Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-07-13
NO. 1853.
Dailu 1srnnetr, journal.
NOTES FROM MI BARNYARD.
F.. P. Powell.

Nv neighbor. Seth. saws There Is no
place for studying human nature like
barnyard." | suppose he means, il you
want to know what Kind OF a man farm
er is. You should get acquainted with his
cattle and sheep and hens. guess he is
right for these creatures generally be-
have a good deal like their owners. A
sensible man can make every animal talk
and reason. and have considerable moral
character. 1: he is impatient or ugly. 60
TO his harnyard TO find il out.
The other day saw a boy OF about l6
riding u great bull to water. He cameu up
the street rs if he were on fat pony. 1t
scared me at first. for fear the old fellow
would make a lunge at my horse. But
the boy and stopped and had long talk.
The ball looked up into my buggy. and
his eve was rs "clever" rs that of an OK.
The boy had not abused him. but taught
him by quiet tirmness to obey. and the re-
Hsult was nice pet teo instead ST dam
gerous rascal.
Coming home to my farm on a vacation
after nearly a years absence, my "man"
said to me. ''you will have to sell that pet
! Ayrshire hcifcr. She is terrible crca-
ture we can do nothing with her." At
milking time found they had her with
rope around her horns in between close
bars. and then stout pins before and be-
| hind her hind legs, One switched oil
flies while another MIXED. She made It
lively, however, in spite Of bars. pins.
pegs, ropes and men. II looked like
bad case Her eyes were full Of mischief.
The next day had her led out on the lawn
of nice grass for good meal. The next
4, oh. Lat In ha |
took a rope TO the gate. held it up and
called her 10 come and let me put II on,
promising her a good time on the lawn.
| 1t was at least half hours work of quiet,
persistent waiting and talking But she
was slowly coming to the point of yield
| ing. At last she held her head quietly
down close IN front of me, and not till
then did yield one inch to her, She
must submit before she could have the
coveted grass. Then i led
her out at once and gave her a good time.
The result was that in three weeks she
could he MIXED anywhere on the lawn
without the least danger.
"As ! was saying" says Seth. "a
| Quaker barnyaid is better than preach
| ing lie means that to see the peace
and happiness and neatness OF u Quaker
| BARNARD convinces him that religion Is
good thing--at least for animals. There
is no swearing or rough language. The
animals know they are sympathized with,
and they return the love.
! Billy is my Leicester ram, about one
year old; splendid fellow with hand
some, clever face and great deal
of intelligence in his eye. hired
another Billy last fall to do the
chores Billy No. 2 had not been in charge
a week before Billy No. met me. rs
went into the yard. with a round whack
| that sent me head over heels among the
hens that | was feeding. The rogue
caught me on the stoop and spread me out.
Watching. found that Billy No. 2 had
been teaching him some of his human &C.
complishments, and had nearly spoiled
him for pet before | found it out. !
have succeeded in curing the sheep and
discharging the man.
| Like master. like man. may be true
says Seth 'but like man like beast must
he true
A few years ago had quiet. demure
chap called George to work for me. He
was a little fellow, but he was so good to
the animals that could spare some mus
Gle. / discovered in the course Of his first
year that he was making very funny
place of my barnyard. 1t was a sort of
school where everything learned TO show
what it was capable OF doing. Hens were
up to all sorts of pranks, especially one
little top-knot. This little creature would
almost talk. Her pride was astonishing.
She Immediately took her station by my
side and walked with me all about the
yards. never allowing another hen to APP
proach. One-day coming home from
long absence. could not find Blackie, al.
though she would generally rush to me
with shout. you'll find her under the
old mow.' said George. "under the old
cutter that lies there, but you cannot get
her to come ont. She has lost her feathers
and is too proud to show hersclf' Sure
enough there she was. scolding and fret
ting like anybody and she setaid there
ltill her feathers grew. George went quiet
ly around chuckling and laughing with
L the animals more than talking. and they
let him do just as they liked.
Legs are well enough and so is fat
SAYS Seth, ''but it don't stand to reason
that they are better than brains.''
suppose he means that il we should
Ipay as much attention to developing ami
NAL reason as we do to producing flesh
and securing speed. we should be quite as
| SUCCESSFUL. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES narufy care
to breed for brains, however. Some years
ago, my good old mother had borrowed
a little hen to sit on Brahma eggs, as her
Brabmas did not seem inclined To sit
Visiting her as usual during the summer
saw the little black hen training her vel
low chicks and evidently bent upon doing
her duty. One day I heard her at the
back door making peculiar loud noise
calling US apparently. She was stepping
back and forth, to and from the door, hei
neck stretched and making speech of n
most vigorous sort. This lasted for two
or three minutes. Supposing she might
De hungry we fed her. but she ate rapidly
and then started at once for home, about
TWO hundred rods away. She had left hei
little Brahmas under the pie plant leaves
in the garden, and then come to bid ms
fair good bye and hand in her resignation
A.