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 CIHM/ICMH 
 
 Microfiche 
 
 Series. 
 
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 Canadian Institute for Historical Microreproductions 
 
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 1980 
 
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 .///. 
 
 The FARM'S Little People 
 
 Sequel to ''On Grandfather'' s Farm'''' 
 
 BY 
 
 ANNIE HOWELLS FRECHETTE 
 
 PHILADELPHIA 
 
 AMERICAN BAPTLST PUBLICATION SOCIETY 
 1420 Chestnut Street 
 
rra^cAie.f'i'e . l-i T. H 
 
 Copyright 1897 by the 
 American Baptist Publication Society 
 
 ffrom tbe Society's own fivcee 
 
^0 tbe ftlcmorfi 
 
 Of my dear father and sister Victoria 
 
 To my cherished sister Aurelia 
 
 The one left of the loving three tvho made 
 
 us so happy on "-Grandfather's Farm" 
 
TY 
 H( 
 AF 
 TY 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 The Ram-cat's Kitthns 7 
 
 Hollyhock Ladies 39 
 
 Are There Fairies? 61 
 
 the party 85 
 
111! 
 
 
THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 ■. .1: 
 
 
-„ — 9 
 
 <*> <e 
 
 ^i 
 
 A\ 
 
THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 HAT do you s'pose that noise 
 upstairs is, Sister?" and 
 Brother's eyes opened wide 
 and his yellow hair did its best 
 to stand on end. 
 " It sounds like something scratch- 
 ing," answered Sister, with her head 
 turned to listen toward the loft. 
 
 ' * Do you think it is a panther ? " in an 
 awful whisper. 
 
 *' No, I don't. In the first place there 
 are no panthers on grandfather's farm, 
 and in the second place, if it was a pan- 
 ther it would have eaten Randolph and 
 Beverly last night, and I've seen them 
 going to the field this morning, so they 
 
 9 
 
lO 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 are not eaten. And besides, Brother, 
 you are too big a boy to be afraid of a 
 little noise like that." 
 
 " I didn't say I was afraid." 
 
 " But you looked afraid. I do wish. 
 Brother, ' ' and here Sister stood upright as 
 if to lecture in the oatbin where she and 
 Brother were playing mill, **that you 
 would get over that habit you have of 
 trying to get out of things. It is just as 
 bad to look scared as to be scared, and 
 you can't fool me. You know mamma 
 says you have a * speaking countenance,' 
 and that it always tells just what you are 
 thinking about." 
 
 **Can you tell by looking at my 
 cheeks ? " 
 
 ** Yes, even by looking at your nose." 
 
 ** That's funny," and Brother laughed, 
 glad to talk about something else. 
 
 * ' So if you want to prove to me that 
 you are not afraid, you ought to go up- 
 stairs and see what is scratching." 
 
 ** I'm not afraid," and Brother scram- 
 
 b 
 si 
 
 h 
 t 
 t 
 u 
 
 s 
 
THE RAM- CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 II 
 
 bled out of the bin, and started for the 
 steep little stair which led to the loft. 
 
 These two little people of six and seven 
 were spending a most happy summer on 
 their grandfather's farm, a fine old place 
 in Virginia. Just now they were playing 
 in one of the group of log houses which 
 had been * * the quarters * ' in slavery 
 times, the lower floor of which was some- 
 times used to store extra grain, while the 
 upper part of the cabin was used as a 
 bedroom for the two colored boys. A 
 great bin was found to be a most de- 
 sirable place in which to play, and many 
 a salt-bag of oats was loaded into the 
 express wagon and drawn to a make-be- 
 lieve mill in another corner, sister becom- 
 ing at once both horse and driver, and 
 Brother placing himself at the mill, where 
 he took the grist with a loud and gruff 
 voice — as became a dusty miller who was 
 always at work among rumbling wheels 
 and stones. 
 
 At the foot of the stairs Brother paused. 
 
Ill I 
 
 I 
 
 till 
 
 4 
 
 12 
 
 7///'; FARM'S J.ITTLE rJWP/.K 
 
 *' Fm noi at all afraid, you know, Sis- 
 ter, but even when I'm upstairs maybe I 
 can't find out. You'd better come with 
 me. You know I can't tell very well. I 
 might think it was Bingo, or an old hen 
 making a nest on the boys' bed. I might 
 — why, Sister, it's the ram-cat! " And 
 there sure enough was **the ram-cat" 
 (so called because of gray marks on 
 each side of her head, which the chil- 
 dren declared looked like the horns of a 
 ram) peering over the side of the stair. 
 
 " Oh, Brother, wait for me. I'm sure 
 the ram-cat has a nest in the loft. How 
 perfectly lovely! " and Sister went over 
 the side of the bin in double-quick time. 
 
 Up the stairs they flew, forgetful of 
 panthers or danger of any kind. The 
 ram-cat met them and rubbed against 
 them in a friendly way. 
 
 " Rammy, dear, have you a nest ? " 
 and Sister stooped to stroke her, while 
 Brother began peering about. *' Have 
 you kittens, Rammy ? " 
 
TIIK RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 n 
 
 " Rammy " only twisted herself 
 around Sister's thin legs and pushed 
 against her bare feet with velvety paws. 
 She was not a house cat like Pooley, still 
 she was on very good and gentle terms 
 with the children, who often brought her 
 tempting little dinners. She even had a 
 frolic with them at times, a thing which 
 stately Pooley never did, for Pooley never 
 even stayed with any one but grandfather. 
 Now it had long been one of their fond- 
 est hopes that some day the ram-cat 
 would, as they termed it, "hatch kit- 
 tens," for there were many plays in which 
 kittens could take part, and a "flock" 
 of them would be a far lovelier sight than 
 any flock of downy chickens. Little 
 chickens were beautiful enough, but even 
 Brother feared the claws of the mother 
 hen too much ever to pick up a chick, 
 and as for Sister, she would go far out 
 of her path any day, rather than meet 
 Mistress Speck and her brood. So little 
 chickens did not count for much. 
 
Ill 
 
 14 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 Once more a little scraping sound was 
 heard, and this time there was with it a 
 faint but real mewing, which seemed to 
 come from an old barrel which stood half 
 hidden under the eaves. The children 
 made a rush toward it and the ram-cat 
 followed them uneasily. Brother tilted 
 himself over the barrel and looked down 
 into it. He tilted himself so far that 
 Sister had to grasp him around the 
 chubby calves to keep him from tumbling 
 in altogether. She could hear him breath- 
 ing hard, but it was a moment of such 
 intensity, that neither could speak. Then 
 Brother wriggled himself out until his 
 toes touched the floor ; then his head ap- 
 peared ; then out came his arms — and in 
 each hand he grasped a soft, roly-poly 
 kitten. 
 
 "Take them, Sister, and 1*11 get the 
 rest; the barrel's 'most full of them." 
 
 Sister took them into the doubled-up 
 skirt of her dress in perfect silence, and 
 Brother again tilted himself into the bar- 
 
 |ii! I 
 
V 
 
 THE RAM- CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 15 
 
 d was 
 ti it a 
 led to 
 dhalf 
 ildren 
 n-cat 
 tilted 
 iown 
 that 
 the 
 Dling 
 ;ath- 
 such 
 'hen 
 his 
 ap- 
 d in 
 
 )Olv 
 
 the 
 
 ■up 
 nd 
 ar- 
 
 rel, Sister solemnly holding him by one 
 leg with her free hand; coming out he 
 silently put two more kittens into her 
 skirt and once more half of him was lost 
 to view. This time only one kitten was 
 fished r.p. 
 
 ** I tnought there were more," he said, 
 in deep disappointment. 
 
 "You said the barrel was 'most full, 
 Brother," mournfully. 
 
 "Well, Sister, truly and truly it did 
 seem 'most full. They must have kept 
 crawling up the sides and tumbling back, ' ' 
 and poor little Brother was mortified that 
 his treasury should so soon become 
 empty. 
 
 " Well, never mind, we can get along 
 with five," and then Sister's joy began to 
 overflow. "Thank you, thank you, for 
 getting them out of the barrel; I never 
 could have got them out ! ' ' 
 
 " I'm so glad I happen to be a boy, 
 'cause boys can get kittens out of barrels 
 better than girls can, 'cause they are not 
 
'II 
 
 i6 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 afraid of tearing their dresses, that's the 
 only reason. Are they beauties, Sis- 
 ter ? " beaming at her. 
 
 * ' Perfect little loves ! They are squirm- 
 ing 'round like little angels. Peep in at 
 them," and she opened a fold of her 
 skirt. " We'll own them together, won't 
 we ? Let's go down to the bin and put 
 them on the floor, so we can see them all 
 at once. It will be better than playing 
 mill." 
 
 ** And we can train them, and have a 
 circus." 
 
 **Yes, and now that the ram-cat has 
 hatched kittens, I just believe that old 
 Charley will hatch a Shetland pony." 
 
 " I believe he'll hatch two," said 
 Brother, who always liked to have things 
 complete. " Let me carry some of 
 them." 
 
 ** Yes, take one in each hand, but do be 
 careful not to drop them." 
 
 Down they went with their precious 
 load, the ram-cat coming as a jealous 
 
 r^ 
 
 01 
 
 t( 
 kl 
 
 el 
 
 tl 
 1( 
 tl 
 
THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 "7 
 
 f'^^i 
 
 rear guard, and into the bin they labori- 
 ously climbed. Once safely within, Sis- 
 ter's skirt was emptied and a soft wad of 
 kittenhood put upon the floor. To the 
 excited children it seemed to combine all 
 the colors of the rainbow, and long and 
 lovingly was it looked over. By turns 
 they decided that the beauty of the family 
 was the all-white one — the gray one — 
 and each of the cunning white ones with 
 gray spots. Brother wanted to begin 
 their training at once, but their legs were 
 so weak and their bodies so pudgy, that 
 both Sister and the mother protested in 
 their different ways, and the kittens were 
 put to sleep in a corner of the bin. 
 
 But trained cats they were to be, sooner 
 or later, and the little busybodies after 
 kissing the soft heap, betook themselves 
 to the labor of making the place clean 
 and tidy, for future performances. Old 
 brooms were brought in, and such a cloud 
 of dust was raised that they seemed to 
 recede from each other into dim distance. 
 
 B 
 
iiilil 
 
 After sweeping, seats were set for the 
 audience which was to consist of grand- 
 father, the aunts, and mamma. 
 Joey Vale was to be asked to assist 
 in the ring; and if Bingo and the ram- 
 cat could be coaxed to be friendly enough, 
 he too would add to the attractions of the 
 arena. 
 
 When all was done they once more 
 climbed back into the bin to feast their 
 eyes upon the kittens and to rest them- 
 selves. 
 
 * * Shall we tell about them when we go 
 to dinner, or shall we keep them for a 
 surprise ? " 
 
 * * To-morrow is Aunt Lea- 
 shie's birthday; we might 
 make her a present of 
 !./ them," said Sister. 
 
 ** But you know Aunt Leashie does not 
 like cats. She even calls Pooley a 
 i5 beast." 
 
 ** Well, she is a beast." 
 
 **But I don't think she ought to be 
 
THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 >9 
 
 not 
 
 7 a 
 
 be 
 
 called one — and right before grandfather 
 too," protested Brother. 
 
