THE OLD ORCHARD 137 
Thompson had gone for the cows. He left 
March 9, and returned with the beauties on 
Friday the 17th. They were all my fancy had 
painted them, — large, gentle-eyed, with black 
and white hair over soft butter-yellow skin, and all 
the points that distinguish these marvellous milk- 
machines. They were bestowed as needs must 
until the cow barn was completed. One of 
them had dropped a bull calf two days before 
leaving the home farm. The calf had been left, 
and the mother was in an uncomfortable condi- 
tion, with a greatly distended udder and milk 
streaming from her four teats, though Thompson 
had relieved her thrice while en route. 
I was greatly pleased with the cows, but must 
not spend time on them now, for things are hap- 
pening in my factory faster than I can tell of 
them. Johnson had built some primitive hot- 
beds for early vegetables out of old lumber and 
oiled muslin. He had filled them with refuse 
from the horse stable and had sown his seeds. 
