A SELF-SUPPORTING HOME 



and he took his departure. I had seen per- 

 sons milk, and felt sure it was easy enough; 

 so triumphantly marched up to the barn 

 at six o'clock, sat myself down close to 

 " Gush " (who suddenly seemed to have 

 grown very large), tucked the pail between 

 my knees, and grasping a teat in each 

 hand, proceeded to perform an up-and-down 

 movement perfectly familiar from frequent 

 observation, and not a single drop of milk 

 rewarded my courageous efforts. My astonish- 

 ment was great, as the pushing and pulling 

 continued without result. The poor cow's 

 was greater. Why she did not forcibly protest 

 is a mystery. When the perspiration was 

 pouring down my face, and my arms were 

 aching as if I had been rowing upstream for 

 hours, I looked round and found Rachel 

 (the cow) gazing at me with such a bewil- 

 dered, pitying expression, that it made me 

 laugh; and I suppose I released the tension 

 of hand and arm, for the milk started to 

 trickle into the pail; and, though it was a 



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