Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1905-06-28
A new ENGLAND FARM
FARMER AND MANY FARM AN
IMALS ON BEST OF TERMS.
Spring Aspect Of Fields and Woods
i Sheep and Lambs-Angora Goa.
Recognizes and Wants
Its Own Kid.

1t was bright morning, warm, but
fresh, and white clouds were floating
across an intensely blue sky The
trees were putting forth their first
leaves in many shades of tender green,
the grass was showing emerald along
the roadsides, and here and there
amongst it were growing patches of
spotted adder's tongue. In the pine
woods, near the roadside, the trailing
arbutus mingled it's breath with that
Of the spruces and balsams, and the
edges of the marshes were glowing
with yellow marigolds. Above them,
marsh hawk rose and fell in graceful
curves, sometimes so low as to fan the
still standing stalks of last years bull
rushes; robins were calling across the
meadows and purple finches were sing
ing, seemingly in half the trees along
the roadsides.
Out in the fields the men were busily
at work, blowing the ground. Some had
horses, but more were blowing with
| oxen. Here was red team, there
black one, and beyond there was pie
bald pair, with brass knobs upon their
horns. which glinted in the sunlight.
BY and by arrived at the farmhouse
had set out to visit. 1t was long, low,
white building, perched upon the crown
of hill and had row of old sugar
| naples in front of it.
| rap on the door with the old black
ened bronze knocker, brought out
pleasant-faced woman whom l knew
slightly. She told me that 'Will' had
gone to Claremont for a load of feed
but that he would be back soon. In the
| meantime would I have some cider? It
| was little tart but not real hard -
| l would; and before 1 had finished, in
came WILL" and presently we went
out to look at the animals.
The first things we saw were the
sheep. They had been recently sheared,
and were all in a well-fenced inclos-
ure on the south side of the barn, get
ting the full benefit of the sun, but shell
tered from the wind With them were
| their little lambs, some newly born. and
lying close beside their mothers, some
bold with their several weeks expert
ences, and venturing many yards from
the sides of their dams, as though to
find out what our presence meant. One
old sheep had twins, and both were on
their knees nursing, one on either side,
while she looked at us, then at them and
| then again at us. Many of the sheep
were bleating, and at the kindly voice of
| ''WilP' came running towards us.
Amongst them was a little black-faced
lamb which had lost it's mother; this
was the first to attract the attention of
he farmer.
Whose little lamb are you?" said he,
stopping down and speaking in the gen.
tlest voice imaginable.
| "Baa-a-a," said the lamb, confidently
ihrusting his smutty little nose into the
mans big, brown fist.
yes, l know" he replied, soothingly,
II know who your mother is, and now
we'll go and find her." And lifting the
baby up in his arms, he stalked through
the flock until he came to a big eve,
standing unconcerned at some distance
from the rest, and at once began Gliding
Ter as father might his child.
| why, Mollie!" he said, I'm very
much ashamed of you. Why don't 20,
| look after your little lamb.
! Then to the lamb:
| Here, little fellow, here's your man.
ny" and he set down the youngster.
gan to suck, shaking his tail and but
ting his mother vigorously with his
| fuzzy head.
Then we went into the big barn to
see the Angora goats, also recently
sheared, and kept for the present in
wooden pens. In each pen there were
one or two old goats, each with a little
tsnow-white kid. These kids are the
most artificial animals l know of; they
look almost exactly like the woody lambs
on wheels, which are found for sale in
the top shops. WIFI took half dozen
of them out of the pens, and carried
them into the yard to be photographed.
After photographing these little fel.
lows we took them back into
the barn. Twill" lifted one of
them into pen with an old goat. and
watched the pair carefully for a mo-
ment. The old goat shifted at the young
one, and the latter began to nurse.
How did you know which kid to put
with that goat?" l asked.
Il didn't" he answered. until 1 saw
that she recognized it as her own"
Put the same kid in with one of the
other old goats" said, and see what
happens.
He did as asked him. The goat. after
smelling the kid, deliberately butted it
out of her way. 1t was the same with the
rest; each goat was looking for mar
ticular kid, knew that one from all 9TH
ers, apparently by smell, and would al
low no other to remain with her.
This big. gentle farmer is one of the
happiest men 1 know, and very large
part of his happiness is due to the
fact that he is on the very best of terms
with every animal on his farm.
Right in His Line.
/ CWiI1 Won do tho aarviuo Mr. Cow-