THE LADIES. 67 



So much for theory. Now for fact, — experience. The 

 officers of our revolutionary army discovered that the 

 short-legged soldiers, and especially those that stepped 

 short, were less fatigued on a march than others were. 

 Isaac Howe, of Framingham, who is new near eighty 

 years of age, entered the army in 1775, at the age of 

 sixteen. He served through the war, and was a most 

 excellent soldier : he was also one of the best laborers 

 we ever hired. He has often told us that it was a 

 common saying in the army, — " The soldier that steps 

 short is least fatigued on a march." 



We have uniformly found that short-legged horses 

 were every way to be preferred ; and that, of long- 

 legged ones, those were best that took the shortest 

 strides. Low horses handle their feet best, for they 

 are nearer to them. Tiiey stumble least, for the 

 stumbling-blocks are nearer their sight ; and, if they 

 fall, their fall is not great, like that of the high house 

 of the foolish man ; nor like that of Lucifer, never to 

 rise again. 



Cows with short legs are observed to have better 

 udders than others ; and their trunks are better formed 

 to make room for the lungs. Their tails are longer, in 

 proportion, and they more easily brush the flies from 

 their hind feet, so much exposed to the afternoon calls 

 of those inquisitive visiters. 



THE LADIES. 



" And the Lord God said, It is not good that man should be alone : I 

 will make an help meet for him," — Gen. ii. 18. 



Now, my dear, delicate friends, let us not see this 

 Scripture perverted or wrested, as many texts are, to 

 the destruction of the dairy, the farm, and the hopes 



