flimsy
arguments about a horse with a docked tail being stronger-backed, like a
short-tailed sheep, but I don't believe a word of it. The horse was made
strong enough to do the work he's got to do, and man can't improve
on him. Docking is a cruel, wicked thing. Now, there's a ghost of an
argument in favor of check-reins, on certain occasions. A fiery, young
horse can't run away, with an overdrawn check, and in speeding horses a
tight check-rein will make them hold their heads up, and keep them from
choking. But I don't believe in raising colts in a way to make them
fiery, and I wish there wasn't a race horse on the face of the earth, so
if it depended race on me, every kind of check-rein would go. It's pity
we women can't vote, Laura. We'd do away with a good many abuses."

Miss Laura smiled, but it was a very faint, almost an unhappy smile, and
Mrs. Wood said hastily, "Let us talk about something else. Did you ever
hear that cows will give less milk on a dark day than on a bright one?"

"No; I never did," said Miss Laura.

"Well, they do. They are most sensitive animals. One finds out all
manner of things about animals if he makes a study of them. Cows are
wonderful creatures, I think, and so grateful for good usage that they
return every scrap of care given them, with interest. Have you ever
heard anything about dehorning, Laura?"

"Not much, auntie. Does uncle approve?"

"No, indeed. He'd just as soon think of cutting their tails off, as of
dehorning them. He says he guesses the Creator knew how to make a cow
better than he does. Sometimes I tell John that his argument doesn't
hold good for a man in some ways can improve on nature. In the natural
course of things, a cow would be feeding her calf for half a year, but
we take it away from her, raise it as well as she could and get an extra
quantity of milk from her in addition. I don't know what to think myself
about dehorning. Mr. Windham's cattle are all polled, and he has an open
space in his barn for them, instead of keeping them in stalls, and he
says they're more comfortable and not so confined. I suppose in sending
cattle to sea, it's necessary to take their horns off, but when they're
going to be turned out to grass, it seems like mutilating them. Our cows
couldn't keep the dogs away from the sheep if they didn't have their
horns. Their horns are their means of defense."

"Do your cattle stand in these stalls all winter?" asked Miss Laura.

"Oh, yes, ex