156 THE TIM BUNKER PAPERS. 



ever seen in Hookertown. She was down and unable to 

 got up, had lost her calf, and was very much down in 

 the mouth. 



&quot; What kind of disease is that ? &quot; asked Jake, solemnly, 

 evidently prepared to hear the worst. 



&quot; Cattle disease ! you fool,&quot; exclaimed Ben Jones. 

 &quot; She is one of the cattle, and, of course, if anything ails 

 her, she s got the cattle disease.&quot; 



&quot;I rather think it s the crow ail,&quot; suggested George 

 Washington Tucker, as he joined his neighbors in the cow 

 yard, to sympathize with Jake in his affliction. u At any 

 rate, the crows will have a meeting on her case fore long, 

 see if they don t.&quot; 



&quot;Dreadful cavin in for ard of the hips,&quot; remarked Seth 

 Twiggs, as he scratched a Lucifer on the wall, and lit his 

 second pipe. &quot; I shouldn t wonder if it was the cave, a 

 disease they ve had in Hookertown this twenty year.&quot; 



&quot; It looks to me like the cattle disease they are having 

 up in Massachusetts. The eyes are glassy, the hair stands 

 on end, and the breathing is fast,&quot; remarked Dea. Smith. 



&quot; They call it the pleuro-pneumonia, I believe,&quot; added 

 Mr. Spooner, who reads agricultural papers as well as 

 theology. 



&quot;Has it killed many cattle?&quot; asked Jake with a 

 troubled countenance. 



&quot; It has taken off a good many hundreds, and is spread 

 ing into this State,&quot; said the pastor. 



&quot; Then she s got it,&quot; said Jake, &quot; and I shall lose her in 

 spite of all doctorin. Salt won t save her.&quot; 



&quot;The crows will, though,&quot; said Wash. Tucker, who 

 clung to the crow ail, as the only theory that cleared up 

 the mysteries of her case. 



&quot;I guess she s got the slink-fever,&quot; suggested Kier 

 Frink, who had stopped his coal cart, to see what the 

 trouble was. &quot; They have had it a good deal on father s 



