MY FARM OF EDGEWOOD 



The "gintleness" of Patrick is unavailing. 

 But the cow is an excellent animal, and not to 

 be hastily discarded. Milker after milker un- 

 dertook the conquest, but with no better suc- 

 cess. The task became the measure of a man's 

 long-suffering disposition; some gave over, and 

 lost their tempers before the first trial was fin- 

 ished; others conjured down the spirit by all 

 sorts of endearing epithets, and tenderness, 

 until the conquest seemed almost made; when 

 suddenly pail, stool, and man would lapse to- 

 gether, and a stream of curses carry away all 

 record of the tenderness. We came back at 

 last to Patrick's original suggestion; the legs 

 must be tied. A short bit of thick rope passed 

 around one foot and loosely knotted, then 

 passed around the second and tied tightly in 

 double knot, rendered her powerless. There 

 was a slight struggle, but it was soon at an 

 end; and she made no opposition to the re- 

 moval of the thong after the milking was over. 

 With this simple provision, the trouble was all 

 done away ; and for a whole year matters went 

 well. But after this, there came a reformer 

 into control of the dairy. The rope was bar- 

 barous; he did n't believe in such things; he 

 had seen kicking cows before. A little firm- 

 ness and gentleness would accomplish the ob- 



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