 **Well then, perhaps Aunt Leashie 
 would not like them, so we'll keep them 
 for a surprise. And when we have 
 trained them to jump over sticks and ride 
 on Bingo's back, and stand on their hind 
 legs and mew * Home Sweet Home,' like 
 the trained dogs " 
 
 ** Only the dogs bark it." 
 
 *' Oh, well, that's because they can't 
 mew — and when they can jump through 
 hoops and wear little dresses and coats 
 like monkeys, we'll give a circus, and 
 won't everybody be 'stonished ? How 
 proud the ram-cat will be of her chil- 
 dren. Oh, dear, I hear Bingo coming! 
 Now, they will fight and step on the kit- 
 tens and kill them ! Do run. Brother, 
 and shut him into the barn. It is the 
 only chance to save their lives, the dear 
 wee things. Go away, you wicked 
 dog!" Bingo at this moment came 
 rushing into the cabin and hearing the 
 
20 
 
 Tim FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 
 children talking in the bin, peered over at 
 them with a series of joyful little yelps, 
 and made as if to jump over to them. 
 
 ** Bingo," said Brother sternly, "go 
 to the house this minute." 
 
 " Oh, dear, dear ! I can almost hear 
 their poor little bones being crunched. 
 Oh, look at Rammy's tail! " and Sister 
 spread her skirts over the tempting mor- 
 sels, and the mother cat glared with fiery 
 eyes at the good-natured pup. **0h. 
 Brother, if you don't get the awful mon- 
 ster away, we'll all be killed — they'll tear 
 us to pieces between them." 
 
 Valiant Brother scrambled out, took 
 the joyous Bingo by the nape of the 
 neck, and by coaxing and cuffing at last 
 did get him outside, and Sister hurried 
 after them, closing the door carefully. 
 
 " I've left the sweet darlings asleep in 
 the bin with their kind mother to protect 
 them. What a narrow escape ! Bingo, 
 if you had pounced upon them, I'd — 
 I'd— 
 
 tt 
 
 i 
 
THE KAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 21 
 
 f { 
 
 go 
 
 Bingo stood before her asking with his 
 eyes what she would have dono, but as 
 she seemed unable to think and remained 
 silent, he presently gave a gruff bark and 
 pretended to attack her, by flattening him- 
 himself upon the ground, the^ suddenly 
 springing up and circling around her. 
 This was always a challenge for a grand 
 romp and the children could not resist him. 
 
 "We may as well play with him 
 awhile," said Sister, "and get his mind 
 off the kittens." 
 
 Not only was Bingo's mind diverted, 
 but they played themselves into complete 
 forgetfulness as well. When they were 
 called to dinner they found Aunt Sie 
 planning a trip to a farm near by, and 
 they were asked to go along. Invitations 
 were seldom thrown away on them, and 
 after dinner, each holding dear Aunt 
 Sie's hand, they started off. 
 
 It was only when they were well on 
 their way that the helpless state of their 
 treasure recurred to Sister. 
 
liilinii i 
 
 22 
 
 ^'HE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 ill 
 
 * * We must go back — we must go back 
 this very mirute! " she cried, coming to 
 a dead halt. 
 
 ** Why must you go back?" asked 
 Aunt Sie in surprise. 
 
 ** Oh, Aunt Sie, it was a secret, but 
 now you'll never, never see them, Bingo 
 will eat them all I " and Sister burst into 
 tears. 
 
 *' And he can gulp 'em right down — 
 they are so soft," added Brother in a 
 trembling voice. 
 
 * * Eat what ? Gulp what down ? ' * 
 **We may as well tell, Brother — the 
 
 circus is all over — we won't even have a 
 funeral if he eats them," said Sister. 
 '* Well, you are puzzling children I " 
 «* K-k-kittens, Aunt Sie." 
 " The — the — ram-cat has five kittens." 
 *' Well, that is a calamity," exclaimed 
 their aunt. ** Five m^Te cats to feed ! " 
 
 "And Bingo knows about them- " 
 
 *' And he 'most ate them before din- 
 
 ner. 
 
 > » 
 
E 
 
 3 back 
 ng to 
 
 asked 
 
 » but 
 Bingo 
 !t into 
 
 wn — 
 in a 
 
 —the 
 ive a 
 
 IS." 
 
 tned 
 
 [|" 
 >» 
 
 iin- 
 
 THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 23 
 
 *' Well, he won't 'most eat them after 
 dinner if the ram-cat is around." 
 
 **0h, won't she let him? Will she 
 spag him ?" they both cried in a breath. 
 
 '* Spag him! Well, all I have to say- 
 is, that if Bingo tries to eat the ram-cat's 
 kittens, there won't be more than the 
 tip of his tail left! " 
 
 ** Oh, goody! Will there be only 
 about an inch of his tail left, Aunt Sie ? 
 Show me on your finger," urged exact 
 Brother. ** Aren't you glad. Sister ? " 
 
 Their weeping was turned to laughter 
 as they seized each other and broke into 
 a ** joyful dance." 
 
 The sun was just setting when they 
 reached home, warm and tired, and a 
 hasty search was made for the downy 
 mass they had left in the oatbin. To 
 their horror they found the bin empty; 
 but as there was no sign of bloodshed, 
 they dared hope there had been no battle 
 between Bingo and the ram-cat. 
 
24 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 V 
 
 liiiiim 
 
 " Maybe, Sister," and Brother's face 
 glowed with hope, ** maybe their mother 
 thought they were to sleep upstairs. You 
 know at home Tibbie always used to 
 carry hers out to the shed in her mouth." 
 
 Upstairs trotted the tired little legs and 
 there, sure enough, in the barrel lay the 
 ram-cat surrounded by her family. It 
 was too dark to see distinctly, but 
 Brother made sure they were all there by 
 feeling and counting each sharp little tail. 
 Once he shouted up from the depth of 
 the barrel that there were six, but a re- 
 count proved to him that he had gotten 
 hold of the same tail twice. 
 
 " I wish, Brother, you'd be careful not 
 to make such mistakes. All in a minute 
 I thought how beautiful three pairs of 
 kittens would look galloping around the 
 ring; and it is so disappointing to have 
 to get used to two pairs and a half 
 again." 
 
 *'Well. I'm awful sorry, Sister; but 
 you see I could not help it — they squirmed 
 
so. They probably thought I was a bad 
 boy and meant to lift them by their tails. 
 But you know I wouldn't do such a 
 wicked thing, eh, Sister?" 
 
 She was touched by his humility and 
 kissed him. 
 
 "Oh, let's go down, Brother, I'm so 
 tired; I'm glad there aren't six, I'm too 
 tired to think of that many." 
 
 "And it kind of rests you only to 
 think of five, doesn't it. Sister ? " 
 
 "Yes, that's it." 
 
 And with their arms around each other 
 the little people went slowly toward the 
 house through the warm dusk. 
 
 They awoke fresh and bright. All the 
 weariness of the previous day had been 
 taken off to fairyland while they slept 
 by " Toosle," a certain fairy friend of 
 theirs, who was supposed to watch over 
 their sleep, to see if he could do any- 
 thing for them. Sometimes the rogue 
 played tricks on them, such as tangling 
 or ' ' toosling ' ' their hair, turning their 
 
26 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 sleeves inside out, or pulling off buttons 
 which they were sure were all right when 
 they had gone to bed ; but oftener he did 
 them good turns such as healing briar 
 scratches, or black and blue spots, or 
 bumps. These with aches and pains 
 once in a while he carried off to fairyland 
 and stored away until he found bad boys 
 and girls to palm them off on. 
 
 But something awful had happened 
 during the night. When Sister and 
 Brother went to the cabin and looked 
 into the barrel, only one kitten was to 
 be found. The ram-cat too was mysti- 
 fied. In vain they and she looked and 
 called, both upstairs and down. The 
 ram-cat tried to explain to them that 
 when she had returned from an early 
 trip to look for her own breakfast, and 
 jumped into the barrel to give the kittens 
 theirs, only one of all her lovely family 
 was left. 
 
 Wild guesses rushed one upon the 
 other. What could have become of the 
 
E 
 
 THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 27 
 
 mttons 
 t when 
 he did 
 
 briar 
 
 ts, or 
 
 pains 
 
 yland 
 
 boys 
 
 Dened 
 and 
 )oked 
 as to 
 lysti- 
 
 and 
 
 The 
 
 that 
 2arly 
 
 and 
 tens 
 tnily 
 
 the 
 the 
 
 four little beauties ? Could Randolph 
 and Beverly each have stolen two and 
 taken them home to their little brothers 
 and sisters ? Could Bingo have eaten 
 them ? Could jealous Pooley have car- 
 ried them off ? 
 
 In despair they went to their grand- 
 father with their sad tale and their sus- 
 picions. He sympathized with them in 
 their grief, and told them that it was not 
 the first time he had known whole fami- 
 lies of kittens to disappear and never be 
 heard of again. But he did his best to 
 clear away the cloud of suspicion which 
 rested upon Bingo. In all his long years 
 he had nev3r known a dog to really eat 
 cats. 
 
 "And,'* he said, stooping down to 
 pat Bingo, '* see how innocent the poor 
 dog looks, and how sad because you are 
 so cross to him. Bingo, have you eaten 
 any kittens this morning ? Open your 
 mouth and let me see if there is any fur 
 
 m it. 
 
 » > 
 
28 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 Bingo not only opened his mouth, but 
 showed a clean red tongue and gleaming 
 white teeth in a joyous smile. 
 
 ** There, you see what an honest fel- 
 low he looks. Pat him and be friendly 
 with him again, for I'm quite certain he 
 knows nothing of this sad business. And 
 anyhow, don't you think it is rather a 
 good thing that the poor ram-cat hasn't 
 five kittens to look after? " 
 
 ** But we would have taken care of 
 them, grandfather; we meant to train 
 them," they broke in. 
 
 * * But think how many birds she would 
 have been tempted to catch for them. 
 Now you can manage with one and make 
 a pet of it. And I don't believe Bingo 
 will meddle with it after the way Pooley 
 cuffed him. So, cheer up." 
 
 *'We are cheering up, grandfather, 
 as fast as we can," replied Sister in a 
 very doleful tone. "But it is very hard 
 to get cheerful on only one kitten." 
 
 " You may own the head. Sister, and 
 
E 
 
 :h, but 
 aming 
 
 St fel- 
 endly 
 
 in he 
 And 
 
 her a 
 
 lasn't 
 
 re of 
 train 
 
 v^ould 
 
 hem. 
 
 nake 
 
 iingo 
 
 loley 
 
 her, 
 in a 
 lard 
 
 and 
 
 THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 29 
 
 I'll own the tail," said Brother gloomily, 
 " and we'll both own the paws." 
 
 **That will be a very fair division. 
 Come, let us have a look at the little 
 thing." 
 
 It was indeed an honor to have grand- 
 father go to look at their little kitten, and 
 they told him on the way how they had 
 meant to have a circus ; how they had 
 found the ram-cat's nest; and how at 
 first Brother was just a little bit afraid 
 that it was a panther, and so on, until 
 they had talked themselves upstairs. 
 Grandfather made them happy by declar- 
 ing it to be the most beautiful kitten he 
 had ever seen. He admired its snowy 
 whiteness and its blue eyes which, he 
 said, were very unusual. 
 
