Show arrom the now york fan sun JOEPHUS allem ALLEN alil EN w 0 n THE COOPERS COW TRADE Jose Josephu josephus 3 alien allen was a cooper he had a little blittle shop in the outskirts of the vil vii lage where he shaved and thumped away early and late A more honest man never lived or at least ho he was as man need to be ho he owned a llo jio lie dwelling anda and a few acres of land itell he kept a pig and some hens licus ana aua and aud it cow this brute bruto property being under the especial care of mrs alien allen it was generally acknowledged that nob odys allens pig was so sleek and batas fat as was mrs kirs alens allens aliens nob odys eggs were so largo large and so sure to be fresh and nob odys butt dutter er was so fresh and yellow this is mrs josephus aliens butter mrs alien allen brought these eggs in let ilet the shopkeeper thus announce and the things were bought in immediately and josephus himself occupied a pinco equally firm in the confidence of his fellows his word was as good as abond and his work in demand one spring josephus met with a sad misfortune his cow broke the floor of the tho barn and broke her leg broke it so badly that mending was out put of the question what should he jie do for another cow you nou must go and buy one said his wife but cows must bo be high this season never mind a cow we must have bar 0 you ought to iet get a good one for fifteen dollars collars aa a goo good cow ah but the fifteen dollars mrs alien allen 3 lean ican can cau let yo you u have ten of it ten dollars dollar i that I 1 have laid up from the sale of butter and eggs thus furnished with the sinews of trade josephus started forth in search of a cow and after tramping a whole day without finding what lie ho sought ho bd finally brought up at mr john pot mans he had seen many just such cows as he wanted but they were not to be bought he had thus far avoided mr because he had bad no very g good dd I 1 opinion of that individuals bono honesty in fact he knew that john cheated when he could but he concluded to take a look at Pot mans stock trusting that he knew know enough about cows to take care of himself john was a farmer and did considerable business in buying and selling cattle and he also loaned money to needy men at exorbitant rates of interest he took no mortgages for security when he loaned money ho he wanted a right out bill of sale of some good property ro and thus did much stock in cpr horses oxen and cows fall into his hands ift was in tho the morning when josephus called calm upon mr and when he had benade nade known his wants ho he was informed that he had just come in the nick of time ive lve got just exactly the th animal you want said the stock traders trader a fine large cow healthy and strong kind and gentle an easy with a eidt calf three weeks old I 1 took her hor only a few days daya ago for a debt come and look at her Jos josephus elihus followed mr to the barn where tile the cow was pointed out she slig appeared to be all that had been beep represented she had a large good frame was wai of a light red color and wag was in respectable spee spec table tabie flesh the tho udder ulder was ample and when josephus tried tho the teats ho he found that they yielded the milk freely how row much milk does she give asked josephus t had a chances chance to find ind and out ex j aetis setly replied ive only had her a afew few days and tha the calf has run with her all the time but the man that I 1 got her of told me she would give g lre ire i on an average twelve quarts at a milking in the height of feed if I 1 af already more stock than I 1 can feed I 1 would not sell her at any price just il u t look at that calf it a beauty josephus Jo sophus was inclined to the opinion this was tholow he wanted she bile can au not n be very old lio ho said sald looking at the rings on her horns where tho the growth of each year ia is ma marked eked I 1 theman m an sa said sald I 1 d 8 she sho h e was eight t years sears years old oid A d replied P hman and I 1 shoula should not call her much younger I 1 guess lit josephus walked around the cow several times and finally asked her ber 0 11 price 1 I 1 il dought fought k 1 to have twenty dollar dollars 4 mr llda ashes worth olevery cent sephus sophUs Jb shook his head bead ho he could nat for a cow then fo fol nol lowee igwe if long discussion dlab diab assion upon the ibe value bouchan an ati ail animal linal and finally grew onerous nerous ho he let the cow go for fifteen dors arg though with seemingly painful reluctance jose Joae Josephu josephus 4 paid the money molley ai 1141 drove the tho gow cow eow home ho lie did calf so that ver very y night he sold boid atto chhor