16. flicked the reins - still no sign of movement. I waited. The horses nudged each other. After the trouble they had given me a few moments previously, this was more than I could stand. "Giddap, you mangy nag!" I yelled and snapped them hard with the lines. This frightened me as much as it did the horses for they jumped forward and I nearly toppled backward off the seat. I was able to easily see there was going to be not bond of friendship between myself, and these two methods of locomotion. I had a grand time. The horses were moderately co-operative. They had two speeds. Too fast and too slow. If I concentrated on my driving, the horses would stop. If I concentrated on the mobility of the horses, they would choose their own route, and twice during the day I, or I should say the horses, ran the wheel of the rake into the fence. To add to the complication, I had to keep up a steady foot movement to operate the pedal that dumped the hay into windrows. By the end of the day I felt that I was a hardened, but calloused in one or two places. I resolved to myself that on the morrow I would have gloves for my hands and a soft cover for the iron seat. The day drew to a close, and as I was the last to go to work I also was the last to return. I had been so enthralled in the fine art of making crooked windrows that I hadn't noticed the others go in. and they in turn thought I would follow them. I arrived at the house about fifteen minutes after the others. My cousin came and unharnessed for me. He gave me instructions as he performed the operation. I'm sure he wasn't so afraid that I couldn't get the strappings off as as he was that I would get them off in too many pieces. "Can you milk?" inquired my uncle. "Sure," I answered, and this time I didn't guess at my capabilities. I had milked many cows, and I knew that it was like riding a bicycle; once you acquire the skill you never forgot it. Two cows were introduced to me. Spot and Nig were their names. They had temperaments somewhat similar to the quadropeds that had been pulling me 17 around the meadows all day. If they weren't asleep, they certainly didn't want anyone to be aware of it. I soon discovered that my bovine companions were a bit timid. Spot announced this fact by putting a sizely dent in the milk bucket with her right appendage. Nig, with the same implement, had attempted to put an equally sizeable dent in my shine, We just didn't get along, and I knew we would never be friends; but I was not going to give in. I finally got the milk, but It was with the aid of a friendly pair of hobbles. Thus I underwent the experience of living, learning and milking it. ETERNAL REQUIEM By Carolyn Wright I watched the dark, deep water Swell and sink, again and again Until it rose like an angry monster And crashed down toward its den. I watched it become what it was before I watched it repeat itself o'er and o'er Until, as though, in such exhaustion - It lazily rolled up on the sand Always looking for a place to rest? But snatched back to the deep by an angry hand.