Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1870-01-22

snch fun "
lin the rain?'
"Wc're neither sugar nor salt-wc shall
not melt. Get your aqua scutum aud
come quick!'
Miss Bell looked the ideal of resolution
and enterprise as she stalkcd into the barn
yard swinging tin pail in ono hand and the
thrcc-lcggcl stool in the other. Kate APP
plcton looked on in admiration.
" When did you learn to milk Ecll?"
~ never learned"
GLOW DO you do it then ?"
"Why, it's easy enough. Of course. Any
body can milk, That calf has got to come
out first
Miss Bell advanced to TIE little rcd calf
who was nesting close to its mother.
"Gct along, Bessie ~ she said, brandish-
in" the milking stool.
But to her amazcmcnt the brindlcd COW
lowered her horns and ran furiousy ut tho
disurbor of her daring's peace Miss
Bell scrambled over the wall more nimbly
than gracefully.
" I'm afraid she's Vicious" SAID Miss
Bell, dubiously. ." We won't disturb the
calf just now
So, descending once more when the bel
l;gcrcnt animal, had apparently calmcd
down, Miss Bell selected the mildcstey
COW she could find. and sat down, adinst-
ing her pail as she had seen it adjusted in
all cngravings.
"Why don't the COW stand still ?" she de-
mandod, after having several times iumpcd
up and followed the bovine animal around.
" \ COW isa very trying quadrupel Get
some hay, Katie, and feed her. I'm afraid
that unprinciplcd old Mr.. Tully deceived
Us when he said there were three milci,-
cows; tho more pull the more the milk
won't come
" Try again" said Kate, cncouragingly.
Pal harder
But the COW. rcecn,ing this mode of
treatment, deliberately kicked over the
pail, whiskcl her tail in Miss Bells eyes,
and walked away.
"Oh, dear, dear" faltcrcd Katie. "I
wish we had asked Mr.. Tu!ly to stay day
or two and teach us how to milk ~
CAS- I'd ask man to teach me any
thing" cried Bell, disiainfully. "If he
can do It, guess can. I'll try again by
anA-hy, when the COW gets little better
tempered. Let's 90 in and get breakfast,
Ha,ic. Here are halr dozen eggs in the
hny under the mangcr. Very careless Of
the hons to leave their eggs round in this
sort of fashion. | shall have up row of
pine boxes filled with nice clean straw be-
fore I'm twenty four hours older"
= Perhaps they would prefer the hay"
said Katie, dubiousIy.
''i 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 saying, here
is the material for an omcct so we 90 in
and make coffee, and breakfast like pair
cfqueens."
The coffee was molc-without milk-and
the morning meal soon disposed of. Katie
remained in doors to sweep up and wash
the dishes, while Miss Bell again sailed
forth to investigate the various Offices and
buildings which skir:cd the barn.
lu few minutes she reappcarcd, all
dripping. like tnlinc of old.
kate" she cried, brcathlcsslv, display.
ing the pcarl-whitc treasures of her apron.
"l'vc found two more settlements Of eggs y
Lets have some more custards," sug-
gested Katie
"Custards, indeed! No, no; 7 prefer
spring chickens. I'm going to set a hen. :"
''Set hen?' rcveatcdKate, in bcwild-
crmcnt.
I've caught the most mothcrly. looking
ola hen you ever saw and shut her up un-
der a Larrcl,' went on Bell cxuIfantly
'and now I'm goin. to fix the nest. In
just twenty,one days from now, Katie, we
shall be feeding our chickens
Shall We" Katie Appleton did not
disbelieve, perhaps, but she doubted.
Haitian hour atterward, when the rain
held up a little, and here and there a
glimpse of dazzling blue reepcd between
the riffs in the gray sky overhead. Katie
trippcd out into the barn, where Miss Bell
stood in an anxious sattitu,le over neat
square box she had placed ON a beam.
ing:"
m trying to keep this hen on her
nest sald Miss Bell, turning pcrturbcd
face toward her cousin Nine times she
has flown, cackling off, and nine times I've
caught her and put her back again. We
have broken three of the eggs, but they
are easily replaced. 1t is like the old story
of Bruce aud the spider, and ! riN con-
qucr. I've made matters tolerable safe
with board and stone for the present,
and ! shall come out three times day 70
feed her"
But thought" said Katie. after
moment or twoof grave consideration "that
you always had to wait until hen clucked
and pufied out her feathers, and wanted to
set Of her own accord"
"Old-fashioncd farmers do that, sup
pose, but can't wait hundred years for
a hen to make up her mind ~
The rebeliious murmurs Of the gal,ina-
ccous tuwl imrrisouel beneath tl,s cru.I