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Stockton, Frank Richard, 1834-1902

"The Girl at Cobhurst"

" The calf
slowly rolled its eye to the position from which it had just moved, and
declined to consider food.
"Oh, it must drink; we must make it drink," said Miriam. "If I open its
mouth, will you put in the end of that tube? If it gets a taste of the
milk, it may want more. We must not let it die. But you must be careful,"
she continued. "That bottle leaks all round the cork. Spread part of my
skirt over you."
Dora followed this advice, for she had not considered a milk-stained lap
among the contingent circumstances of the afternoon. Holding the bottle
over the listless animal, she managed to get some drops on its tongue.
"Now," said Miriam, "we will put that in its mouth, and shut its
jaws, and perhaps it may begin to suck. It will be perfectly dreadful
if it dies."
The two girls sat close together, their eyes fixed upon the apparently
lifeless head of the bovine infant.
"See!" cried Miriam, presently, "its throat moves; I believe it is
sucking the milk."
Dora leaned over and gazed. It was indeed true; the calf was beginning to
take an interest in food.


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