The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-06-28
PROSPERITY AND
THE CATTLE TICK.
A Fable.

<s%s<e<s<s%s%s%s<s<e%s&e% X
PrOsperity-decked in silver ant
gold-was making her annual tril
among her children. She had touched
crops and cattle and enterprises il
/ many sections with her magic wan(
and had left rejoicing in her train
Her steps now took her southwark to
ward the gulf.
She stopped at Southern farm an(
looked at herd of cows and theil
calves.
On each Of the cattle she noticed a
number of Olive-green or black in.
sects.
"Ugh!" She shuddered. "What are
these?'
I'VE are your enemies, the ticks, Vi
the insects replied in chorus. 1--WE
defy you to reign over the cattle indus
try as long as we are here"
Prosperity, angry at being defied by
the greedy cattle ticks, picked the
largest and noisiest speaker off one OF
the cows.
Let me alOne!" screamed the tick.
tits none of your business. am not
even a citizen. I slipped into this
country long before quarantine laws
were thought Of. If the people who
own these cattle don't care, why
should you, stranger in these parts,
interfere with our selfish happiness?
ut certainly is my business" retort-
ed Prosperity. "You and can't exist
in the same place. Destructive COM
petition isn't fair"
1--WE are in business for ourselves,
and competitors can look out for
themselves" sneered the tick. 1--WE
haven't any use for Prosperity in
these parts, and we will do our best
to put her out of business"
Prosperity was so disguised that
she threw the tick forcibly at rock.
The tick burst and spattered blood all
round.
"Where did that cattle thief get that
blood?" asked Prosperity in q stern
voice.
"Where did that tick get that blood?
I demand an answer" said Prosperity.
"From the air and grass" whim-
pered a young seed tick which had
only six legs.
"Hush, and let a grown tick with
eight legs answer"
From the air, as my nephew said,"
replied a matronly old olive-green tick.
But don't bother me. am busy max
Ing eggs. I expect to hatch out a fam
lily of five thousand dear little hum
cry, six-legged darlings, and shall
have to teach them how to crawl from
the grass to these lovely cows, where
the air is SO good"
"Perjurer," said Prosperity. mo
lick ever made blood from air. You
stole that blood from these cattle.
was wondering why didn't get prop
d returns from all that pasturage and
,orn and cottonseed meal these cattle
nave been eating. It's all clear now.
4 large part of that feed has been
wasted in making blood for you ticks"
"Can I live here?" unused Prosperity.
OR shall / pack up my rare gifts and
cave this ticky district?. No. m see
I something can't be done. Blood
fuckers, you have cast an evil spell
N these cattle. In ancient times they
lsed to dip witches. Thousands Of |
,ther counties in the South already
rave freed themselves Of ticks by
means Of dipping watts. A dipping vat !
would be mighty useful in this COM
nunity."
Prosperity left the herd and walked
over to a tumble-down
ow shed. A tired, poorly dressed
oman was milking scrawny COW, dot
ed with ticks-black and olive-big
nd little six-legged and eignt-legged.
"Good evening. madam" said Pros
Gritty. /
'Go away; we don't want strangers
ound the place. I'll call the dogs"
"But l am Prosperity" |
Don't know You or any OF your
lnfolks. You must be foreigner"
Madam, be patient. Ny other name
Happiness. want to bring you
ew clothes, better household conven-
noes, more to eat and q brighter
lance. for your children. l want to
Zip your husband get q bank account,
fine, fertile farm and fat CATTLE
1--WE amt got money for no such fol-
,rols."
II don't ask for money. I'm Just q
,lpful fairy. I'll begin my good mag
now"
Prosperity picked tick OF the COW.
The woman watched Prosperity pick
q tick OF the COW.
Are you sure you aren't crazyr'
. asked.
No. madam. The same simple mag
widely applied BY the people else ,
here in the South has made thou
nds Of farms and hundreds Of South /,
a counties prosperous. Trust me. !
'ur own state agricultural college,
e United States department Of ag- I
culture, and your local bankers and :
siness men will tell you I am thor
ghly reliable. But let me ask Won