallow just a lit
tie. Oh, how pleased I was. But I was
not then satisfied it would live. and sat
mp all night with it. fearing it wouldn't
he warm enough unless there was some
one there to look out for its comfort
In the morning. much to my girlish
delight, it could stand; then it improved
rapidly. soon learned to drink milk, and
from the time it could walk about it
would follow me anywhere if called it.
IT was a fast grower, as symmetrical a
sheep as ever walked, and its fleece was
Of the finest and whitest. Why, I, used
TO take as much care of it as a mother
would of a child. I used to wash it reg
ularly, keep the burdocks picked out of
its feet, comb and trim with bright COL
ored ribbons the wool on its forehead
and when that was being done the lamb
would hold down its head, shut its eyes,
and stand patiently as could be. .
The day the lamb went to school I
hadn't seen her previous to starting of,
and not wanting to go without seeing
her I called. She readily recognized my
voice, and soon I heard a faint bleating
way down the field. More and more dis
tinctly I heard it, and 1 knew my pet
was coming to me. Ny brother Nate
said, Let's take the lamb to school with
us
II thought it would be good plan
and I consented, and she followed right
along behind me. When the school house
was reached the teacher had not arrived
and but few scholars were there. Then
I began to think what I should do with
the lamb while the school was in session.
1 took her down to my seat-you know.
We had old-fashionedS high-boarded-up
seats then. Well. put the lamb under
the seat, put on her blanket. and she Law
down just as quietly as could be.
BY and by 1 had to get up and recite
and left the lamb all right but in min