THE OLD OKCHAKD 137 



Thompson had gone for the cows. He left 

 March 9, and returned with the beauties on 

 Friday the 17th. They were all my fancy had 

 painted them, large, gentle-eyed, with black 

 and white hair over soft butter-yellow skin, and all 

 the points that distinguish these marvellous milk- 

 machines. They were bestowed as needs must 

 until the cow barn was completed. One of 

 them had dropped a bull calf two days before 

 leaving the home farm. The calf had been left, 

 and the mother was in an uncomfortable condi- 

 tion, with a greatly distended udder and milk 

 streaming from her four teats, though Thompson 

 had relieved her thrice while en route. 



I was greatly pleased with the cows, but must 

 not spend time on them now, for things are hap- 

 pening in my factory faster than I can tell of 

 them. Johnson had built some primitive hot- 

 beds for early vegetables out of old lumber and 

 oiled muslin. He had filled them with refuse 

 from the horse stable and had sown his seeds. 



