“She won’t let it down—­she’s keepin’ it for the calf,” said the boy.  But at last she relented, and the white streams flowed.  “Now,” said Junior to me, “you see how I do it.  You try.”

As I took his place, I noticed that Brindle turned on me a vicious look.  No doubt I was awkward and hurt her a little, also; for the first thing I knew the pail was in the air, I on my back, and Brindle bellowing around the yard, switching her tail, Junior and Merton meanwhile roaring with laughter.  I got up in no amiable mood and said, roughly, to the boys, “Quit that nonsense.”

But they couldn’t obey, and at last I had to join in the laugh.

“Why, she’s ugly as sin,” said Junior.  “I’ll tell you what to do.  Let her go with her calf now, and in the morning we’ll drive her down to one of the stalls in the basement of the barn and fasten her by the head.  Then we can milk her without risk.  After her calf is gone she’ll be a great deal tamer.”

This plan was carried out, and it worked pretty well, although it was evident that, from some cause, the cow was wild and vicious.  One of my theories is, that all animals can be subdued by kindness.  Mr. Jones advised me to dispose of Brindle, but I determined to test my theory first.  Several times a day I would go to the barn-yard and give her a carrot or a whisp of hay from my hand, and she gradually became accustomed to me, and would come at my call.  A week later I sold her calf to a butcher, and for a few days she lowed and mourned deeply, to Mousie’s great distress.  But carrots consoled her, and within three weeks she would let me stroke her, and both Merton and I could milk her without trouble.  I believe she had been treated harshly by her former owners.

CHAPTER XXII

EARLY APRIL GARDENING

Spring was coming on apace, and we all made the most of every pleasant hour.  The second day after the auction proved a fine one; and leaving Winnie and Merton in charge of the house, I took my wife, with Bobsey and Mousie, who was well bundled up, to see the scientific grape-grower, and to do some shopping.  At the same time we assured ourselves that we were having a pleasure-drive; and it did me good to see how the mother and daughter, who had been kept indoors so long, enjoyed themselves.  Mr. Jones was right.  I received better and clearer ideas of vine-pruning in half an hour from studying work that had been properly done, and by asking questions of a practical man, than I could ever have obtained by reading.  We found that the old bay horse jogged along, at as good a gait as we could expect, over the muddy road, and I was satisfied that he was quiet enough for my wife to drive him after she had learned how, and gained a little confidence.  She held the reins as we drove home, and, in our own yard, I gave her some lessons in turning around, backing, etc.

“Some day,” I said, “you shall have a carriage and a gay young horse.”  When we sat down to supper, I was glad to see that a little color was dawning in Mousie’s face.