“I have known hardship and poverty,” he said to himself, “but I thank God I never had a father who, when I asked him for an egg, would give me a scorpion. My poor father did all in his power to give me schooling, and make my childhood happy.—You remember,” said Charlie to Mr. Colcord, “the talk we had some time since about cows, when you told me that for fifteen dollars I should have my pick out of seven. This is the day set, and I have come to look them over.”
“Andrew,” said Colcord, to the oldest boy, “drive the cows into the yard.”
After Charlie had examined each cow in succession, he said, “Mr. Colcord, here are but six cows; I was to have my choice of seven.”
“It is true, Mr. Bell, I did say so; but when I came home and told my wife, she took on at such a rate about my selling that cow, that I’ve tied her up in the barn. She won’t consent to part with her; it would break her heart. You must excuse me there.”
Charlie’s suspicions were roused in an instant. All that Uncle Isaac had told him in respect to the sharp practice of the man rushed at once to his recollection. He was determined to have that cow, at any rate, and instantly asked to see Mrs. Colcord, intending to make her a present, to reconcile her to the loss of the cow; but he was told she had gone away to spend the day.
“The old rascal,” soliloquized Charlie, “has shut up his best cow, thinking I wouldn’t notice there were but six in the yard.—Mr. Colcord,” he said, “it was a fair contract between us. You agreed to let me take my pick of seven cows. I am here, according to agreement, with the cash. I’ll have that cow, or none.”
“Well, if I must, I must,” said the old man; “but my wife will cry her eyes out;” and he flung open the cow-house.
Charlie felt so sure that this was the best cow of the herd, that he never stopped to examine her closely, asked no questions, didn’t even take hold of her teats, to see if she milked easy, or to examine the quality of the milk, but put a rope on her head, and drove her off, congratulating himself, all the way along, that he had outwitted the old sneak.
“Guess Uncle Isaac won’t say any more about bought wit,” thought he. “Couldn’t have done better than that himself.”
It was about the middle of the afternoon when Charlie reached home. At the usual time his wife went to the barn to milk, and began with the new comer.