6o Domestic Animals 



coming here to-day. I want you to go down to the 

 pasture with me, and drive the sheep up to the 

 barn.' Then they went down and drove us all up 

 - the whole fifty. 



"Soon the men came with their big shears to cut 

 off our coats; not mine I was too little but 

 the old sheep. They would take a sheep, tie his 

 legs together, lay him on a bench, strap him down, 

 and then shear him. I asked an old sheep after- 

 ward if it hurt, and he said, 'No, not at all, but it 

 always frightens me.' He told me I wouldn't be 

 sheared until I was a year old. 



"Another sheep told me that farmers sometimes 

 washed their sheep before they were sheared. He 

 said there was some oil in the wool which kept the 

 rain from running through to our skins and wetting 

 us, and that when sheep were taken to a brook or 

 pond and bathed, this was washed out and the wool 

 was left very soft and white. 



"One thing more, children, before I leave you. 

 Ask your mothers to-night what folks use lamb's 

 wool for, and tell your teacher to-morrow. Good- 

 bye," and off he ran. The children clapped their 

 hands at this, and Frank said, "What a nice story 

 he told us, didn't he, Miss Clare ? " 



