The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-02-01
Billy Whiskers
By Frances Trego Montgomery.


 Mamie, as she lay on the haystack, was feeling blue and lonely and was not enjoying the display of fireworks, for her heart was longing for Billy and wondering where he could be the glorious night.
 She had lain thus some time when she thought she saw two goats, 8 dog and a cat coming down the road in the direction of the farm and that one of them looked like Billy But then, her old eyes often deceived her these days and she thought she saw Billy coming whenever she saw an extra large white goat.
 So she called to Billy Jr., who was nibbhng at a straw as he talked '~. his beautiful Daisy, who lay be- side him, to come on top of the stack and see whether the goat she saw coming could possibly be Billy.
 With two bounds Billy Jr. was on top of the stack and looking in the direction hse mother indicated he saw with his clear, sharp eyes the three figures coming on a fast trat down the road.
 Mother. I believe you are right, That certainly does look like father If it were not for the bushes which hide him from view every one in 8 while I could be positive but 1t is
 
 this light
 "But, Mother dear, it can't be he, for the year IS not yet up, and you remember when he left us he said he would be gone a year and a day, and only two CT three months have pass ed"
 "I know, my son. but I am always living in hopes that he will tire of his wanderings and come home sooner. I should never have let him go without me for I always miss him so nearly die when he is away from me. be sides, he is venturesome. I worry dreadfulIy for fear he will be killed Look, dear, look, they are turhing in the gate now. But it can't be Billy for there Is another goat nearly his l size with him. But 1t surely is, for there are Stubby and Button running | on ahead. My son, go and meet them I shall wait here. The joy of seeing l him alive and so unexpectedly has quite upset me-
 With a bound and a slide down the stack, Billy Jr. was off calling to Daisy to follow him and the two were soon greeting the wanderers joyously. 1 and while Daisy looked after the Widow Brown, Stubby and Button ! told him how they had found Billy l ST. in so short time. Billy ran on as fast as he could to | greet his little wife and can assure you it was a most affect1onate meet | ing, and Mamie declared that as Billy l ST. had returned it was the most glor- | ious Fourth she had ever passed. She was surs that all the skyrockets and | Roman candles and balloons she saw going up from the town were set off 1 to celebrate Billy's return and tho | blaze of light that encircled the city were not half as bright as her eyes l after seeing her loved one. 1 And when Billy explained that he | had brought the widow of his old 1 time chum back with him, not ha9fng found a good place to leave her, Nan I nie, sweet little soul that she was, re- ceived her affectionately and told her 1 how she remembered her husband perfectly as he had been best man 1 at her wedding with Billy when they | were married by the old sheep in the l meadow away down east in Massa- I chusetts.
 It took only a few minutes for the news to spread that Stubby and But 1 ton had found Billy and brought h.m | home, and asleep the cows, horses | and pigs were, they all hastened to l the strawstack to greet Billy and con- l gratulate Button and Stubby on f1nd- 1 ing him so soon.
 And they all voted that Billy should l stay right where he was with his family on top of the strawstaek and | relate his adventures to them. | (Billy'S next adventure will be even more thrilling than his vacation.) e 1 Copyrighted by the Saalfeld Publish l ing Co.,. Akron, O. l