TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS. 385 



We cliose the lesser of two evils, picked up our ball-and- 

 chaiu aud went back into the pen, aud there, as we inti- 

 mated awhile ago, before we wandered off into this by-way 

 of reminiscence, we met our worst experience with "those 

 horrid gnats," as we have often heard them called, and 

 justly so. 



There, Avhen w^e were helpless, and both hands occupied, 

 these tiny imps of aggravation delighted to sing their loud- 

 est, and dance their liveliest around our ears and eyes and 

 mouth. 



They may always be found, during their season, swarm- 

 ing around the cows, and, perhaps resenting our presence, 

 they nearly drove us frantic during the milking process. 

 We used to wonder what particular attraction the coavs 

 had for them, since we were satisfied that they never stung 

 them ; but after watching them for a while the reason be- 

 came plain enough, they were watching their chance to 

 dine at the expense of the large horse-flies that rarely fail 

 to be in close attendance on the cows. 



These large flies are experts at searching out nice, full 

 veins and tapping them Avith their sharp proboscis, and, 

 when the bright red drop comes forth in response, the tiny 

 gnats sit down fearlessly in company with flies that are 

 giants in comparison with themselves, and fill their trans- 

 parent bodies to repletion. 



So, observing this impudent proceeding on the part of 

 the little gnats, it was easy to understand their attraction 

 toward the cow-pen and their close friendship for the cows, 

 but why they should dance a "Highland fling" around 

 the innocent milker remains to this day a mystery. 



But let not the new settler congratulate himself on the 

 idea that these industrious gnats confine their persecutions 

 to the vicinity of the cow-pen, and that if he avoids that 

 devoted spot he will also avoid tho tribe of winged tor-- 



