“Matter! The darned brute has knocked over the pail, and spilled all the milk.”
“Cows is curis critters,” said Abner, philosophically. “They like to make mischief sometimes.”
“Just let me get a stick. I’ll give her a dose,” said Julius, excited.
“No,” said Abner, “we’ll tie her legs if she does it again. It doesn’t do much good beating an animal. Besides,” he added, smiling, “I s’pose she thought she had a right to spill the milk, considerin’ it was hers.”
“I don’t know about that,” said Julius. “That’s the way she pays her board.”
“I s’pose she didn’t see it in that light. Better luck next time, Julius. It wa’n’t your fault anyway.”
The cow stood placidly during this conversation, evidently well pleased with her exploit. Julius would like to have given her a beating; but Abner, who was a kind-hearted man, would not allow it.{104}
“It would be a bully idea to make her go without her breakfast,” said Julius, whose anger was kept fresh by the sight of the spilled milk.
“Wal,” said Abner, “you see there’s this objection. If she don’t have no breakfast, she won’t give as much milk next time.”
“I didn’t think of that.”