Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-12-06

necessary to chain because of their
savageness allow her to pull their
tails, tweak their ears and then turn
about and lick her hand in gratitude.
Whenever she goes out into the barn.
yard on the farm of her father at
their summer home in Vermont, the
turkeys, the ducks and the chickens
follow her about as though she were
playing the pipe Of Pan. The phoebe
that nests under the porch and the
catbird that builds in the lilac, brood
their young contentedly, while little
Dorothy with her fore fingers strokes
their feathers.
Upon this Vermont farm from which
Dorothy Putnam has just returned
there is particularly valuable COW,
valuable not only on account of its
milk-giving qualities, but because of
the fineness of it's strain of blood.
The COW unfortunately has temper
that Is in perfect proportion to its
money value. 1t is so thoroughly vi
cious a beast that two farm hands
are obliged to put in work equivalent
ture is MIXED. She is driven in
from the pasture, not peacefully as
go the rest of the herd, but only after
a hard and determined fight to break
through the Gordon of dogs and men
that are urging her to the milking
shed. The man who undertakes the
milking operation has never been
able to get his life insured and this
Notwithstanding the fact that the cow
is both sanctioned and hobbled be-
fore the three-legged stool and the
pail are adjusted.
One day Dorothy was taken down to
the field when the cows were being
driven home. She was at the extreme
left of the line of men and dog driv.
ers when the vicious COW, making a
loager run than usual, attempted to
turn the left flank of the enemy by
wild charge. Dorothy was directly in
line and was caught up just in time
by man who rushed her away from
the danger point. Almost instantly
the COW stopped. turned about and
without making another break made
her way peacefully to the barn, this
procedure astounded the hands. After
the milking was over and the cows were
;uTi"G IL oSe cree more the hitherto
savage creature walked into the barn-
yard. pokcd Ter head over a stone wall
on the other side Of which little
Loro;hy tram was .standi:G End
gently mooed. The child gave 1t
handful of clover and stroked it's
muzzle The next day Dorothy went
to the milking shed and stood between
the double row of stanchions directly
in front of 1.-THE crazy cow" While
she was there the creature was as
gentle as a lamb, and that night for
the first time she was MIXED without
being hobbled.
After this the COW was constantly
on the lookout for Dorothy, and when
ever she approached the pasture from
an adjoining field the creature would
go over. poke her head over the fence
and welcome the child in her own
way. Dorothy fed and petted her
strange pet and finally went fearlessly
into the field with it. The COW lit
orally became the ohild's guardian,
and resented the approach of any
other member of the herd. Dorothy
used to lead the animal to the milk
/ ing she'd and when the fact became
absolutely certain that the creature
was infatuated with the child Dorothy
was placed upon its back and allowed
To ride 1t about just as she rode her
pet pony. Occasionally she would take
trips for some distance along the
country roads, the cow behaving in
manner that put to shame the gentle
actions of the staidest old family horse
\ on the place.
All sorts of explanations are offered
| for the strange attachment of the COW
/ for the child 1t seemed that just be
! fore Dorothy's arrival the cows calf
had been taken away from her. She
| had mourned its loss with evidences
Of almost human sorrow. She had al
WAYS been vicious. but after the kill
/ ing of her calf she became positively
| dangerous. 1t was urged that the COW
| had adopted Dorothy in the place OF
the calf. This hypothesis was spoiled,
/ others declared, by the fact of the
| child's wonderful influence over all
/ animals. When Dorothy rode along
/ the country roads on her COW the
| farmers dogs instead of barking at
/ the usual spectacle OF COW with
| rider. would wag their tails. follow
along In the wake of the COW and
make part of the curious procession.
| Dorothy has returned 10 her Chi
/ cago home. II Is with good deal OF
| interest tha: reports concerning the
actions of her pet COW since her de-
I parture are awaited. The wonder Is
whether the creature viii show evld'
/ enees of loneliness while still remain
/ Ing tractable or Will return to her old
savage ways. Another thing that
Dorothy's friends are curious about IL