d
open, and a gentle breeze was blowing through, but Mrs. Wood said that
when the cattle stood in the stalls, both doors were never allowed to
be open at the same time. Mr. Wood was most particular to have no drafts
blowing upon his cattle. He would not have them chilled, and he would
not have them overheated. One thing was as bad as the other. And during
the winter they were never allowed to drink icy water. He took the chill
off the water for his cows, just as Mrs. Wood did for her hens.

"You know, Laura," Mrs. Wood went on, "that when cows are kept dry
and warm, they eat less than when they are cold and wet. They are so
warm-blooded that if they are cold, they have to eat a great deal to
keep up the heat of their bodies, so it pays better to house and feed
them well. They like quiet, too. I never knew that till I married your
uncle. On our farm, the boys always shouted and screamed at the cows
when they were driving them, and sometimes they made them run. They're
never allowed to do that here."

"I have noticed how quiet this farm seems," said Miss Laura. "You have
so many men about, and yet there is so little noise."

"Your uncle whistles a great deal," said Mrs. Wood. "Have you noticed
that? He whistles when he's about his work, and then he has a calling
whistle that nearly all of the animals know, and the men run when
they hear it. You'd see every cow in this stable turn its head, if he
whistled in a certain way outside. He says that he got into the way of
doing it when he was a boy and went for his father's cows. He trained
them so that he'd just stand in the pasture and whistle, and they'd come
to him. I believe the first thing that inclined me to him was his
clear, happy whistle. I'd hear him from our house away down on the road,
jogging along with his cart, or driving in his buggy. He says there is
no need of screaming at any animal. It only frightens and angers them.
They will mind much better if you speak clearly and distinctly. He says
there is only one thing an animal hates more than to be shouted at, and
that's to be crept on to have a person sneak up to it and startle it.
John says many a man is kicked, because he comes up to his horse like
a thief. A startled animal's first instinct is to defend itself. A dog
will spring at you, and a horse will let his heels fly. John always
speaks or whistles to let the stock know when he's approaching."

"Where is uncle this afternoon?" asked Miss Laura.

"Oh,