86 FARM ECHOES. 



the grave of my parents without shedding a tear, but 

 oh ! I cannot part with my dog." This was too much 

 for the "doc-tur," and in some way the front door of his 

 dwelling, where the conversation took place, was sud- 

 denly closed between the enraged "doc-tur" and the 

 two puppies on the outside. It was some little time be- 

 fore my medical friend calmed down. 



CHAPTER IX. 

 FARM BUILDINGS AND FARMING IMPLEMENTS. 



I have prided myself not a little upon having excellent 

 barns. Great care was taken in planning and building 

 them. Thousands of visitors, some days numbering over 

 ninety, have expressed admiration of them. The cattle, 

 for whose special benefit they were erected, have given 

 unmistakeable signs of approval of them, and have cer- 

 tainly thriven splendidly in them. No wonder then that 

 I was somewhat taken aback a few months ago, when ad- 

 dressed by a tramp, who pointed to my largest and best 

 barn, and asked what building it was. Upon being told 

 that it was a "barn," he replied :. "Oh ! I thought it 

 was a poorhouse. They have poorhouses just like it in 

 the old country." The fellow passed on, no doubt en- 

 joying his little joke, and I comforted myself by think- 

 ing what excellent poorhouses there must be in the "old 

 country," though I could not call to mind ever having 