 " I am going down to the bottom-lands 
 to see how the boys are coming on with 
 their hoeing, so you had better put the 
 kitten back with its mother and come 
 with me." 
 
 ** Oh, thank you, grandfather, for tak- 
 
30 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 ing US, and we can play at the brook 
 while you look after the boys." 
 
 Away they went, their loss forgotten 
 in thoughts of catching crawfish in the 
 little brook which ran around the wood 
 lot to finally tumble into the carp-pond. 
 Catching crawfish was one of their great- 
 est pleasures, and as they trotted along 
 by their grandfather's side, Brother told 
 how Sister lifted up the stones and he 
 picked up the crawfish she uncovered. 
 
 *'And I'm very careful not to take 
 them by the end what bites, you know, 
 grandfather, for they just put their little 
 arms around your finger and — whew ! ' ' 
 
 * * And what do you do with them after 
 you catch them ? ' ' 
 
 ** Oh, we have a dam that we put them 
 into, and next summer when we come to 
 visit you, they will have grown to be big 
 lobsters." 
 
 By this time they had reached the 
 brook — a pretty spot under overhanging 
 branches, among whose leaves the birds 
 
 / 
 
 I ! 
 
THE RAM- CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 31 
 
 and summer breeze made pleasant music. 
 And here grandfather left them to pur- 
 sue lobster-raising while he went forward 
 to oversee a harvest almost as doubtful. 
 He could still hear them splashing about 
 in the water and talking steadily to each 
 other. 
 
 Presently there was a pause followed 
 by loud calls. 
 
 " Oh, grandfather, grandfather ! Come, 
 please, as fast as you can. We've found 
 them ! They were in the dam ! " 
 
 He hastened back and saw Sister and 
 Brother standing knee-deep in water, and 
 in each raised hand a little drowned kitten. 
 
 " They're dead — perfectly dead," and 
 Sister's ready tears splashed into the 
 brook. 
 
 ** St-stone dead, grandfather," and 
 Brother swallowed hard to keep back his. 
 
 * * Where in the world did you find 
 them?" 
 
 ** Right here. I was looking for our 
 lobsters, and I felt something soft under 
 
32 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 my foot, and I picked it up and it was 
 one of our kittens, and I felt around for 
 more, and then I found them all." 
 
 "It is a shame!" said grandfather, 
 and he turned and walked quickly back 
 to where the boys were at work, and they 
 heard him speaking sharply to them. 
 
 *' Grandfather seems to be scolding 
 the boys ; I wonder what they have 
 done ? " said Brother. 
 
 " He is saying something about places 
 where we don't play." 
 
 ** Sister, I've just thought how it all 
 happened! The ram-cat often comes 
 down here to catch birds — of course she 
 doesn't know it's wicked to — and maybe 
 this morning she came and they followed 
 her, and they fell in. That's just the 
 way it happened! " 
 
 " Of course it is. I'm glad we found 
 them, if it did make us feel so awful." 
 
 * * And now we know that grandfather 
 is the wisest man in the world ! You 
 know he said Bingo did not eat them." 
 
 
OTLE 
 
 md it was 
 around for 
 11." 
 
 andfather, 
 ickly back 
 , and they 
 them. 
 
 scolding 
 hey have 
 
 out places 
 
 low it all 
 en comes 
 ourse she 
 id maybe 
 ' followed 
 just the 
 
 we found 
 .wful." 
 andfather 
 dl You 
 them." 
 
 THE RAM- CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 i^Z 
 
 *' And we were so cross to Bingo." 
 
 "And v/e can have a funeral." 
 
 "We can have four, Brother, four 
 
 sweet little funerals ! ' ' 
 
 * * And it will be almost better than 
 
 having a circus.' 
 
 If 
 
 Calamities did not cease in the ram- 
 cat's family, for about two weeks later 
 the poor ram-cat herself fell a victim to a 
 savage dog, and was found dead near the 
 barn. 
 
 * * Now you will have to take entire 
 I care of poor little Snowball," for so they 
 had named her. ** You see now that it 
 was a good thing that the others were 
 drowned. I'm afraid they would have 
 been unhappy." 
 
 " Yes, indeed, grandfather, it is a very 
 good thing," said Brother soberly. 
 
 All day Snowball was plied with milk 
 and even cream, and much of the after- 
 noon was spent in making a suitable bed 
 for her. Aunt Sie gave them some bits 
 
34 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 Nil'' 
 
 ^i 
 
 1 1 
 
 of soft blanket, which they put into an 
 old pail making quite a cozy nest. After 
 it was finished they put it in a corner of 
 the cabin and carried their pet to the 
 house to havt i long romp with her after 
 supper. 
 
 They played until dark, when mamma 
 said it was high time for both them and 
 their kitten to be in bed, so they ran 
 down through the moonlight to the cabin 
 to put Snowball into her new nest. It 
 was quite dark in the little room, but they 
 felt about until Sister laid hold of the 
 bucket. " Good-night, you beautiful 
 darling, I hope you will sleep well. Kiss 
 her, Brother, right between her little 
 ears, and then we'll put the dear wee 
 thing to bed. There now, in you go. 
 You'll be nice and com — 
 
 > » 
 
 Splash ! Sputter ! ! Spatter 1 1 ! 
 
 ' ' Me-yow — me-yow ! ' ' 
 
 ** Oh, Brother, what is it ? What has 
 happened ? She's fallen into some- 
 thing! Hear her puff — she's drowning. 
 
 Be 
 
 al 
 
 lig 
 
 thi 
 
 po 
 
 ha 
 ca 
 be 
 se 
 Sr 
 he 
 
 th 
 dr 
 ea 
 w 
 
 P' 
 
 a1 
 st 
 
 
 
 I 
 
'LE 
 
 THE RAM-CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 35 
 
 into an 
 t. After 
 orner of 
 
 to the 
 tier after 
 
 mamma 
 lem and 
 hey ran 
 he cabin 
 test. It 
 but they 
 of the 
 Deautiful 
 I. Kiss 
 er little 
 sar wee 
 ^ou go. 
 
 I 
 
 hat has 
 
 some- 
 
 )wning. 
 
 Beverly — Randolph — oh, somebody bring 
 alight!" 
 
 The boys upstairs ran down with a 
 light and the scene upon which they came 
 threw them into screams of laughter and 
 poor Sister into hysterical weeping. 
 
 During the day some papering had been 
 going on at the house, and the workmen 
 had put their bucket of paste into the 
 cabin to have it ready when they should 
 begin work in the morning. They had 
 set it beside the fine couch prepared for 
 Snowball, and in the dark Sister had laid 
 her into it. 
 
 As the first glimmer of light showed 
 the awful mistake, Brother seized the 
 dripping kitten and held it high. Its 
 ears were pasted flat to its head, its eyes 
 were closed, and from its feebly moving 
 paws trickled thick streams of paste. 
 
 ** Oh, don't hold it up like that ! Look 
 at its beautiful tail ; it is just like a pipe- 
 stem!" shrieked Sister. "Oh, put it 
 on the floor, it is dying — it is dying ! ' ' 
 
i I 
 
 p^i 
 
 iit 
 
 36 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 !i 
 
 Brother sadly placed it upon the floor 
 and it crept off leaving a trail of paste 
 behind it. 
 
 *♦ Is it dead yet ? I can't look ! " wept 
 Sister from under her apron which she 
 had thrown over her face. 
 
 "Not quite, Sister; it's creeping 
 around a little yet. Boys, you oughtn't 
 to laugh," in a voice which suited the 
 solemn occasion. 
 
 ** ' Deed we's got to larf. It do look 
 so mighty funny! Yo' bettah take it out 
 an' drop it in de trof now," and they 
 kept on with their merriment, until the 
 coming of the family, drawn by the up- 
 roar. Brother held the pitiable object up 
 to be looked at. After a hurried discus- 
 sion it was decided to take it to the 
 kitchen and wash it in warm water, so a 
 procession was formed headed by Brother 
 bearing his slippery burden. Poor Snow- 
 ball was too bewildered to object very 
 much to the tepid bath, though she did 
 not submit quite without protest. 
 
THE RAM- CAT'S KITTENS 
 
 37 
 
 After the paste was washed off she was 
 wrapped up and put into a snug place to 
 dry. Then the weary children were car- 
 ried off to bed to dream of the awful 
 event. 
 
 In the morning when they stole down 
 to the kitchen they found Snowball, 
 fluffy, frolicsome, and white, and in as 
 high spirits as if her nine chances of life 
 were not cut down to eight. 
 
HOLLYHOCK LADIES 
 
i 
 
 ' , 1 
 
 1 ,. 
 
 I 
 
 ; 1 
 1 1 
 
 } 
 
 Mr!!' i 
 
 i ;th i 
 
 l!;il iiiiri,(. 
 I I." !i'li'i:!i 
 
 lllli 
 
 !i| 
 
 1! . 
 
HOLLYHOCK LADIES 
 
 H, dear, I'm sure I don't know 
 what to do ! Nothing seems 
 to be nice this morning. 
 Brother is not like he used to 
 be, and Bingo has gone off to the field 
 with the boys, and Juno shook her head 
 at me as if she'd just be glad to hook 
 me if I climbed through the bars, and 
 Snowball scratched me — ah ! ' ' and the 
 doleful list finished with a catch in the 
 voice which was next door to a sob. 
 
 " Poor Sister, I'm sorry things are 
 going so badly with you. How, in what 
 way, has Brother changed ? ' ' asked 
 mamma, as she finished cutting a but- 
 ton-hole. 
 
 * ' I — I think he likes Joey Vale better 
 than he does me. He said — well, 1 don't 
 mean he said it — but he looked as if he 
 
 41 
 
'I 
 
 il 
 
 42 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 wished I'd go into the house last week 
 when Joey came to play with us. And 
 — well — mamma, I think I could have 
 sat in between grandfather and Aunt 
 Leashie without crowding them much, 
 I'd have sat so slim," and at that Sister 
 threw herself upon her mother's shoulder 
 and gave way to the grief which had 
 been growing more bitter every moment 
 since she had watched her grandfather 
 and aunt drive away. 
 
 ** Oh, is that what has spoiled the day 
 for you ? Well, after you have cried 
 you will feel better, and you will begin 
 to recall all the lovely drives you have 
 had, and feel sure that if dear, kind 
 grandfather could have taken you with 
 him he would — 
 
 > I 
 
 '*Aunt Leashie offered to let me sit 
 on her lap " 
 
 ** Yes, I know she did; but think how 
 tired poor Aunt Leashie would have been 
 at the end of several miles with a big 
 girl on her lap. She offered, because 
 
 Hill 
 
week 
 And 
 have 
 Aunt 
 much, 
 Sister 
 oulder 
 ;h had 
 loment 
 dfather 
 
 he day 
 : cried 
 begin 
 i have 
 , kind 
 J with 
 
 me sit 
 
 k how 
 i been 
 a big 
 cause 
 
 HOLLYHOCK LADLES 
 
 43 
 
 she is unselfish; but all the same, we 
 must be unselfish too. Now I want you 
 to forget that you have been left behind, 
 and dry your eyes — like little Sally Wa- 
 ters — only not on your frock ; that would 
 be pretty awful, wouldn't it ? — and hunt 
 Brother up and have a good play. ' ' Then 
 mamma kissed the sorrowful little girl as 
 she laid aside her work and took her 
 upon her lap. 
 
