68 FARM ECHOES. 



dead drunk." The poor creature had eaten too freely 

 of apples that had been lying in a pile for several 

 weeks, and fermented, and she was too much "over- 

 come " to stand up. A mixture of cider and milk does 

 not seem very tempting. 



CHAPTEK VIII. 

 FARM ANIMALS. 



Before referring to the more useful animals of the 

 farm, allow me to introduce to the reader, if not the 

 most ornamental, certainly the most amusing creature I 

 ever owned. 



At the time I purchased my country residence, a little 

 nephew of mine was promised a pet lamb to play with 

 when he visited me the following spring. Shortly before 

 the lad's visit, I made inquiry for such an animal. One 

 of my men informed me that he knew where one was to 

 be had, and he was accordingly sent to purchase it. We 

 were all greatly astonished and amused to see not a 

 spotless, snow-white lamb, such as we had pictured in 

 our imagination, but the most coal-black and impish- 

 looking creature I ever beheld. A wether lamb whose 

 diminutive size, for it was quite young and small, made 

 it appear the more ridiculous as we took our first look at 

 it, by the aid of a lantern at night. His antics, that 

 first night, gave promise of amusement, and never was 



