No one was willing to go near enough to tether her to the steel pin, but Rachel came puffing up at the end of the race and wailed: “Oh, dat milk! She ain’t been milked yet and runnin’ like dat is enough to churn butter of dat ten quarts!”
It took the united courage and daring of eight people to tie the rope to the stake, and then the breakfast pail was held before Sue’s nose again, and Sam sidled along with the stool and milk-pail until he dared sit down and begin the work.
Being an amateur at the art of milking a cow, Sam forgot to strip the teats as any self-respecting cow is accustomed to, so Sue expressed her displeasure at such slighting in a sound whack of her heavy tail across Sam’s face.
The slap was so unlooked for and so stinging to his cheek that Sam yelled and went promptly over backwards on the three-legged stool. But Sue continued munching her feed as if no one had insulted her. Mrs. James now summoned all her courage to say:
“If the cow is to be milked this morning, I fear I am the one who has to do it.”
The girls held their breath and stood at a safe distance watching for developments. But Mrs. James patted Sue on the head and “cooed” softly to her, then she began slapping her back gently. Then she moved her persuading hands along the side of the cow until she reached the belly.
Now she sat upon the stool and stood the pail upright again. Very soon she began stripping in an experienced way and Sue waved her tail thankfully, for she had been nervous and restive because the milk had not been drained the previous night. Rachel had only milked out the quantity that flowed readily and left more than a quart still in the udder. This always causes a cow to feel uncomfortable and irritable.
When the milking was over and Sue had been left to her own devices Mrs. James carried the pail to the kitchen. The milk was measured and to every one’s surprise and delight there was more than Miss Jipson had guaranteed.
After the milk was strained Sam was told to take it down to the cellar and place it on the floor to cool. The pans were carefully covered with wire fly-protectors and left.
Breakfast was unusually late that morning, but none the less welcome when it did appear. Rich heavy cream was served with fruit, cereals and everything that could afford an excuse for it, because the milk of the previous night’s milking had produced the richest of cream in the morning.