The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-10-19

Joe's
Menagerie
49,
*
BY F. L. HENDERSON


door to find out.
She was the mother~in-law of good
natured Joe Beamish. and because she
recognized and appreciated the fact
that her sonin-law of five years was
just that they had got along famously.
''She knows I'm harum- scarum, ir-
responsible piece Of humanity" Joe
was wont to chuckle to his familiars,
-'but she likes me and l count 1t
double blessing to have won the daugh-
ter and the mother at the same time.
4 coaxed her to rent out the old farm
where she lived and come with us,
and ! wouldn't have her leave US for
fortune
SO, with Joe and his mother-in-law
strictly friendly and harmonious and
Molle the happiest little wife and
daughter in the world, they were an
ideal family. Joe had his feelings, or
20-acre farm and was making a fair
living out Of it, but nothing more
Nothing more. because he invested his
surplus In pets.
Joe was born to love nature and all
her marvellous works, particularly
dumb creatures. His team of horses
were treated like fellow humans.
There were half a dozen dogs and
double that number Of cats at the Bea
mish farm. AS to his chickens, there
was scarcely week that Joe did not
add some new species Of duck, hen
or gander to his already populOus
brood. He had to cart his product 20
miles to market and this gave him
wide range to select from.
Such Investments used up his sur
plus took up his time and meant con-
siderable in the way Of care and feed
ing of his motley aggregation The
limit was reached when Joe began on
an actual menagerie basis. One day
ne appeared, buoyant and triumphant,
with a crate on the old farm wagon
containing a great, placid, but cumber-
some bear He passed q delightful
week in rigging up comfortable quar-
tiers for his new accession. The fol-
lowing week he added two silver-tailed
foxes to his list.
grandly. month later. $50 out,
mother and Mollie, and look at the
two cages in the wagon. Lion in one
and n genuine royal Bengal tiger In
the other. Don't be afraid--the lion Is
toothless and the tiger old and gentle
as kitten"
''But. joe" demonstrated Mollie,
~ y.xS Ia <I,D = y,
for?"
That's So" nodded Joe soberly. 81
never thought Of that. They were sell
ing out a stranded circus and l felt
sorry for the poor critters; they went
cheap, and-oh, l like to have them
around. Just as I do you!" shouted
the light-hearted fellow, seizing his
nfether-in-law and giving her a swing
and kiss.
II suppose 1t will be camel or
rhinoceros this time !" observed Mollie
on the present occasion, as she crowd
ed to the door after her mother.
Hes capped the climaxp' gasped
Mrs. Green, and both started in won
der
Hitched to the wagon by a chain
and clumsily keeping up with its prog
ress was an elephant. 1t was SCARED
and aged. One ear resembled tat
tered sail. Its tusks had been sawed
off short and it was minus an eye, but
II was an elephant, and. stringing
dren, taking in this great free MENACE
RE treat.
''The bargain of my life" announced
Joe enthusiastically to the two dazed
women. "A bill poster took old Romeo
for debt, but the animal was eating
ITS head off and he could not afford
TO keep It,"
'Then how can your" ventured Mrs
Green mildly.
'Oh we've got farm and can raise
its feed"
Alackaday not for long. The inev-
liable developed. At the end of the
season Joe was unable to pay up his
lease. Two cereal crops failed. The
future doomed ominously. There was
week of anxiety and uncertainty
Then the great blow fell The owner
of the farm found new tenant.
Don't be discouraged, Joe, dear"
soothed mother-in-law. "Well just go
back to my old farm and begin all
over again"
"Yes, but the animals" remarked
Joe pathetically
Give up that fad and get down to
practical work son." suggested Mrs
Green. "You must sell off everything
except the furniture and that like
Mollie and l win go on TO Moorside
and get the old place in trim for you"
1T took Joe week to make all due
arrangements. 1t was when he came
to the animals that he found himself
all at sea. No one would buy his
royal Bengal tiger, nobody wanted Ro-
meo. Ii looked as though he would
either have to abandon his menagerie,
or turn its members adrift. He adver-
tised in the city papers, but no eli
ents came. He was living alone at the
old place, but was due to report at
Moorside in three days.