“Why, did you ever see a calf of her age with bigger legs. That’s a she, you know. In another month’s time you wouldn’t know that calf, she’d be so strong and husky.”
Mrs. James felt silenced at being trapped by the wrong use of a pronoun, so she changed the current of her criticisms. “How much does she cost you for keep on an average per day?”
The farmer mentioned a ridiculously low figure that Mrs. James derided, but she asked for the very lowest price of the calf. Perhaps she would not have done this had not Janet so persistently poked her in the back.
The girls thought the price very cheap, indeed, and their faces plainly said so. But Mrs. James shook her head. “You are asking a price for a six month’s old calf. This young thing is not worth more than half your price.”
After much bargaining, the farmer came down one-third of his first asking price, and Janet frowned severely at Mrs. James to let her know she was to take the little creature.
“Well, I’ll take her if you agree to deliver her,” said she, finally. All faces lighted up and smiled once more.
“How fer do you live from here?” asked the farmer.
“About ten to twelve miles—over at Green Hill Farm.”
“Hoh, that’s too far for me to go for nothing. Make it an extra three dollars and I’ll deliver Susy.”
“Not another cent above the price agreed for the calf. I know it is too late in the season for you to dispose of Susy in a hurry, and we are not over-anxious to buy a calf and then have all the trouble of getting her home. We really wanted a cow, you know.”