Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 234, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 October 1914 — This Couple Knew a Good Cow When They Saw It [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

This Couple Knew a Good Cow When They Saw It

MUNCIE, IND.—Charles Shick, when he retired from the mercantile business, moved to a suburban home. He had always wished to live out where he could keep chickens, a driving horse or two, and a cow. Whenever

Shick and his wife drew mental plans of their suburban home they included a sketch of an ideal cow. In fact, they decided they would spend, if necessary, a hundred dollars for a cow, but it must look like a hundred dollars’ worth of cow. After they became settled in their new home they started out cow-shopping. They read the classified advertisements and canvassed Delaware county’s 12 townships. They saw a lot of cows, but none looked like the cow they wished.

Then the county fair came. Shick and his wife went. At the cattle barn* they saw a cow. It belonged to the genus Jersey. Its eyes were soft and mellow. Its hoofs and horns were neatly manicured. Its fawn-colored coat was beautiful to behold. And as for the general symmetry and makeup the animal would suit the most exacting. The herdsman said this particular cow was an abundant milk producer. The Shicks exchanged knowing glances. Verily they had, at last, found a cow that looked like the mental picture they had drawn. "I suppose you will .sell this cow ?” Shick asked: “Yes, it is for sale,’’ said the herdsman. “How much 1 do you want for the animal?" said Shick. “Well,” said the herdsman, “it is one of the best animals in the herd, but we’ll take fifteen hundred dollars for the cow.” » Shick clutched at his wife’s arm. Then they started across the fair ground toward the grandstand. For half an hour neither spoke. Then Shick broke the silence. He turned to his wife and In a meek voice said, “Say, wife, we know a good cow when we see one, don’t we?"