138 BIRDS AND POETS 
my lost milcher), I saw the rump of a cow, over a 
grassy knoll, that looked familiar. Coming nearer, 
the beast lifted up her head; and, behold! it was 
she! only a few squares from home, where doubtless 
she had been most of the time. I had overshot the 
mark in my search. I had ransacked the far-off, 
and had neglected the near-at-hand, as we are so 
apt to do. But she was ruined as a milcher, and 
her history thenceforward was brief and touching! 
