I ILLINOIS Production Note Digital Rare Book CoileCtions Rare Book & Manuscript Library University of Illinois Library at Urbana—Champaign 2019 i aan 93m?» em... (1.. nx 5: «V (a. Le \» tidizfizfillnfarflix 1.0.51.1«415’ / .15 I 11/1: 1 1/. / V/ ( / \ / f ,1 I” 1 I 1 {’7/2/ L / ‘ 1 “ ~\ 5/ 7'" "1 K, ! Z 1 1/! 7 “ROB ENTERING INTO THE SPIRIT OF THE OCCASION.” — Page 16, Frontispiece. \ / 11 / a? levNM/Mfix /W k . . 7d? /, /\»L4\ 7 .\ A A 11m I i /¢4nWW/v VA» » 7 FROM MAY TO CHRISTMAS AT THORNE HILL BY MRS. D. P. SANFORD Author of“Pussy Tiptoes’ Family," “The Captain’s Children,” etc. NEW YORK E. P. DUTTON & COMPANY 89 WEST TWENTY-THIRD STREET COPYRIGHT, 1882, BY E. P. DUTTON & CO. PRESS OF 4. J. LVY‘ILE a. co., NOS. l0 Y0 20 ASTOR PLACE, NEW YORK. CONTENTS W.-.“ CHAPTER PAGE 1. “WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE CHILDREN?” . . - - 5 II. “ONE TO MAKE READY, AND TWO TO PREPARE” . . . 14 III. THE NEW HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . 21 IV. “SNOW IN SUMMER ” . . . . . . . . a 3 V. MISS LINNA . . . . . . . . . . — 38 VI. THINGS PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT . . . 46 VII. BESSIE’S LOCKET . . . . . . . . I 58 VIII. A VISIT; AND A VISITOR . . . ., . . . - 71 IX. THE ROBBER’S CAVE ., I . 80 X. MRS. FLYNN’S GOATS . . . . I . I. . . 90 XI. VACATION . . . . . .. . ., o . - IOO XII. THE FOURTH OF JULY. . . . . n . . . 110 3 COAI 7 ENTS. iv CHAPTER PAGE XIII. THE DAY AFTER THE FOURTH 125 XIV. COLIN A FISHERMAN I34 XV. MISS LINNA’S BIRTHDAY . . I45 XVI. THE RAINY WEEK :55 XVII. A DISAPPOINTMENT 165 XVIII. A LETTER FROM THE MOUNTAINS I75 XIX. SOME DAYS IN AUTUMN 183 XX. A HAPPY CHRISTMAS . . 193 FROM MAY TO CHRISTMAS AT’ THORNE HILL, CHAPTER I. \VHAT WILL BECOME OF THE CHILDREN? UT, mamma, what will you do with the chil- ' dren ? ” A perplexed look flitted over Bessie Lee’s bright happy face as she asked this question. i " Bessie had just been told that she was to go on a trip to Europe, with her father and mother. No wonder that her eyes sparkled with delight at such a prospect! Mr. Lee, Bessie’s father, was obliged to go on business, and thought that he might be kept from home some months. He had per— ’ suaded his wife to go with him, and to take Bessie, their oldest child. “She will learn more in traveling than she would in two years at school,” said her papa. Bessie was sure that papa was quite right in this idea, and that it was a most charming plan, every way. But the children 1—— “You have not said a word about them, mamma; you cannot take them all, can you ? ” S 6 ,1. «A FR 0.1! MA 1/ TO CHRISTMAS. “ No; but did you suppose we had forgotten them, Bessie, clear? Or did you think I meant to stow them in the lumber room until we came back ? ” The mother spoke smilingly, but Bessie saw that her eyes were full of tears. Mr. Lee could hardly have gained her consent to so long a part— ing from her precious little ones, if good Dr. Browne had not put in a word. “You must go, madam,” he said: “ it is too good a chance to be lost. You may come back well and strong: able to take good care of your children for many years ! ” Bessie threw her arms around her mamma’s neck. " Oh, mammal ” she said, “you had better leave me at home; don’t you think so? I can help take care of the children, you know 1 ” There was a little sob in Bessie’s voice as she said these brave words. Her mother gave her a loving kiss, and said, cheerfully: “ No, darling: it is quite settled that you are to go with us. Papa says you must be my little nurse while we are away. “ You have not heard our plan for the children yet. “But run down now and see what they are doing, dear. I left Bob in VVilly’s care, for Ellen has gone out. “You may tell them the news about our journey; and whenI come down we will talk over the rest of the plan.” Bessie saw that her mamma wanted to be alone a few moments; 1W 5 \\ °‘ \ \ x m ‘ \\ V , ' ;' . W . d®\\ n \\ “mmgxwmm. ‘ \ \ ; ,/ \ v I BRINGING AN OFFENDER BEFORE THE KlNG.—Page 7. WHAT WILL BECOIWE OF THE CHILDREN? 7 so, with another loving kiss, she hastened away to find her brothers and sisters. Merry sounds guided her steps to the tea room, where a pleasant frolic was going on. By way of keeping his two-year-old charge in one place, Willy had enthroned him as king in the big arm-chair; with a huge paper crown on his head, and a poker for a scepter. Amy and Molly, in paper soldier caps, stood on either side of the throne as guards; but were obliged to dodge the scepter which the young king wielded vigorously. Willy was also rigged out in uniform. He was bringing an of- fender before the king. This was Zip, the black kitten, who seemed very unwilling to be brought into the royal presence ; probably Zip knew by experience the tender mercies ofhis little majesty. Catching a glimpse of his sister at the door, King Bob dropped his dignity and his scepter at once, with the joyful cry: “ Dere’s Sissy l " _ The culprit kitten was released, and the young guards pressed eagerly around, as Bessie caught Bob in her arms, and took the throne. “Oh, Bessie! we’ve been wondering where you could be! You L’ know you promised “ But,” interrupted Amy, “what makes you look so funny, Bessie ? ” “ Yes, just as if something had happened ! ” said Willy. “ Some- thing has happened, I'm sure! Do please make haste and tell us ! " 8 FR 011’] LWA Y TO CHRISTZLIAS. Bessie laughed. “ I think my face is a tell-tale ! ” she said. “But something is really going to happen, Willy; and mamma sent me to begin telling you about it.” “To deg/2'71 ./ ” echoed the others, wonderingly. But their wonder grew, and actually kept them silent for some moments, as Bessie went on to tell’what we already know. “ Going across the ocean! and to England, and France, and evaw/zm/c/ Oh, Bessie, how jolly for you ! ” exclaimed Willy at length. “But not 7726177Z7726l; you don’t mean mamma, too P ” pleaded Amy, with a quivering lip. “But, Amy,” said little Molly, confidently “if mamma goes, of course she’ll take all of us l ” “ ”/2” she, Bess? " Willy asked, starting up. Bessie shook her head; she hardly knew what to say. And \Villy sat down again, with rather a gloomy look. “ I should like to know what will become of us, then,” he said; “it won’t be very nice to stay here all by ourselves, with only Ellen and Katy l ” “We [on/wit,” said Amy, sorrowfully; “we should be so lonely!” “And I don’t believe mamma would leave you so. Don’t cry Amy ! Mamma has a plan; and she is coming pretty soon to tell us all about it.” “ A plan ! For us ? ” And at once all the voices were eagerly guessing what it might be. WHAT WILL BECOfl/E 0F YHE CHILDREN? 9 The sight of her mother coming in brought back Amy’s grief. She sprang towards her, crying: “Oh, mamma ! ” and hid her face in her dress. “Mamma, are you going to leave us all alone with Ellen and Katy ? ” asked Molly. “No, my pet. Come, Amy dear, cheer up, and let me tell you what a nice plan we have thought of. You all love Nurse Gregory, don’t you?" “Of course we do; we ought to!” cried Willy: “dear Old ‘Aunty Gregg! ’ ” “Well, ‘Aunty Gregg’ has promised to take care of you while papa and I are away.” “That’s pretty good, I say ! ” cried Willy. “Is she coming here, or are we going to her house, mamma? ” “ Oh,” laughed Bessie, “her house wouldn’t hold you. It isn’t big enough to swing a cat around, as Ellen told her one day." “And what did Nursey say ? ” asked mamma. “ She said: ‘ Why, I don't want to swing a cat around, Ellen; it would hurt the poor thing! ’ ” “That is just like Nursey I " mamma said, smiling. “ Well, children, you'will think this is the best part of our plan, I am sure. “There is a large old house at Thorne Hill which belongs to Nurse Gregory’s brother. It is vacant now, and Nurse has written to engage it for us. 10 FR 0M MA 1/ 70 CHRISTMAS. “ She says there is room enough in the house for twenty children ; and there is sure to be plenty of space out of doors for all kinds of fun. “ So what do you think, my chicks, of a summer at Thorne Hill, under Nurse Gregory’s wing? " “ It’ll be splendid l ” cried Willy, clapping his hands. “The next best thing to going abroad with mamma; isn’t it, Will ? ” said Bessie. Molly clapped her hands because Brother Willy did; and even Amy looked pleased and interested. “ I wonder what Rex will say ! ” said she. “ Why, where 2': Rex? ” asked Bessie. “ I gave him leave to go and play with Phil Merton for an hour; but he has been away much longer;.” said her mamma. “I wish he were at home I ” Rex was Amy’s twin brother, and a perfect contrast to the quiet little girl. “ I’ll go look up and down the street, mamma,” said Willy; “maybe he has come back and is just playing around." As he threw open the door he cried: “Why, there’s Rex; but what in the world l—why, he has Phil’s ulster on; I hope he is warm enough ! ” Rex came slowly in, as one who expected to be questioned. “Have you had a chill, my son, that you borrowed an overcoat this mild day P 7’ “ No, mamma; but I was all wet; so Mrs. Merton found some WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE CHILDREN? 11 things for me to put on, while my clothes were drying; and she put on Phil’s ulster to cover me up ! ” “All wet! ” cried the other children; and his mamma said, very gravely : “I hope you did not go to the river, my little boy ! 3’ “7 Yes, mamma, I did: but I didn’t mean to; I didn’t know I was going 1 Vi : ! “ll-villi. there; Veal/jgmamma!” ‘ i 'W' said Rex, half laughing and half crying. “ You see Phil and I went to play at the new 41/ n “K it I?! ’ .3 i111, {In .3: — 712' 71 lea 2—4, hotel; there were some other boys there, and we had such fun play- ing Hide and Seek ;— the carpenters let Us play there. ”Well, Phil and I were looking for a first- rate place to hide, and we found a great big pipe. 12 FR Oil! 111A Y 70 CHRIST/WAS. “ Phil said it was for a sewer; he said, ‘Oh, let's crawl into this, and they can’t find us ! ’ “So we did, and we crawled a good way, so that the boys couldn’t see us. “But oh, mamma, it got dark and awful in there! I called to Phil to go back, ’cause he was behind me, you know. But he said: “ ‘ I can’t go back now ; go ahead, quick ! ’ “ So I had to crawl along; but oh, it was such a great way! And at last, don’t you think, mamma, we came right out into the river! It wasn’t a deep place, but we got all wet, you see ! ’j “My dear child, I’m thankful that you came out alive ! ” said his mamma, looking very pale. “Say Rex, did they spy you? ” asked Willy. “ No,” laughed the little fellow, “I guess they're seeking for us yet !” “Oh, Rex!” cried Bessie, “what will poor Nurse Gregory do with you, I wonder! ” , “Why, is she coming here? ” Amy eagerly began to answer; but Bessie drew Rex away. “Come up stairs and be dressed, you young explorer; then you shall hear all about it. I. will not tell him, Amy! " Rex was obliged to wait, for Bessie would not answer a single question. But when at last he ran down stairs the other children made up for the delay, by telling the wonderful news all at once. “If only mamma and papa and Bessie were going with us, WHAT WILL BECOfl/[E OF THE CHILDREN? 13 Rex l ” said Amy, mournfully, after the boy had vented his delight in all sorts of exclamations and antics. “I wish they could!” said Rex, throwing his arms around his mother’s neck for a good hug. “ But then you know, Amy, they will have a first—rate time, too! “And Nurse Gregory ’ll be mad best to mamma;——she never scolds a bit! ” “She will need to learn to be a [z'z‘t/e cross ; don’t you think so, mamma ? ” said Bessie. “ I hope,” said mamma, “that our dear ones will not give good Nursey any trouble; but if she wants any help and advice, papa has a good friend—the clergyman at Thorne Hill,—who has prom- ised to look after them.” “ Oh i ” said Willy. “ Is he nice, mamma? ” asked Rex. “He is a good man, dear, and I think you will find him a kind friend.” “I am glad, if he is papa’s friend I ” said Amy. And this view of the case seemed to satisfy all the rest. I4 , ' FROJ/ [WAY TO CIJRISTiWAS. CHAPTER 11. “ONE To MAKE READY, AND TWO TO PREPARE!” OW that the plans were all settled, a very busy time began; for Mr. and Mrs. Lee and Bessie were to sail in about three weeks, and Nurse Gregory and her Charge were to go to Thorne Hill a few days before. . “Good—bye, little folks?” said papa,_ after breakfast the next morning; “I am going to see your new home to-day.” “ Oh, papa, how funny I What are you going to do there?” “I must find some one to put the house in order, and some one to make the garden, so that my tots will have enough to eat all summer. “ And I must see Mr. Evans, and tell him all about my troop of children.” And papa went off, shaking his head as if this were a very serious matter indeed. That same day Nurse Gregory gave up her rooms, and came to stay at the Lee house until it was time to go to Thorne Hill. Then Maggie Burns came to sew for the little folks. The children all liked Maggie; their little voices were often heard “ ONE TO [WAKE READY, AND TIVO TO PREPARE!" 15 around her above the noise of the sewing machine; and Maggie answered all their questions, and never seemed tired of them. “ Oh, Amy I ” said Rex, running into the sewing room one morn~ ing, ‘I saw Isa Denton’s papa in the parlor just now; he was talking to mamma, and I heard him say something about Aunty Gregg l ” “\Vhy, Rex, mamma does not like us to listen I ” “Well I didn’t think of listening; I only peeped to see if it was Mr. Denton, because the hat on the rack looked like his,——with that black stuff on it, you know.” “Poor little Isa l ” said Maggie Burns. “ Don’t you feel sorry for her, Amy? ” “Yes,” said Amy, thoughtfully. She was still a few moments, and then went on: “I ought to be more sorry for her than I am for myself, shouldn’t I, Maggie? Because my mamma will come back by—and—bye; but Isa’s dear mamma will never come back again I ” Just then Nurse Gregory was called down to the parlor. I may as well tell my little readers at once what was going on. Mr. Denton had heard about the 'l‘horne Hill plan; and he wanted Nurse Gregory to take his two motherless children under her care, with the little Lees. Nurse Gregory was quite willing, she said, if Mrs. Lee was. And Mrs. Lee was more than willing, if she could only be sure of plenty of help for Nursey; she did not want her to have too much care. “ If only Maggie Burns would go with you I " she said, suddenly. 16 I'IPOJI ill/1 Y T0 CIIA’IST/IIAS. So they asked Maggie. Every one of the children asked her too: they hung around her and coaxed her to say ‘yes.’ Maggie took a day to think of it, and then decided to go. The children danced around in delight. “Isn’t it good,” said Rex in a whisper, “that Ellen didn’t want to go away from Grandford? Ellen’s pretty kind; but we would ever so much rather have Maggie! ” When it was time to pack the boxes the little folks were in a state of great excitement. Little Rob came near being sent off as freight, for he fell into a box more than once, while standing on a chair to watch the packing. “Now dears," said Nurse Gregory, at length, “this is the last box; mamma says you may bring all the playthings and treasures that you want to take, and I will try to pack them." Such a scampering as there was then! The house was ran- sacked from garret to cellar, to make sure that nothing was left behind which they would want. Presently a procession filed into the hall, surrounding the box. Willy brought his express cart, well loaded with toys, books, and games of all sorts; Rex lugged along his old rocking horse; Amy had her arms full of dolls; Rob, entering into the spirit of the occasion, held up his old Sambo, and a headless woolly dog, to Nurse. Molly was the last to appear. but she soon came in, panting from the chase, with Zip in her arms. “ ONE TO [WAKE READY, AND TIVO 70 PREPARE!” 17 “llere aunty,[flease gfive Zip a nkxzsofi Pflace,so luaxvont be dred.on the cars!" “()h, BIoHyrl” shouted_VViH; “do yorisjpose die khien could go in this box ? ‘" ‘ ”It umnfld be snunhered,rny dear,w saklqursey,kindh7:“but neverinnul;\ve\vflltake Zip when um go,in21basket” “VVer’saklhlofly,contentedly:“buttvecouldntleavelmoorZippy here,\vhen die house fisto be an shinted up; coudixve, aunty ?" luntkal{ob¥scrfl)\vas sent ofi‘xvnh the fiffight; so diat night he sletn:xvith IBessie. In the niorning lie unflied first as usual. fie sat ur>in bed and rubbed his eyes open that he might see where he was. Then he crept to Bessie’s pillow and began to pull her eyelids open. “Sk$yl" hecaHed;‘%syou fick? No? ls’ou dead? lDead Sissy? No? Is ’ou fieefiy? Heepy, Sissy? Opey eyes, and nook atitty VVkflJbiel” Besfies eyes opened duax you nuqrbe sure! She huggedthe darling closely in her arms. “()h,‘itty \\Hfi3bief vvhat21 pet ycni are! Flo “nuider the tears conuznipoorlnanunas eyesxvhenshe dfinks<fileavuggyoul" IQOb played rnerfily on the bed untfl Bessfiixvas dressed; then she sakl: i “ Come darling, Sissy will give you your bath, and dress you." ltyvasfun U)gflve Baby Rtl>a badL because he hked n mainuch. lie qflashed the water about,and rubbed duzsoap onlusfatlnde knees. r 18 FROJW MAY T0 CHRISTIWAS. The cake of soap was worn thin, and it could not stand this usage; it broke in two. “Aha! ” cried Robbie; “ iwo hoaps now ! ” A new frock which Maggie had just finished lay ready for the little rogue. It had dainty pockets on the front. Oh, those pockets! Rob was very proud of them; he went around for a time with a hand in each, and it seemed a grand in— vention for keeping the wee hands out of mischief. Papa gave him a penny to put in each pocket; and then trouble began. Master Rob perceived that pockets were meant to be of use. Bessie missed her tatting shuttle. “I am sure I laid it down here, [)5 with my work she said; but she hunted for it in vain. Next Maggie’s thread hook was missing; then papa’s knife; lastly mamma lost her gold thimble. “Where can I have laid my thimble ? " said mamma; “how things do disappear to‘day ! “Baby boy, have you seen mamma’s shiny thimble ? ” “ Oh ’es, mammal I dot it in my pottetz—l ieefz'n’ it for ’ou l ” The pockets were searched, and the missing articles came to light, of course. “Let me see, Nurse,” said Mr. Lee; “how many children will you have in your charge P “It is well the old house is roomy, so that you will not be quite like the old woman who lived in a shoe! “By the way, I forgot to mention that Jonas Jones and his wife “ ONE TO MAKE READY, AND TWO 70 PREPARE.” 