"It took me as much as an hour to fix up all them acorns. Then I laid
them in little piles round under the trees, and turned out my cows. They
started for the oaks fust thing, for they had got a habit of going there
as soon as they were turned to parster in the morning. I stood by the
bars and watched to see what would happen."
Here a still broader smile overspread Uncle Solon's face. "Within ten
minutes I saw all them cows going lickety-split for the brook on the
lower side o' the parster, and some of 'em were in such a hurry that
they had their tails right up straight in the air!
"Ef you will believe it," Uncle Solon concluded, "not one of them cows
teched an oak acorn afterward."
Another laugh went round; but an interruption occurred. A good lady from
the city, who was spending the summer at a farmhouse near by, rose in
indignation and made herself heard.
"I think that was a very cruel thing to do!" she cried. "I think it was
shameful to treat your animals so!"
"Wal, now, ma'am, I'm glad you spoke as you did. I'm glad to know that
you've got a kind heart," said Uncle Solon. "Kind-heartedness to man and
beast is one of the best things in life.
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