THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 267 



afternoon she was found lying on some hay under the 

 rick, quite exhausted. A little girl carried her in, and 

 carefully tended her ; but all this I did not know until 

 afterwards. When, however, the household became 

 aware how seriously ill the old pet was, we had her put 

 into a hot bath, and tenderly packed in a hamper 

 before the fire. I got up early, before the servants 

 were stirring, to see her ; and although evidently in 

 much pain, it was quite touching to watch the sad 

 expression of her peculiarly melancholy brown eyes as 

 she laid her head on one side against the hamper, and 

 seemed to be saying a long good-bye. She did not 

 long survive, and it has cut us all to the quick. One 

 does not know the value of a pet, to which tender 

 associations cling, until we lose it. We had her stuffed, 

 but the eyes were so great a failure that we have 

 banished the case from the house, preferring the image 

 that lies of her upon our mental mirror. 



We have been unfortunate, too, with the steam- 

 engine. We had an idle fellow imported to put it up, 

 who, after three weeks' work, finally got the boiler so 

 fixed that we cannot keep up steam. The worst of 

 living in the country is, that we cannot get skilled 

 workmen to carry out our plans, and " city mice " intro- 

 duced take upon them so many airs. 



This will end in the apparatus being sold again, and 

 the horse-tackle being reverted to. 



To return, however, to the spot I always delight in — 

 the river-bank. When compelled to strike our sail 

 and drift down home, I took the opportunity of testing 

 the action of my precious jetties, and steered by the 

 bank down. Quite smoothly the water lay within 

 them, although so rough outside. (I find everybody 



