21 



with a portioned wife, went to his landlord, and told 

 him that he was undecided between two women, who 

 were ready to marry him — one of them had four 

 cows, and the other two ; Tim admitted that one of 

 the women was much better looking- and tidier, and 

 sweeter tempered than the other — but then she had 

 only the two cows. The landlord and Tim settled 

 the matter by deciding that there is not the value of 

 two cows between any two women upon earth — so 

 Tim took the ugly cross-grained woman with the four 

 cows — and we may Avish him joy of his luck. 



I mention this not in praise of Tim's prudence in 

 this respect — no, he was a cold, heartless, miserly 

 scoundrel, who did not deserve happiness or pros- 

 perity, and I should be sorry to bring him up as an 

 example. Pnidence may be carried too far, and then 

 it becomes criminal. But I have been running too 

 far a-head, without telling the small holder ivho has 

 no money how he is to buy a cow — he has a horse, 

 I'll engage that, even if he has but half a dozen acres 

 or even less — he has a horse — let him sell him — the 

 horse must go — car, tackling and all — let him buy a 

 cow and a wheelbarrow, instead. Now I have told 

 you how to make off the cow — but before I tell you 

 how to feed her all the year round, which in truth is 

 my main object in addressing you, I must lecture you 

 roundly in my next number, on the folly of keeping 

 horses instead of cows on small farms, in order that 

 you may see the propriety of either seUing or shoot- 

 ing them. 



No. VI. 



Let little farmers mind tlieir spades, 

 Nor think of keeping four-legged jades; 

 The proverb long ago decides, 

 Which way a mounted beggar rides. 



I am within bounds, when I say that 100 Irish 

 acres, if divided into 20 farms of 5 acres each, has to 