mh hon hor it to cumi matti one mie thau that already owned on oil tho the following mo mog tile eow cow vvhs milked and turned krog 0 to o the pasture the quantity of milk given on the morning was remarkably small but then it was not to be wondered at the tl cow probably missed her calf and had eaten nothing at night however after cropping the tender grass all day dayl she would be sure to give a good account of herself during that afternoon amos bean dropped in at the coopers shop amos was a neighbor and a very warm friend he was a farmer in a small way sometimes working at in g ho he soon goon learned that josephus I 1 had aa purchased a cow of john I 1 dont understand said amos pot man is buying good cows I 1 heard him say only two days ago that we wanted four good for his dainy dalny dairy what did you pay him fifteen dollars cheap enough at this season for a good cow however it may be all right in the evening the cow came biome from the pasture with about as lank an udder as she carried away in the morning and not over a quart of milk could be obtained from her mrs Mr alien sAllen was horror stricken while josephus stood aghast what could it mean the pasture was one of the best in the country and the grass was green and tender just then amos bean came along again he had feared something wrong from the first ho lio instituted institute jd a thorough h examination and pretty goon boon soon an exclamation of astonishment signified that he had found the mice look lbook here said he pulling open the cows mouth Josep josephus bus looked and found that the tho animal was almost toothless the front teeth were all gone but lie he gasped it cant bo be her a age ac 0 c her horns dont show it dont they echoed amos look a little closer the upper rings have been scraped scraped down and the surface colored T e cat is out the cow has been a good but sheb got bravely over it now she must be along towards twenty years old and I 1 guess that for some years she has kas has hab been fed on swill mill Josep josephus lius ilus was beside himself with pain ain aln and mortification by y jonathan bonathan ho he swore ill go back to john directly ill make him take the cow and return my money and ill tell him just what I 1 think of him dont do any such thing said sald amos would only laugh at you it was what ho he would call a fair trade and if you got cheated he would say it was your own fault I 1 know him vell veli well veil if theres any way in which we can come up with the old rascal ill fil study it out just keep quiet until tomorrow to morrow and let me think the matter over dont do t bay yay say a word to anybody josephus promised tb that at ho he would obey the instructions of his friend and amos then went away the tho poor cooper did not sleep a wink all that night the loss of his money was something to ono one in his situation but that was as lio iio nothing thing compared with the outrage which ho he felt relt had ad been beeh put upon him His wife too worried a great groat deal for she supposed nosed that her husband would be well laughed at for allowing hini blui himself self seif to be so cheated on tho the following morning f amos bean came and announced that he be had thought of a plan by which mr could be corrected I 1 owe the old skinflint a punishment said ho he and if you will trust your cow in my hands I 1 think ill pay him onn off for both you and myself in the meantime you can take one of my cows anti antl her until we can make arrangements for getting 0 another one josephus did nob not stop lo 10 ask man many questions ho he allowed amos t to 0 taly taig take e the antiquated an animal imal imai away and in return he brought back a good cow belonging to his friend amos bean put the old cow into a close stall where she could not bo be seen by the passersby passers by and one of his first manipulative operations was to saw off theties the tips of her horns horng and darken what was left with a mixture of potash after which he rubbed them down with a little french polish A bottle of dyestuff dye stuff made of logwood and iron carefully a applied ap pp lied changed the cows color from a light roe rot red rod to a beautiful brindle indle lr one afternoon bean saw jolin john in the store and ho he went in and purce alsed a piece of tobacco after passing the time of lay day with tile the lie ho star stan lold to go out and then tit turned rn ed as ws ho he had bad forgotten something ali look here stanley he said addressing dres shir shig the storekeeper inseth folsom comes in here bere I 1 wish tell him he be can fee gee that cow this thia evening ive got one that eliat will suit him exactly and with tills this amos left