310 THE FAT OF THE LAND 



it several times a day with warm milk from a 

 nursing-bottle, like any other motherless child. 

 The pig loved its foster-mothers, and squealed 

 for them most of the time when it was not eating 

 or sleeping ; fortunately, a pig can do much of 

 both. It grew playful and intelligent, and took 

 on strange little human ways which made one 

 wonder if Darwin were right in his conclusion 

 that we are all ascended from the ape. I have 

 seen features and traits of character so distinctly 

 piggish as to rouse my suspicions that the genea- 

 logical line is not free from a cross of sus scrofa. 

 The pig grew in stature and in wisdom, but not 

 in grace, from day to day, until it threatened to 

 dominate the place. However, it was lost during 

 the absence of its friends, to be replaced by a 

 younger one at the next visit. 



"Do your pigs get lost when you are away ? " 

 asked No. 1. 



" Not often, dear." 



" It's only pet pigs that runds away," said 

 No. 2, " and I don't care, for it rooted me." 



The pet pig is still a favorite with the grand- 

 girls, but it always runs away in the fall. 



Kate loved to come to Four Oaks, and she 

 spent so much time there that she often said : 



" We have no right to that $1200 ; we spend 

 four times as much time here as you all do in 

 town." 



"That's all right daughter, but I wish you 

 would spend twice as much time here as you do, 



