310 THE FAT OF THE LAND 
it several times a day with warm milk from a 
nursing-bottle, like any other motherless child. 
The pig loved its foster-mothers, and squealed 
for them most of the time when it was not eating 
or sleeping; fortunately, a pig can do much of 
both. It grew playful and intelligent, and took 
on strange little human ways which made one 
wonder if Darwin were right in his conclusion 
that we are all ascended from the ape. I have 
seen features and traits of character so distinctly 
piggish as to rouse my suspicions that the genea- 
logical line is not free from a cross of sus scrofa. 
The pig grew in stature and in wisdom, but not 
in grace, from day to day, until it threatened to 
dominate the place. However, it was lost during 
the absence of its friends, —to be replaced by a 
younger one at the next visit. 
“Do your pigs get lost when you are away?” 
asked No. 1. 
“ Not often, dear.” 
“It’s only pet pigs that runds away,” said 
No. 2, «and I don’t care, for it rooted me.” 
The pet pig is still a favorite with the grand- 
girls, but it always runs away in the fall. 
Kate loved to come to Four Oaks, and she 
spent so much time there that she often said : — 
« We have no right to that $1200; we spend 
four times as much time here as you all do in 
town.” 
«That’s all right daughter, but I wish you 
would spend twice as much time here as you do, 