the store ile he had llad gone one buta few cepi step tepi however when flo llo ho heard his ills name pronounced mr bean ah stop a moment you of a cow it was john Pt etnar P tiar nar amos amok had expect expected tl this for he knew that the old rascal still wanted canted two or three good yes sl sir bir said bean what have havo you sou oil oti got abow A cow eow that has as been left with nibby mo by a friend who wants money what is she come and see for yourself where whore is she bhe she will be in iny my yard yahl af at sundown this evening ill como come an and aud d look at her that evening when amos drove his cattle cattie up from the pasture he turned the old cow out wl with t R them A handsomer brindle brind lc in the fading daylight was never nevera neverseen een seen her horns were dark and glossy and her hir bag was so full that the milk ran out from the teats in streams in a little while mr came he looked at the cow and was favorably impressed he looked at the distended i udder and nodded satisfaction how old is she he asked I 1 think she is eight this spring C replied rec amos amot what is tho the price twenty five nive dollars dol doi laib laiH too m much u ch very well I 1 ask you to buy bily but I 1 should like just such it a cow if I 1 could get her at a fair price lets have a look at her mouth there it is said amos and lie ho felt feltt perfectly safe in saying so for ho he had handled the cows mouth mauth until she ahe would have havo it handled no more in short she was afraid of pain made several attempts to look into tho the mouth but was forced to give it up as a badcob bad job 1 I guess find it all right said amos as he be drew up the stool and prepared to milk thea the agod aged ed amimel mr stood by and add saw the c cow eow ow milked he saw a largo large wooden pail pall filled to the brim and then a small tin pall pail filled besides it was the largest quantity of milk he had ever seen from one cow at one milking does docs she usually give as much as that 1 I dont think I 1 ever milked less from herat her at an oven evenings ings milking VI replied amos as ho he arose arost and kicked t tile ie stool back but twenty nive five dollars is rather eiph high mr bean well what of it you aint got to pay for her I 1 cant think seth folsom will grumble at the price if he does he lie theman thoman the tho man I 1 take him for amos had turned to go into the house when i called him back Is twenty five dollars the least take for that cow yes sir and I 1 can have her for that I 1 said sala so fco then she is mine and john gave bean dollars and drove homo home the cow after tea amos went wont to tho the village and gave josephus the money ho he had obtained for the cow buti but bui said the cooper opening lills his eyes with wonder I 1 cant tako take all t this is its all yours returned amos its just A what paid me for the tho cow lu I 1 told him I 1 was selling selling 0 it for a 4 friend by nine the story had bad leaked out in stanleys Stan leys store and before the villagers villagers had bad separated for the night it had veen leen been pretty generally circulated it was as good as a holiday for the people knew Pot mans deceitful niggardly character and it was refreshing to put on the tight boot the following day was a rainy one abdat and at night when mr Pot mans cows came in from pasture he lie fancied that his new purchase h had ad changed color most marvellously she was dribbled drab bled all over as though soused doused in a vat of old eon con ee and the dark liquid was drib dripping pIng from her hair her bag was as lank as a dishcloth with hardly chilk enough in it to pay tor for the milking with an oath and a vigorous assault managed to see just enough into the tile cows cowls mouth to satisfy him that the front teeth were all gone he examined tho the horns and found that they had hail been fiad ITS tue TUB old ALD cow I 1 dare not write ta the ie opening remarks of john on that occasion they were awfully terribly frightfully profane A few days aft afterwards edwards met amos bean in the street bean beau said he trying to smile as he lie spoke I 1 you aren area ane are a coon eoon you did th that atwell well weli but hut tell me one tiling thing I 1 know how you changed her color but I 1 dont know how you inarae managed d to get got that enormous bag of milk into her that night will you tell me certainly replied amos it t was kvas all very simple chud been fed frd m i barley pu pudding d dlf dle dif tut lit gruel n 1 l liada hadu been milk milked etl eti for nive five days on hlavay his way home howe john rubs rubi rub i bed I 1 his q ear as ats thol gh gli em f hine hini 1 til tit q had lad ii it |