The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1919-05-03
COULDN'T EAT PET
Children Baked at Idea of Max.
ing Meal of "Jerry."
Outspoken Revolt at Dinner Table Re.
suited in Neighbors Having Poetic
Revenge and Enjoying Dainty
Dish CT Roast Pig.

well-known physician in town has
family Of small children who are
crazy about animals, and every stray
dog or cat Is always sure of a good
nome If they happen to wander near
the doctors spacious residence In
deed. the doctor calls his home the
zoo Annex" for 1t harbors not only
dogs and cats galore, but three cana
fles, two white mice, five pigeons, one
conversational and profane parrot and
a brown squirrel, so an animal or two
more doesn't count.
| Somebody gave the children q baby
pig, nice little pink-and- pig
with funny little squinty eyes and a
cute little curl to its tail.
The children were wild with Joy over
their new pet. and installed it in the
laundry, but evidently the little pig
didn't adapt himself to his surround
ings. and persisted in staying up late
nights and giving voice to such lugu-
brious lamentations that the doctor
christened him Jeremiah" This name
was too long for the children to man
age so they called him Jerry aid loved
him to DEATH
Jerry grew so fat he could hardly
waddle, but he was great fun and frol-
licked With the youngsters and had a
grand time, and even his squeal had a
joyous note in 1t by day, but once night
fell jerry seemed to grow so low in his
mind that he refused to be comforted,
and his tones were as Shrill and pierre
ing as a banshee's.
he grew so big that he looked like a
young mountain lion in the arms Of the
children. and occasionally he would es-
cape to the front Of the house and wad-
ding up the steps, would lie
down and drop into slumber, so that
visiting patients had to fall over or
step over the reclining Jerry. Then
to add TO the general discomfort his
squeals grew deeper, like unto the vo-
cal efforts Of basso profundo, so
the doctor, losing all patience, de-
clared that Jerry must pass on and
pass out. So one day when his
children were in school Jerry took his
first automobile ride, ending up at the
butchers, who had orders to return
Jerry right side up with care, ready
for the oven and the Sunday dinner.
The children, in ignorance Of this
foul deed, searched high and low for
the missing pig, but he couldn't be |
found, and after weeping violently for
the first day, grew resigned to their
loss. after the manner Of children, and
seemed to forget him.
Sunday came and the family assem-
bled at the dinner table. Norah, the
cook, came in, bearing aloft the plump
form of Jerry roasted to a turn, with
his tail turned in sancy ringlet and
an apple in his mouth.
There was a moment Of absolute
silence, fraught with significance for
the doctor and his wife, then one
IF their eagle-eyed youngsters shrek
ed: "It's our jerry" and set up a
1ismal howl which the rest soon Joined
md fixing their guilty parents with
looks demanded to
know why their beloved pig was be-
ng served up as burnt offering.
They were aided and abetted by
Norah, the cook, who, wiping a fur
i've tear from her eye with the cor
Ter Of her apron, muttered: "Shure,
tbs mesilf thinks it sin to murder the
)aste."
Not one mouthful of the martyred
|erry would any Of the mourning
take, and the parents sud.
lenly lost all desire for roast pig and
lecided that the late Charles Lambs
dissertation of that delicacy was all
wrong.
Jerry, the baked, was removed with
ut delay and sent to a neighbours,
1ho took poetic revenge in eating
he animal that had squealed them into
1somnia for weeks past.-Buffalo
,ourier.