|Betty was a nice little girl about six years old. She lived in the
country on a pleasant farm. She went out to the barn every day and
helped her brother scatter com to the hens and turkeys. She liked to
give handfuls of hay to the horses when her father was close by her, but
she did not dare to go near them when she was alone.
One day Betty was in the orchard picking up apples.
[Illustration: 9111]
Below the orchard there was a field where the cows were feeding. One of
the cows was named Brindle. She stood with her head over the fence as
if she wanted something to eat Betty saw her, and she thought, "Poor old
Brindle is tired of grass; she wants me to bring her some of my apples."
So she filled her apron with sweet apples and went up to the fence.
Brindle took the apples from her hand and seemed to think they were
very good. The fence was low and broken where she was standing, and she
pushed against it hard because she was so glad to get the apples. She
wanted more and more, and pushed against the fence till it was almost
thrown down.
When Betty saw the fence falling she felt frightened a little, and
stepped away. Brindle had not got apples enough, so she jumped right
over the fence and came towards Betty. Then Betty was frightened a good
deal, and she started to run as fast as she could.
[Illustration: 0112]
When Brindle saw her going off she began to run after her. She did not
wish to hurt or frighten Betty, she only wanted to get what she carried
in her apron.
Betty was very much afraid, so she ran faster and faster. By and by
she let go of her apron and the apples rolled down to the ground. Then
Brindle stopped and went to eating them. She was quite satisfied now,
and did not go any farther.
So Betty got away and was not harmed at all. She found her father and
told him about it, and he drove Brindle back to her pasture. Then he put
up the fence so that she could not get out again.
--M. E. N. HATHEWAY.