There are persons now living in Bennington who remember old Billy B——, of whom it might be said he furnished an example of the "ruling passion strong in death." When very ill, and friends were expecting an early demise, his nephew and a man hired for the occasion had butchered a steer which had been fattened; and when the job was completed the nephew entered the sick-room, where a few friends were assembled, when, to the astonishment of all, the old man opened his eyes, and turning his head slightly, said, in a full voice, drawing out the words:
"What have you been doing?"
"Killing the steer," was the reply.
"What did you do with the hide?"
"Left it in the barn; going to sell it by-and-by."
"Let the boys drag it around the yard a couple of times; it will make it weigh heavier."
And the good old man was gathered unto his fathers.
77. BAD SPECULATION
[This is told of bears, rattlesnakes, etc., as well as Indians.]
At a recent festive occasion a gentleman who was making a few remarks was repeatedly interrupted by another one of the company. He bore it patiently at first, but finally said that it reminded him of a story he had heard. He said that a man, whom business had called away a short distance from his home in the city, thought he would pay his way back again by purchasing a number of hogs and driving them home. He did so, but when he and the hogs arrived at their destination the market for the latter had fallen considerably in price, and the hogs had also lost weight on the journey. It was remarked to him that he had made rather a bad speculation. "Yes—well, yes," he answered reflectively. "Yes—but then, you see, I had their company all the way!"