The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1889-07-12
DRIVING COWS HOME
a Task Impressed on the Memory -
Every Farmers Boy.

OnIVbNS SOwS OS"Gs
a Task Impressed on the Memory q
Every Farmers Boy.
There is one task in connection with
the pasturing Of cows that is generally
deeply and indelibly impressed upon
the memory Of the boy who grows up
on the farm. That is driving homo
the cows from pasture at night As
this task is often laid upon the small
boy at a very early age. about as early.
in fact. as he can let down and put up
the bars, the impression it leaves upon
the memory is not altogether pleasant
But the boy who can not submit grace
fully to the inevitable and extract some
pleasure out of the most onerous tasks
is lacking in the usual resources OF the
ordinary Yankee boy.
Looking back through the glamor OF
nearly half century. many Of the disa-
greeable features of driving home the
cows" fade from view and the pleasant
err side of the subject stands out in full
relief Although. at first thought, it
did seem rather lonesome to start off
alone, after an early tea, and go half
mile or more after the cows. the boy
was seldom really lonesome. The fami-
liar songsters Of the season went with
him as a guard OF honor. They chirp-
ped and thrilled for him from every
tree or MULLEN stock or fence corner.
10 hAi
visited most of them every night to
see whether there was any more eggs.
or whether the eggs were Matched or
the birdlings were most large enough
to fly. Then he knew where every
woodchuck hole was and would ap-
proach them stealthily, to see if he
couldn't catch some of the woodchucks
away from home. and. although ex-
perience had demonstrated to him.
repeatedly, that he could never kill one
with club before he would get into
his hole. still he would continue to re-
peat the effort A woodchuck will
stand a great deal Of pounding by a
boy, with club, unless you hit him in
the right spot on his nose. when he
will keel over very quickly. The small
boy also knew where every black rasp-
berry bush grew. especially the largest
and most luscious and no fruit were
suffered to rot upon the canes. and
those melting blackberries that grew
in the new clearing. under the very
shadows Of the tall sugar naples, were
reserved for the palate of the faithful
COW boy.
But. on the other hand, there are an
nOyances that sOrely try the patience
OF the cow boy. Although nearly all
the cows are near the bars waiting tor
them to be let down. that they may go
to the barn and be relieved of their &C.
cumulated treasures. one or two. as il
possessed of an evil spirit of perversity.
will remain away on the further side of
the field and the boy must go quite a
distance just for that perverse COW.
We fear when he does reach her. she
becomes the subject OF some pretty
energetic remarks and if the pebbles
don't fly at her. it must be because her
COW boy is decided exception. And
then we fear that COW has to travel I'M
til she overtakes the others at rate
not altogether consistent with the
largest yield of the purest milk.
And when the cows are all in the
lane the tribulations of the boy do not
entirely cease. Cows have great re-
spect for rank and authority. The
boss COW generally leads and the SUBJ
jected follow in the order of their ac-
knowledged consequence. The leader
elects to proceed with a slow and
pompous dignity. and if any behind
her venture to crowd, she stops and
deliberately proceeds to administer
punishment The weaker drift to the
rear and there is no use Of the driver
urging the rear ranks for they can pro-
coed no faster than the leaders choose
to permit. But the driver has one re-
course. the ever handy one of
the small boy-stones. If he can
hurl stones so as to hit the leader
he can quicken her gait and so relieve
the blockade.
A great deals depends upon the man.
ner in which the cows are driven home
as to the profits OF the dairy. They
can very easily be so driven as to af-
feet the yield of milk and its quality.
also. If boys or men are permitted to
brighten and hurry them. it is quite
likely to render them Improbable -
American Rural Home.