SAD TALE OF A COW.

NZ Truth, Issue 177, 7 November 1908, Page 5

SAD TALE OF A COW.

Who Killed Poor Poley.

Trouble has been heaped upon the heads of the paying guests at . a certain board-ing-house not a hundred miles from Feilding. About ten months ago sdme of the more athletic ones formed a syndicate, with their -landlady's consent, for the purpose of constructing an asphalt tenJiis court. Shares were taken up with avidity and wqrk commenced, -and at 4.30 each morning a gang was busy at work. Tho undertaking was begun with great enthusiasm, but later on, through, many of the old hands leaving and the work being much heavier than; expected, interest dietl away, and it was decided to postpone the work until after the winter. Operations closed with heavy monetary calls. Work had just been recommenced with renewed yigor ; for the toilers, having been reWarded for their labors with a prolific crop of weeds, bought large quantities of weed destroyer which they applied liberally and with most decided effect, for one morning the court presented a ghastly spectacle— in the centre the domes-tic cow lay groaning its last,, while round it were strewn a large quantity of . valuable poultry. Alas ! the fowls were gone, but, as the butcher sagely remarked, , "Wivile there is life there is hope, the cow may yet be saved," recommending two bottles of , ' ENGLISH STOUT FLAVORED WITH \ - GINGER, which concoction was at once administered, without producing any marked improvement. Various other friends were consulted, all of ,whom had suggestions which 1 were at once acted upon, including one ftong linseed oil (m a. bucket), a douche, and an emetic m the shape of a salt herring, well greased, which was forced down the reluctant and long-suffer-ing animal's throat. Finally a vet. was called m, but alas ! the treatment had been too severe for an already enfeebled constitution, and m spite of the'fact that mustard plasters were promptly applied, the poor animal passed away. This is most unfortunate, as the animal is now valued at over £20 ss, and there are but few of the syndicate' remaining to bear the heavy liabilities. The question now arises, Who killed the cow, her medical advisers or the weed destroyer?'- If the latter, . then the syndicate had better float into a limited liability company to enable prospective shareholders to reap the benefits of its work.