The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1881-07-28
Driving Home the Cows-A Reminis-
cence of Boyhood.

I am very, very grateful that I am
still child-grown little larger, per-
haps, than is quite consonant with the
popular notion of childhood, but losing
nothing of the child's eager relish Of
life. Although seem to be here in my
workshop planning, jointing and sand
papering these fancies, I am in reality
far away, employed in quite another oo-
cupation. 1t is something of q secret
with me, but I will share It with you in
confidence.
The COWS have wandered further from
home than is their wont, and in the love-
liest of early summer twiights hear
the familiar tinkling of old Blackie's bell
at the boundary of wood which am
approaching and through which coun-
try cross-road runs. The thick-verdured
trees, whose branches almost meet be-
tween me and the sky, deepen the shad-
ows of the coming night; and when !
come upon the COWS and start them on
their homeward way my boyish, un-
taught soul is touched with the summer
beauty, the sylvan repose and the brood
ing peace of the fair landscape in which
am the sole human figure. The null
titudinous voices of nature seem un-
usually loud, but they neither disturb
nor alright me. I could almost claim
friendly acquaintance with that daring
young frog that keeps repeating I" knee
dee-e-e-p, knee-de-e-e-p," as if in disdain
of the warning of the more cautious
veteran with the sonorous voice that in
sists: "You'n droscn-n-7, you'll
droa0n-n-n," and himself plunges into q
greenish pool by the roadside, emitting
sound as if somebody had struck him
under the fifth rib. Here and there q
FREELY flashes its lantern in the dark
grass, and the shrill chattering of
red-squirrel that whisks its impish
tail on the very top of q fence
stake excites unnumbered crickets,
katy-dids and tree-toads to vigorous
vocal emulation. / aim stone at the
squirrel, but one might as well try to
put rifle bullet into a streak of light
ming on the wing as hit a red-squirrel
with a stone-except by accident. My
particular game merely disappears for
an instant to whisk his tail the ivelier
and chatter the faster behind the trunk
of a friendly beech, on one of the low
hanging limbs of which he has taken
cover in that wink of time.
While these things are going through
my head the world smells good, and
with it all are the sweet breaths of the
cows and the sweeter smell of the wild
clover. The cows want to stop and eat
some of it, which Just here grows pretty
thick along the side of the road, especi
ally in the fence corners. If it were a
little earlier I'd drop down on this bank
and look up at the big sky and the little
stars and give the cows achance, though
they are already nightly puffed out
and every one of them looks as If she'd
give twelve-quart pail level full of milk.
must hurry home and help to get the
milking done, for we've got to begin
hoeing corn in the twenty-acre lot to-
morrow, and must get up early to go out
with the men. You see schools out for
the summer, and carry water and
lunch, besides doing some of the chores
in the morning. Father says it's good
thing for boys to get in the habit OF
working, because work makes play all
the better.
WHAT Is that the breakfast bell
Are those other sounds the city's bust
ness roar? Do not we begin with the
twenty-acre lot this morningp Was il
thirty years ago saw that FaceP Here
is some strange delusion. must look
"Hurry, father! The coffee's get
ting cold and it's nearly time for school,
and mamma says we've got to have an.
other load of coal, this weather keeps SC
chilly" .s -r-
Oh, well, it was a gentle vision. Why
should 1 quarrel with crows feet and
gray hair when such dream Is posi-.
bleP-Signor Mar, in the Detroit Free
| Press.