 **No, I can't play with Brother, even 
 when I'm through crying. He is tying 
 bees into the hollyhocks, and they buzz 
 so that they terrify me," sobbed the little 
 girl as she cuddled up to her mother, 
 already beginning to feel the relief of 
 tears and the efEect of a bracing sym- 
 pathy. 
 
 * * Tying bees into the hollyhocks ! 
 What in the world is he doing that f or ? " 
 
 **He says they injure the hollyhocks, 
 and he wants to teach them a lesson. He 
 thinks if he scares them, they won't 
 meddle with flowers any more. He 
 
44 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 ii i 
 
 ! 
 
 1^1! 
 
 means to keep the bees tied in until 
 dark, and — I — I think it is very cruel. 
 The poor things will never be able to find 
 their way back to the hives. Brother 
 says they can because, he says, he be- 
 lieves they have cat-eyes and can see in 
 the dark. And besides, I'm afraid they 
 will smother. Oh, dear, I feel so sorry 
 for them — I wish he wouldn't; the poor, 
 poor bees 1 ' ' and Sister went off into 
 another flood of tears, which mamma 
 saw was going to be the clearing-up 
 shower. She waited until it was over 
 and a sunny smile showed itself in the 
 dimple at the corner of her mouth. 
 
 *' He was standing in the high 
 chair, and — and it upset with him," 
 here the smile was joined by a musi- 
 cal little laugh. "He looked so funny, 
 pitching headforemost among the holly- 
 hocks, with his legs sticking up in the air, 
 just like a big Y," and Sister laughed 
 until her eyes brimmed over with another 
 kind of tears. " Poor little chap, he was 
 
 sc 
 a 
 II 
 e 
 
.E 
 
 HOLLYHOCK LADLES 
 
 45 
 
 until 
 cruel, 
 to find 
 brother 
 he be- 
 see in 
 id they 
 sorry 
 e poor, 
 ff into 
 namma 
 ring-up 
 as over 
 i in the 
 >uth. 
 
 J high 
 him/' 
 musi- 
 funny, 
 holly- 
 le air, 
 Jghed 
 lother 
 e was 
 
 so scared. At first I was glad he fell, 
 and I told him so; but I did feel sorry 
 in a minute, for I think he skinned his 
 elbow, but he wouldn't own it." 
 
 " Oh, Tm sorry you said you were 
 glad!'' 
 
 *' So am I, mamma. I think I was 
 very cross to Brother. I even almost 
 hoped a bee would sting him, he acted 
 so stuck up. And he didn't seem to 
 mind not going with grandfather at all. 
 Oh, I'm so sorry I said it! Brother is 
 such a dear, good little boy, and I am so 
 bad. I wish I didn't mind things any 
 more than Brother does." 
 
 "Well, dear, since you have learned 
 your lesson, I don't regret your unhappy 
 morning. You have been angry and 
 jealous and cross, and you are now 
 ashamed of yourself. Instead of blam- 
 ing Brother, you have come to see what 
 is good in him and bad in yourself. He 
 has a very happy disposition. I don't 
 think he does mind things as much as 
 

 46 
 
 TJ/£ FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 you do, SO it is easy for him to be 
 amiable and happy. But when you con- 
 quer your unkind feelings, you have 
 fought a good fight and deserve a great 
 deal of credit. I am very proud of my 
 little girl when she rules herself." 
 
 *'Are you, mamma? I'm so glad. 
 I'll try always to be good to him. I 
 think I'll ask him to let me see his poor 
 elbow," and Sister got upon her feet. 
 
 "And I'll go with you, for I think 
 Brother will have to find some other way 
 to train the bees. I am afraid they will 
 sting him." 
 
 ** I don't know what we can play if 
 Brother stops doing that." 
 
 ** Perhaps I can find some other play," 
 answered her mother as they walked to- 
 ward the sunny garden where they could 
 see Brother looking very tall upon his 
 lofty perch among the old-fashioned 
 hollyhocks. 
 
 **What have the bees been doing?" 
 called mamma as they came near. 
 
 1 
 
 <fi 
 
"They are very bad, mamma. They 
 buzz in and out of the hollyhocks and 
 kick the yellow stuff about so, and — and 
 — well they look so bold and fierce that 
 I'm pretending to put them in jail. I've 
 got two tied in, and if Sister had only 
 helped me, we could 'a had a lot of 
 prisoners by this time," answered the 
 little man, looking rather tired and hot. 
 
 " But I don't believe the poor chaps 
 are doing anything very bad. Of course 
 they look bold and make a lot of noise, 
 but that is just their way, and I don't 
 really think they should be put into jail 
 for that," mamma replied. 
 
 "Don't you?" he said, rather crest- 
 fallen. 
 
 "No, I don't. I have known boys 
 and girls to look bold and make a lot of 
 noise, but I should never think of trotting 
 them off to jail. Come down and let me 
 see your elbow ; Sister tells me you have 
 hurt it." 
 
 Down came Brother from his high 
 
48 
 
 THE I' ARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 chair and slid his sleeve up past his little 
 tanned wrist to his dimpled white elbow, 
 where sure enough the skin was curled 
 up into small shavings. 
 
 * ' Poor Brother ! ' ' sighed Sister softly 
 as she pressed her lips to the hurt. 
 
 * * Dear Sister ! ' ' and the arms went 
 quickly around her neck, and peace was 
 restored. 
 
 Mamma looked at the arm and said 
 the injury was not a serious one. "And 
 now I would let the prisoners out on 
 promise that they will never again disturb 
 the hollyhocks. Here are my scissors, 
 I'll bend down the stalks while you cut 
 the strings." 
 
 "I'll ask them first. Bee, will you 
 promise never to steal yellow stuff again 
 if I let you out?" 
 
 "Tell him it's the '^Mlvhocks' money," 
 said Sister. 
 
 "Do you k x^iister Bee, that you 
 
 have been steamig hollyhock money?" 
 in a very gruff and terrible voice. 
 
 H 
 
i 
 
 IIOLL YIIO CK LA O/ES 
 
 49 
 
 "I heard him promise; I heard him 
 buzz,*' and Sister hopped gayly up and 
 down. ** Out he comes ! Oh ho, Mister 
 Bee!" 
 
 "Come out, Mister Bee, and tell all 
 your friends." 
 
 Snip went the scissors, up bounded 
 the stalk, and out flew the bee fuming and 
 scolding. 
 
 The other culprit was set free with like 
 ceremonies. 
 
 ' ' What shall we do now ? ' ' after watch- 
 ing the bees out of sight. 
 
 "Well, if I were a little girl and boy, 
 I- 
 
 I > 
 
 "Oh mamma! How could you be 
 both? Who ever heard of even a 
 mamma being a little girl and boy? " and 
 they seized her hands and danced around 
 in high glee that they had caught her in 
 a trap. 
 
 "But T did not say I could be a little 
 girl and boy. I only said if I were. 
 But then maybe you don't care to know 
 
 D 
 
j !!iiir J 
 
 50 
 
 TJ/£ FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 il! 
 
 what I would do if Toosle should happen 
 along and touch me on the tip of my 
 nose with his wand, and turn me into a 
 little girl and bo^ , and mamma looked 
 as if under such charming conditions she 
 knew of thousands of things she could 
 do, and of millions of plr^ j she could 
 play. 
 
 **0h yes we do, yes we do. Tell us, 
 tell us. You don't know how hard it is 
 for little girls and boys to know what to 
 play sometimes." 
 
 ** Don't I though? Maybe I have 
 never been a little girl." 
 
 **0h, I wish I had been a little girl 
 when you were one. I'm sure you had 
 such fun! " cried Sister. 
 
 "Well, if I were one this morning I 
 think I'd play — let me see what I'd play," 
 said mamma musingly, as if sorting over 
 a multitude of joys in her mind. "Yes, 
 I think as to-day is rather warm outside, 
 I would go into the summer house and 
 play hollyhock ladies." 
 
HOLLYHOCK LADLES 
 
 51 
 
 "Oh mamma, you never told us about 
 that play before. What in the world is 
 it?" 
 
 "I'll show you. We'll pick a holly- 
 hock of each shade — here, toss them into 
 my apron — then we'll get some single 
 poppies, and some of those little green 
 bells that grow down by the currants; 
 and some ribbon grass ; and some thorns 
 off the honey locusts — and then we'll go 
 to the summer house." 
 
 "Oh, how lovely ! Pick away. Brother ; 
 I know it's going to be a perfectly 
 lovely play. I'm so glad I decided not 
 to go with Aunt Leashie and grand- 
 father ! ' ' and Sister buzzed about among 
 the flowers like a busy bee herself. 
 
 "Hadn't we better get two of each 
 shade?" called Brother. 
 
 "Perhaps it would be well," agreed 
 mamma. 
 
 In a few minutes her sewing apron 
 looked quite baggy with its floral treasures, 
 and they turned to the vine-clad summer 
 
hil 
 
 house. In the center stood a round table 
 upon which they piled their flowers, and 
 then they drew the chairs up around it. 
 
 **Now, Brother, let me have all the 
 string you have in your pockets.*' 
 
 ** Hurry, Brother, I'm so anxious to 
 see what mamma is going to do." 
 
 The string was dragged out in tangled 
 little wads, and mamma, seating herself, 
 picked out her first blossom, turned it 
 carefully inside out and tied it about half 
 an inch below the crown with a bit of 
 string, which she afterward skillfully 
 covered with a ribbon grass sash, and 
 stood it down upon the table — a very fair 
 lady in a brilliant red silk gowi. topped 
 by a neat little round head. 
 
 * * Now she must have a parasol to pro- 
 tect her complexion. Give me that little 
 red poppy, Sister." 
 
 All the green was picked off the poppy 
 and a thorn stuck into the center and 
 fixed firmly in the lady's belt, and she 
 was ready to walk forth into the world. 
 
HOLL YIIOCK LADIES 
 
 53 
 
 ' * What a beauty ! ' ' Brother said ; 
 " and I believe we can make men too." 
 "All right; make whatever you can." 
 Away he slipped and soon came back 
 with his straw hat full of flowers . * * These 
 are for their legs," he explained, laying 
 down a handful of the neatly rolled up 
 buds of morning glories. 
 
 * * Just the thing, ' * said mamma ; * * your 
 men will look like gay cavaliers. If you 
 look into the hollyhocks you'll find that 
 some have plumes on their heads, and 
 they will do for the knights." 
 
 She laid down her work and watched 
 Brother. His gentleman turned out very 
 like her lady, except that two thorns upon 
 which were strung morning glory buds 
 were stuck into the gathered folds of the 
 
54 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 'I 
 
 skirt which he proceeded to snip away 
 into a doublet. The blunt ends of the 
 thorns made very decent feet upon which 
 the gallant knight did not stand much 
 more unsteadily than the knights of old 
 often stood upon their feet. When it 
 was done he looked up brightly at his 
 mother for approval. 
 