19 have two children; I suppose they will be about the house, more or less 1 ” “ Why, papa! who are Jonas Jones and his wife? " asked two or three voices at once. “Jonas Jones, my dears, lives in a small house near by; I have engaged him to take charge of the garden, and of the “ Papa ! " cried Bessie, “ you will tell the secret ! ” “ Oh, what is it, Bess? I think you might tell i ” “ It’s a something that a man must take care of! ” mused Willy; “I wish it might be a horse ;—-wouldn’t it be fun to have a horse, Rex? ” “ Humph l ” grunted Rex ; “ likely we will! ” “ But what does Mrs. Jones do, papa? ” asked Willy. “ Mrs. Jones is to cook, and wash, and so on. “ Now you want to know aboth the children ; yes, yes ! “There is a boy whom they call ‘Little Jone; ’ I suppose he is named from his father. “Mr. Evans says he is a good boy; he likes play, I think, as well as other boys, for I saw him blowing bubbles out by the house. “ The other child is a little dumpling of a girl, who kept close by her mother. “ Five, seven, nine children about; are you not frightened, Nursey ? ” “ You can’t frighten Aunty Gregg with any number of children,” laughed Bessie: “see, she only smiles l ” “That is well! ” said papa. “And as Maggie, and Mr. and H Mrs. Jones, and old Dobbin, are all good natured 20 F]? 0M [WA Y T0 CHRISYDIIAS. “ Old Dobbin ! " .cried Willy, capering about, “oh, it 2'5 21 horse I The secret’s. a horse I ” “ There, I have done it I ” said papa, laughing. “ Yes; I found a steady old horse at a low price; and I thought it would be pleasant for Nurse Gregory and her babies to drive about sometimes. “I bought a creature with horns, too! ” ’ “A cowl how nice! oh mamma, don’t you wish you could go to Thorne Hill with us? " “ I wish mamma could! ” sighed Amy. AT THE NEVVHO/IIE. 21 -l ; :fi» . CHAPTER III. 3; A AT THE NEW HOME. T last the day set for the journey arrived. Mr. Lee was to go with the little party. to Thorne were to say ‘good-by’ to their mamma and Bessie at home. Poor Amy had cried sadly the day before. She could not bear to look at the open trunks, or to hear a word about going. At length, her mamma called her into her own room, and they had a long talk together. After this Amy did not cry any more. She seemed to have made up her mind to be a brave and happy little girl, for her dear mamma’s sake. It was a very sober parting, when the carriage drove up to the door; even for the merry little ones, who were full of glee at the thought of the journey. Baby Rob stretched out his arms, saying: “ Mamma, tool” as the carriage door was Closed. It was well his mamma could not hear him. She was ill that day, and could only watch them from the window. 22 FR 0111 MA Y TO CHRISTIWAS. 1 Mr. Denton brought Isa and Colin to the depot. Maggie Burns was already: there; and the little Dentons were fond of Maggie, so they seemed satisfied to be left with her. ‘ Isa was six years old, just between Amy and Molly. The three little girls had often played together. Colin was “ fOilr, almost,” so he would have told you. He was a AT THE 1VEW HOME. 23 dear little fellow, with large black eyes which looked as if they might sometimes be brimful of mischief, although he was very grave and quiet when his papa left him. i Mr. Lee found seats for the whole company together, in the car; and people turned to look at them as if they thought it was an infant school out on an excursion. When the train began to move, all the little tongues were set in motion too, very merrily; for the children saw wonderful sights from the car windows. Children always do. They had about three hours’ ride in the cars; and then a stage ride of two or three miles; so all the children were rather tired, and were very glad when the horses stopped, and papa exclaimed: “Here we are! " Mrs. Jones stood in the doorway. The children knew it must be Mrs. Jones, because of the “little dumpling ofa girl ” who clung to her apron. How eagerly the little folks scampered over the old house l And how odd it seemed to come upon some familiar article from home in every room ! “ Oh Robbie, here’s your crib l ” cried Molly. “Yes, and here is his high chair!” Amy called from another room: “and here is Maggie’s sewing machine! Why, it’s almost like home I ” “Whose are all these other things that are not ours, Aunty Gregg?” asked Willy. “They belong to my brother, dear. He wanted to rent the house 24 FR 01V 1le Y TO CHRISYIWAS. furnished, as it is, because he was not sure that he would not want to come back and live here sometime. He has gone out West to his son’s home.” “ \Vell, that was just right for us, wasn’t it ?—1 think everything is just right, here l '" said Willy: and with a skip and a hop he was starting off to make new discoveries, when he suddenly perceived that Mrs. Jones had dinner ready for the hungry travelers. After dinner, papaisaid : “Come, boys and girls, shall we go out and make acquaintance with our friends at the barn ? ” He mounted Rob on his shoulder, and the rest eagerly followed. “ \Ve must see old Dobbin first I ” papa said. They found Dobbin sedately munching hay. Colin and Rob were each seated on his back for a few moments, to their great delight. \Villy and Rex declared that he was a capital horse. Of course they knew all about the matter I Dobbin turned his head and took a long survey of the group, as if he were making up his mind about them. “ I wonder what he thinks of us l ” said Isa. “I suspect," said papa, “ he is saying to himself: “ ‘ There are a good many of you, to be sure; but you are only imites! I Could pull a dozen such! ’ ” The little ones laughed ; and Molly said: “ Oh, I wish he would pull us now l Can’t we have a ride, papa ? ” AT THE iVEl/VHOJ/E. 25 “I think you have had riding enough for to-day, pet; and I want to see my babies a little while before I go away.” V “ Oh, papa, you are not going to-day, are you? ” And the children gathered closely around him. “In about an hour the stage will be here; but we have time to see the cow and the chickens, haven’t we ? ” Papa spoke very cheerfully to drive away the grave looks which were gathering over the little faces. “Chickens, too?” cried Rex. “I didn’t know we had any Chickens l 7’ “Yes; I thought Aunty would need some chickens, to eat up the scraps after so many little people! Ah, here they are!U There were two coops, each with a motherly hen inside, and a brood of dear little chicks running around; and there were several other hens pecking and scratching about the yard, and a rooster with very gay feathers. V Little Rob screamed with delight at sight of the little chicks, and tried to catch them; but the old mothers immediately called them all in. “Tum out, itty birdies I ” he said, coaxingly. “You shall come out and feed them by—and—bye ; ” said papa. “ Now let us find the ‘ moo cow! ’ ” They went to the shed where the cow was tied. The children were afraid of her horns, but their papa told them she was a kind, gentle creature. 26 FROM MAY T0 CHIPISZYWAS. “And she’ll give my little maid Pleasant milk to soak her bread : Every morn and every night, Warm and fresh and sweet and white ! Won’t she, Molly ? " “ Oh papa,” laughed Molly, “you didn’t say it right! It’s: ‘ Thank you, pretty cow that made, Pleasant milk to soak my bread.’ ” “ Is it? Well, be sure you thank her then, and be very kind to her ! “But ah, I see Mr. Evans coming towards the house; let us go in and meet him I " “ I’m sorry he has come!” whispered Willy as they slowly fol— lowed. “We want papa all to ourselves this little bit of a while! " But the children were‘not sorry, after all, when they saw Mr. Evans. He had such a very kind face, and talked with them so pleasantly, that even Willy felt glad they were to be partly in his care. _ Mr. Evans was going over to Thornton in the stage; he had some errands that way, and he wanted a few last words with Mr. Lee. All too soon the stage was heard rumbling along the road. “ Good-by, dear children,” said Mr. Evans; “we shall see each other to—morrow, I hope ! ” and he went out to the gate, leaving the father alone with his little ones for a moment. (>1 ‘ 4 , \QR ‘fi ,w , . ‘u ,4— . ‘\‘ ‘\ \: A 3‘? ‘ A ‘ 4.. 4 a“ $‘ "A 17w \‘m “WI! “GOODBY DEAR PAPA.” — Page 27. AT THE NEW HOzWE. 27 Papa went to bid Nursey and the others good—by; then he came back and kissed each of the children very fondly: “May God bless and keep my dear ones I ” he said; and then he was gone. The children followed him out to the gate, calling: “ Good-by, dear papa ! ” They felt rather home—sick and forlorn as they stood huddled together, watching the stage as it slowly ascended the hill. Isa put her arms around Amy in sympathy; and Colin said: “I think we might have 0726 papa to stay wiv us ! ” “Bless the dear children! ”‘ said Nurse Gregory, coming to the door; “do see them standing there, grieving! ” “ Come, my darlings,” she called : “ come and help us unpack the trunks and boxes ! ” The faces brightened, and the children scampered into the house, all eager to help. “ Come and see the playroom,” said Nursey; “and then you will know where to carry your playthings, as we come to them.” Such a pattering of little feet up the broad back stairs! And such exclamations at the top! The sounds tempted the little Jones girl from her mother’s side ; and her wee round face soon appeared, peeping through the railing at the head of the stairs. “ Oh come down, Dot ! ” called Mrs. Jones, “ I don’t believe they want you ! ” “Oh yes, we do; don’t we, Aunty? ” said Amy. Little Colin ran back and seized the child’s hand, pulling her up the last step. 28 FR 0M MA Y 70 CHRISYIWAS. Dot gave him a grateful look; and from that moment the two were firm friends. But the play—room. It was a long low attic, over the kitchen part of the house. Nurse Gregory had sent up word to have it thoroughly cleaned and whitened; and now, with its two bright little windows, it was as nice a play-room as children could ask. “Suppose,” said Nursey, “we have a wide shelf put up, along this side, for the boys’ playthings ; and then the little girls can have their baby house at the other end of the room. How will that do? ” “Oh, it will be just lovely, Aunty Gregg! ” exclaimed three or four little voices. “ And, Aunty, can we drive nails in these beams, if we want to? ” “Yes, Willy, boy, as many as you please; and you can tack pictures on the walls if you like.” “Oh, we’ll have a gay play—room when it is all settled; won’t we, Amy? ”‘ “ It will be fine for rainy days; but I don’t believe we shall want to stay in the house much when it is pleasant,” said Rex; “there will be such fun out—doors! ” “There l ” said Willy, glancing through the window; “that must be ‘Little Jone’ now, in the garden with his father!” “ Let’s run and see what they are doing l—Unless Aunty Gregg wants us to help; do you, Aunty P ” “ Oh, no; it will be time enough to-morrow to unpack the toys,” said Nursey, smiling. All she had wanted of the children was to make them forget their trouble. AT THE ZVEWHOZWE. 29 But little Molly soon met with a new trouble. Peeping into a box which stood uncovered she saw a bundle which she knew to contain her favorite dolly. Molly gave a pretty vigorous pull, and drew it out. But alas! when the bundle was unrolled, poor Flo came to light with a sad crack in her head i It might have been broken on the way; or the accident mgr/at have happened in Molly’s efforts to draw it out. The little girl was conscious that she had better have waited for Nurse to unpack the box; but this did not make her trouble any easier to bear. After the other children had gone to the garden, Mag— gie found the little mourner alone in the front room, looking very forlorn. At the soundof Maggie’s sympathizing voice, Molly began to st: “ Papa's gone ; and now my dear Flo’s gone too !—all deaded! ” “Poor Flo! ” said Maggie, taking up the doll ; “and poor little Molly! But cheer up, dear; let me take Flo away, and I’ll try to make her all well by to—morrow ! " i This comforting promise brought smiles in the place of tears. 30 F1? OIL] 117A Y T0 CHRISTMAS. But to return to Little Jone ; he had felt shy of the new comers, and so the boys had not seen him before ; but they found him now, helping to plant potatoes. He looked up and smiled when Willy and Rex ran up; and by the time he had answered some forty questions, they were well acquainted. About half of the garden ground was already planted. I The little boys were quite interested to know what would come up in each of the neatly—made beds; and what fruit each tree would bear. Then the little girls came out to see the garden. “Where will the flowers grow?” asked Amy. “ Well," said Jonas, “we hadn’t thought much about that part ! “But I'll tell you! Soon as I get the planting done here, I’ll spade up a nice posy bed, over there by the gate; and you shall ask Miss Linna for some seeds.” “Who is Miss Linna? ” the children asked. “ Haven't you seen Miss Linna? She is Mr. Evans’s daughter; ! you’ll be sure to like Miss Linna ! " Tea time came before the children could believe it possible. But after tea they all began to feel tired, for it had been a long and ex- citing day for little people. Nursey called them all around her to sing their evening hymn; and then, one after another, they were snugly tucked away to rest. CHAPTER IV. “ SNOW IN SUMMER.” HE weather had been very mild, even for the first week in May; but it was growing chilly when Nurse called the children in to tea. that first evening; and Jonas said there was a storm coming. But neither Jonas nor any one else expected a snow storm. Fancy the surprise of the children when they awaked in the morning and found the ground white with snow! “ I didn’t know they had snow in summer, here at Thorne Hill ! ” said Amy, as she was dressing. " It is not quite summeryet.” said Maggie Burns; “this is just a good—by kiss from Old Winter ! " This made the children laugh, but they thought they would rather have said “ good—by " without the kiss. \Villy ran down and met Jonas coming in with the milk. “Oh. Mr. Jones, what will become of the peas and things you have planted? ” cried he. 3T 32 FROM MAY TO CHRISTMAS. “Won’t take any hurt,” said jonas: “this snow will soon be gone ;—good for ’em 1 ” , But it was funny to see Baby Rob’s look of astonishment when he ran to the door. There had been very little snow during the winter; the little that fell was very soon trampled and melted in the streets of Grand— ford. And the only two weeks when the snow lay on the ground at all, little Rob was sick; ' quite too ill to notice anything out of doors. The little fellow was evidently starting out to find the chickens; but he drew back as he saw the snow. “ Oh, hee all ’e hugar ! ” he exclaimed. Rob always put an 11 for an s, where he could, possibly. “ He says it’s sugar,” laughed Mrs. Jones. “What an idea! Where have you been raised, so far, little man ? ” Nurse explained that he probably had never noticed snow before. Rob stOOped and took up some of the pretty White stuff, but dropped it, looking more surprised. “ Bad hugar ! ” said he. “Come to the window and look out, my pet ! ” said Nurse; “ You’ll take cold here.” From the window Rob espied some of the hens, who had come towards the house to find something to eat. They were standing on one leg, holding up the other as if they did not like the snow. “ Bad hugar ! ” cried Rob; “Aunty ! Tickies no hooes ! ” “ Chickies have no shoes? Poor things I Aunty’s sorry, but she .. 5N0 W [N SUMMER.” 3 3 can’t make them any to fit! Come and get some breakfast, dar- ling ! ” The other children were much amused when Nursey told them about Rob’s sugar, and how he wanted her to put shoes on the chickens. “ I knew two little Southerners who thought that snow was sugar, when they first saw it; ” said Maggie; “they told their nurse that Northern people must be very naughty to waste so much good sugar! " “I remember,” said Nurse, “what Bessie said when she first noticed the snow: “ ‘Oh, mamma, all the folks have spread their clothes out, on top of the houses ! ' ” “Oh, don’t you wish we had dear Bessie here to-day!” said Amy, a little sadly. “Tut, tut, my love! if she were here to play with you, how would she help mamma get ready to sail on Saturday? “ I’ll warrant she is as busy as a bee; and we will be busy too; won’t we?” After breakfast, the children all wanted to have their rubbers on and go out to play in the snow. But the snow very soon turned to rain; and it was so disagreea— ble that even Willy was glad to come into the house. “It seems to me this is just the day to put that play—room in order," suggested Maggie. “ So it is! Oh, Aunty Gregg, I wish we could have the shelf put up now, for our things ! " 34 17130111 [LIA Y 70 CHRISTMAS. Jonas was appealed to, and declared he could put it up then as well as any time. “And there are some boards in the barn that’ll do first-rate!” said he. Accordingly for the next two or three hours the play attic was a lively scene. _ Jonas put up the low wide shelf, and also a couple of narrow shelves, higher up, out of the reach of the babies. Rex and Colin helped or hindered him; holding the tools, and handing him nails. Willy meanwhile was busy ornamenting the remaining wall space with some gay colored pictures, that Nursey had brought from home for the purpose. The three little girls had enough to do, arranging their dolls’ furniture in the corner which was to be their house; and little Dot Jones and Baby Rob enjoyed the whole in a way of their own. I So the morning sped; but after dinner the little faces were pressed wistfully against the window panes. It was rather hard to see the rain pouring down when they did so want to be out doors. “ Come,” said Nurse Gregory; “1 must have a baby show now; we want all the little faces washed, and the clean aprons on, just as if it were the pleasantest day that ever was seen ! ” Nurse‘y’s cheerful voice always roused the children; and they trooped after her now to be put in order, as if it were real fun. “What do you mean by a baby show, Aunty Gregg?” asked Rex. "/ // RR ///( NW r////// W ‘ ,va NE A; fl/fl/ 1;, / {r //z -: ‘ 4v. 1) I) l) THE PLAY ATTIC WAS A LIVELY SCENE‘ .. Page 34. “ SNOW 11V SUMMER. 