THE BARN. 89 



the woods. This is one of the poetic and enjoyable 

 features of country life. Then I call again for them. 

 And soon they come trooping along over the hills, tak- 

 ing a last bite of grass or nibbling off the tips of vines 

 or the tall sweet clover. Each herd has its "boss," or 

 leader, among them, and she invariably takes the head 

 in their homeward journey, the others following ac- 



THE COWS ARE COMING HOME. 



cording, I suppose, to seniority in appointment, or at 

 least each giving way in precedence to the one next 

 qualified to oust her. Now kine, I am told, are gre- 

 garious animals; but, when a young heifer suddenly 

 bounds away from the herd and runs scampering and 

 kicking up her heels through the orchard and over the 

 strawberries, one is not so thoroughly convinced of it; 

 and, when a calf that is patiently being fed all at once 