 "Isn't our dear little boy clever, 
 mamma?'* said Sister. **Thatisjust a 
 darling of a man. Make a lot of them, 
 Brother." 
 
 Thus praised he worked with a will, 
 and Sister began to make children out of 
 the little green bells, which stood up 
 primly upon the edge of their skirts. 
 The three worked away busily and soon 
 had a fine array of brilliant ladies, gentle- 
 men, and children. And then the gayety 
 began. They were formed into a pro- 
 cession, marched to an imaginary ball- 
 room, and stood up for dancing. 
 
 * * I think they ought to have a supper 
 after their ball," said mamma; ** and if 
 
HOLLYHOCK LADLES 
 
 55 
 
 you will come to the house with me, 
 Brother, I will give you refreshments for 
 our friends from flower land, and enough 
 for you and Sister too, so you can eat 
 with them. Sister, you can arrange the 
 supper hall while we are away." 
 
 As they went out of sight in the direc- 
 tion of the house. Sister fell to work 
 making ready for the feast. Sofas of 
 great soft pink roses were brought in for 
 the hollyhock ladies to tilt themselves 
 against, while the knights were stood 
 about a monstrous sunflower which was 
 to serve as a table, and the prim little 
 green children were grouped in a corner. 
 When all was finished she threw herself 
 down upon a bench where she could keep 
 her eyes upon the company, and waited 
 for Brother. 
 
 And now happened a strange and won- 
 derful thing. She was just thinking what 
 a lovely thing it must have been to live 
 in the time of fairies — to talk to them — 
 to 
 
 ^^1 
 
56 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 lilililiNiilli 
 
 Suddenly she felt a soft patter across 
 her bare foot, like raindrops falling gently 
 upon it, and looking down, she could not 
 believe her eyes when she saw, as plain 
 as bright daylight could make it, the 
 dearest, the sweetest little carriage ! It 
 was made of a softly tinted pearl shell, 
 and drawing it were six snow-white 
 horses, perfectly shaped but no larger 
 than mice. It was their little black hoofs 
 she had felt on her foot. 
 
 She was about to fall upon her knees 
 beside the dainty carriage, but she looked 
 again — to make sure that she really was 
 looking — when there, right before her 
 very eyes, stepping down from the car- 
 riage, was a darling fairy queen about as 
 tall as her little finger. 
 
 "Oh, you sweet, sweet creature! I 
 know you; you are a fairy, though I 
 never saw one before in all my life. Do, 
 do let me hold you in my hand. Til be 
 very careful of you, I'll not squeeze you. 
 Oh, if only Brother could see you! " 
 
 i I 
 
 ;iji 
 
 :llli 
 
HOLLYHOCK LADIES 
 
 57 
 
 "Brother will see me. I have come to 
 the ball you are giving for my young 
 ladies and knights." 
 
 And there, sure enough, came troops 
 of fairies, from where Sister could not 
 tell, until one of the young lady fairies 
 caught her high-heeled slipper and pitched 
 down on her nose, and then Sister saw 
 that the flower ladies and gentlemen were 
 turning into fairies as fast as they could, 
 and floating down from the table to join 
 their queen. 
 
 ' ' I would be sorry to go back to fairy- 
 land without having a chat with Brother, ' ' 
 continued the queen, gracefully gathering 
 the folds of her skirt together and step- 
 ping into Sister's outstretched hand ; * * for 
 I want to thank him for his efforts to 
 protect my people from the attacks of 
 fierce bees, as they call themselves, though 
 they are really goblins who were created 
 to drive poor little girls and boys to their 
 lessons by being held up as examples of 
 industry. They are greedy creatures, who 
 
58 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE I'EOPLE 
 
 suck all the sweetness out of my flowers, 
 and get nothing but praise from short- 
 sighted mortals for their industrious habits. 
 He is the first one who has ever rightly- 
 understood them, as I saw by the course 
 he took this morning. And I was glad 
 to see that you were at last willing to help 
 him." 
 
 Sister could not speak. She just sat 
 and looked at the dainty, the exquisite 
 creature standing on her palm. She was 
 afraid to move a finger lest she should 
 crush her, and she wondered how she 
 could so clearly hear every word spoken 
 by such a mite. The queen went on : 
 
 *♦ My brother Toosle " 
 
 **0h, are you Toosle' s sister? We 
 know him very well.** 
 
 "Little girl,'* with rather a stern man- 
 ner, *' fairy queens are not accustomed 
 to being interrupted." 
 
 ** Oh, please excuse me ; I was so sur- 
 prised to find that you were Toosle 's 
 
 I mean Mister Toosle*s sister.*' 
 
HOLL YIIOCK LADIES 
 
 59 
 
 ' * If you were surprised that makes a 
 difference and I'll excuse you. But as I 
 was about to say, Toosle and I have 
 often talked of coming to see you and 
 Brother, to ask you how you would like 
 to be assistant fairy king and queen." 
 Sister gave a little squeal of delight at 
 this, but seeing a gleam of severity come 
 into the corner of the queen's eye, she 
 did not speak. ** People have an idea 
 that fairies are dying out, but it is a great 
 mistake. They are increasing rapidly. 
 And what with choosing fairy godmothers 
 and godfathers, and sending fairies to 
 keep girls and boys out of mischief, and 
 to watch the goblins, really we are often 
 so tired when night comes, that no matter 
 how fine the moonlight, I am so stiff 
 and worn out, and my head is in such a 
 whirl, that I have no heart to dance. So 
 you see we need help. Then too we 
 have often thought that your friend Juno 
 would make a good horned monster, to 
 fight the— 
 
 > i 
 
6o 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 iilBliiil! 
 
 ** Why mamma, I do believe Sister is 
 fast asleep," said Brother tiptoeing into 
 the summer house and leaning over her. 
 **Her eyes are shut and she breathes just 
 as she does at night." 
 
 *'Poor little thing, she is tired out. 
 Let her sleep," answered mamma softly. 
 
 !'!!!l''!|l!l 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 ik 
 
i 
 
 1 
 
 ■ ": 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 'ISTER, I just want to ask you, 
 do you believe there are fair- 
 # /W ^^^ ^^ grandfather's farm?" 
 ^^^ *'Yes, Brother, I do." 
 
 **Why?" 
 
 "Well now, Brother! Do I 
 have to tell you why? Didn't I 
 see the queen of the fairies in the 
 summer house, with my own eyes? And 
 haven't we always known about Toosle? 
 And didn't Aunt Leashie show us the 
 fairy path the very first time we ever went 
 through the woods to Mrs. Brown's? 
 And haven't we this very minute found 
 this big leaf which must be a fairy's bath- 
 tub? Ain't I touching it with my first fin- 
 ger this very second " Sister stopped 
 
 to take breath, which gave Brother a 
 chance to say somewhat doubtfully : 
 
 63 
 
64 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 **I know Sister — but- 
 
 f > 
 
 . •'•?.•. 
 
 "Brother, I think it is very wicked of 
 you to say 'but.' I should think you 
 would almost be afraid to go to sleep at 
 night, after asking me if I believe there 
 are fairies anywhere. I think it's dan- 
 gerous." 
 
 Brother looked down, ashamed to meet 
 Sister's eyes. 
 
 "Only — sometimes, you see — I — I 
 just kind of — of — wonder " 
 
 **If you are going to stand right here 
 in the edge of this lonesome woods where 
 there may be bears, almost out of sight 
 of the house, and say that you don't be- 
 lieve in fairies any more, I shall go 
 home," and Sister turned as if to put 
 her threat into execution, then looked 
 over her shoulder to add, "I'm not going 
 to stay here and be turned into a hollow 
 stump maybe, or an old witch, and see 
 you go hopping off, a big toad or an ole 
 har, and neither of us ever, ever, ev-er 
 be able to speak to each other again. It 
 
ARE THERE EAIRIES? 
 
 65 
 
 makes me nearly cry just to think of it." 
 Coming back, "Oh, Brother, don't say 
 you don't believe in fairies any more. 
 Is it Joey Vale who has been talking to 
 you?" 
 
 " Oh no, Joey Vale has never said a 
 word against them." 
 
 * ' Then it is that bad Tom Nellis — and 
 he stones birds, you know he does." 
 
 " Yes, it was. He said " 
 
 *' Don't tell me what he said." 
 
 " Oh, of course I don't believe him. 
 I just wanted to see if you still felt cer- 
 tain about seeing the fairy queen that 
 day in the summer house. Because if 
 you do, then I'm sure; for I guess you 
 know better than he does whether you 
 were asleep." 
 
 " Does that awful boy pretend that I 
 was asleep? " 
 
 " Yes," with a solemn nod. 
 
 "Then, Brother, I don't think we 
 ought ever to go over to the Nellises again 
 to play ; they never let us hold their baby, 
 
 E 
 
66 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 anyhow. I think mamma ought to forbid 
 us to speak to them, don't you? " 
 
 **Yes, I do. Just think, Sister, he 
 said you were a goose " 
 
 «'0h, my! " 
 
 ** And that we were both greenies." 
 
 *'0h— h— hi" 
 
 * * And that he had lived here all his 
 life, and had never seen a fairy." 
 
 * * As if fairies were likely to appear to 
 such a boy! Beverly has seen ole hars 
 which he says weren't there when he 
 went to hit them ; and he steals the eggs 
 you know. It doesn't take such very good 
 people to see ole hars, but people have 
 to be very good before they can see 
 fairies/' 
 
 *'0h, yes, they have to be good, 
 awful good ; but we have come pretty near 
 seeing Toosle a few times. And now I 
 feel sure that this is a fairy bath-tub. 
 Let's go oft a little way and see if any of 
 them come to bathe in it. Let's climb 
 that bent tree and watch them from it." 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 67 
 
 * * The very thing ! You are such a 
 darling little boy. I expect you'll have 
 to boost me ; I'm not very good at climb- 
 
 ing. 
 
 "Well, girls are most always not, but 
 you climb better than other girls — better 
 than Tom Nellis could if he was a girl, 
 I guess. Sister, look! It's a perfect 
 Swiss Family Robinson tree! We'll go 
 up and live in it. We've even got Bingo 
 along, and he can be Turk and Bill." 
 
 "Oh, how lovely! You do think of 
 such nice plays. Brother. I'll go up first 
 and you can hand the things up to me, 
 and I can hang them where jackals and 
 things won't get them. We've never had 
 half as nice a play before." 
 
 Brother and Sister, with their ever- faith- 
 ful Bingo, had started out for a picnic, 
 with no orders, only that they should 
 keep within sight of the house. They 
 had a bountiful lunch, and carried their 
 usual baggage which was, a trowel for 
 digging wells and ponds, a small rug to 
 
sit upon while they ate, and a popgun 
 as a means of defense against wild ani- 
 mals. These, with a large supply of 
 string and rope, and a hammer, which 
 Brother always insisted upon taking " in 
 case of accidents," and an old milk 
 strainer in which to catch crawfish, 
 should they feel like taking up the raising 
 of lobsters, completed their outing lug- 
 gage. 
 
