308 THE DAILY LIFE OF OUR FARM. 



flustered and lost his head, whereas the steam made 

 head, and finally blew up the safety-valve, thence 

 escaping in dense, angry volume. The lad got such a 

 mortal fright that when it came to the push (as he is 

 otherwise a good fellow, and in fact got into this scrape 

 from an over-desire to show work) we could not find it 

 in our heart to sign the warrant for his dismissal. We 

 shall now be able to keep all parties but the regulars 

 from intinision on the dangerous premises. Hitherto 

 one could not persuade our folk that the engine was 

 aught but a delightful toy. It had really been well-nigh 

 a serious affair, but it is likely to be the last attempt at 

 such freaks. It has become a positive wonder to me how 

 it is that one does not hear of more frequent accidents 

 than we do. I remember now, although it never struck 

 me then, a Staffordshire gentleman, an exceedingly 

 clever engineer, who never could, even to the last (and he 

 was an old man), hear without an involuntary shudder 

 the " thud, thud " of a high-pressure engine at full pace. 

 But let us to less exciting topics. How singular is 

 the spread of epidemics ! How absurd that, go where 

 you will of late over England, you meet everywhere 

 somebody complaining of boils or winking with a stye 

 in the eye ! So too of cattle-disorder. The Illustrated 

 London News gave us recently a specific for lice on 

 cattle ; since that I have noticed and see everywhere 

 the uncanny look upon the cattle which indicates the 

 existence of this pest. Whether done well or badly, 

 whether their hair be dry or reeking with moisture, 

 there is still everywhere the same unpleasant, scurfy 

 look. It must assuredly be in the air. Goose-grease, 

 well rubbed in, astonishes the animalculse, while it pro- 

 motes the growth of the new hair. Sawdust, like all 



