THE BEST COW IN PERIL.

Clutha Leader, Volume II, Issue 82, 3 February 1876, Page 7

THE BEST COW IN PERIL.

01|: Farmer Bis a stingy man, Efe keeps all he gets; "andie* gets all he can; By all his friends Tie "is said to be As tight as the bark on'a jroung birch teed? He goes to church, and he rents & pew!, ' But the dimes-he gives to the Lord are'few; If he gets to Heaven with the good and great, He will be let in by the smallest gate. *

Now, Farmer B, besides drags and ploughs, '* Keeps a number of very fine calves and cows j He makes no butter, but sends by express The milk to the City's thirstinesß. . ,

" What do the Oity folks know about milk ? They are better judges of cloth and silk ; Not a "man who buys, I'd vow, can tell If I water it not, or water it well • If they do not know, then-where's the sin, I'll put the sparkling water in." Thus talked to himself old Farmer B ; How mean he is, young and old can see.

One night it was dark, oh, fearfully dark ; The watch-dog never came out to bark j Old Farmer B, in his bed did snore, When rap, rap,' rap, nearly shattered the door, And a voice wied out, with a hasty breath, " Your best cow, neighbor, is choking to death 1*

Clipping off the end of a rousing snore, farmer B bounded out on the bedroom floor ; And the midnight voice was heard no more. He pulled on his pants, he knew not how, For his thoughts were all on the choking cow; He flew to the yard like a frightened deer, '« For his stingy soul was filled with fear ; Looking around by his lantern's light, He found that the cows were there all right. " I will give a dime," cried Farmer R, " To know "who played that trick on me ; May the hand be stiff and the knuckle be sore That knocked to-night on my farm-house door." With a scowl on his face and a shaking head, Farmer B again sought his nice wavm bed j No good thoughts came, they were all overpowered; The tittle good nature he had, had soured.

When he went to water his milk next day, The midnight voice seemed again. to say, As. he pumped away with panting breath ; " Your best cow, neighbor, is choking to death 1" .The meaning of this he soon tound out, For a stone was driven in the old pump's spout. Old Farmer B, when he drives to town, Now meets his neighbors with a savage frown j They smile, and ask, as they kindly bow, " How getteth along the best cow now V