monday, February 12th, 1894. 7 



music master in the north of Devon who was, on a 

 certain occasion, sadly disappointed in a purchase. 



Whilst passing through the butter market of his 

 town one day, the thought occurred to him that a 

 cow would be more useful and profitable than the 

 pony on which he was accustomed to ride when he 

 visited his pupils in the country. He could easily 

 walk to any of their residences. So at the next fair 

 he looked out what he considered a very fine cow, 

 and asked its price, and also the amount of butter 

 it produced. The owner told him the price, and 

 putting his finger to the side of his nose, screwed up 

 his right eye, which manoeuvre our friend supposed 

 to be a signal that the price was a secret between 

 them, and revealed in confidence. 



The animal seemed cheap. But how about the 

 milking qualities ? " You have not told me how 

 much butter it will give," he said. *' Come now, 

 my good man, will you warrant it to give a pound a 

 day?" The farmer, thinking our friend facetious, 

 replied in what he supposed to be the same chaffing 

 vein — '*A pound of butter a day! O yes, I'll 

 warrant it will give two pounds, if it will give an 

 ounce." This was satisfactory indeed. And the 

 owner of this heavy milker, consenting to take the 

 pony with saddle and bridle in part payment, the 

 new purchase was driven to the Professor's stable, 

 and his servant maid sent out to milk it. But she 