35 “ Wait until we are all nice and clean, and you'll see! ” said she. Rex scrubbed away at his hands, which were apt to be rather dark in hue. As the children went merrily back into the sitting—room, little Dot stood in the passage, also with a very clean face, and a little white apron. “ That is right, little one l ” said Nurse; “ come along l” “Are they all here?” asked Maggie, laughing: “Stand up in a row sothat we can count! “ N ow ! "Master William, almost nine : Let him stand first in the line ! Rex and Amy, aged seven: One, I’m sure, should be eleven 1 Isa comes next, six years old : Molly five, as I am told : Colin ‘going on to four : ’ Dorothea, three or more ; Then wee Robin ; bless the boy,— Two years has he been our joy l Eight clean children in a row ; Come and see our Baby show ! ” “ 0, Maggie, how funny! do say it again ! ” cried the children; and Maggie did. “Now what shallwe do in the baby show? ” asked one and another. “I want you to keep clean and quiet ‘for an hour,” said Nurse; “and I want you to think of something nice to do.” 36 FROM MA Y TO CHRISTMAS. “ If we only had brought our books! ’l said Willy, after a pause; “we didn’t bring any but those toy books! ” Nurse Gregory smiled, and opened the door of a cupboard in the wall. There were three shelves filled with children’s books. “Oh, you did bring them! Did mamma think of them?” ex- claimed the children, joyfully. “ Yes; and here is a package which Mr. Denton gave me, to be opened on the first rainy day. It has come very soon, has it not P " The'package was eagerly opened, and it was found to contain a beautiful new book for each one of the children. “ Oh, how nice! Wasn't your papa good to think of such a nice plan, Isa? ” said Amy, in great delight. “Dot wants a new book, too l ” said Colin. “ Papa didn’t know about Dot,” Isa explained. “Never mind; I’ll get my ‘Picture Alphabet’ book for Dot,” said Molly : “ and she shall have it for her very own ! " Molly ran for the bright picture book, which was in the play- room. The little girl was delighted with it, and sat down on the floor at once to examine it. So did baby Rob with his, which was made oflinen; and so did Colin. “ Now,” said Maggie, “ shall I read aloud to you in, one of the new books, for a littlewhile? ” ' ' 1) “Oh, yes; please read in mine, Maggie “Oh, let it be mine, please ! ” “ We can only read one at a time; lay them on the table, and I will shut my eyes and take one." “ SNOW 1N WINYER.” 37 It was lsa’s; and it had such a nice story in it that the children were glad they took that first. When ‘ Little Jone ’ came home from school, he was invited in to see the new books. How his eyes sparkled as he looked at them I “ Do you like story books? ” asked Willy ; “then I will lend you some of mine l ” Nurse smiled kindly at Willy as he said this; she knew that he was very careful of his books, and usually did not like to lend them. fl ;\‘\\\ 9 \ \\. EN CHAPTER V. MISS LINNA. THE next morning was bright and clear, but it was too muddy for the children to play out doors much. Jonas took them all to the barn, when he went out, after breakfast; and let them feed the little chicks; and give the cow some hay. When he went up a ladder to throw down some hay for Dobbin, Colin watched him with great in— terest; and after Jonas came down the little rogue was found making his way up the ladder too: but Willy rescued him before he managed to fall. “Au'nty Gregg, may we go up into the garret ?—the big, dark garret ? ” asked Rex, after they came in. “Oh, yes! said Nurse; “I thought you had been in every cor— ner of the house before this! ” “We didn’t know that you would like to have us go up there,” said Willy; “but I’m glad we can, because there are such queer 38 [MISS LAN/"A24. 29 things up there ;—~we saw them from the stairs I ” “ Is it 967/ dark up there, Rex?" Amy asked, as they all started for the garret. “Oh, no, not very; it's darker than our play attic: but come on, I’ll take care of you, Amy ! ” It was .not too dark for the bright, curious eyes to spy out all sorts of won- ders. In one corner stood three old spinningr wheels. Amy was busy turning one of them directly. “ How did you know you must put your foot on that ? ” asked Isa. “Why, it is like the sew- ing machine,” said Amy; “only it 21:72?! I wonder iwhat it was for I ” “Would you like to learn to spin, little woman?” asked a 4O FRO/LI WIAY T0 CHRISTMAS. voice behind them; and there was Mr. Evans, with Rob in his arms. He had come up to find the little folks. Rob was delighted with the whirling wheels, for they were all in motion by this time. “ What are these funny things, Mr. Evans ? ” Amy asked. “ Spinning wheels, my dear. When I was a little boy my mother and sister used to spin every day. They had to spin the wool and flax for a good part of the clothing we wore. “The wool was spun on the great wheel, like that one Rex is whirling; Z/mt makes the little boy laugh I Like to ‘see the wheels go round,’ don’t you, Robbie? “Then in winter they used to have the flax wheel, something like this,'near the fire—place ; and sit for hours and hours, spinning beautiful fine linen threads.” “Oh, didn’t you like to, see them do it?" said Isa; “I wish I could see somebody spin ! ” “Yes, I remember that I liked to watch the spinning wheel, very much. “And I remember, when I was not as old as Colin, I was lying on the floor by my mother’s wheel, when she was spinning very fast; and I lifted the piston rod off the treddle, so that the wheel stopped suddenly. “ Then she looked around to see what was the matter; and she said, ‘Ah, you little rogue l ’ ” ' The children laughed to think that their good friend was once a. ‘little rogue.’ W / a!!! /’ “fit/L Q?) , ,7, ; /" x , Va ;:2 . r w .7 7,, n/ J,» :44 i) L‘VZM/ (ff; flx/L‘Jij £23,], K < / S/ Mfg? 4% 31/ 37%;??? V )‘f’rfi Div/7 ) w‘é I «73‘ / 17:“ 7 {a fflg/ fi . / f ”If"? .a / / M~x N t i ‘ " ‘.- / l], w . I‘ém / /» “4‘: /\§L\ f/“ZIIV/K (Q... L I ¥ // :giébv 4/ \ // I “SHE HELD OUT HER ARMS FOR LITTLE ROB.”~ Page 43. MISS LIA/NA. 4 I “ \Vell,” said he, “I must be going. I stopped in to see if Mrs. Gregory would bring you all to my house this afternoon; it is Sat— urday, you know, and there is no school; so my daughter is at home to-day.” “ Did aunty say we might go, sir? ” asked Molly, eagerly. “She did, my dear: so good—by till afternoon; come, Rob; ride down on my shoulder l ” ‘ ’ “Won’t that be nice!” said three or four little voices at once. Mr. Evans heard them and smiled to himself on his way down. “Oh, Amy! Isa! come here and see what a nice little cribbie bed! ” cried Molly. The others ran to see. “ That’s a cradle; ” said Amy, “ isn’t it a nice one! Oh, let’s ask Aunty Gregg if we may have it down in the play-room! Then we can put our big dolls to sleep in it ;——they're too long for our little cradle ! ”i “ Yes; and besides, Doxy and Peggie want to sleep in Mat, you know!” said Isa. Away ran the little girls to ask; and aunty came up to see what cradle they had found. “Why! ” she exclaimed: “I had forgotten that this was here! I used to sleep in this cradle when I was a baby, children ! ” “Oh, how funny! And may we have it down in the play-room, if we will be very careful, aunty?” “Yes; I am sure you will not play roughly with old aunty’s cradle! I’ll take it down, and find a pillow for a bed.” 42 FR OJ! [WA Y TO CHRIS 7114A S. This lent a new zest to the doll baby play; and all the children engaged in it except Willy and Rex, who went out to find young Jonas: After dinner, all the little folks were put in neat order for another baby show; only this time it was to be at Mr. Evans’s. Dobbin was brought out and harnessed to the wagon, and then the load was stowed in. “\Ne cannot all go in the wagon at once!" Nurse had said. “Oh, yes!” replied Jonas with a grin; “plenty of room!” It was a box wagon with two wide seats, and consider— able space between. ]one was to drive; he and Willy and Rex were on the front seat; Nurse, with Rob on her lap, and Isa and Molly, on the back seat; while Amy and Colin had each a cushion on the floor between the seats. “There, you are all in l ” said Jonas: “and when Willy learns to drive, as he can very soon, you will have room for your friend Maggie too l ” Sure enough, there was plenty of room: there always is, the proverb says, “ when people are good natured.” 111155 LIAWA. 43 Old Dobbin trotted along very contentedly; and after a short drive around for an airing, the merry party reached Mr. Evans’s house. i A young lady came out to meet them, and the children knew it must be Miss Linna, because she had such a pleasant smile. “Ah, Jonas l ” said she, “this is Mrs. Gregory, I presume; and these are my father’s little friends l ” “Come right in ; my father will be at home in a few moments.” She held out her arms for little Rob, and he did not object in the least to being taken and kissed. “Come in when you have put up the horse, Jonas,” said Miss Linna. She led Nurse and the children into a very bright, cosey sitting- room, where they found Mrs. Evans, who seemed very glad to see them; and very soon Mr. Evans came in ;—then the little folks felt quite at home, ' Mr. Evans shoWed them some pretty pictures; and then two little neighbors came in, and Miss Linna set them all at some merry games; playing with them herself. Little folks enjoy such games as “ Going to Jerusalem,” and “ Hide the Handkerchief," much better when there is some older person to play with them. Miss Linna played on the piano for the game of “Going to Jeru- salem ; ” and she stopped short in such a comical way that it made the children laugh so they nearly forgot to run for the chairs. She did not suppose Molly and Colin would understand the game; but they did, and seemed to enjoy it as much as the older ones. 44 FROZW MA Y TO CHRISTMAS. Being the smallest, the others all secured chairs first; then Molly and Colin marched around the last chair with such a funny watch- ful look on their faces that the other children were greatly amused. Colin was nearest when the music stopped, and he scrambled gleefully into the chair. Molly hardly knew whether to laugh or cry, but a merry word from Miss Linna soon turned the scale. When they were tired of these plays Miss Linna played and sang some funny songs for them. “Now,” said she, “ I wonder if you can sing any of the hymns that my little infant scholars sing in Sunday—school ? ” The children did know three or four that she mentioned; and they were delighted to sing them, pressing close l.to Miss Linna’s side. “\Nhy, you will all come to church to-morrow, I suppose; will you like to come to Sunday-school too, and be in my little class?” “All but Willy boy; ” continued Miss Linna; “I dare say he would rather be in an older class.” “ Do you go to Sunday—school at home? ” asked Mr. Evans. “Oh yes, sir,” said Rex; “all of us do, ’cept Rob.” “Colin hasn’t been yet," said Isa; “but papa said he might go pretty soon.” “Yes; I want to go to Miss Linna’s Sun’ay—school, and sing! ” said Colin. “And so you shall, dear! ” said Nurse Gregory, well pleased. Presently Nurse said it was time to go home; but Mrs. Evans declared they must stay to tea; and very soon tea was ready. M15 5 LINNA. 45 After tea Mr. Evans slipped out, and in a few moments came back holding up a letter. It was from Mrs. Lee, with a few lines from Bessie. It had been written just as they were all ready to go to the steamer. It contained loving words for‘each; and a promise to write as soon as they reached England. “I wish mamma could see what good times we are having!” said Willy, as they put on their things to go home. A, "a 7’ ..‘ l,‘ i1 1) .1 }! 4‘ “—04 ““9 W . . m§&sis;‘tw€ ,.: CHAPTER VI. THINGS PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT. SUNDAY was a bright, beautiful day; and the children all went to Church, and to Sunday—school. Willy gravely declared, after they returned home, that Mr. Evans preached real good sermons; and all the little ones agreed that Miss Linna was the éesz‘esz‘ teacher that ever was. “ You just ought to go to her day school then! ” said Jonas; "‘ all the scholars like her, I tell you i” “I wish we amid go to school: why can’t we, Aunty Gregg?” asked Willy. The Lee children had never been to school: their mamina had taught them. at home. But Mr. Lee had spoken of this to Nurse, and to Mr. Evans; knowing that Miss Linna was the teacher, and that the school was quite small. “They cannot romp and play all day,” said he; “and if they 46 WMJHU. lflvTHw “rum rw'lfill‘ ‘ wwwflwftfiimfl 1WJIIqu‘A‘uI‘WWun FEia. fink} v1 THE LOCKET SEEMED TO DO REX GOOD.- Page 61. THINGS PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT. 47 want to go to school instead of learning their lessons at home, they may do so.” So Nurse was ready with her answer. Willy, Rex, Amy, and Isa might go to Miss Linna’s school ; they were to begin on Wednesday. Then Molly begged to go too; and Nurse and Mr. Evans agreed that she might go in the mornings. Colin began to plead, but Maggie told him that he must stay and take care of Dot and Robbie. “ Well,” said Colin: “ I will ! ” . “ Molly,” said Nurse, one morning, “I wish we flaa’ brought Zip with us I ” There were so many parcels and so many babies to be taken care of on the cars, the day of the journey, that Mrs. Lee said they had better not try to take Zip in a basket. “ Lave him wid me, Molly darlint ! ” said Katy the cook; “ sure I’ll take him to me sister’s house, and he’ll have good care, the crathur, and be all ready for yis, whin ye come back! " “ There will be plenty of cats at Thorne Hill, Molly, dear,” said her mamma. So Zip was confided to Katy's care. But, strange to say, Mrs. jones did not own a cat, and there was not one about the place. “We must find one soon,” said Nurse, “for I cannot sleep at night; the rats make such a noise.” “And I saw a great big one yesterday!” said Willy; “it ran across the entry.” 48 FROM MAY TO CIJRISIYWAS. “Aunty, is it: mix that make those noises we hear at night?” asked Amy. “Why dear me, have you lain awake to listen to them, dear child? I thought you children were all sleeping! ” “I heard such dreadful noises; they frzlg/zz’mm’ me!” said Amy. “Why didn’t you call me, darling!” said Nursey. “But we must get a pussy cat to drive off the naughty rats I ” “Reds in the old house, are there?” said Jonas, coming in just then. “ \Vell, I shouldn’t wonder ! ” “ I’ll tell you a way to get rid of ’em: I've known it tried, time and again. “ You just write ’em a letter, one of you; real nice and perlite, you know; and ask ’em to leave this house and go to some other house ;——any one you choose, so they don’t have to cross running water to get to it. “ Then you put the letter up one of their holes, and they’ll go; depend on’tl ” “Will they, truly?” asked Amy. Willy and Rex laughed heartily; but Jonas seemed quite put out with them ; he was really in earnest. “ But where shall we ask them to go? ” asked Nurse, trying to keep a grave face. “I think it would be. rather hard to send such a surprise party to any of the neighbors ! " “That’s so!” said Jonas; “1 don't know where we could send them I ” THLVGS PLEA SANT AND UA’PL 15.4 SAN] I 49 That night Nurse Gregory, being rather wakeful, heard a slight stir in the adjoining room. She took the night lamp and found Amy holding back a curtain which had been hung up to keep off the draught from an ill—fit— ting window. “ HUSh l ” said sh‘e, “ I know what to do! ” And stepping out of bed, only half awake, the child laid herself on the floor with her mouth close to a crack. “' Miaou l ” she called, in a sleepy drawl. “ Miaou l Mi-aou l ” “' Amy l \Vhy, what does ail the child? ” said Nurse; and by this time Maggie came to see what was the matter. They could not help too. laughing, but Nurse felt a little troubled, 50 FR 0M {WA Y T0 CHRISTMAS. She lifted Amy from the floor, and the child rubbed her eyes and looked at her. “What are you doing, dear? ” asked Nurse; “playing Pussy P " “Oh,” said Amy, “I dreamed that it would scare away the rats ifI mewea’ at them through a crack! ” “Come and get into my bed,” said Maggie, laughing, “and we will not listen to the rats any more to-night ! ” In the morning every one laughed at the story of Amy’s plan; but no one had perceived that it did any good. “[know how to drive rats away! I’ve just thought of it ! ” cried Rex. “ It’s in my Second Reader!” Away he ran for his book; and, returning, began to read the story of “The Rat with the Bell.” “ Oh, nonsense, Rex! ” cried Willy, “do you suppose that is true ? ” “ I think most likely it is ! ’7 said Maggie. “I knew a man who caught a rat and tarred and feathered it, and then let it go: and it frightened the other rats out of the house." What does that mean? How did he do it, Maggie?” “Why, he daubed