Evening star., 1944-05-17
This and That
By Charles +. TraceDeH.
EAST FALLS CHURCH, Va.

Dear Sir:
"All of the interesting stories con-
cerning wild birds and animals, which
furnish your many readers with much
enlightenment, can hardly be complete
without mention OF one of the most
valuable OF domestic animals, to my way
OF thinking.
II refer to the COW, q very fine speci-
men Of which was acquired by my near
est neighbor about year ago, pri-
marily because the restricted gasoline
output had forbidden the cutting of his
several acres Of lawns with the gaso-
line driven lawn mower, coupled with
the manpower shortage.
"Staked from place to place about
the lawn, the cow has really done q
wonderful job Of grass cutting, aside
from the production of the dairy prod
uct for which she is so popular.
"MooZie Is no ordinary cow, being
part Jersey and part Guernsey. She
has gentle disposition and perhaps
I am conceited in thinking that she Is
especially mindful of my approach,
turning her head and making a soft
moo when I make my afternoon trek
through her mistress lawn.
She Is fortunate to be IN such good
hands, since the restricted area for
such livestock is just a stones throw
from her abode and am also for
tunate to be her neighbor.
Sincerely yours, o. Z. c."
y
The COW is too large an animal to
get into this column except now and
then.
hot f,at oF
All cow has to do Is turn her head
in our direction and say moo" to
make us run for dear life
Being free and easy with cows de-
pends mostly upon acquaintance with
them in childhood, evidently.
Life In a small country town does not
always mean acquaintance with ami
mails. Like many children when small
we were afraid of dogs, liked cats and
had pet racoon.
Our first personal acquaintance with
cows was some years later, at Ocean
City, Md. In those days this was a
wild and free place, with miles of open
beach above the end of the boardwalk
One day We set out for a walk among
the dunes, and were enjoying the day
immensely when we came to a herd of
cows. There wasn't grass, except the
coarse stuff growing on top of the
dunes, but evidently the cows liked it,
and got some good out of it,
Meeting this herd with nothing but
the ocean on one side and SinepuXent
Bay behind and the cows up ahead.
we found the only way out was to
retreat from the direction from which
we had come and this we did with all
the dispatch of a 9-year- old boy
Cows thereafter were somewhat of
subject for shame.
Years later in college in Mid
western town, we sat one afternoon
with our back to tree in a beautiful
meadow, enjoying the fresh air and sun
shine
Suddenly herd of cows came up to
the small stream
Instead of minding their own busi-
ness, which was at that moment drink
ing, the fool beasts crossed the stream
and gathered in a wide circle around
the tree
Their horns seemed very menacinR.
all pointing in our direction as the
animals mooed and swung their heads
and tails
This went on for long time, with
the cows getting a great kick out of
the situation and we wondering when
they would go home.
These early experiences with cows
left us willing to permit them to mind
their own business, and the hope that
they would let us a Pne.
Ihey, OF course, Ire wonderful crea-
lures whose dairy product" as our
correspondent puts it, is justly world
famous, Without the COW, it. is safe TO
say, we would not win the war.