pasturage for them.

These animals named were in the small fenced barnyard. In the
fall and winter the old man had fed a good deal of fodder and
other roughage, and during the winter the horse and cow had
tramped this coarse material, and the stable scrapings, into a
mat of fairly good manure.

He looked the horse and cow over with more care. It was a fact
that the horse looked pretty shaggy; but he had been used little
during the winter, and had been seldom curried. A ragged coat
upon a horse sometimes covers quite as many good points as the
same quality of garment does upon a man.

When Hiram spoke to the beast it came to the fence with a
friendly forward thrust of its ears, and the confidence of a
horse that has been kindly treated and looks upon even a strange
human as a friend.

It was a strong and well-shaped animal, more than twelve years
old, as Hiram discovered when he opened the creature's mouth, but
seemingly sound in limb. Nor was he too large for work on the
cultivator, while sturdy enough to carry a single plow.

Hiram passed him over with a satisfactory pat on the nose and
turned to look at the white-faced cow that had so terrified
Mrs. Atterson. She wasn't a bad looking beast, either, and would
freshen shortly. Her calf would be worth from twelve to fifteen
dollars if Mrs. Atterson did not wish to raise it. Another
future asset to mention to the old lady when he returned.