the rat with sticky tar, and then covered it with feathers, like a four footed bird! The other rats were afraid of such a strange creature,just as those were of the rat with a bell.” “Well,” said Rex, “I wish we could try the bell; we’ve got a small bell, in our play-room.” “You can try it, then,” said Mrs. Jones; “for here is a lively fellow in the trap, now ! ” THIA/GS PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT. 51 She brought in the trap and set it down in the kitchen. How the poor captive did rush back and forth ! “Dear! I’m afraid he will get out ! ” said Nurse; and she mounted up on a chair. The little ones clapped their hands and danced about, as if Mr. Rat were a circus performer. , “But how shall we get the bell on him?” asked Willy, doubt- fully: “he’ll bite like everything ! ” “We will give him chloroform,” said Maggie; “get your bell, Rex, and I’ll quiet the rat I ” Maggie happened to have a bottle of chloroform, which she sometimes used for a severe headache. She brought it down, and wet a cloth with it, spreading it over the trap. “Stand off, children; ” she said: “I don’t want to put you to sleep . ” Yery soon the rat grew quiet. Maggie raised the cloth and they saw him lying on the floor of the trap. Meantime Willy had the bell ready, with a bit of wire through the handle, to fasten around the rat's neck. “ Now, as quickly as you can ! ” said Maggie, and as they opened the trap she held a sponge wet with chloroform, on a stick, to the rat’s nose. Willy fastened the wire very quickly, turning his head away as far as he could, so that he would not inhale the chloro- form. I 52 FROM MAY T0 CHRIST/WAS. Then they carried the trap out into the sink room again, and left it open. _ When next they peeped out, Mr. Rat had awaked and was gone. “He will have music wherever he goes!” quoted Willy, mer— rily. The experiment succeeded admirably. The scampering and scratching was heard no longer. For a night or two the tinkle of the bell was audible, as the distinguished rat pursued‘his lonely way 5 but then it ceased. A day or two after, Jonas came in laughing, to say that he had heard the bell in the barn ; but it did not stay there long. After this Rex fully believed every word in his “ Second Reader.” “Did you have a nice Reader like mine, when you were a little boy, Mr. Evans? " asked he. “ No, sonny; you would laugh if you could see the lesson book I had when I was a little boy. It had such odd little dim‘ pictures in it; you would hardly think they were pictures at all. “The books that we had were bound in chestnut—boards; and the scholars used to pick off bits of the paper, and little splints of the ' board covers, so that they were pretty rough looking affairs. “I remember howl used to study over the title page of my Speller. I thought “Noah Webster” must have been a most re— markable man to write such a book; but I wondered very much why he was called ‘Es/é.’ ” “ Called w/mz‘ sir, please? ” “ ‘ Esq.’ was put after his name, meaning Esgm’m; but I thought THERE HE GOESV UP, UP, UPIVW Page 54. J‘W'wn ~44. > , ‘9‘" "" “WM r/ ~ «u. ‘ \ “"“".,- x . \?\{ 1 A v .‘ 'i'i;\‘§\\x\“f"2y?/}/;, ‘ . , ~ ‘SW THINGS PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANZ 53 ' it was pronounced Esé. I used to wonder if I should ever be such a grand person as to be called, John Evans, Es/é/ ” “I think you were a funny little boy! ” said Molly, gravely; at which the others laughed; for this conversation took place in one of Mr. Evans’s afternoon calls,'and the children were all around him. They had told him all about the rats: and the story amused him very much. “ But I must not sit here chatting,” said Mr. Evans. “I have to go a mile or two farther to see a sick person. “I think I could take two little people with me, if they will be quiet while I am in the sick-room. Which two would like to go ? ” Judging by the little faces, half-a-dozen or more would have liked it very much. Mr. Evans looked at Nurse, and she said quietly— “Isa and Molly had better go this time, if you please, sir.” “Very well. Aunty knows best, doesn’t she, Rex? I dare say old Dobbin is ready to take the rest of you out, this fine after— noon.” Yes; they were to go with Maggie. Maggie knew how to drive, as Nurse had found out; so they could now use Dobbin when Jonas and his boy were busy. Mr. Evans and his little companions kept up a merry chat as they drove along. . “We will take this road by the river; it is but very little longer; " said Mr. Evans. “I like this drive, and I think you will.” 54 FROfllflL4Y TO CHRZSZVAS There was barely room for the road between the stream and the ledges of rock towering far above them to the wooded table land. On the opposite side of the river rose to a height of as much as two hundred feet a precipice, crowned with a few stunted bushes, and, on its very verge, one solitary hemlock tree. \ The storms of many winters, as .they raged around that bare head— land, had broken most of the limbs of this tree, leaving slight pro— jections where they had been. Near the top was a mass of thick foliage in which a pair of crows, year after year, had built their nest. I As our little party came nearly opposite this place they saw a colored man and a boy on the top of the crag near the tree. “What are they going to do?” said Isa: “I should think they would fall l. ” “ I think I can guess,” Mr. Evans said. “We will drive very slowly and see. “That is sailor Tom Green, and his boy]ack. Jack wants very much to go and be a sailor like his father; and he takes every chance to show him what a daring climber he, is.” “ Oh, see,” said Isa, “ he is going to Climb that tree! There he goes—up, up, up i ” ' Now Jack came to a place where there were no branches to put his feet on; but the hugged the tree with his arms and legs, and moved steadily up. “ Do you see, Isa ? ” said Mr. Evans; “ Jack not only goes up, but THINGS PLEASANT AIVD (YA/PLEASANT. 55 he [00125 up. He does not make himself dizzy by looking down two or three hundred feet at the river dashing among the sharp rocks. He imagines himself climbing up some tall mast in a storm at sea! “There, children, he has reached that crow’s nest; now he puts one hand into the nest while he holds on with the other; now he takes out the y0ung birds, one by one, kills them with a quick twist, and drops them to the ground.” “Oh, the poor little birds! What a naughty boy! ” exclaimed little Molly. “No, dear, he is not naughty to kill the young crows, for they would trouble the farmers very much when they grew large enough to fly :—they eat up the corn. “There, now, Jack is coming nimbly down; he means to make himself fit to be a sailor, does he not? That was a difficult place to ' Climb.” As they drove on, Molly asked : “ Did the crows build their nest up so high so that people would not get it? ” “Yes: crows, and hawks, and eagles,——all large birds of prey, build their nests where it is not easy to get at them.” “ Oh, yes, Molly! don’t you remember, in your book, the story of the eagle that carried off the poor woman’s little child ? ” Molly nodded; but looked very sober indeed. “ Well, what did the mother do ? ” Mr. Evans asked. “She climbed and climbed ;—-oh, she went up such a terrible 56 FROM [WAY 170 CHRISTMAS. . . steep place to the eagle’s nest! But she did get her baby, and brought it down all safe." Little Molly was very much disturbed; she did not like to hear this story. She did not say any more about it, but when they passed any high rocky places like that on which the crows nest was found, she looked up rather fearfully. That‘night, when Nurse and Maggie were putting the children to bed, Nurse heard Molly say her prayers ; and it happened thatthe older children were in the next room. Molly paused in the middle of the Lord’s Prayer, and asked: “ Aunty Gregg, do eagles ever come and carry off little children, to their nest 720w ? ” “ Hush, darling,” said Nurse; “you must attend to your prayer; —don’t talk of other things now ! ” “But I was,——l am ’tending!” said Molly. “Don’t it say ‘de- liver us from eagles P ’ ” “ ‘ From evil,’ my dear; ” said Nurse; but when Molly had fin— ished her prayer, she took her on her lap, and asked: “Why did you think your prayer was about eagles, my pet? ” “ ’Cause I’m ’fmz'a’ of eagles I” the child said. “Well, dearie, eagles are very seldom seen in this part of the country; and even in places where they are fiercest and strongest, they scarcely ever try to seize a child: so you need not be afraid of them at all! “But, little Molly, if eagles were watching for my babies, they THIZVGS PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT. 57 would be one kind of ‘evil’ then; and our Heavenly Father will deliver us from all evil, if we pray to Him. Will you remember, darling, and not be afraid? ” Molly nodded, with a happy smile, and went to sleep quite re- lieved of her fear. 58 .F11’ 0111 [WA Y‘ 70 CHRIST/WAS. CHAPTER VII. BESSIE’S LOCKET. B will go to the post— office after school, and there will surely be a letter from papa and mamma to-day: don’t you think so, Aunty. P ’ “I hope so, Willy; but do not feel too sure of It.” The letter was there; and the post— master smiled to see all the eager little hands stretched out for it. Jonas had come for the children with the wagon ; but Dobbin could not trot fast enough to suit them, on the way home. It was a letter worth waiting for. Papa and mamma and Bessie had reached England safely, and mamma was feeling much better already for the voyage. Bessie had written one page, with a funny loving message to each of the children ; and this they all wanted to hold in their hands, in turn. BESSIE’S L 0 CKET. V 59 “How much they do think of that sister of theirs!" said Mrs. Jones, after Willy and Rex had run out to read Bessie’s letter to her. Willy overheard this. “We ougki to think of her! ” said he, “for she’s the best sister that ever lived! ” “Yes, she is a dear kind sister, and always was!” said Nurse Gregory. “1 have a picture of her now in my mind as she used to sit holding Amy, when she was a baby. “There were two‘of them to tend then, you see; and it was a real help to have Bessie such a womanly little thing. She couldn’t do much with Rex, except amuse him on the floor; he was always a lively fellow! —but she would tend Amy by the hour, as patiently as a little mother.” “ Seems to me,” said Mrs. Jones, “your ‘lively fellow’ is rather quiet of late." ‘ . “I think so, too;” said Maggie: “do you think he feels well, Nursey ? ” 60 FR OM MA Y T0 CHRISTMAS. Nurse looked anxious in a moment. “I must watch the child,” said she, “ if you think there’s anything amiss: it is not like him to be quiet ! ” ‘ Sure enough, it was not long before Rex was found curled up on the lounge in the sitting—room, while the rest were out at play. “What is the matter, dear boy? ” asked Nurse, kindly. “Are you sick ? ” Rex shook his head; and as Nurse still questioned him his eyes filled with tears, and he got up and ran away. But the next day, after school, he was again drooping around, seeming very unlike the merry, noisy Rex of other days. “Did you get tired in school to-day, Rex ? ” Maggie asked. “Perhaps Miss Linna gives you a little harder lessons than your mamma did.” “ No, she don’t! ” he answered: “but I’d study awful hard les- sons if mamma were only here I ” and he turned away with a little sob. “The child is home-sick for his mother,” Maggie said to Nurse, telling her of this. “Well, who would have thought it of Rex! ” exclaimed Nurse. “ I expected Amy would pretty nearly cry her eyes out after we came up here; but she is as placid as a May morning; and to think of Rex being the home-sick one ! ” The next time Nurse found Rex moping by himself she came up softly and slipped a ribbon around his neck. i BESSIE’S LOCKEYI 61 The little boy started up as he saw a pretty locket attached to the ribbon. “ Bessie’s locket l Oh Aunty Gregg, where did you get it ? Please open it for me, quick ! ” Nursey smiled, and opened the locket. It had been Bessie’s last birthday gift, and contained excellent likenesses of her father and mother, much better than those which the children had in their album. Rex sat gazing at the pictures lovingly. “ Did Bessie forget it? Won’t she be sorry l ” he exclaimed. “No; she did not forget it, dear; she left it with me. AndI will let you wear it awhile if you will be very careful ofit." The locket seemed to do Rex good like a medicine; he looked brighter than he had for two or three days. ‘ Bessie had brought the locket to Nurse the day before she started with the children. “I shall have papa and mamma all to myself,” she said: “so please keep this, Nursey, while we are gone; and if poor little Amy should be grieving after mamma perhaps it will comfort her to wear it.” But, as Nurse said, “ to think it should be Rex l ” ' After Nurse had gone away, Amy came through the room look ing for her brother. “ Oh, Rex, come and play, won’t you P ” she coaxed. “We’ve got up such a nice game; but we want you so much I “ Why Rex, where did you get Bessie’s locket? ” she added, ex- citedly, as she saw the treasure. 62 FROM MA 1/ 7‘0 CHRISTMAS. “ Aunty Gregg let me wear it," said Rex. “ Oh, Amy, I did want mamma so badly! But it makes me feel better to have this a little while. See ! They are both smiling at us ! ” Little Amy seized the locket, and kissed both pictures fondly. Rex looked at her as if a little puzzled. “ Amy,” he asked suddenly; “you cried like everything, about mamma’s going away; what made you feel better? ” “Because mamma talked to me about it Rex, so nicely ! I can't remember the words, you know; but it was about: ‘Thy will be done :’—that is what we say in the Lord’s Prayer. 1 “ Mamma said when we had to give up things that we liked, and when we had hard things to bear, we must try to feel happy about it, because God wanted it so; and He knows what is best. “And, Rex, mamma felt worse about leaving us than we did about having her go; but she didn't fret.” With their arms around each other, the twins sat for some time, talking lovingly together. Nurse glanced in at the door, but moved softly away, wiping her eyes, and whispering: “Bless the children l” After a while Willy’s voice rang through the house: “Rex ! Amy! We can’t have any fun if you don’t come!” “ Let’s go, Amy I ” said Rex, briskly. He paused to place the locket carefully in his bosom. “We’ll look at it again by—and—by ! ” said he; and Amy nodded. The game, whatever it was, appeared to be above the compre— hension of Colin and Dot, and they were chided away. “ POOR DOT. IS YOU TIRED.” — Page 66. BESSZE’S LOCKET. 65 “Go and see the chickens, Colie; you are right in our way!” said Isa. ’ Maggie was very busy mending Willy’s clothes; and NUrse was writing a letter to Mrs. Lee, and had taken little Rob into the front room with her to keep him out of mischief, and shut the door. “ Let’s go somewhere ! ” said Colin to Dot; “ let’s go take a yea! nice walk! ” “Yes, we will ! responded Dot: “ le’s go see my gwamma ! ” “ Oh, yes! where does she live? Is she my gran’ma too ? ” “ Yes ! " said Dot, nodding her head very decidedly. “Does she live over by the depot?” asked Colin 2—“ Oh, yes, Ifimé she does ! And then maybe we’ll see my papa! Some day my papa is coming in the cars! ” “I get my émziz'e/” said Dot, trotting in after her little sun- bonnet “Where are you going now, Dorothea? ”'her mother said, laugh— ing: but all she heard for answer was: “ Colie ! ” “And we’ll take the sled: then we can go faster!” suggested Colin. The sled was Jone’s: he had taken it down for the children on the day of the snow storm ;—just to amuse them, for there was not snow enough to make it run well. The little ones played with it a good deal, making believe sleigh riding, even now that the grass was green: but in what way Colin expected to make it useful on his walk was more than any one could gUCSS. 66 FROM MAY T0 CHRISDWAS. Away they went, hand in hand, dragging the sled; all unnoticed by the busy ones in the house and in the yard. “We must go ’way, ’way up that long hill; ’cause the big horn stage goes up there ! ” The stage driver blew a horn as he approached the post office ; this was why Colin called it a [$0771 sfage. It was a long way up the hill ; much longer than it seemed from ‘the start, as even grown people usually found. “ I so tired! ” said Dot, as they were about half way up : “ be we maxi to gwamma’s house P ” “ Poor Dot! is you tired? Let’s sit down on the sled and rest I ” said_Colin. A funny picture they made, sitting on the two ends of the sled, back to back. So thought two girls who passed them, going down the hill. The girls were almost Strangers in the neighborhood, or they would have known who the children were. Everybody around Thorne Hill knew Nurse Gregory's children. “Now we must go along, I guess,” Colin said with a little sigh, for he felt tired too. “ Well l ” said Dot; and taking Colin’s hand, the poor little dumpling plodded patiently along. Over the crown of the hill two roads met. “ I s’pose this is the right way,” said Colin, after a doubtful pause. It proved to be the right way for the two little wanderers; for a BE‘SSIE’S LOCKET. 