 All this was unpacked from the express 
 which had been drawn under the tree. 
 With much scrambling and laughter and 
 many slidings back Sister at last gained 
 the perch she wished. It was a great 
 limb which years before had been partly 
 broken from the trunk, and which had 
 thrown forth many upright branches 
 which now formed a leafy corridor along 
 which the two little ones could 
 patter in their bare feet, as happy 
 and as free as the squirrels which 
 leaped from bough to bough 
 above them. 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 69 
 
 < < 
 
 Is it nice?" called up Brother, his 
 cheeks glowing and his eyes shining. 
 
 "It is per-fectly lovely, only I seem 
 very high. Do you suppose I can ever 
 get down again ? ' ' 
 
 "Oh, yes; let down the string" — 
 Sister, through Brother's forethought 
 had carried up a bit of twine with a peb- 
 ble tied to the end — "and Til begin to 
 send up the things. Night is coming on, 
 and the jackals may be here any instant," 
 * he said in as firm and manly a voice as 
 he could muster up. 
 
 "Oh, you kind of scare me when you 
 talk so fiercely. I feel just exactly as if 
 we had been shipwrecked, and hadn't 
 but one minute before night to get all 
 fixed up, and before the wolves would 
 begin to howl. So, hurry up. Brother. 
 If only we could for once all be ship- 
 wrecked ! Shall I tie it to a limb? Oh, 
 dear, dear, I've dropped the string! " 
 
 "There now! I knew you'd do 
 that! " said Brother in a cross tone. He 
 
70 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 did not often get out of patience, but it 
 certainly was very trying after boosting 
 and hoisting even a thin girl up a slippery 
 tree, to have her drop the string before a 
 single piece of wreckage had been raised 
 to a place of safety. 
 
 "Well, please don't be cross to me. 
 I was so frightened just thinking that 
 maybe you'd be eaten by wild animals 
 
 > > 
 
 * * Sister ! Haven't I the gun ? ' ' 
 "Oh, yes, I'm so glad; but I forgot 
 about the gun. You climb up, dear, and 
 bring me the string ; I won't drop it again. 
 You might play you were a monkey 
 while you're climbing, and carry the 
 string in your teeth and jabber. Oh, 
 how beautifully you do it ! " For 
 Brother had at once forgotten his griev- 
 ance in the delight of imagining himself 
 a monkey, and he squeaked merrily as he 
 twitched himself up the tree. " Isn't it 
 a perfect bower? Will we be able to get 
 Bingo up, do you suppose? " 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 71 
 
 *' Of course we can; he's just longing 
 to climb up now. Look at him." And 
 in truth Bingo was doing his best by 
 pawing up the tree and barking shrilly at 
 his friends. 
 
 Brother made the twine fast to a twig 
 and then deftly swung himself down by 
 the low drooping branches, which at the 
 far end of the limb almost touched the 
 ground. 
 
 One after another the things were 
 raised and bestowed in places of safety, 
 and then it came Bingo's turn. But try 
 as they might, they were unable to get 
 him up. Brother tied the rope around 
 his * * waist ' ' and lifted from below while 
 Sister pulled from above. But Bingo's 
 terror was so alarming and his yelps so 
 piteous that, thinking they must be kill- 
 ing him, they quickly freed him, where- 
 upon he took to his heels and tore off 
 toward the house with his tail tucked 
 tightly between his legs. 
 
 * * What shall we do ? " cried Sister as 
 
72 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 she clasped her hands and watched his 
 flight. " Turk and Bill have both gone ! 
 We have nothing left but your trusty gun. 
 Come up quickly, Mr. Swiss Family, and 
 pull up the ladder after you ; I hear the 
 howl of wolves in the distance ! ' * 
 
 Brother scrambled up in mad haste, 
 jerking the rope up after him, and all 
 was made secure. 
 
 '• Now we will break our fast," she 
 said, speaking in the fascinating language 
 of the Robinson family whom they had 
 long loved and envied. " The milk from 
 these fresh cocoanuts will do for us to 
 drink until we can plant some tea and 
 cofEee, or catch a cow." And so on, as 
 Sister carefully spread out their lunch on 
 the broad limb. 
 
 As they ate, they listened to the imag- 
 inary roars of wild beasts, or talked of 
 whether their ship would go to pieces 
 before they could get off all the valua- 
 bles. And they planned how, next day, 
 they would drive Juno into the wood and 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 73 
 
 tether her under the tree, and coax Bingo 
 back, and bring Snowball and the two 
 pigeons. With all these — and possibly 
 Sol Brown and Joey Vale — they could 
 be as nearly perfectly happy as children 
 who had not actually been shipwrecked 
 could expect to be. 
 
 During the afternoon Brother went 
 down many times from the house tree, 
 and made trips into the ' * jungles ' ' 
 around them and along the coasts, always 
 bringing back reports of the wonderful 
 things he had seen, and from these trips 
 he sometimes returned fleeing as for his 
 life, upon which he would be helped to a 
 place of safety by Sister, and after 
 which — so totally to them did the real 
 give way to the unreal — they did not fail 
 to ''return thanks," after the frequent 
 custom of the pious Swiss family which 
 they personated. Sister would gladly 
 have joined in these excursions, but she 
 could not get quickly back into the tree 
 in case of attack, so she had to remain 
 
n 
 
 74 
 
 yy/A' KiA'j/'s irnij-: PEoriE 
 
 on high and receive the spoils as they 
 were sent up to her by means of the rope. 
 
 It was a long, long happy day, and 
 they could scarcely believe their ears 
 when they heard the afternoon express go 
 shrieking up the valley. 
 
 " Start home the moment ' ' hear the 
 express train," was the ont ^er which 
 ruled their wandering summer days, and 
 which they never dreamed of disregard- 
 ing. So now they made no question, but 
 began to put their things together and 
 lower them to their wagon. Everything 
 was down at last, even Sister, who, with 
 moans and timid cries, had slid down the 
 trunk, and they were about to turn their 
 faces homeward, when she cried out : 
 
 *' Oh, my hat! I have left my hat in 
 the tree. Can you get it for me, 
 Brother?" 
 
 "Course I can get it! But, Sister, 
 you oughtened to leave your hats in trees. 
 Now we'll be late, and mamma will think 
 we're lost again.' 
 
 I » 
 
ARE THERE EAIRIES? 
 
 75 
 
 Up the tree he went, rather slowly this 
 time, for his many climbs had wearied 
 him, and made his way along the limb to 
 where the hat was hanging. 
 
 " Catch it! " he called, as he tossed it 
 down. 
 
 But alas, poor Brother ! He leaned a 
 little too far to fling it clear of the 
 branches, and losing his balance, came 
 crashing through and fell at Sister's feet. 
 He did not move. 
 
 " Oh, Brother! " she screamed, as she 
 threw herself beside him. 
 
 He lay with closed eyes and did not 
 answer her for what seemed to her a very, 
 very long time. Then his eyelids trem- 
 bled and slowly lifted, and he looked at 
 her in a dazed way, trying to smile. 
 
 **0h, darling, darling, where are you 
 hurt? Do speak to me! " 
 
 He put his grimy little hand into hers 
 and answered slowly : 
 
 "Don't — cry. I — I just ache — all 
 
 over. 
 
 > f 
 
76 
 
 TIfE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 ** Oh, Brother, do you think your back 
 is broken, like the man's who fell off the 
 wharf ? Can you sit up ? Let me put 
 you into the express and pull you home. 
 Oh, dear, dear ! It is all my fault. I 
 made you go back for my hat." 
 
 ** That's no matter. Maybe I can 
 walk; I'll try." 
 
 But when with Sister's help he tried to 
 get up, he sank back with a cry of pain, 
 into a little heap upon the ground. 
 
 **You must go home without me. I 
 can't get into the wagon." 
 
 ** Oh, I'll never, never go home again. 
 I won't leave you! " and she gave way 
 to another flood of tears. 
 
 ** But mamma will be anxious." 
 
 ** Mamma would never want me to 
 leave you. Oh, I wish I had fallen out 
 of the tree! I will put the rug under 
 you. Do you think it is your leg? " 
 
 ** No, I don't think so — it's — all over 
 
 me. 
 
 1 1 
 
 But pulling the poor little man upon 
 
ARE THERE EAIRfES? 
 
 11 
 
 the rug made him moan and beg her to 
 leave him where he had fallen. And 
 then Sister's heart seemed to break. 
 His lips were white and the beads of 
 moisture stood on his : rehead and damp- 
 ened his yellow hair. A line from a 
 song which her mother often sang came 
 into her mind : 
 
 The death damp was on his pure white brow. 
 
 She was sure he was dying. They 
 had been happy and loving little people, 
 and yet — ah, she could not help remem- 
 bering — there had been times when she 
 had "got mad" at Brother. Once she 
 had even pinched him ; several times she 
 had pushed him and slapped him ; once 
 she had even hoped a bee would sting 
 him. Oh, those terrible memories ! She 
 sobbed so bitterly that the little boy turned 
 stiffly and put a loving arm around her, 
 as she lay beside him with her face to the 
 ground. 
 
 " Dear Sister, don't cry." 
 
78 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 ** I can't help it, Brother; I've often 
 been so bad to you, I — I — I've slapped 
 you a good many times. I was cross to 
 you this morning about the fairies. And 
 now you are going to die, because I made 
 you fall out of the tree. And if you die 
 I want to die too ! ' ' 
 
 ** But maybe I won't die; perhaps I'll 
 just have to have my arms and legs cut 
 off," suggested Brother with a view to 
 cheering his sister. 
 
 '* No, dear; I think you are going to 
 die. You are as white as snow," she 
 answered with the frankness of childhood. 
 ** Oh, if only 1 could scream loud enough 
 to make them hear at the house ! Shall 
 I run to the edge of the woods and try? " 
 
 '* Yes." 
 
 She kissed him tenderly and then sped 
 away. She ran out clear of the trees and 
 called. She stood upon her tiptoes and 
 shouted out first one name and then 
 another, at the top of her voice. But 
 no one answered. She saw grandfather 
 
u 
 
 ARE THERE EAIRIES? 
 
 79 
 
 come home from the post office and go 
 into the house ; she saw Sally come out 
 of the kitchen and get an armful of wood 
 and then go back. They both looked 
 very, very far away. It was no use to 
 try. They would not hear her. 
 
 " I can't make any one hear ; 111 not 
 leave you again all alone." 
 
 " Except for the fairies, Sister." 
 
 ' * The fairies might help us if they only 
 knew about you. But why do you keep 
 your eyes shut, dear ? " 
 
 ** I don't know, only it rests me. I 
 feel — kind of tired — I guess I want — to 
 
 go to sleep — I think it is night — I " 
 
 He became silent. 
 
 *' Oh, he is dying, I know he is," 
 wept the wretched little girl, as she gently 
 lifted his head into her lap and watched 
 his quiet face. 
 
 Suddenly the blue eyes opened, and he 
 exclaimed sharply, 
 
 * * Sister ! did you see him ? ' ' 
 
 ' ' Who ? Where ? Grandfather ? ' ' 
 
8o 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 " No, not grandfather — Toosle." 
 
 *' Where, Brother, oh, where ? " 
 
 ** Right here. He's gone now; but 
 he said, ' Why don't you wave a flag ? 
 Shipwrecked people always wave flags 
 and shoot off cannons.' " 
 
 " But we haven't any flags or cannons. 
 It is quite light out of the woods, and I 
 know I could make them see a flag if 
 only I had one." 
 
