Year: 1867

hundred dollars at the bottom of
my chest at home will you lay as
many against them ?"


Yes, the friend was ready to bet
SO Gudbrand stayed there till even
ing, when it began to get pretty dark
and then they went together TO biz.
house, and the neighbor was to stand
outside the door and listen while the
man went to see his wife.


Good evening !" said Gudbrand
on the Hill side.


GOOD evening I" said the good
wife. "Oh is that You? now God
be praised forever !"


Yes, it was he. So the wife asked
how things had gone with him to
town.


"Oh /! only so 3d." answered Gud,
brand "not much to brag of. When
| got to the town there was no one
who would buy the cow, SO you must
know swopped it away for horse. j"


"For a horse" said his wife; well,
that is good of you thanks with all
my heart We are SO well-to-do that
we may drive to church, just as well
as other people and if we choose to
keep horse we have right to get
one, should think. So run out, child,
and put up the horse"


"Ah p said Gudbrand, "but you
see I've not got the horse after all ;
for when | got a bit farther ON the
road / swopped it away for pig"
"Think OF that now," said his wife,
"you do just as l should have done
myself; thousand thanks. Now
can have bit of bacon in the house
to set before people when they come
to see me, that can What do we
want of horse! People would only
say we had got so proud that we
couldn't walk to church. Go out
child, and put the pig in the stye."


But Pve not got the pig, either"
said Gudbrand for when | got a
little farther on | swopped it away
for milch goat"


"Bless u.s. cried the wife, chow
well you manage everything! Now
think it over, what should | do with
"a pig? People would only point at
us and say, Yonder they eat up all
they have got" No! now have got
u goat, and | shall have milk and
cheese, and keep the goat too. Run
out, child, and put up the goat


Nay, but haven't got tue goat
either" said Gudbrand for little
farther on swopped it away ,and got
fine sheep instead"


you don't say SO p cried his wife,
why you do everything to please
me, just as if | had been with you :;
what do we want of goat if had
it | should lose half my time in climb
ing up the hills to get it down. No!
if | have a sheep | shall have both
wool and clothing, and fresh meat in
the house. Run out, child, and put
upsthe sheep"


"But havn't got the sheep any
more than the rest" said Gudbrand
" for when | had gone bit farther |
sWoppeu IL loF Soose.


Thank you, thank you, with all
my heart p cried his wife what
should ! do with sheep, have no
spinning wheel or carding comb, nor
should | care to worry myself with
cutting and shaping, and sewing
clothes now,as we have always done;
and now | shall have roast goose,
which have longed for so often !;
and besides down to stuff my little
pillow with. Run out, child, and put
up the goose"


"Ah !" said Gudbrand !; "but l
have not got the goose either, for
when | had gone bit farther swop-
ped it away for cock


" Dear me |" cried his wife, "how
you think Of everything just as |
should have done myself. A cock !
think Of that Why it's as good as an
eight day clock, and we sh Ill be able,
to stir our stumps in good time
What should we do with goose? |
don't know how to cook it and as
for my pillow, l can stuff it with cot
ton grass. Run ont, child, and put
up the cock


but, after all, | haven't got the
COCK" said Gudbrand for when |
had gone bit farther got as hun
cry as hunter, so | was forced to
sell the cock for a shilling. icr fear |
should starve."


Now God be praised that you did
SO ?" criea his wife ; whatever you
do, you do it always just after my
own heart. What should we do with
the cock? We are our own masters,
| should think, and can lie a-bed in
the morning as long as we like
Heaven be thanked that | have got
you safe back again you who do
everything so well that want neith-
er cock nor goose neither pigs nor
kline"


Then Gudbrand opened the door,
and said:


"Well, what do you say now?
Have | won the hundred dollars 7"
and his neighbor was forced to allow
that he had-Popular Tales from the
Morse.


RATS AT CAIRO. Cairo, ILL.,, if we
are to believe the Democrat of that
place, is ratty city. The other eve
ming, it says, stranger arrived, and
was astonished to see droves of rats
passing across the walks before him.
Wherever he went he saw rats
great fat fellows, with nimble feet
and bright eyes. Finally he took
friend by the srm, and walked aside
with him in a very mysterious man.
ner, said : Have you seen any rats
this evening ?n Thousands of them"