67 few rods more of weary travel brought them in front of a friendly looking house. “Sakes alive!” exclaimed a woman in the yard; “do see them two little things a dragging along! Pulling a sled too, I declare! “Ben, you go bring ’em in here: they’ve strayed away; that they have! Shouldn’t wonder now if they were some of Mis’ Gregory’s babies: only i/zey have folks enough to take care of them ! ” The weary babies were not unwilling to be led in by Ben. “This is one of Mrs. Gregory’s tots, mother; ” said he. “ I've :seen him with Willy Lee and the rest of them !” “And that's little Dot Jones!” his mother said; “well, well! what a way for them to come! Where were you going, little fellow ? ” “ Going to find my papa, I s’pose ; ” said Colin. ‘tAnd gwamma’s house! ” added Dot. “I declare! Well, you just sit still and rest a little, and eat a fried cake; and then Ben ’ll go home with you. Why, don’t you know the folks will be scared about you ? ” “Will dey?” asked Colin, innocently. The good woman brought the children each a fried cake, large enough to keep them busy awhile. When the last crumb was picked up from her little apron, Dot said: “I dess I want to see mamma ! ” “And I rather guess mamma wants to see you, you little run-. B 68 F1301?! MAY TO CHRISTMAS. awayl Come, Ben, go and help them home. I wish we had the old mare around to—day ! ” Ben started off, good-naturedly enough, and chatted briskly with the children to keep up their courage. “ I fink we better ride on the sled I ” said Colin after a while. “I don’t fink you will, young man ! ” laughed Ben: “ why, don’t you see the grass and trees are all green? We can’t use sleds in summer ! ” “Here, I’ll have to carry this one!” he added, for poor little Dot’s feet seemed to refuse to bear her any further. “Say, you can trudge on, like a little man, ifl carry the girl baby, can’t you P ” “ Yes,” said Colin; and trudge on he did; the sled bumping along after him. In the meantime great was the alarm at home, when the two children were missed; as they very soon were. Jonas was called to help in the search, after Nurse and Maggie and the children had looked every where about the place. “jone has just taken Dobbin down to the brook to water him ;” said Jonas: “he’ll be apt to see them if they’ve gone that way: so we will go another way.” , Jone was somewhat astonished, as he happened to look over toward the long hill, to see his small sister Dot in Ben’s arms, and poor Colin dragging himself along behind. I “Why, where can those young ones have been i ” he ejaculated. “Come Dobbin, hurry up and drink! You and I must go see to this I” BESSIE ’5 L 0 CKET. 69~ He trotted briskly up to meet the party. and Ben soon explained the state of the case. _ “This little thing is asleep on my shoulder,” said he: “let her alone, I’ll carry her the rest of the way. But if you can hold this poor little codger on the horse with you, it’ll be a good thing, for he can hardly take another step ! ” Ben seized Colin with one strong young arm, and swung him up to jone ; and the poor child was glad enoughto be carried even with Dobbin’s jog trot. “There they come!” ex- claimed Mrs. ]ones and Nurse together, running out. “Why, Dot!” “Why, Colie ! ” they‘ cried, as each seized a child. Dot opened her eyes and then cuddled up in her mother’s _ _ a lap with a satisfied smile; too sleepy to be scolded. “Where éaw you been, Colie? " asked Nurse. “Oh, we’ve been most all the way to ‘gran'ma’s house ; ’ and to see my papa too, this af’er momzz'fig/ ” ’ The tired little fellow climbed up on the lounge as he gave this 70 FROM MAY T0 CHRISTMAS. very lucid explanation; and slept as soundly as Dot, the rest of that “ after morning." “I suppose,” Isa said to Amy, “they ran away because we wouldn’t have them with us when we were playing; and they didn’t know what to do ! ” “Well; we will never send them off again;” was Amy's re- sponse. l CHAPTER VIII. A VISIT; AND A VISITOR. OLLY,” said Mrs. Jones, “I know now where you can get a kitten. Hetty Bacon’s mother told me that their cat had “M some; you know Hetty Bacon? She goes to school.” May we go and see Hetty, Aunty Gregg, and see “Oh, yes I ” if she’ll give us one kitten? ” 71 72 FR 0J1! MA Y T0 CHRISZYWAS. Nurse was quite willing; and the three little girls started “across lots” on their errand; Mrs. Jones having showed them Hetty’s home, from the back door. Little Hetty was delighted to see her visitors. “Oh, yes! I’ll give you one kitten I ” she said, when Molly made her request. “They are too young yet to leave their mother; you’ll have to wait a week or two,” Mrs. Bacon said. “But, Hetty, you may bring the kittens, and let the little girls choose one.” Away ran Hetty to the wood house; and soon she appeared with the kittens in her apron. The mother cat kept close by her side, mewing anxiously. “ Oh, such clear, clear little kitties l ” cried Molly. “ I don’t know ‘which to choose ; do you, Amy?” “Let’s take this white one,” said Amy; “you know Zip is all black ;—let us have this one all white!” “Oh i” exclaimed Hetty. Then she stopped: but she looked rather sober. “ Did you want to keep the white kitty?” asked Amy. “Then we must choose again I ” “Take that one with a black spot,” suggested Isa: “that will put you in mind of Zip, you know ! ” “Oh, yes, that is better i ” said Molly. So all were satisfied. The kittens were petted and praised and fond— led; but they all seemed glad to be given back to their mother's care. A VISIT; AND A VISITOR. 73 “ Now what shall we do? Oh, come see my calf! ” said Hetty. She led the way to the barn—yard, and the others were following, when Amy called out: “Oh, Isa! see; I do believe that is the stage coming down the hill 1 ” “Yes, so it is! ” said little Hetty. “ I wonder what it is coming that way for! " “ Oh, may be,—may be I ” Isa began. And then she started and ran towards home, like a little deer. “Why, where has she gone? What’s the matter with her? ” asked Hetty, wonderingly. “ I know; ” Amy answered. “ She thinks perhaps her papa has come in the stage.” “Why, maybe he has! I should think Isa would run ! ” said Hetty, looking after her. “ But don’t you go yet; will you ?” “No, please don’t go yet, Amy! ” said Molly: “ I want to see the little calf! ” _ ' Amy did want to follow Isa very much; but, like a good little girl, she stopped to think about it. I-Ietty would be disappointed if they were all to go so soon; and Molly wanted to stay a little longer: yes; and perhaps lVIr. Den- ton would rather see Isa and Colin first, a little while by them- selves. “We can stay an hour; ” she said. “ Aunty said we might stay an hour! But just let us wait a moment and see if the stage does stop at our house.” 74 FRO/ll [WAY TO CHRISTMAS. They climbed up on the stone wall, so that they could see the ' road in front of the house. Yes; sure enough, the stage drove up and stopped. Isa had gone in at the back door; and Amy knew she was out at the gate ready to spring into her father’s arms. Tears came into the loving little girl’s eyes as she thought how long it would be before she could meet her own dear papa. But she brushed them quickly away, and tried to enjoy seeing the pretty calf as much as Molly did. “ Now let’s play tea! ” cried Hetty; “that will be so nice! I don’t have anybody to play tea with me, ’cept my dolly!” The little girl was runnning into the house to get her tea things, and to ask her mamma for something to play tea with. So her mamma heard this. “Nobody except ‘Chammy’ and ‘ Hovey,’ you mean; don’t you, Hetty ? ” she said with a smile. “ Oh, mamma ! ” pleaded Hetty; “ please don’t tell I ” She looked so troubled that her mamma laughed and went to the pantry to get some milk and cake. Amy wondered very much who the two with such queer names ' could be, that played with Hetty. She was too polite to ask, as the little girl did not want to talk about them; but as I know, I may tell my little readers; for Hetty has quite forgotten them by this time. They were only make-believe friends; but little Hetty amused herself with them a great deal. She always wanted to set a plate A VISIT; AND A VISITOR. 75 for “ Chammy,” at the table; and she had a great deal of conversa- tion with this one; though no one ever heard Chammy answer a word. . “Hovey,” she said, “lived up on Catamount,”—the name of a rough mountain near Thorne Hill. “He rides down on a donkey; ” she told her mamma; “but he has scarlet fever now, and cannot come l” Hetty’s mamma could not help laughing at her little girl’s fan- cies about Chammy and Hovey; but she much preferred real live playmates for her, especially such nice little girls as these new neighbors. So when the hour was up, and Amy said they must go home, Mrs. Bacon asked them to come again very soon: and she said Hetty might go over to see them, some day. “ Oh, yes, do ! ” cried little Molly: “then you shall play with my Flo, and all the dolliesl And take good care of our kitty, wow 1‘ you, Hetty. P ’ she added. This was faithfully promised. “ Now Molly, run!” said Amy, seizing her hand. “ We want to see Mr. Denton, you know ! ” “ Oh, yes, I forgot! ” and Molly ran as eagerly as did Amy her- self, until she suddenly drew back, exclaiming: “ Oh, Amy, there’s a cow, looking right at us! ” Amy laughed. “Why Molly, that is our own ‘Moo-moo,’ as Robbie calls her: you are not afraid of her; are you P ” Then Molly laughed too, and ran bravely on. “ Moo-moo ” had ” FRO/W MA Y TO CHRISTM4S. only been turned into that pasture lot for a day or two, and Molly did not expect to meet her there. Mr. Denton sat in the porch, with Colin on his knee, and one arm around Isa, who stood Close by his side, looking very happy indeed. “Oh, here is Amy, and Molly too!” she cried. “011, Amy, why didn’t you come right home and see my papa?” fl . . [W m l‘ W, ‘/// . *\ “ I wanted to,” Amy answered, smiling up at Mr. Denton ; “ but Hetty didn’t like to have us go so soon.” “This is the little girl who always thinks of others first, I be- lieve l " said Mr. Denton. “ Well, Isa, if all Nurse Gregory’s babies are here now, you may call them into the sitting—room and open my valiSe; or Willy can open it for you. A VISIT; AIVD A VISITOR. 77 “My things. are in the side that is buttoned down : the parcels are in the other side; and there is a package on the floor." “Come, Willy! Rex!” called Isa, dancing up and down in her delight. “Come, Colie; and where’s dear Rob ? ” ) “ Call the little Jones girl and boy too,’ suggested her papa. He had heard about them, before this. Isa had sent .him two or three letters ;—Maggie wrote down just exactly what she told her; so of course ‘ Little Jone’ and Dot had been mentioned. It was very plain that Isa must have mentioned the playhouse, too, in her letters. But how did papa happen to know that there was not a whole dish in their dollies’ cupboard? He laughed when the children asked him; and said he only knew that little girls and dollies always wanted “ dishes.” So he had brought a tea set for Isa; a dinner set for Amy; and a box of “ kitchen utensils” for Molly. “\Ve can play with them all together, can’t we? ” said Amy. “ Oh, won’t we have a splendid cupboard now?” There was a fine new knife for Willy, and another for Jone. Willy had lost his knife, a few days before; and Jone had only a coarse jack—knife with one blade; so you may be sure they were both delighted. , A tool box for Rex: a box of animals for Colin: a doll for Dot; and a funny toy for little Rob :—what a load papa had brought up, to be sure! “ But what is this, papa? ” asked Isa, holding up another parcel; “ oh, it smells nice I ” 78 FRO/LI [WAY TO CHRISTMAS. “That is for Nurse Gregory ! ” said papa, smiling. Isa ran to hand it to her; and the children were all so taken up with their toys that they thought no more of the sweet-smelling parcel; which was well, for it was just tea time. But after Mr. Den— ton was gone, the next day, some very comforting “goodies " were produced from it. “ Colin,” said Nursey, that evening, “it is well. your papa did not come yesterday, when someéoa’y ran away; isn’t it? ” “Why, Aunty, I didn’t yzm away: we walked; just as s/ow/” said Colin, honestly. “But you will not walk away from good Aunty another time: will you, my little boy? Only think how poor Aunty and Mrs. Jones hunted for their lost 'children I ” Colin looked very much troubled; and to change the subject his papa asked : “ Have you forgotten how to make a rabbit on the wall, Colin? Here comes a lamp: let us see I ” Colin sprang to his feet; studied his fingers gravely a few mo— ments, and then produced a capital rabbit. “ Oh, see the Bunny ! ” cried Molly: “how do you make it, Colie ? ” His father caught the little fellow up in his arms and kissed him. His mamma had taught him this pretty trick which he remembered so well. But the little ones had been allowed to sit up past their bed—time, considerably; and now Nursey thought they must say “ good—night." 79 A VISIT; AND A VISITOR. asked Isa. “ May we sing our hymn down here, with papa? " They sang that little hymn which every child knows : Jesus, tender Shepherd, U hear us,” and Mr. Denton seemed to think it very sweet music. “ Now, papa,” pered Isa, “please have prayers as we used to at home I ” h. a d Y m 1% .m a t r e C ) said her papa l” or o' lin “if Nursey can wait a 1 few minutes.” Nurse was much and pleased to wait; after prayers her babies all went happily to bed. Mr. Denton had to go away in the morning; but he left his little ones with the feeling that they were happy and well cared for; as indeed they were ! CHAPTER IX. THE RQBBERS' CAVE. “ AUNTY! oh, Aunty Gregg, where are you? " It was Re: who called, and Rex had a wonder- ful thing to tell.‘ i ‘ There was no school that afternoon ; and all ' the boys wanted to go up on Catamount. “Jone is going; and Willy wants to go, Aunty; and so do I. Oh,‘it will be such fun ! Can we go ? ” “ Catamount ;——that mountain that we see away to the left as we go over to Thornton ? Why, Rex, dear, it is too far for you to go; ——to climb the mountain, too ;—you would be all tired out. “ It is most too much for Willy to try, I should think; but I will H 866. 80 THE ROBBERS’ CAVE. 81 “But, Aunty, I want to go awfully; I shall not be tired,—an'y‘ more than Willy ! ” “Willy is older, and a good deal stronger than you, Rex. I am quite sure I ought not to let you go. Don’t think of it any more ! ” But Rex did think; and he teased, too: especially when Willy . came in and said he had met Mr. Evans, and asked him first. “And he said, Aunty, he thought I was big enough to go with the other fellows, if you were willing.” “I think Aunty Gregg might let me go!” Rex grumbled to Amy: “ I am not a baby! She won’t let me go anywhere! ” “ Oh, Rex! ” said Amy, reproachfully. “Well! she wouldn’t let me go to ride with Mr. Evans that day} and I wanted to go ever so much more than Isa or Mollyz—it'isn’t fair ! ” ‘ Amy said nothing: the wise little sister knew it was of no ”use, while Rex was so angry, to remind him that he had broken a rule that day. Nurse Gregory made very few rules, but when she did make one she meant to have it obeyed : and Rex knew very well, at the time, why Nursey passed him over so quietly. “Shall we start right after dinner, Jone, and meet the fellows? ” asked Willy. “ No: at least I can’t. Father said I must finish hoeing that piece of corn to—day: and I know I won’t feel like it after I come back, so I must do it first.” “Oh, dear! How long will it take you ? ” 82 FR 0M MA Y TO CHRISZZWAS. “Not an hour, if I work smart: I did part of it before school. But don’t wait for me, Willy; Tom Lacy knows the way up to the Robbers’ Cave, and I’ll come along as soon as I’m through.” Willy preferred to wait for Jone, and went out with him to the corn patch. It was abit ofland which Jonas owned, beyond his house. “ I wish I knew how to hoe corn,” said Willy, “ I’d help you I " Presently a shouting and hallooing was heard. The other boys had come in search of Jone and Willie. “Oh, say now, Jone Jones! it’s too bad to waste the time here! Ask your father to let you off, can’t you P ” “Father’s gone to Thornton, with the team,” said Jone, plying his hoe without looking around. “Well, he’d let you off if he knew 2—3/0” can make it all right with his father, can’t you, Will Lee?” and the speaker turned to Willy, who was sitting quietly on the stone wall. “I think Jone is right to finish his work first,” said Willy, slowly. “ He says we needn’t wait for him ; but I’d rather, wouldn't you P ” The rest agreed; and it seemed that they would not have long to wait, after all. Jone had hoed more than he thought, before school, and was working with a will now, so that there were but a few hills left. “ Halloo ! There comes your brother, Willy: is he going with us ? ” “I guess not,” Willy replied. “Halloo, Rex; you’re not going to Catamount, are you 3 ” Rex nodded. THE ROBBERS’ CA VE. “' Got leave after all? \Vell, I rather think you ’11 Wish yourself at home more than Colin did, the other day l ” V “I won’t l ” said Rex. “ I can walk as far as you can, Will ! ” A little more whistling, and chattering, and stamping of impatient feet, and then Jone cried: I “ Hurrah, I’m done l ” He hurried away to put up his hoe, and then the merry troop started, whistling and chattering more than ever. “ Come Towser, come sirl Good dog! come along I ” said Tom Lacy, whistling to a yellow dog which came bounding over the wall to meet him. “ Is that your dog? " asked Willy, “ will you take him along? That’s good l ” “ Can’t get rid of him, can you, Tom Pi" said another. “Oh, yes. I could: I need only say ‘Go home, Towserl’ and he’d mind me, without a single whine; wouldn’t you, old fellow? Good dog l ” Rex looked uncomfortable, for some reason best known to him- self; but he patted Towser’s head, repeating: “ Good dog I ” Then, unconsciously, he put up his hand and felt Bessie’s locket. “There! Iought to have left this at home l ” he said to himself. “‘ What ifl should lose it? " Why, with the locket clasped tightly in his hand, did Rex linger behind the rest? Was it only from fear of losing the precious pictures? The boy climbed up on a fence by the roadside to think it over. 84 F]? 