Year: 1878

help thinking how easily he could spare
feed enough from the loads of hay and
stacks of grain with which his barns
would soon be overhowing to keep the
calf for time. How happy that would
make Bessie, and how it would tighten
her parents hearts He couldn't get
the sick countenance of Mr.. Moore out
of his mind, or the tired, worn face of
his wife, or, more than all, little Bessie
standing alone in the dusty turnpike,
watching him as he took away the only
pet and playmate she had.


It annoyed him, and it was something
new for him to be annoyed in this way.
He was glad when he found himself ap-
preaching another farmhouse, and if
he blew a louder blast than usual on
his horn, nobody but himself knew that
it was to give vent, if possible, to emo
tions that were getting too strong for
him to manage.


Tom was very quiet all the way home.
He seemed to be thinking very deeply
about something, but when, occasional
Iy, he did speak, it was sure to be some
innocent remark about Bessie or her
father, which only gave his fathers
conscience fresh prick and served to
irritate him still more. So by the time
they got home he was, as his wife said,
dreadful grouty."


AS they were sitting at supper that
evening, Tom burst out suddenly:


Father, would you sell that calf ?"


Yes, and be glad to get rid of her,
if can get my price,"


"Well, I'd like to buy her if I've got
money enough in my bank"


"You What do you want of her?"


"Oh something. Will you sell her
to me?"


"Yes, I suppose SO. Yes, you may
have her for ten dollars, just what I
paid"


"And do exactly as I please with her,
father? ?"


His father hesitated, He suspected
what Tom was going to do, and he saw
difficulty in it for him. However, he
replied, at last:


eyes, Tom, you may buy her and do
exactly as you please with her, upon
one condition; and that is, if by buying
her you get yourself into q hard scrape
you will work yourself out of it without
help"


Mr.. Thyson thought, by binding Tom
to that promise that he should have q
good chance to teach him valuable
lesson in shrewdness and foresight about
making bargain.


Tom readily promised, for he couldn't
imagine what scrape he could possibly
get into by buying Glover. So the bar
gain was soon concluded and the money
paid.


Meantime, Bessie had dried her tears
and gone home, trying very hard to be
cheerful; but as soon as she had eaten
her supper she crept up to her little
bed and sobbed herself to sleep. The
next morning she felt Drawer, and
thought she would try very hard TO for
get Glover. Her father usually lay on
a lounge by the sitting window
through the day, and for several morn
ings Glover had been in the habit of
coming there and putting her head in
to be caressed. So Bessie made point
of getting O basket of fresh clover bios
SONS, with which her father would feed
the calf while Bessie and her mother
were at breakfast. But the morning
after Glover left Bessie sat down to the
table with heavy heart, for she missed
Glover then more than ever. She had
hardly taken a mouthful, though, before
her father called out


"Bessie, Just bring me a basket of
clovers, won't you? Glover wants her
breakfast"


Bessie sprang from her chair with q
bound, exclaiming, &C Why, papa, you've
forgotten Clover's gone p


But no there was her sweet, white
face peering in at the window, and
there holding her by cord stood Tom
Thyson, his face covered with smiles.


"Why, Tom !" screamed Bessie did
she run away?" ....


"No, I bought her of father, and
now I'm going to give her back to you.
She's yours again, now. Good-by )"
and before Bessie could express her
thanks Tom was gone.


Now, although the return of the calf
brought great Joy to Bessie, it brought
equal concern to her parents, for the
question arose how Glover could be fed.
Mr.. Thyson had foreseen that difficulty
from the first, but Tom, in his eager
ness to get the calf back to Bessie, had
not thought of it. Mr.. Thyson said
nothing, though. He thought he would
see how Tom would manage.


Toward night Bessies father called
| her to him and told her that although
Tom was very kind and thoughtful to
bring Clover back, she couldn't stay,
for he had not feed enough to keep her
through the winter, and no money to
buy any. So the next morning Bessie
started to carry her back to Tom. 1t
was two miles away, but it was lovely
morning, and Bessie enjoyed the walk
very much. Tom saw her before she
reached the house and ran to meet her


81 know you've brought her back, -
said he, laughing heartily, "because
you haven't any feed for her. / forgot
she would have to eat, but don't you
worry, Bess. You shall have this calf
for yours, if you have to wait till she is
a COW, and then they both laughed to
think she wouldn't be much of calf by
that time. "But, you see, he added,
"I'm in scrape, whether [ give her to
you or keep her myself, for I haven't
any feed for her either, and it never will
do to ask father for any. But I'll man.
age it somehow before tomorrow. I'll
go to bed soon after supper and think il
out" So Bessie left the calf, and Ton
took part of what money he had and
went to his father to buy some feed fol
her. He was determined not to ask hin
to give him any, and his father waf
pleased to see that Tom was sticking tc
his promise not to ask his help.


The next morning he said to hi
father:


Father, have you anything you coult
hire me 10 do this winter am going
to carry the calf back again this morn