 They were both silent a moment, then 
 Brother said, with 3ome of his usual en- 
 ergy : 
 
 " Take off your white apron and tie it 
 to the gun, and go out and wave it and 
 wave it ! " 
 
 ** Oh, Brother, you always know just 
 what to do ! I'll come back just the 
 minute I can." 
 
 **What dat w'ite t'ing a-bobbin' up 
 an' down ober dere by de woods?" 
 asked Randolph of Beverly as the two 
 boys came up from the cornfields. 
 
 n;ri^^:» 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 8i 
 
 ** I dun know. Looks like some trick 
 ob de chillun, tryin' to make us b'lieve 
 it'saghos'.*' 
 
 **Well, it's a-wavin' at us, whatever 
 'tis. It sutt'nly is a-wavin' " 
 
 " Deir ma dun know if dey be in de 
 woods so late." 
 
 ** Ho, dey nebber know when it gits 
 late. I reckon we better go 'roun' dat 
 way an' bring 'em home." 
 
 '* Oh, boys, come, come quick I Hurry, 
 huny ! Brother fell out of a tree, and I 
 can't get him home." 
 
 The boys quickened their pace to a 
 run, and were soon hastening with Sister 
 to where poor Brother lay. 
 
 It was easy work for Randolph to lift 
 him in his strong arms and carry him 
 steadily homeward. Sister became very 
 gay in the sudden deliverance which had 
 come, and she walked ahead with the 
 **flag" over her shoulder, trying to 
 make Brother laugh by showing him how 
 
82 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 
 she had waved it to the boys ; and Bev- 
 erly, who came behind with the baggage, 
 toid him they ' ' come powerful near run- 
 nin'," thinking it was a ghost. 
 
 The company was seen by the family, 
 and mamma and the aunts came hurrying 
 to meet it, while Bingo penitently came 
 behind. And so Brother was taken home 
 and laid upon a heap of cushions on the 
 sofa. Loving hands ministered to him, 
 and grandfather, who in his early years 
 had studied to be a doctor, made a care- 
 ful examination, and soon told them that 
 no bones were broken, but that the mus- 
 cles of the back were strained by the fall 
 and that he was badly bruised. 
 
 A warm bath and a gentle rubbing 
 soon relieved him of much of the pain, 
 and the poor little man was able, from 
 his couch, to join with Sister in the lively 
 story of their day's doing. Her spirits 
 had risen almost beyond control when she 
 found that Brother was still to be spared 
 to them, and she gave a funny account of 
 
 m 
 
ARE THERE FAIRIES? 
 
 83 
 
 the rise and downfall of the " Swiss 
 Family Robinson," adding extra touches 
 as she noticed Brother's enjoyment. 
 
 "Well, I am certain of one thing," 
 said grandfather. " If ever Brother is 
 shipwrecked he'll know just what to do. 
 It isn't every boy with the breath knocked 
 out of him, and his back all strained, 
 who would think to have his sister tie her 
 apron on his popgun and wave it for a 
 flag of distress." 
 
 '* Oh, but I didn't think of it, grand- 
 father. It was Toosle who told me to 
 do it," said Brother, getting up on his 
 elbow. "You see I seemed to go to 
 sleep, and there he was, just squealing 
 at me to wave a flag. He was such a 
 funny looking little fellow ! " 
 
 "And now. Brother, you have seen 
 Toosle, and I have seen the fairy queen, 
 and so now we know that there are fairies 
 on grandfather's farm, eh, Brother ? " 
 
THE PARTY 
 
\. 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 \ 
 
 0, thank you, I won't get out. I 
 must be at home before dark. I 
 only drove around to ask if you 
 would send the children over to 
 Fair View to-morrow. My nieces 
 from Baltimore are with us, and the 
 Beldon children are coming ; so are sev- 
 eral families nearer us, and we'll have 
 quite a party. Send them in the morn- 
 ing and let them stay until evening." 
 
 ** Oh, thank you. The children will 
 be more than glad to go. It will be a 
 delightful day for them. Won't it, chil- 
 dren?" 
 
 They could only clutch each other's 
 hands and gasp out : "I should think so ! 
 Thank you for asking us, Miss Kate." 
 
 Then Miss Kate leaned out and shook 
 hands with mamma, left her love for 
 
 87 
 
88 
 
 THE l ARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 grandfather and the aunties, kissed her 
 hand to the children and drove away. 
 
 '* We're go-ing over to Fair View, 
 we're go-ing over to Fair View ! *' chanted 
 Sister in rhythmical measure as she skip- 
 ped off across the lawn toward the sun- 
 set, her long fair hair streaming out over 
 her shoulders as she went. 
 
 ** We're go-ing over to Fair View, 
 we're go-ing over to Fair View ! " chant- 
 ed Brother, a yard or two behind her. 
 
 ** We'll cross the yawning valley!" 
 came from Sister. 
 
 ' * And we'll cross the yawning valley ! ' ' 
 echoed Brother. 
 
 The children held a belief that they al- 
 ways felt like yawning while crossing a 
 certain valley. 
 
 ** And we'll ride on Lou-ey's po-nee," 
 came Sister's voice from the far edge of 
 the lawn. 
 
 **Yes, we'll ri-hide on Lou-ey's po- 
 nee!" echoed Brother again, growing a 
 little short of breath. 
 
TlfE PARTY 
 
 89 
 
 ( ( 
 
 Are you getting out of breath, 
 Brother? '* skipping lightly. 
 
 "Yes, in-deed I — h — am, Sister." 
 
 "Then with a hop we'll stop, Broth- 
 er," and circling around on one foot, 
 closely followed by Brother, she dropped 
 upon the grass. 
 
 "The very next thing to being a 
 fairy," she said in her everyday tone. 
 " I'd as soon go to Miss Kate's to spend 
 the day." 
 
 "I'd even rather than to be a fairy. 
 Because, you know, if you're a fairy — 
 well — even if you are a fairy, boys — 
 that is bad boys, like the Nellises — don't 
 believe you are, and then it's just the 
 same as if you wasn't." 
 
 " It's a blessing that the Nellises won't 
 be there." 
 
 "I should think it is." Then rather 
 gloomily, " Sister, do you think the 
 strange girls will be stuck up ? " 
 
 "No, I do not think they will be; but 
 if they are, '11 have to talk graund." 
 
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90 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 Talking grand — or graund, as they pro- 
 nounced it, to give it a more elegant 
 sound — was the using of a very haughty 
 tone by Sister and a deep and manly 
 tone by Brother. They usually "talked 
 graund ' ' when they played * * lady come 
 to see," and also when they were with 
 children whom they stood somewhat in 
 awe of; and the practice had been in- 
 vented by Sister as a means of support- 
 ing their dignity when they felt it to be 
 in peril. 
 
 ** Why are you two little toads sitting 
 there in the grass ? ' ' called grandfather 
 as he came home from the post office, and 
 stopped to look toward them, shading his 
 eyes from the level rays of the setting 
 sun with his hand. 
 
 **Just think, grandfather," springing 
 up and running to him with outstretched 
 arms, ** we are invited to a party at Miss 
 Kate's, and it is to last all day, from 
 the morning until sunset. We wish you 
 were a little boy so you could go too." 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 91 
 
 ** Maybe I can go even if I am not a 
 little boy," said grandfather. **You 
 don't think Miss Kate would send me 
 home, do you? " 
 
 " Oh, grandfather, just think of a 
 grown-up gentleman being sent home!" 
 
 **Well, I suppose you'll want some- 
 thing to eat, even if you are going to a 
 party to-morrow, so you had much better 
 come in to your supper, and then we'll 
 arrange how to get you there and back." 
 
 ** Grandfather," began Sister rather 
 timidly, ' * would you and mamma and the 
 aunties be willing to let us take old Char- 
 ley and drive all alone to Miss Kate's? " 
 
 Grandfather looked rather doubtful at 
 this and made his mouth look as though 
 he were going to whistle. ** I don't 
 know about that." 
 
 "I'm sure dear old Charley would not 
 run away with us," urged Brother. 
 
 "Oh no, he would not run away; 
 there would be more danger of his stand- 
 ing still with you." 
 
 
 '■^\ 
 
 'I 
 
92 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 ** But I could get out and pull him." 
 
 * * And I could lean over the dash- 
 board and push him.'* 
 
 Grandfather laughed. ** I'm afraid it 
 would be too much of a responsibility for 
 two such little people." 
 
 * * But, grandfather, that is just what 
 we would like. All my life I've wanted 
 to take Brother on a journey where I'd 
 have all the — the re-spons'bility of him. 
 He could get out often and look at the 
 buckles and wheels." 
 
 * * But what if Charley should decide to 
 stop and rest just as you were cross- 
 ing the yawning valley, and you should 
 sit and yawn at each other until you went 
 to sleep, and Charley went to sleep, and 
 none of you would wake until evening, 
 and the party would be over." 
 
 '* Oh, how perfectly awful that would 
 be!" 
 
 After talking over the proposed drive 
 in all its lights, it was finally decided 
 that it would be quite safe for the chil- 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 93 
 
 dren to take old Charley and drive them- 
 selves as far as Mrs. Vale's the next 
 morning, where they would pick Joey up, 
 and with him make the rest of the jour- 
 ney to Fair View, two miles farther on. 
 
 Many were the charges and warnings 
 given to them as they started. The two 
 little ones were kissed and hugged and 
 as many good-byes spoken as if they 
 were starting for a journey around the 
 world. Indeed a journey around the 
 world could hardly have impressed them 
 more deeply. All things seemed to com- 
 bine to begin the festive day well. The 
 sun shone brightly, the birds sang. 
 Brother was as well as if he had never 
 been the head of the Swiss Family Rob- 
 inson, Sister had had most radiant dreams 
 all night, and old Charley was in his 
 kindliest humor. 
 
 " You had better go down past the 
 barn, so Charley can drink at the branch ; 
 then he will not want to stop at any of 
 the other drinking places. Sister will 
 
94 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 drive as far as the crooked oak, then 
 Brother will take his turn and drive to 
 Mrs. Vale's. And you had better leave 
 Bingo there until you come back, be- 
 cause he might want to fight dogs along 
 the way." 
 
 The children promised to remember 
 and obey all directions, and the wheels 
 began to turn slowly along the grassy 
 carriage way, which led across the upper 
 part of the vineyard, and down a long 
 slope at the foot of which ran a little 
 brook, or " branch," as such is called in 
 Virginia. In this Charley dearly loved 
 to drink and meditate, with his feet firmly 
 planted among the pebbles and the clear 
 water running over them. Sometimes he 
 stood so long that Brother more than 
 once had been obliged to climb out over 
 the back of the buggy and wade around 
 to his head and lead him to land. He 
 was always forgiven for these failures, as 
 his little friends believed that when he 
 * * went in wading he got to thinking 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 95 
 
 about when he was a colt and forgot all 
 about being a horse." 
 
 But this morning it would be rather a 
 serious thing if he were to forget, as 
 Brother had on shoes and stockings and 
 his best white sailor suit. So they used 
 all the time between the house and brook 
 planning what to do should he stop in 
 the brook. 
 
 And sure enough, Charley did stop, and 
 he seemed to forget even more completely 
 than usual. He must have thought over 
 each of his coltish days separately. 
 Brother was just about to undress his feet 
 when he was much relieved to see coming 
 along the road an old man. The old man 
 saw their trouble and turned into the field. 
 
