XX. The First Lamb 



IN spite of the persistent cold weather there has 

 been enough excitement on the farm to send 

 up the temperature several degrees. One day 

 last week, when the mercury was sulking at zero, 

 three lambs arrived on the place. Alas only one 

 survived, in spite of tender care and the best ad- 

 vice of all the experienced sheep-raisers in the neigh- 

 bourhood. One died at once and another followed a 

 few hours later, tho.ugh it was carefully fed and 

 tucked in a warm nest beside the kitchen stove. The 

 mother sheep could not be induced to take any in- 

 terest in the weakling. One of her lambs was strong 

 and vigorous, and to it she gave her whole care, 

 seeming to know by instinct that nothing could save 

 the others. And it is doubtful if she could have 

 saved the one we have if we had not shared the cares 

 of motherhood with her. At nightfall the ther- 

 mometer went down and down until it reached IS be- 

 low, and the new lamb began to lose interest in this 

 cold world. The frost penetrated to the snug box- 



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