Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1869-07-21
ing her pail as she had seen in all engrav

Why don't the cow stand still p she
demanded, after having several time:
jumped up and followed the bovine animal
around. A COW is a very trying quadru
ped! Get some hay, Katie, and feed her
I'm afraid that unprincipled old Mr.. Tully
deceived us when he said there were threC
milch-cows the more pull the more the
milk won't come "
Try again. said Katie, encouragingly
Pull harder
But the COW resenting this mode o.
treatment, deliberately kicked over the
pail, whisked her tail in Miss Bells eyes
and walked away.
oh dear, dear = faltered Katie. i
wish we had asked Mr.. Tully to stay day
or two and'teach us how to milk y
AS if I'd ask a man to teach me any
thing cried Bell, disdainfulIy. IF he
can do it, L guess can! IL try agair
by-and-by, when the COW gets little bet
tered tempered. Let's 90 in and get
breakfast, Katie Here are half dozen
eggs in the-hay under the manger- Very
~eTteless of the hens to leave their eggs
ro,Ana IA this sort Of fashion | shall have
up row of pine boxes filed with nice
clean straw before I'm twenty-four hour:
older
Perhaps they would prefer the hay,
said Katie, obviously.
L don't care what they prefer, said
Miss Bell, dogmatically; they must
adapt themselves to my preferences, or III
know the reason why. But, as | was say
ing, here's the material for an omelet; st
we'll 20 in AMI make the coffee and break.
fast like pair of queens
| The coffee was madc-without milk
and the morning meal soon disposed OF
| Katie remained indoors to sweep up an,
wash the dishes, while Miss Bell again
sailed forth to investigate the variou
offices and buildings which skirted tn
barn.
In few minutes she re-appeared, al
dripping, like Undine of old
Katie she cried, breathlessly. display
ing the pearl-white treasures of her apron
I've found two more settlements of eggs
Lets have some custards,' suggeste,
Katie.
Custarls, indeed No, no l prefe
spring chickens. I'm going to set hen.
Set hen = repeated Katie, in bewil
| derment.
I've caught the most motherly-l looking
old speckled hen you ever saw, and shu
her up under barrel went on Bell, ex
ultantly, and now I'm going to fix tn
nest. In Just twenty-one days from now
| Katie, we shall be feeding our chickens
Shall we?' Katie Appleton did no
disbelieve, perhaps. but she doubted.
Half an hour afterward, when the rail-
held up little, and here and there
glimpse of dazzling blue peeped betweei
the riffs in the gray sky overhead, Kati
tripped out into the barn, where Miss Be-
stood in an anxious attitude over a nea
square box she had placed on beam.
Bell - she cried what are yo
doing?'
I'm trying to keep this hen on he
pest, said Miss Bell. turning a Perturbe
face toward her cousin. Nine times -
has flown cackliDg off, and nine times I'v
caught her and put her back again. w
have broken three of the eggs, but the
are easily replaced. 1t is like the oil
story Of Bruce and the spider, and | 1ci,
conquer I've made matters toIerabl
safe with a board and stone for tn
present, and l shall come out three time
a day to feed her.
But | thought said Katie, after
moment or two of grave consideration
that you always had to wait until he
clucked and puffed out her feathers, an
wanted to set Of her own accord
Old-fashioned farmers do that, sur
pose said Bell, composedly, but can
wait hundred years for a hen to max
up her mind =
The rebellious murmurs of the gallina
ceous fowl imprisoned beneath the cruz
board echoed Miss Bell Martins accents.
Il declare, Bell = cried the admirin
Kate Appleton, l didn't think you ha
such will. You ought to have been
man and statesman
Don't talk nonsense, | beg of you sal
Bell, little more than ordinarily compl;
cent, however, but run into the house an
bring me that box Of assorted garden seed
If the weather clears up we must begi
planting early tomorrow morning.
won't have people saying that our farElin
is behindhand because we are womenl'
Toward the evening Of the next day ol
Mr.. Eliphalet Tully, leather-faced fal
mer, with a curiously intricate network
fine wrinkles round his keen eyes an
shrewd mouth, looked casually in to Sc
how his successors were thriving.
Afternoon t ye, was his greeting
Wa'al how ye getting long?'
We're not getting along at all, NJ
Tully,' said Miss Martin, in an injure
tone of voice. You have imposed upo
u.s.
what ye mean said the farmer with
countenance of unfeigned astonishment.
Didn't you tell me that your cows wei
kind p
So they be-, said old Eliphalet - tt
kindest creeturs alive y
Then why does the old brindled on
run at me with her head down every tim
come near her calf? and why does th
spotted one kick the pail over before it
half full, besides making me chase a
round the barn-yard after her 2
Guess you amt used to milkin,' sal
Mr.. Tully, shrewdly.
Not used to it" echoed Bell an
supposing that am not, what diferenC
can it possibly make? Am L to have
diploma and show it to the COW before
dare take the privilege of milking?'
Cows is dreadful sagacious ereetur:
said the farmer, with laughing twink
in his eye. Some of 'em can't never abiC
women-folks round; and now come
think ont, Miss Tully never used to mil
because l was always handy to do it.
tell you what, Miss Martin, guess you
have to keep man.
Never said Miss Martin, resolutel
: And then the turkeys-they gobble an
swell out and run after us in a way tn;
is positively quite frightful.'
Do you wear them ar shawls whe
you 90 out to feed emp said the farnie
nodding at two bright scarlet outer-wral