 " Can't you make your horse go ? " 
 
 '* No, sir; and I've got my shoes and 
 stockings and my good clothes on, and 
 so I can't wade in to pull him out." 
 
 * * And can two such little girls drive 
 about alone ? " 
 
 They were carefully tucked under a 
 
96 
 
 THE FAR APS LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 linen carriage robe to protect them from 
 dust, so Brother's trousers were hidden 
 from view, and the long, light hair hang- 
 ir g about his chubby face made him look 
 as much like a girl as like a boy. Still, 
 a boy's heart beat within his bosom, and 
 it was not in a boy's nature to let such a 
 mistake go. So he said in a polite and 
 formal manner : 
 
 ** You misunderstand me, sir; I am a 
 boy." 
 
 But the old gentleman must have been 
 very deaf, for he replied smilingly : 
 
 ** Well, I'm nigh on to eighty years, 
 and I never saw two such pretty little 
 girls before." 
 
 Poor Brother looked sad, and was 
 about to explain further, when Sister 
 nudged him, and whispered to him not 
 to mind, then piped out shrilly : * * We are 
 going to a party, sir, and we are not in 
 our bare feet, so we can't go into the 
 water, and we will be very glad if you 
 will please pull him out for us." 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 97 
 
 ( ( 
 
 Yes, that is what I came to do." 
 And he hooked the bent head of his cane 
 into Charley's bridle and led him ashore. 
 ** You had better not let him go into any 
 more water, and drive carefully. Good- 
 bye, little ladies." 
 
 ** Good-bye, sir, and thank you very 
 much." 
 
 They began again their slow forward 
 movement, but Brother objected : ** Sister, 
 you ought to have let me explain ; now 
 he will always think I am a girl." 
 
 At the foot of every little rise of ground 
 Charley stopped to rest, and again at the 
 top. At each of these pauses, which 
 his loving little friends thought were 
 necessary in order to restore his breath 
 and strength, they bemoaned their weight 
 and wondered if they were driving him too 
 fast. At last a turn in the road brought 
 them in sight of the Vale farmhouse, and 
 they were glad to see Joey (to whom 
 word had been sent) standmg in the road 
 and waving for them to hurry. 
 
98 
 
 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 *' Joey has on shioes and stockings," 
 said Brother aghast. 
 
 " Red stockings," added Sister. 
 
 " He is awfully dressed up. I didn't 
 know he had shoes or stockings, did 
 you?" 
 
 ** No; and I do hope he won't seem 
 proud with us. Tm more afraid of him, 
 though he always seems an awfully big 
 boy. I'm almost sorry we came." 
 
 ** Never mind. Sister; I'll tell him 
 about the quail's nest that we have most 
 found, and that will make him think we 
 are rather big." 
 
 But in spite of their fears, Joey greeted 
 them in a m"ost cordial and gay manner. 
 
 He looked overheated and crowded 
 into his clothes, and his hands and face 
 had rather a puffy look from the un- 
 wonted collar and cuffs out of which they 
 came. He hastily climbed into the buggy 
 between them. 
 
 '* It was very good of your grandfather 
 to have you stop for me.' 
 
 » > 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 99 
 
 This remark made the spirits of the 
 children go up with a bound. Joey was 
 not acting at all as if he had shoes and 
 stockings on, or as if he thought them too 
 small to drive all the way alone. They 
 drove happily along the shady river road 
 listening to all that Joey had to say with 
 great respect, and at times even forget- 
 ting that he was not bare-footed. Joey 
 almost forgot his hot red knitted stock- 
 ings and stiff shoes himself in his glad 
 anticipations — and anticipations must be 
 pleasant indeed when they can make a 
 boy who runs in his bare feet eight 
 months out of twelve forget that he is 
 shod. 
 
 If there were two general favorites in 
 the neighborhood, they were Miss Kate 
 Fair and Joey Vale, and, as is not always 
 the case with favorites, they liked each 
 other just as well as every one 'else liked 
 them. So when Miss Kate decided to 
 give a party the first person she thought 
 of was Joey, for, as she said, '* How 
 
lOO THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 could any one do anything unless Joey 
 was on hand to start it ? " 
 
 As old Charley turned into the avenue 
 and his sorrel head was now and again 
 visible through the trees, he was espied 
 by the waiting group upon the wide porch, 
 and those he brought were ho sd by the 
 gayly waved handkerchief of Miss Kate 
 and the shouts of welcome from the 
 children who clustered around her. 
 
 ** We have just been waiting for you," 
 said Miss Kate as she came down the 
 steps to help Sister and Brother out. 
 ** We were afraid you were not coming. 
 Joey, please drive around to the stable 
 and you will find Jim there to take the 
 horse, and then hurry back, for we are 
 waiting to go down to the willows." 
 
 By the time Joey got back Brother and 
 Sister had come to the conclusion that 
 the Baltimore girls were not ** stuck up," 
 and they and the Beldon children had 
 said * * Well ! " to each other rather 
 shyly, and Tommy Beldon had punched 
 
Brother In the back, so it looked as if 
 they were going to have a very good time 
 indeed. The willows bordered a little 
 stream which wandered through the low- 
 lands, and when they reached them, the 
 sandy earth under them looked so cool, 
 and the water sparkled so invitingly that 
 soon a heap of loose shoes and stockings 
 showed how strong the temptation to go in 
 wading was, and splashing and laughter 
 was heard up and down the stream. 
 
 '*Joey, I should feel so much more 
 comfortable if only you were in with 
 them," Miss Kate was kind enough to 
 say, as she saw him eying them envi- 
 ously. " Do take off your shoes and 
 stockings and roll up your trousers and 
 go in too." Joey needed no urging, and 
 he was soon heading the line. 
 
 As soon as she had seen her little 
 guests busy, she began the laying of the 
 dinner table under the trees, with the 
 solid, comfortable meal which she knew 
 they would soon be ready for. 
 
I02 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 After dinner was eaten — just as had 
 been hoped — Louey Fair's pony was 
 brought and each child had a ride on its 
 broad, hot back, and then Sister and 
 Brother, being the greatest strangers, 
 were allowed to ride up to the house, 
 where they were to go, to be out of the 
 afternoon sun. Once there a grand romp 
 began in the wide, old-fashioned halls 
 and in the empty rooms, for, as in many 
 another Virginia home, there were plenty 
 of empty rooms in the Fair mansion. 
 
 It was a wildly happy afternoon, what 
 with playing " hide and seek " in closets, 
 under stairways, and behind generous 
 doors, races along the porch which en- 
 circled the whol'^ house, and "lost my 
 glove yesterc" % found it to-day," on the 
 lawn. Indeed t a fun grew so fast and 
 furious that Brc .er lost his head and for 
 the first time in his life did a really bad 
 thing. When he was running around the 
 ring to drop the glove, instead of drop- 
 ping it in proper form behind Sissie Bel- 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 103 
 
 5 
 
 S 
 
 y 
 It 
 
 LS 
 
 don, he seized her by the ankles and 
 pulled her feet from under her, causing 
 poor Sissie to fall flat upon her small pug 
 nose. Of course he was very sorry as 
 soon as he had done it and kissed Sissie' s 
 bumped nose, and tried to wipe the tears 
 from her eyes with his own handkerchief, 
 in which he had early in the day wrapped 
 (and forgot) a crawfish to take home 
 with him to be used in the lobster dam. 
 But Sissie saw its little claws through her 
 tears, and shrieked piteously. 
 
 Then later, one of the Beldon boys 
 broke the string of coral beads around the 
 neck of one of the Baltimore girls, and 
 another boy dragged Sister so forcibly 
 from a hiding-place that he nearly ripped 
 the skirt from her waist, and she bristled 
 with pins for the rest of the day. At 
 one moment, after all these outrages, it 
 looked as if the party was going to be a 
 failure, for the girls all declared that, ex- 
 cept Joey Vale, worse boys had never 
 been allowed to attend a party, and that 
 
they would not play with them any more. 
 At this all the boys pretended to cry in 
 loud voices, and wiped their tears on 
 their hats and elbows, and altogether 
 were so witty, that in spite of themselves, 
 the girls had to laugh, and harmony was 
 so fully restored that each promised not 
 to **tell on them" when they got home. 
 After that Miss Kate gathered her 
 guests about her on the grass and told 
 them the most lovely stories, until Bobby 
 Beldon, to his sister's sickening shame, 
 interrupted her to declare that he was just 
 starving. At this Miss Kate marched 
 them into the dining room to a real South- 
 ern supper, to which, in spite of the 
 blame heaped upon Bobby for his im- 
 politeness, they all did fullest justice. 
 When they came out from it, revived in 
 body and spirit, they fell to playing ** Old 
 Bloody Tom * ' until the gathering shades 
 of evening gave such reality to the play 
 that it was too much for the timid ones, 
 and Miss Kate had to call a halt and 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 105 
 
 make them quiet down. Then she and •.; 
 Joey began to sing very sweetly : 
 
 Come, come, come, come to the sunset tree, 
 
 The day is past and gone, 
 The woodman's axe lies free, 
 
 And the reaper's work is done. 
 
 And one little voice after another joined 
 in, as the children gathered close to- 
 gether. They were still singing simple, 
 childish songs as the various carriages 
 came to bear them to their homes. 
 
 When Sister and Brother reached Mrs. 
 Vale's they found Randolph waiting to 
 take Joey's place, and they were very 
 willing to leave the rest of the journey to 
 his care. 
 
 Grandfather, mamma, and the aunties, 
 were waiting outside the brightly lighted 
 home to receive them. As they were 
 tenderly lifted out of the buggy it seemed 
 many a day since the morning, and they 
 were quite awestruck to find that it was 
 nine o'clock. 
 
io6 THE FARM'S LITTLE PEOPLE 
 
 It was late when they woke next morn- 
 ing and a soft rain was falling, so that 
 play, anywhere but in the house, was 
 quite out of the question. Sister was 
 very weary from the previous day's pleas- 
 ure, and sat most of the morning with 
 her beloved white kitten sleeping on her 
 lap. Brother went away to the library, 
 where grandfather found him * ' printing * ' 
 in very neat letters with a pencil. 
 
 "What are you writing. Brother?" 
 he asked. 
 
 " I am writing a fable, grandfather. I 
 will read it to you. It is about a party, 
 and it is named, * The Two Dogs.' " 
 
 * ' * One day two dogs went to a farmer's 
 to visit some other dogs that were giving 
 a tea-party. They were not invited to it. 
 The dogs that were giving it made a row 
 because they invited themselves. At the 
 table, the host upset a glass of water he 
 was so furious. Then he said, "Bad dogs, 
 get you out. You shall never put your 
 foot in this feasting yard again.' 
 
 »» > » » 
 
THE PARTY 
 
 107 
 
 •' That is a very good fable, Brother," 
 said grandfather. " Give it to mamma 
 and ask her to put it away for you, so that 
 you can read it when jou are a big boy. 
 it has a very good moral." 
 
 ''Yes I think any dog that has that 
 read to h.m. won't go to a tea-party un- 
 less he is invited. I'll get mamma to 
 read it to Bingo."