be brave and come with us, the cows will not hurt you, I am sure."

Mrs. Wil-son's son burst in a laugh, to think that a boy should fear a Cow, which made Fred blush with shame; and he went from his Ma's gown which he had held fast while she spoke, and laid fast hold of the boy's hand, and said he would go as near the cow as he could. I will not take on me to say that his heart was quite free from fear, but that lay hid where none could see it; so let us think him as brave as we can, and say

a fine boy to thus get rid of his dread.

he was

CHAP-TER XXII.

THE whole troop now went to the yard of the farm, where they saw eight fine cows, fat, sleek and most clean, who gave some pails of rich milk, the steam of which, with the breath of the cows, cast scent all round them.

Mrs. Wil-son asks them to go back to the house where she had a cup of tea in store for them, though it must be said of her that it was a treat which she had but when her friends were so kind as to come and see her neat house.

Mr. Wil-son now came back and had a cup of ale, which gave him strength from the toils of the day.

"I have had," said Mrs. Ben-son, "great joy in the view of your farm, which seems to me to have all the things which life needs, and I wish you the best wish for your wealth. If you will not think me rude, may I ask if you got your farm by will, or did you buy it ? "

66

ease,

My wife and I have led no life of I can tell you, Ma'am," said he, "but next to the help of God, I think I owe much to my beasts that my farm is so good.

"I was left a small farm with some land on which were good crops, a horse, a cow, a few sheep, a sow and pigs, an ass, and a few fowl; these have got to what you now see that I have, with those that I have sold; and I have had fine crops of hay and corn, so that each year I laid by some cash, till I could

buy this farm, which has been a good one to me."

"It is so new to hear one who owns a farm say that part of his good luck in life he owes to his beasts, that I must ask you, Mr. Wil-son, you would tell me how it is."

if

"I shall be glad to do so," said he.

"When I was quite a young man, I heard a fine text in the church, how we should be kind to the brutes, and it went deep in my mind; and I have since done to all dumb brutes as I would to man, by the rule to do as I would be done by.

"I at all times think of each beast that works for me as one that earns his wage; but as beasts could not use cash, I pay them in things that are of more use to them; and make it a rule, where there is not great need for work, to let them have rest on the first day of the week.

"I take great care not to let my beasts work more than they have strength for, and I give them their food in due time; nor do I let them be beat, nor do I use them ill. And I give them more than their day's wage, for I give them all the good fare I can.

"When the grass is green, and the work of the day is past, I let each horse go to the rich fields; and when it is cold, I shield them from it in a warm stall. If they get old, I choose out some task that is not hard for them, and when they can do no more work, I let them live at ease, till age and loss of strength make their lives hard for them, then I have them put to death with the least pain I can.

for

"Though my cows and sheep do not work

me,

I think there is a debt due to them for their milk and wool and I try to pay them