01% MA Y T0 CHRISTMAS. He watched the others trudging merrily on :——could he go back and lose all the fun? But then, what would papa and mamma say if they knew? And with the thought of his parents came that of another unseen Friend. Miss Linna’s talk with her little scholars, the Sunday before, had been about the text 2 “Thou, God, 5 e e s t me; ” and Rex seemed to re— member it all as he sat there on the fence. Willy turned back to see what was the matter. “Come on, Rex!” he shouted. “Why, if you need to rest now, what will you do climbing the mountain ? ” Rex got down from the fence, and called back in reply : “I don’t believe I’ll go, . Willy ! ” ‘ Then he turned and ran home as fast as he could. ‘ “Well, little boy,” said Nursey, “I was just wondering where you could be I " She looked quite pleased to see Rex, but did not tell him that she had begun to fear he might have gone with the boys. THE ROBBERS’ CA VE. 85 “I want to tell you something, Nursey l ” the boy said. And he put his arms around her neck and whispered in her ear. Nurse looked a little sorry, and then very glad, as she heard what Rex had to say. Can we guess what it was? Meantime the other boys were wending their way up the moun— tain ; climbing, and in some places scrambling up, to reach the. Robbers’ Cave. This cave was so called because rumor said it had once been the hiding place of a gang of robbers. Of course this made it a roman~~ tic spot in the eyes of all the boys; and when our party reached it, under Jone’s guidance, they were eager to crawl in and explore the noted place. “Dear me I ” said Willy, “ I think the robbers must have had an uncomfortable time staying in here I It’s so low, and dark, and dis- agreeable ! ” “They couldn’t stand up in here, if this is all of the cave; ” said Tom. “ But where does that hole go to ? ” It was an opening at the back of the cave. None of the boys had noticed it before. One or two moved toward it, but soon drew back: it looked rather dim and mysterious. “Maybe there’s some wild critter in there I ” whispered Jimmy Hunt. “ I’ll send Towser in! ” said Tom. “Here, Towser, rats! siccem, Towser ! ” he called, pointing to the hole. Towser went straight to the hole, but he had scarcel gone in before he came out again with a “Ki yi!” and a drooping head 86 F190;” [WA Y TO 0719157111145. and tail; and away he scampered in a bee line down the mountain side. It is needless to say that the boys all followed, pell mell. Not one cared to poke a stick into the hole as had been suggested, or to explore any further. Down they ran, rolling Over and over when they happened to stumble, for they were in too great a hurry to pick themselves up. , They did not pause to look behind until they reached the open road along the foot of the mountain. Towser by that time was quite out of sight. “Well I ” exclaimed Jone ; and they all looked at each other and began to laugh. “ What did the dog find there ? ” said Willy. °‘ Why didn’t we stay and find out! ” said Tom, half regretfully. “ Want to go back, Tom? You better l " “ Stop your teasing l ” said Tom, good-naturedly. “ No, on the whole I believe I won’t go back; but I wish Towser could tell us what was in that hole l " \Villy and Jone told the story of their adventure at home. and Rex felt more than glad that he had not gone with them, up to the Robbers’ Cave. It was not many days after this that V'Villy came flying home from school in great excitement, “ Oh, Aunty, what do you think! Some men caught a wild cat yesterday, up on Catamount! And they’ve got him now in a sort n . . > 3‘ .r ‘9 I; " L“ " / ' > ’i/iy 3211/7? ' ’ 2/34 (”75’9” Lgx’rh \\ (Kr {by ///" L; , ., ‘ E A: \imuflik «3:. L :fimfim‘“ ’ ‘v,’ , L -’ ‘1‘ “ , _,-" .‘Mn/fll/UHE .1," ‘ ‘ # M/BJH‘V' "..',.. II ' $.52? $3?!” . ’Q r.“ J7; L 3):!) I’M? n, '1 / / 2.3“.“le ' ‘/1/ fl" 2‘ WWW 144 {s’t‘fi'fif \» ’D‘VL‘ ‘~ . , | J LflUng; .‘ .3 fl 3 H. ‘ ., “56", 74.34, ,W Jll’flfy‘flgg‘ll'; ’l fig” :5 1'9‘1‘}! I ' u’c [fly/m " .1: ”1 1'63 (W! / [W ’ '4‘w- I p )/ fl” I, r v J // A c 2/ /V THE BOYS ALL FOLLOWED, PELL MELL.~ Page 86. THE ROBBERS' CAVE. 87 of cage, in front of Mr. Lane's barn: and Mr. Evans says we’d better all go and see it! ” “ Yes,” added Rex, eagerly, “ and the boys think that was what Towser saw in the cave, when they sent him into the hole I ” The children all went over that afternoon, with Maggie, to see the wild cat. The men had set a steel trap for something, whatever it might prove to be, which had been doing mischief around their farms; but they did not expect to catch such a creature as this. They had pretty hard work in securing it, and getting it into the large, strong box in which the fine fellow was now caged. They were obliged to bring another steel trap, and get both his fore feet into one, and his hind feet into the other, and then carry him by a long pole. The little folks were much interested in hearing how the wild cat was captured. The box had slats across the front so that they could see him; but he had such a fierce look and such sharp claws that even the boys did not want to go very near. “Ugh l ” said Willy: “to think of being in the same cave with a beast like that !” They were talking about it with Jonas after they reached home. “I dunno," said Jonas, “one ofthose critters might have gone in there, but he chose a finer room than they generally do ! " “ A finer room? What, that dark hole?” exclaimed Willy. “Yes: that hole, as you call it, leads into the cave. Why, did you boys suppose that outside hole was the Robbers’ Cave? ” 88 17/8011! Jig?! Y 70 CHRISYI’V/AS. “Why, father! " cried Jone, “I didn't know there was more of it ! Oh, I wish we could go again, with a gun I ” “ And somebody to handle it l ” said his father, laughing. “ Well now, I’ll tell you I I don’t know as I’ll have much to do to—morrow afternoon, and I’ll go up there with you after school, if you like. “Rex can go too, if Mis’ Gregory will trust him with me. I know a road that will take us quite near the cave, so that we can take Dobbin and the wagon. “I don’t believe your beast stayed in the cave after he saw the dog: but I’ll take my gun along, to make sure.” By the time Jonas’ speech was ended, the boys were cutting all manner of capers; especially Rex, who was sure Aunty Gregg would let him go with‘Jonas, and in the wagon. And she did: they went the next afternoon, and the other boys met them near the cave ; for Jone and Willy had told them of their proposed expedition. Jonas went first through the hole, and found the cave vacant, as he supposed. The boys followed, and were delighted to find themselves in quite a large room, with perpendicular sides. There was an opening above which let in some daylight and fresh air, but Jonas said he had never been able to find the outside of that opening, though he had looked for it, above the cave. The boys each picked up some bit of stick or stone to bring away with them, imagining it might be a relic of the robbers. “ Well,H said Maggie, that evening, as she heard about the cave, THE [905851319 CA VE. 89 “you will have something to tell mamma in )our next letters, I think ! ” “Yes, oh, yes! ” cried Willy. “I wish we had not sent off our letters to mamma, yesterday I " “ Never mind: you can begin now and have a very interesting letter ready to send next time." 90 F1? 0M IVA Y 70 CHRIST/[£45. CHAPTER X. MRS. FLYNN’s GOATS. I * fi ILLY set about his next letter at once, for, as he said, it must be quite a long one. The three older Children wrote regu— larly to their parents, or to Bessie; and took much pains with their letters. Miss Linna kindly allowed them to write in school, after their lessons were said. To be sure they always had some questions to ask about spelling, and so on ; but Miss Linna had but few scholars in summer, and had time to attend to them. Amy could write nearly as well as Willy; but it was quite like work for Rex to make out a letter. He had been trying very hard over his last epistle in school, and felt a little discouraged because Miss Linna advised him to copy it again. MRS. FL YNN’S GOATS. 91 After school Molly found him very busy out—doors with a tin box and some string. “What you doing, Rex? ” she asked. “Don’t know. I wanted to see if I couldn’t fix up a telephone, like that Mr. Evans told us about. “You know, Molly, they talk into a sort of box, and people can hear away off! Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have a telephone over to papa and mammal Then we could tell them everything we wanted to, without writing letters ! " “ Maybe! ” said little Molly ; “but I’d rather have a see-a- phone I " Rex shook his head very wisely. “I don’t believe they’ll ever ’zmzt any w'ay to see people that are far off! ” said he. Rex set up his tin box in place, and carried the string from it across the fence. Then the children were called to dinner. “After dinner I’ll get Aunty to give me another spice box," said he to Molly: “and then maybe I can make a telephone over to Hetty’s house, so we can talk to her! ” Molly looked rather doubtful as to the success of this grand ex— periment; as well she might ! When Rex came out after dinner, the end of his string was gone. He looked along from the box, and found it had been carried up into a tree. In a minute more he spied the thieves. A pair of little birds had carried off the string, and were now pecking and Working at it to use it in their nest. let them have it, Aunty? ” “ They’ve carried off my string! The little rogues! VVou ld yo Ll ‘Oh, Aunty ! Maggie! Come and see ! "‘ called Rex. FR 0171 MA Y TO CliRISTfl/A S. AIRS. FL YNN’S G 0/! 75. 93 “ Yes, I would. Cut it off and let it go. They must have been disturbed before, for they are very late with their nest, poor birdies ! " This was a very good reason for giving up the telephone plan, which Rex had begun to suspect was rather beyond his resources and abilities. ‘ “I am write my letter though ! " thought he, “and I will ! ” He finished it that afternoon, ready to go with the rest. These were the children’s letters by that mail. Willy wrote: “ DEAR PAPA, AND MAMMA, AND BESSIE,—Mr. Denton gave me a grand knife, and he gave Jone one too. Jone knows how to Whittle, and so do I. We are each making a boat : and next we mean to make some chairs for the girls’, dollies. Mag— gie says if we make nice frames she will cover them with chintz. “Dobbin goes first~rate now, and I can drive. Aunty Gregg let me drive when she took Rob out to-day. “ \Ve have real nice times here, but we want you. Please write to your boy I WILLY.” And this was Amy’s letter: “DEAR MAMMA,—I am so glad you are better. My letter‘was' a nice one, and I kissed it. ‘ “ Isa’s papa came, and he made us all glad. thn our papa comes we will be more glad. “School will be out in one week more. I love Miss Linna ; she is as kind as our own Bessie. Please do not forget your AMY.” And Rex wrote: “ DEAR MAMMA,—I want you so much. But I have you and papa hung around my neck; but I want to put my arms around your neck. 94 FR 0M MA Y T0 CHRISTMAS. “ Do come home soon. We have nobody to give strawberries, or flowers, when we find them. REGINALD LEE." The Saturday after the trip to the mountain was a very warm . l ‘ / / v i «‘i < // . 4 \ t \/"l'\\{ «A W ’l by" w \w / C’Vl/ l.) I \ /.\ .é/yl day, almost too warm to run about in the sun, or to play very lively games. The play attic was like an oven that day, as Nurse Gregory said; for the sun was beating down upon it, and there was no breeze. MRS. FL YNN’S G 0A T5. 95 Willy had taken a camp-chair out under an old, shady apple-tree, and was reading a story to Isa; but soon the sun crept around the shady bough, and shone full on his book. “Dear me, we must move again! I wish we could be in the woods to-day l " said V/illy. “Oh, Maggie said she would go over to the woods with us one day, to find wild, flowers I ” exclaimed Isa; “I wish she would go to-day l ” _ “ And take some lunch with us to eat in the woods, instead of having dinner at home,—-—I wish we could! Let’s go and ask her!” And \Villy forgot the heat as he ran to propose his plan. Maggie said the walk would be rather warm, but she would not mind it, for it would be pleasant in the woods. “I will go with you, if your Aunty thinks best,” she said. And Aunty was quite willing. Molly and Colin were to be of the party; and Isa ran over to ask Hetty Bacon to go with them, which she was delighted to do. It was cool and pleasant in the woods, and the little folks ran in and out among the trees like so many squirrels. They found flowers; and they found some raspberries too ;— “hollow crowns,” as Hetty called them. Hetty showed the others how to string them on long spears of grass. “ Let’s carry some home to Rob and Aunty," said Amy. “And some for Dot,” said Colin; at which the rest laughed, for Colin was sure to remember Dot. By—and—by the lunch was in demand; and then there was a 96 FR 01% [WA Y T0 CHRISYYVIAS. cry for water. “ We must have some water to drink, this warm day l ” “Oh, I know, I know!” cried little Hetty. “There is a nice spring, right over in that lot :—my papa showed it to me one day! ” Maggie had her pocket cup with her; so the whole party started for the spring. But just as Maggie stooped to dip up some water, a goat came running forward with his horns lowered, all ready for some fun. The little girls screamed and climbed up on the stone wall. Willy and Rex would not run and leave Maggie to faceithe goat alone; but they did not like his looks very much either. “Well, we won’t be driven off by a goat: will we, boys?” said Maggie, laughing; and she poked him with her parasol, and turned again to the spring. Back came the billy—goat, more determined than before. Maggie seized him by the horns. “ Now get some water for the girls, Willy,” she said; , When each had had a drink, Maggie let go, hoping the unman- nerly goat would behave better now. But no, on he came, chasing Rex to the stone wall, too. , “Give him a cooky,” suggested Amy; “ then perhaps. we can all get away l " They did so : and then they gave him another, and another, which were made way with in a moment; and, after each cooky, on came Billy ! “ Oh, dear, he’s coming after us! Do hold him again, Maggie ! ” W x. I . I. I A. ,4 , ,L Urn mm {JAWWWMMN/lflr ‘ A / r/IWA, .W’QIUQ . A /. .... I. ; )v. .‘ A A . pp< . A .7 y 1 . A z; f l .1. , Im . \ ..\/ \ pl .‘v . \ . . . WILLY SEIZED HIM BY THE HORNS. — Page 97. x , 1/ 1/ ./ A .11. 2‘, /%h/ // ; / A ., w W / «WI/ I”..MIMII'WNW A A .. cxntlfl w xMRS. FL YNN’S G 0.4 TS. 97 Willy seized him by the horns this time; but there he was obliged to stand, holding on. “ Oh, there is a boy coming: maybe he will help us! " said Maggie. “ Halloo ! ” cried the two little boys. “ \Vha—a’s the matter?" said the large boy, sauntering towards them. “ Oh, it’s Ma’am Flynn’s Billy, is it ?—Come along, you bothering fellow ! " The boy seized the goat and led him off across the lot. And Maggie and the children gladly left the Vicinity of the spring. A day or two afterward, Nursey and Mrs. Jones wanted more eggs than the hens were pleased to furnish. “ I’d send Jone over to Mrs. Flynn’s for some, ifI had him here,” said Mrs. Jones. “ Do you suppose the children would like to go P ” “ Is that the Mrs. Flynn that keeps the billy-goat? ” asked Amy. “Yes; but she has him tied up, mostly: she will not let him hurt you ! ” Willy had gone with Jone to the hay-field. It required consid— erable courage in Rex, Amy and Isa to make up their minds to go to Mrs. Flynn’s for the eggs: but they did. They found the house very easily, and Mrs. Flynn had plenty of eggs While she was counting them into the basket, Rex asked: 98 FROM [WAY TO CHRISTMAS. “Where is your naughty goat to—day? ” “Sure I have him out by the barn; has he been throublin’ the likes of you at all ? ” The children told her how badly Billy had behaved by the spring: and good Mrs. Flynn shook her head over his “ impidence.” “ Ah, but you should have seen a goat I had when we lived down below—she was the beauty ! “ Sure I had her when she was a little kid; and the crathur knew me as well as any one! “She’d folley me around, and if she heard me cough anywhere about, she'd cry ‘ Ma-a! ’ for all the world like a child! “ But the way she ate up the Lady Honora’s foot ! ” The children looked aghast at this; and Mrs. Flynn hastened to explain : “Sure Z/mi was my Annie's wax doll: but it was a beauty! It was sent to her from Dublin. Annie named it the Lady Honora; and she loved it dearly. “But one day she left it in the yard ; and what did that goat do but eat off one leg. as I told yez! “ Ah, but what a way that poor child was in whin she found it! I let her go to the toy stores and try to match it; but she couldn’t find'one like it at all. “One day she saw a sign out where they made—what’s this they call it ?