KEEPING 0*E CO A y 



JOSEPH EARNEST AND HIS COW "COMFORT.'* 



A STORY OF THE WESTERN" EESEKVE. 



BY S. B. MORRIS, CHARLESTOWN, PORTAGE CO., O. 



The luxury of having fresh milk, cream, and butter, may be 

 enjoyed by every family in city, town, or hamlet, that can provide 

 a cow with the necessaries expressed in one word comfort. To 

 show what may be done in this respect, allow me to give some- 

 what of the history of Joseph Earnest. Joseph's father was a 

 carpenter, and never kept a horse or cow. After giving his son 

 the best education he could receive at the common school, he kept 

 him at work with himself until Joseph also became a master car- 

 penter. At the time our story commences, he is married and has 

 a family of three children, a girl of eight, a boy of six years, and a 

 baby. By industry, economy, and good habits, he had accumulated 

 sufficient means to purchase a half-acre lot in the outskirts of a 

 flourishing manufacturing town. Upon this lot he had built a 

 small but comfortable house. His wife, the daughter of a well-to- 

 do farmer, having a little property of her own, invested it in the 

 vacant lot adjoining them. The winter previous Joseph had put 

 up a building which was to serve the double purpose of barn and 

 workshop. The barn for his visiting friends, the workshop for 

 himself. Back of this building, and adjacent to it, was a small hen- 

 nery in which were kept a few fowls ; at one side was a shed for 

 his gardening implements. Everything about the premises showed 

 foe owner was neat and orderly, as well as thrifty, while within 

 the snug cottage the same virtues reigned supreme. Many a time 

 did Mary look back to the old home-life on the farm, and think 

 of the plentiful products of the dairy. Then she would say to 

 Joseph, "How I wish we could keep a cow. It seems as 

 though I cannot half cook with only one quart of milk a 

 day, and foe children would be so much healthier if they could 

 have what milk they want." Joseph agreed with her, and would 

 add, "But you know Maiy we cannot raise our own vegetables 

 and fruit, and keep a cow, with only one acre of land." Imagine 

 her surprise, when, after a short absence one morning, Joseph 

 returned leading a cow. He was soon surrounded by his family 

 and plied with questions, such as : Whose is she ? Where did you 

 get her? What will you do with her? In answer to these ques- 

 tions Joseph replied, " I went over to Mr. Durham's this morning, 

 to see if he could pay rne what was back on the work I did for him 



