Dog carts, pulled by large dogs or occasionally goats, were not uncommon in Victorian America. They were used to move small loads. Dog carts are still used today in some regions of the world. Here, two sisters pretend with their brother in the harness of their family’s dog cart. The mend on the far wheel points to its steady use. This picture was taken in the late summer, after harvest, when there was a little extra time for fun and silliness. The corn behind them has already been harvested and the dried stalks will be plowed under or burned. One of Frank Colcord’s sisters is trying not to laugh as she poses for this picture. She holds a switch to his back. Pictured are three of the six children of George Ammi Colcord and Julia Maynard Colcord of South Deerfield, Massachusetts.