The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-05-05
Billy Whiskers
By Frances Trego Montgomery.

As luck would have it, next morning
 Frank was stiffer than before. and he
 spent all his vacation close to the
 chair on the veranda
 That is how 1t came about that ho
 enjoyed to the full measure the an-
 tics of the three goats who seemed to
 know that his good times afieId were
 spoiled, and so they devoted them
 selves to amusing him by the1r play.
 Frank doesn't seem to miss us" commented Tom, one day on coming
 in from a fishing excursion to the riv-
 CT with the other boys Look at the
 smile he wears
 No need to be a grouch even If
 I have a crazy backbone" the invalid
 replied. But the reason for the
 smile is this: I was thinking that 1t
 would be great for Ned and Harriet Dodge-our cousins at Chautauqua you know-to have Bill and Nan for a team"
 "Oh. the boys would never sell 1 'en1!'' said Ernest. 50 puff goes that dream, my boy.''
 l But we wou1d!' contradicted Har- ry. That is. if we could get our price," he qualified quickly. | Good for you!' responded Frank. l Business is business. And we'll tell 1 uncle about the team when we see him this summer was the offer made. l Better still might write about 1 the deal. said Harry, in whom the ] commercial trait was already far de- veloped.
 Right you are! Do it now!" urged l Frank.
 And so a letter was dispatched that very day to MT. Dodge, giving a cave- 1 full description of the pair of goats. 1 and naming q. price which meant l handsome profit to the Treat boys. | I'm ina ai1 CI 1 too, when the answer came promptly, l saying that Mir. Dodge was pleased to l accept the offer, that the goats might 1 be shipped any time between the 18th l and 30th of June and check would be l sent upon their safe arrival at The 1 Towers their summer home. No time was lost in making the 1 crates, and though Mamie and Billy | had little idea of what was brewing ] for them, they seemed to resent the ] numerous attempts the boys made to 1 entiee them into the latticed boxes. l Father William was wiser. Had 1 he not travelled in a similar contriv- ! ance? So he told the twins to stay close to him, and to be very sure to use their horns a bit if necessary, to l keep out of those cages. They surely l m cant separation, and he, for one, ] meant to keep his little family togeth- i CT.
 l In spite of all his planning and warning, early one morning, some l weeks later, a sumptuous meal was
 spread. and the youngsters, Billy and l Mamie. never noticed that 1t was of l fered them in those suspicious boxes
 and each goat was busily and greedily ! devouring his portion when clap! went a cover and few quick strokes of the hammer made them prisoners, l ready for the first journey of their lives.
 l Hurried to Springfield and to the l express office by MT. Treat, who told l the boys he would attend to shipping l the pair, as he had to go into the city ] anyway that day. Billy and Mamie i did not even have a chance to say l goodbye to Father William. Indeed, ! they did not think much about the l old fellow they were leaving behind, for everything was new to them and l Treat drive off from the express office. l however, there watas a queer, sickish | feeling in each ones breast, but Billy was like many a boy-it would be a sign of weakness to show any feeling l and Nannie-welI, if Billy didn't care of course she didn't either, and she l assumed a cheerful air which she l was far froom feeling.
 r CTomorrow's story will tell of the twins first trip.)
 Copyrighted by the SaaIfie1d Publish ing Co, Akron, O.