—‘ arflficzkz/ limbs; ’ an’ nothing would do but she must go in and ax the'man would he make one for her doll !” “Did he ? ” asked Molly, eagerly. MRS. FL MVzV’S G 0A TS. 99 “No; sure he laughed and took her measure; but he never made it at all ! I’m thinkin’ he had enough to do fitting the poor human crathurs wid legs about that time: for the war was goin’ on then I ” . “ What became of that goat, Mrs. Flynn? did you bring it up here ? ” “I did not! Sure the crathur ran asthray one day, and we couldn’t find her at all, at all l “' She was taken up by the p’lice and put in the pound ; and there we got her and brought her home, afther paying the fine. “But, do you know, the poor thing died that very night! It wasjust as if it felt shamed to be taken up by the pee/er; wasn’t it now P ” The children’s interest in the story of the city goat quite made amends for the ill treatment they had received from Billy. And when again there was need of'eggs, they were all very ready to pay Mrs. Flynn another visit. l lumil W 1} y l , C HAPTER XI. VACATION. WITH the next week the school term ended; , and both teacher and scholars were well , ,, "a pleased, for it was now too warm to be very I, will comfortable in school. The children evidently did not wish to lose sight oeriss Linna; they asked to go and see \ her very often. M And Miss Linna told Nurse to let them l come every day if they wanted to. “I am ' glad," she said, “that they are not tired of , being with me ! ” Miss Linna’s little neighbors, who have j been mentioned before—Clem and Jessie Bright,—were very fond of running in to see er also : and they too had been her scholars. One day when the little Brights and Lees lOO VACATION. IOI standing by the tall old clock, looking up into its venerable face, and Clem Bright came up to tell her how old it was, and how it was made. “There are great heavy weights inside this door,” said he ; “ and they hang by cords; and go slowly down, down, that makes the clock go, you see." . Clem managed to open the door and display the weights; and Molly ran up to take a peep too. The next time that Molly came, with some of the others, to Miss Linna’s, the old clock had been moved from the sitting room out into the hall. Molly was playing near it with an armful of old dolls which Miss Linna had found that day in the garret—relics of her child- hood. “ Now,” thought Molly, “ ifI could set a-dolly on one of those heavy things she could have a ride, for Clem said they moved down l " She opened the clock-case dOor, and, by climbing on a chair, managed'to fasten a small rag doll on one of the weights. “There!” said she, “don’t you cry when I shut the door, for you will have a nice time i ” I , Just then the little girl heard Mr. Evans’ voice. He had come out of his study and was talking to the children. “Maybe he will tell us a story I ” thought Molly. She ran into the sitting room to hear, and thought no more of the poor doll baby in prison. 102 FR 0M MA Y 70 CHRISEWAS. “Please tell us more about when you were a little boy and went to school I ” Isa was asking. “\/ery “mflL” said hit Iivans. “‘VJhen IVvas not yet five years old I went to a man’s school for the first time. I ‘“The schoolxvas very fiflL and therexvere a nunaber ofyoung Inen annong fluaschokus. Ithought u very grand to go U)school Vvfih such large schokus; but I was a good deal afiahl of the niaster. “I did not dare to whisper or play with the other little boys; and I trkxlto keep verysnfll l3utone day Isauzsonufihing vdfichxnade Inelaugh outzdoud. “ The master turned and shook his head at me, and I clapped both hands over my mouth to keep from laughing; but I caught sight of the funny thing again, and the laugh would come: and then I was so frightened at the sound that I giggled again, without nieaning‘to. ' “Then the master left his seat, and rolled out a big crooked log into the middle of the floor. We little ones had wondered why he had that brought in, for it was too large to go into the stove; but Ifound,outin;use noun “ The master made me go and stand on that log. ‘As you seem so merry,’ said he, ‘ I’ll give you something to laugh at! ’ “'The log was so crooked thatitxvouklnotlk:sfifl,and lhad to stretch out my hands, and balance myself as well as I could, with the whole school watching me and laughing behind their books VA CA ZION. 103 “After a few minutes, which seemed like hours to me, the master lifted me off, asking ifI had had fun enough. “I thought I had; and I crept to my seat, feeling very much mor- tified indeed. I did not dare to lift my eyes higher than the toe of my shoe until school was out, lest I should see something to make me laugh.” “What did you see, sir?” What was it?” the children en- quired eagerly. “ That was what my brother asked me, after school, and I laughed again as I pointed up at a spider’s web. ‘ “‘That spider!’ said I ;‘ ‘he’s been to millz—he was carrying home a bag of meal—a white bag I ’ “That was the way it struck me. I had often seen people going to the mill, and coming away with their bags of flour; but the idea of old Mr. Web Spinner going tool “Just as I had told about it I saw the master standing by me, and he was smiling too. He told me that some spiders wrapped their eggs in a ‘white bag,’ and pushed it along until they found at good snug place in which to leave it. The spider I had been watch- ing was one of these. “ ‘ Run and eat your dinner,’ he said, kindly, ‘and when you see a funny thing in school again you must turn your eyes away from it, and think of something else.’ ” “ He was a pretty kind teacher, after all I ” observed Rex; “but I don’t believe he was as kind as Miss Linna, ever! ” “What time is it, Willy?” Amy asked, after awhile. “Aunty 104 FROM [WA Y TO CHRISTMAS. Gregg said We must only» stay two hours this morning, you know." “Oh, it is only ten o’clock,” said Willy, after peeping out into the hall. “We can stay another hour! ” “I think our Willy did not look straight, this time,” said Mr. Evans. “I have sent my watch to be cleaned; but I know it must be nearly eleven.” Miss Linna went out and looked at the clock; she had been busy dusting her father's study while he was talking to the little folks. . “Why, I do believe our old friend has stopped !” she exclaimed. “ What can be the matter! Did I forget to Wind it?” She took the key and tried it, while Jessie Bright looked anxiously on. She and her brother Clem were very fond of Mr. Evans' “great tall clock.” “No, it is not run down,” said Miss.Linna; and she opened the lower door just as Molly came out into the hall. “ Oh! ” exclaimed the little girl. “I set one dolly on to have a ride, and Iforgez‘z‘ed her! ” “ So I see! ” said Miss Linna, laughing: “ and she putz‘m’ out her hand and stopped the pendulum, I imagine! ” She shook her head at the little girl in a pleasant way, and said: “ Don’t play with the clock again, dear, for you might injure our old friend! ” When the children reached home Nursey asked as usual “ if they had been good.” VACATION. 105 Molly answered a little doubtfully, “l don't know, Aunty Gregg; I put my dolly to have a ride in the clock, and she made it stop ! ” “Oh, my darling, little girls should not meddle with such things, without asking leave l ” said Nursey. “ What does ‘meddle ’ mean P ” asked Colin. And then of course Nurse explained very carefully. A day or two after this the roguish little ones had a laugh at their good Aunty’s expense. Mrs. Jones had bought a lump of potash, to make some soap; and had put it on the top shelf in the pantry that it might be out of the way until she could use it. Nurse Gregory saw it up on the shelf, and thought it was maple sugar. "' Why,” said she, “when could Mrs. Jones have bought that sugar? What nice syrup it will make! ” Nurse put her finger into a little of the potash which had begun to melt, and put it to her mouth; and oh, how her poor tongue did smart ! “ Dear, dear! ” she cried, coming out into the kitchen; “what is that on the top shelf, Mrs. Jones? " “Why, did you taste it? It’s poms/z! “fell, 1 am sorry! ” said Mrs. Jones. Rex looked up with a twinkle in his eye, and half whispered: “Aunty Gregg meddled; didn’t she ? ” “Yes,” said Nurse, laughing. “Aunty Gregg meddled this time, and got well paid for it, too ! ” 106 FROIW MA Y TO CHRIST/WAS. But the children were all sorry that poor Nursey had burned her mouth, although they did enjoy their little joke. When mamma’s answer came, to the letters mentioned in the last chapter, there was a word in it for Rex which was meant for all the children as well. “I would dearly love,” she said, “to be where my boy might bring me ‘strawberries and flowers; ’ but my children have friends near by who are giving them the tenderest care. I hope they will not forget to be loving and grateful to t/zem." 1 “I suppose mamma means,’ said Rex, pondering over his part of the letter, “that we ought to do things for Aunty Gregg, and Maggie, and Mr. Evans, just as we used to like doing for papa and herself, and Bessie l ” “ Yes,” Amy answered thoughtfully. A day or two after this letter was received, Nurse Gregory was taken quite ill in the night, and was not able to leave her bed at all the next day. Now the little people had an opportunity to show that they re— membered their mamma’s words. One after another they stole softly in to kiss Nursey, and ask what they could do for her. And then the older ones took Rob and Colin out to play, away from the house, and promised to take good care of them, so that Maggie could wait upon their dear Aunty Gregg, and help her to get well as soon as possible. And the next day, when Nurse Gregory was able to come down- VA CA TION. 107 stairs, all the children were eager to do something for her com— fort. Willy moved a large \\§:\& old easy chair into the /K’ 2 pleasan test corner; and Rex brought a foot— stool to place before it. lsa ran for a soft shawl to throw over her shoul- ders, when she was seated; and then Amy brought her cup of tea and bit of toast very care- fully, on a little tray; while the little ones kept very still for fear of mak— ing Aunty’s head ache again. “Do you feel better now, clear Aunty Gregg? asked Molly. “Yes, my pet. I must surely feel better, with so many loving little hands to tend me! ” 108 at the store, has got fire-crackers and Zorfiez‘m/s; lots of ’em ! ” “ Oh, yes! Why of course it comes here, Molly! r nd Mr. Young, change the subject: but it was too late' 7 indefinite answer, and at once tried to the boys had heard. Aunty Greg 0‘ 0 gave a very 7 (6 LA Hill. PM as k ed Moll , 9 one da y- does Fourth of July come here, at Thorne UNTY Gre 00‘ OD’ TH E FOURTH OF JULY. CHAPTER XII. THE F0 (/13 TH 0F yUL Y: 109 80 said Rex: and then Willy began : “ We were going to ask you, Aunty, if we might go and buy ours to-day: because you know Mr. Young might sell, out all his lot, and there is no other store here.” “ Can’t you do without fire-crackers, Willy? ” asked Nursey, ner— vously. “ I should be so afraid to have you firing them off, with all these little ones around: and you might put your eyes out with the plaguey things I ” “Why, Aunty l” and \Nilly’s eyes Opened widely. “We know how to fire them off;—Rex and I do! Papa lets us, every year: don’t you know ? ” “And we girls will all stand in the porch, or some good safe place, won’t we, Isa?” said Amy. “And we can hold on tight to- Rob and Colin and Dot, so they cannot run out and get burned I " “' \Vell, you must ask Mr. Evans,” said Nursey ;——“ it is for him to say—I don’t suppose I know much about fire—crackers.” “Thank you, Aunty; we’ll ask him on the way to the store: for I know he’ll say ‘yes,’ won’t he, Maggie? because he was a boy once I ” “How much money have we to spend, Willy?" asked Rex. “ Oh, I’m glad now that we don’t have any place to spend our pennies, as we used to in Grandford; for we’ve got more money for the Fourth ! ” “ But you mustn’t forget the Missionary box in Sunday school I " cautioned Amy. “ No-o ! ” Rex answered, a little doubtfully. I 10 1480M MA Y TO CHRISTMAS. “ But,” said Willy, "we put some in every Sunday, you know; and we shall have our week’s money again after the Fourth ;—I think we might spend all we have now, for fire-crackers and things I ” Amy looked a little troubled by this argument. But in a moment she exclaimed: . “I’ll tell you, Willy! I’ll give you ten cents towards the fire- crackers, because I shall see them, you know ;~—and then you can save part of your pennies for Sunday ! ” “And so will I give ten cents, out of my box l” said Isa. “And so will 'I l ” said Molly. “I think that is a very good plan,” said Maggie. “ Let the girls and Colin each give ten cents for their part of the fun ; and Willy and Rex can spend twenty cents apiece, as they are to do the firing off. That will buy a nice supply, and no one will be left penni— less I ” “Well,” said Willy, “then we will get some torpedoes with part of the money, shall we Rex? The girls can fire those off; and so can Colin.” . Away went the boys to make their purchases; first stopping to ask Mr. Evans, who saw no objection to the investment. The day before the Fourth a letter came from Mr. Denton, for Isa and Colin. Their papa said he had been trying very hard to arrange to spend the Fourth at Thorne Hill. but business held him fast. “ So," he went on, “as I cannot come I have sent a box of rockets THE F0 UR TH 0F 31 UL Y.‘ 111 and things to Mr. Evans, to make a bright evening for all the dear little folks in Nurse Gregory’s charge.” When Isa had heard this letter read she seized it and ran to find the boys. “Oh, Willy! Jone! Rex! we’re going to have some real fire— works to—morrow evening: papa has sent up a box! Won’t we have a splendid time P ” The boys, and girls too, were as much delighted as Mr. Denton could have wished. Jone especially could hardly talk enough about the anticipated pleasure. Jone could count on his fingers all the sky-rockets he had ever seen. The wished-for morning dawned: and almost with the dawn the children were on the alert. No more rest for Nurse and Maggie, for even little Rob was wide awake, and wanted to be “d’essed.” Then the popping began ;—\vhat a racket! Poor Nurse looked so anxious and disturbed that after breakfast \Villy said : _ “ Let’s go out by the barn ; Aunty Gregg don’t like to hear fire- crackers ! " “ But they’ll scare Dobbin l " said Rex. Jonas heard this, and he turned to say: “I’m going off on an errand with Dobbin now: want to come with me? “ Oh no: were busy with our fire—crackers! ” was the answer. The children ran to the barn, but soon found that they had used up their last match. 8 112 FROM AMA Y 70 CHRISTMAS. “ Colie, run and ask Aunty Gregg for some more matches, will you P " asked Willy. Colin ran as fast as his small feet could carry him. “Where are they now with their crackers?” asked Nurse, as she took out some matches. “Dear, dear! they’ll set the barn on fire I ’l Colin trotted back to the boys. “ Willy, you set the barn on fire! Here’s your matches! " said he. “Set the barn on fire? I don't believe we’d better!” laughed Willy. By this time, greatly to Nurse’s relief, Mr. Evans was seen ap— proaching. The good man meant to be in time to look after the young pa— triots; but he did not remember how early boys awake on the Fourth. “ Oh, Mr. Evans! Did the box come last night?” “Yes; it is all safe at my house. And now come and let us make arrangements for the evening.” This was delightful. Mr. Evans told the children that his wife and Miss Linna hoped they would be invited up to see the fire- 'works; and so did Clem and Jessie Bright. “ Why, of course, we shall be very glad to have them come!" . said Amy, very politely. “ Oh, and we must ask Hetty to come over; and her mamma too l ” cried Molly. THE FOURTH 0F f7ULY. 113 Quite a number more of their schoolmates were thought of, who surely ought to see the fireworks. “ Wont we have a nice time! ” cried Isa. “Mr. Evans, did you have crackers and rockets and such things when you were a little boy?” “No, my dear; such treasures were not to be bought in our neighborhood. “But we used to save our coppers, and buy powder to make witch quills, as we called them; those answered the purpose of fire—_ crackers pretty well.” “Witch quills I what were they, sir? ” asked Willy. “They were squibs, made of goose quills. The boys put a small pinch of dry powder into the hollow part of a quill, ramming it in well; next a pinch of wet powderrthen another of dry, until it was full. On the top they sprinkled a very few grains of dry powder, and then lighted this. “ As it went off it set the quill dancing and gyrating. In a mo- ment the wet powder would fizz: then came a pop: and then a fizz: and all the while the witch quill fiew about like a chicken with its head cut off. “I remember how I laughed, when I was a little fellow, to see a witch quill chase my older sister. She saw the boys lighting one as she went past them, and began to run ; and her running made a draught which carried the quill right along after her.” _ “Oh, how funny I ” cried Rex. “ I wish we had some of those! I wish we could make our fire—crackers chase Aunty Gregg!" he added roguishly, looking up at her. 114 [+76 OM IVA Y 70 CHRISTJIIAS. “Ah, you mischief!” said Aunty, shaking her head at him: “they’ve disturbed my peace of mind quite enough this morning ! ” “ Please tell us more about Fourth of July when you were a little boy l” said Amy to Mr. Evans. “There is not much to tell; ” he answered: “the Fourth was a quiet day among our hills. except as we children celebrated it. Those who could do so used to go over to the nearest town to see and hear some patriotic doings. “ One year some of our play—fellows went; and those who were left behind determined to have a celebration of their own. “So we gathered together in my Uncle’s orchard, and had a dinner. “The table was a long board resting on logs; with other logs for seats. We had vine leaves for plates, and our tin cups to drink the toasts; and we had quite a feast spread out of berries and doughnuts and gingerbread. “But we were all in a hurry to finish our dinner, and hear the toasts given out. “One of the boys had been to the town the year before, and knew how they did it; so he had been appointed Marshal of the day, and had arranged everything in fine style. “We had a band, seated on the stone wall. all ready to play. One boy had his father’s fife—his father played the fife on training days. Then there were three or four with laurel squawkers;— Jone knows how to make those, I’ll warrant ! “ And we had a drummer—‘ little black Sam,’ as we called him—— THE FOURTH 0F yrULK IIS he made his drum himself, by tying a bit of nice, dry sheep-skin over an old tin pail. It was a first- rate drum, and Sam kept first- rate time. I remember just how important he looked; showing the whites of his eyes and all his white teeth, too, at each beat ! “Our ‘Marshal Jim’ had borrowed Gnm’Z/ze?’ Patton’s old King’s Arm, to fire off after the toasts; but ‘Gran’ther’ would not trust it in any youthful hands but Jim’s, so he had to coax my brother Reuben to give out the toasts, in his stead.” , “What is a ‘ King’s Arm,’ please ? ” asked Rex. “ It was a musket which had been used before the Revolutionary War. There were several of them in our, region; but this one of Gran’ther Patton’s was known to have been handled in the Old French and Indian war; and it had a dent on it from a saber cut received in battle. “ An old man who lived near us had a musket that was older still. It was called a ‘Queens Armz’ it was one of the kind used in the days of Queen Anne. Uncle Zeke kept this laid up across two wooden hooks, from his ceiling: the boys would not have dared ask for that ! “When all was ready, Reuben stood up at the end of the table and gave out the first toast :—‘ Our glorious country l ’ “Jim was all ready. Bang! went the old King’s Arm; and I was so excited that I jumped up and cried: ‘Dwz’t she speak!’ And the Others laughed so that they nearly forgot to drink their cups of sweetened water, which was the orderly thing to be done. 1 16 F1? 0M MA Y T0 CHRISYMAS. “Then the band struck up. Perhaps they knew what tune they were playing ;——we guessed it was ‘ Hail, Columbia l’ It was very lively music, I assure you! “Some of our fathers and mothers and older sisters had been invited to the celebration, and were looking on. _ “I cannot remember all the toasts; but one Reuben gave out with a grand flourish of his paper: “ ‘The Farmers of New England! ’ “The old musket ‘spoke,’ and the band tooted away; but we heard Uncle Morse say: “ ‘Pretty well, that, for a young farmer who came near tipping over a hay—stack, with his old uncle on top of it, yesterday l ’ “The other grown people laughed at this. Reuben saw them laughing, and caught Uncle Morse's roguish look; and it quite put him out just as he was puzzling over the next toast. “ It was the twelfth. Jim said there must be thirteen, in honor of the old flag. “They wanted the last one to be, ‘The dear old Flagl’ but they had been troubled to choose this twelfth one, and had scrawled it over two or three times; and now the laugh made poor Reuben quite forget what it was. “‘ Give us another!’ the children began to call out; and Jim said in a loud whisper : ‘Do hurry up, Reubel ’ _ “ Just then, while we were waiting, a distant éoom was heard, so plainly that it made some of the company start; and then again, 500m ./ The roar of cannon far away. THE FOURTH 0F 7ULV. 117 “Reuben knew what it was, and a happy thought struck him. He flourished his paper again and gave out: “ ‘Old VVestPoint! May she send out many good soldiers to defend our country l ’ “ All began to clap their hands then, for, sure enough, it was the salute of cannon at West Point, thirty miles away, which we had heard." “Oh,” exclaimed Willy, “our cousin Alfred is at West Point: papa told me it is a school to make good soldiers! ” “I shouldn’t have supposed cannons could be heard so far away, sir I ” said Jone. ' “I do not think it could be heard at that distance now,” said Mr. Evans; “but then there were no railroads between, with noisy trains running, to break the sound; and no popping of fire—crackers and the like, all over the country. "Well, after the last toast Jim fired the old musket twice, the band tooted in full chorus, and a number of witch quills were sud- denly started off. And so ended our celebration.” “But, Mr. Evans, what made them all laugh at your brother?” asked Jone. “Reuben had to laugh too," he replied, “when Uncle told the rest what he had done the day before, when he was riding the horse around the hay field. “ He was drawing a cock of hay to the stack, and he should have turned so as to leave the hay-cock and draw the rope away. Instead of that, Reuben turned so as to draw it around 118 ‘ FROZW MA Y TO CHRISTJIAS. I the stack on which Uncle was standing; and he nearly upset stack, pole, Uncle, and all! “ But Jim said: _ “ ‘ Let them laugh, Reube; you had your wits about you to-day! That was a bright idea, giving out West Point I’ “ But here I sit telling you stories, while poor Miss Linna is wait— ing to know whether she may come to see the display." “Oh, Mr. Evans! She knows we always want her to come ! " laughed the children. But the good man hastened away with a comical look of anxiety. “ There comes Dobbin,” said Willy. “ Suppose we put away the rest of our fire-crackers until evening; shall we ? ” “Oh, \Nilly l ” exclaimed Rex; and Isa and Molly chimed in: “ Oh, Willy, don’t l We want to see some more go off! " “ But,” said Amy, “ Willyithinks Aunty Gregg don’t like to have them going off. Of course she won’t mind this evening, when Mr. Evans is here.” “But we don’t know what to do! What shall we do all day ? " Rex asked discontentedly. Maggie had come out to see if little Rob was with them, and the children surrounded her. “ Ccm’z‘ you come and help us play, Maggie? ’Cause we must put away our fire-crackers ! ” “I’m just going to make some cake, to pass around with lem- onade this evening,” said Maggie: “after that I will see what we can do. THE FOURTH 0F YULY. 119 “‘ Why don’t you all tumble into the wagon, and go off for a pleasant ride, while I am busy? Jone can go with you, I dare say.” “Well; so we will l” responded several voices. They had a merry ride; and when they came home Maggie was making a set of paper caps and regimentals. “Oh, we’ll have a parade! Maggie, you’re the cleverest girl that ever lived ! ” cried Willy. " I’ll get my old drum ! " said Rex; “ and Colin has a toot horn ; and there’s a flag on the playroom shelf! " Away he ran to secure these desirable articles. In the meantime Maggie produced a “monkey rig,” as she called it; a regular éoy suit, which she had made for Colin, just for fun. Colin was quite too happy to stand still, when dressed in this suit, with his soldier cap on. “ Oh. Maggie, I‘m afraid you’ll have trouble in getting back to the kilts ! " said Nurse. “Oh. no; Colin won’t want to wear these funny clothes except on the Fourth of July; will you, boy? ’7 “ No, course not l " said Colin stoutly, as he marched off with the rest I So the day passed pleasantly after all; and evening came at last. and with it the company. Mr. Evans had asked a young man who knew all about fireworks to help him, so every rocket and every other piece went off finely, to the great delight of the little folks, and their older guests as well. 1 20 FR 0111 [11A Y 70 CHRJSYLWAS. After all was over and their friends were gone, the children were still so excited that they did not feel ready for bed. So the last performance of the evening—not on the programme ——Was a march of the “ Nightgown _ Regiment ” through all the rooms upstairs. Poor Nursey! How thankful she felt when at length every rest- less head was pillowed, and Fourth of July was over. 711E DAY AFTER THE FOURTH. 121 CHAPTER XIII. THE DAY AFTER THE FOURTH. HE morning after the Fourth, when Colin awaked, he looked around for his clothes; but the “ mon— key rig ” had disappeared. He looked very grave as Maggie began to dress him; presently he asked: “ Maggie, can I wear my ézg‘éoy [/zz'figs this one morning? ’Cause this is day n/z‘cr Fourf of july ! ” Maggie laughed. “Oh, you little coax l ” said she: "how often shall I hear that? “You may wear them to play this morning; but you must be dressed in your nice kilt after dinner, remember!” “Yes I ” said Colin. He strutted off down—stairs and met Jonas coming in with the milk. “I can drive the cow to—day, I s’pect,” said Colin: “I'm such a big boy I " “Can you? VVeIl, come on then ! ” said jonas. “ I want to drive her too, pa l ” called Dot. “ I too l I too I ” echoed little Rob, catching up Molly’s sun—bonnet to put on his head. 122 FR 0M MA Y TO CHRISTIWAS. Jonas gave them each a stick, sufficiently large, and sent them after good “ Moo-moo.” Moo—moo did not seem at all disturbed by their shouts or their sticks, but quietly walked along to her pasture. jonas followed at / ’ 1,,7 ‘1‘, u a little distance; but the babies did not see him until they had driven the cow into the pasture lot. “ How can we put up the bars? ” said Colin. “ Moo—moo will come out ! ” “Not big boy enough to do that part; are you?” said Jonas, coming in sight at this emergency. THE DAYAFYER THE FOURTH 123 “There, you are capital drivers; now, Rob, I’ll be Dobbin, and you may ride home on my back! ” Will and Rex were hunting over the scene of the last night’s dis— play, for relics of its short-lived glories. ‘ They had picked up some empty Roman candles and the like, when Rex held up a little brown stick, as he called it. “ VVhat’s this, Willy ?” he asked. “ Oh, a piece of that stuff that they had to light off the fireworks, instead of using, so many matches. I wish we’d had it for our crackers! “7113', Rex!” he added suddenly, “we didn’t fire off the rest of our crackers, after all l” “Oh, so we dzfln'zV” was the reply, when Rex had recovered from his surprise sufficiently to speak. Just at this moment Clem Bright came running into the yard. “Willy Lee! Rex l ” he cried, “ask your folks if you can go bathing in the brook! My mamma said I might if you’d go too; and the brook’s awful low I ” The boys ran at onceito ask. Nurse began shaking her head, very decidedly; but Jonas, who was by, put in a word: “The water is so shallow, mu’am, they couldn’t drown if they were to try! I'd let the little chaps go and paddle around :—Jone may go with them, if you like.” “ Well,” said Nurse reluctantly,” “ if you are sure it is safe. “But, Willy, sit down and get cool after your run to the brook in the hot sun, before you go into the water." “Yes, Aunty,” said Willy, starting off in high (rlee. b 124 FROM [WAY TO CHRIST‘WAS. The four were going out of the gate when Rex again thought of the fire-crackers : “Willy! we can take them down to the brook and set ’em off while we are resting; can’t we? ” “Why, that is a good idea! ” said Willy: and as Jone and Clem fully agreed with him, he ran back to get the forgotten treasures. “Two matches will be enough, for we can light them off with this,” Rex said, holding up his “brown stick.” There was a foot bridge by the place where the boys meant to bathe; and they sat there and lighted off the pack of fire-crackers, one by one. “The fishes will think it’s Fourth of July to—day ! ” said Rex. When the pack was used up, they prepared for their “ swim,” as they called it; leaving their clothes on the bridge. It was nice fun splashing about in the cool water; and the little boys would not have thought of coming out very soon if Jone had not set the example. ‘ “Well, where are my clothes? " exclaimed Rex, hunting around, as the others began to dress. “I left them all together, here l” “ Where can they be?” said Jone, with a puzzled face: “there has not been wind enough to blow them away, that’s certain l ” Not a vestige of the missing garments could be found, until at last Willy picked up two or three buttons. “These were on your clothes, Rex l ” he exclaimed, in utter be— wilderment. . “I know! I see how it was!" said Jone: “you left that punk THE DAYAFTE/x’ THE FOURTH. 125 aburning, and there was just breeze enough for it to set fire to your clothes! They must have burned up while we were wading off round the bend ! ” Rex could not help laughing with the rest ; but he looked rather rueful, too. “ Go back into the water, you duckling; and Willy, you stay by him. I'll scamper home and get you some more clothes!” And away ran Jone, returning before Rex began to feel at all chilled. “What did Aunty Gregg say ? ” asked Rex, as they started horneward. “ \Vhy, she hardly spoke: she only looked—oh, so astonished! ” said Jone, laughingz—h“ Maggie got your clothes for me.” “Dear, dear! I did think we were done with the Fourth for this ' year ! ” said Nursey, when her charge appeared. “ But, darling Aunty Gregg, I didn't mean to let my clothes burn up2!please forgive me! ” pleaded Rex, half roguishly. ‘ Run along, you mischief! ” answered Nurse, laughing: “you must make your peace with Maggie:—she has the sewing to do! “ But, children, are there any more fire—crackers around? ” “Not a single one!” said \Villy; “ aren't you ever so glal, Aunty P ” Molly sat outside the door on the bench, tending her beloved Flo; who, it should be mentioned, was quite recovered from the effects of the crack in her head. “Oh. Rex! Aunty Gregg! ” she called; “ Mr. Evans is coming, and he is holding up somethingz—I believe it's a letter ! " 126 FROM AJAY 70 CHRIST/M45. Down went Flo on the bench, and Molly ran with her brothers to meet their kind friend. It was a letter from England which he had held up. a. Inside of mam- ma’s‘ letter, which l H, ,7 was mostly for Nurse this time, was one for Willy from Bes— sie, which he seiz— M. ,3 , W, > Will) ‘59 i ._ up ed and opened joy— fully. “ Please read it. aloud, Will I” said Rex, “or let Mr. Evans read it to all of us l” “ Perhaps Willy would rather enjoy his letter by himself first,” said M r. Evans. ' “No, sir; if you will please read it aloud, I can have it. to myself afterward.” Willy said, handing it over pleasantly. The letter was dated at Leamington, and read thus: THE DA'YAFTER THE FOURTH“. 127 “DEAR BROTHER WILLY,—~We have been here two or three days, and have enjoyed ourselves very much. “Yesterday we went to Kenilworth, and had a perfectly delightful time. I had such fun exploring the ruins, going up and down all the stairs to see what I could find. “Once I, went down quite a number of stairs in search of adventure, and found nothing but a little round cell. This was not quite so exciting as your adventure in the cave ; was it? “We stopped at Guy's Cliff on the way back from Kenilworth, and had a pretty good view of the house. “This morning we went to Warwick. The grounds belonging to the castle are all walled in, with such a high wall no one can see over it. The porter who opened the great gate looked quite imposing in his knee breeches and red coat; he lives in a little house close by the gates. “We walked up an avenue, and under an arch, to reach the castle. We had to wait sometime for different parties to come before we went inside ; and in the mean- time I saw some beautiful peacocks, but unfortunately they did not have their tails spread. “We went into a little chapel where the Lord of Warwick has prayers every day; and into the armory room, where we saw the great punch bowl. And we went into an old bedroom, with a bed in it in which I don’t think any one had slept for about a hundred years. “We went into two or three other rooms, and when we came out we went to see the great vase of Warwick—the largest in the world—and the cedars of Lebanon. “ Coming down the avenue we saw a white peacock. I never saw one like it before. “ I must stop writing now, for we are to leave for Lincoln in half an hour, and I must be ready. “ I will write to Rex and Amy soon. Give my love to all. “Your loving sister, BESSIE.” 128 FROM 114/] Y TO CHRISTAIAS. “Oh, how much Bessie will have to tell us, when she comes home I ” said Willy. “Yes; and we shall have plenty to tell flew,” said Rex; “we have good times too ! ” , “ Come to my house this afternoon,” said Mr. Evans, “and I will show you a good picture of Kenilworth Castle, where Bessie went exploring among the ruins." “Oh, thank you, sir!" cried the children. They would have been quite ready for a visit at Mr. Evans’, without the inducement of the picture. But they did not forget to ask for the picture when they went that afternoon; and all studied it with great interest. “I wish I could get in there,” exclaimed Molly, “and see what Bessie saw 1 " l “ Why, that is about equal to little Rob! ” laughed Willy. “He was looking at his picture—book this morning, Miss Linna, and he asked Aunty for some string. “ She said: ‘ What for, Robin ?’ and he showed her a picture of a horse ;—‘ That horsey’s running away,’ said he, ‘and I want to tie him l ’ . “And then he tried his best to get the string around the horse’s neck, and wanted Aunty to do it ! ” “ Dear little Rob l ” said Miss Linna. “ I wish his mamma could see how he has grown already, and how well he looks.” “I wish we could send her a new picture of him,” said Amy. “That is a good idea, Amy,” Miss Linna answered. “And there “ P’EASE, MAN, DON’T ‘HOOT WOBB‘E.” — Page 133. THE DAYAFTER THE FOURTH 131 is a fairly good artist at Thornton now; suppose you persuade your Aunty to take him over and havexa photograph taken? “ Or stay! I must drive over to—morrow, on an errand; and you and I will take him, if Mrs. Gregory is willing.” . Amy was delighted with this plan; and so was Nurse, when it was proposed to her. ‘ So the next morning Miss Linna and Amy and wee Robin drove over to Thornton. Rob enjoyed the drive and prattled all the way. But when he was taken into the photographers room and seated for his picture he became very silent. When the man aimed the instrument at him, Rob put his little arms up, crying: I “ Don’t ’hoot VVobbiel P’ease, man, don’t ’hoot Wobbie l ” “ Oh, no, darling, that isn’t a gun l ” said Amy; “the man wants to make a nice picture for you to send to dear mammal ” For “dear mamma’s ” sake Rob sat still, although it was plain that he was very much afraid of the mysterious thing. The artist was obliged to try three or four times before he could get a picture without a scared look on the little face. But the last picture proved quite good, and a copy of it was sent off in the very next letter. t i l/ f . 4/ M I an“ ‘ 1 CHAPTER XIV. COLIN A FISHERMAN. ONE did not have much time to play during the rest of that month. His father was busy with the rye harvest and other field work, for himself and his neighbors ;‘ and there was plenty of work for an active boy like Jone. Willy liked to go with Jone to the harvest—fields, and so did Rex; they had good fun; and they made themselves useful too, sometimes. One day in the last week of July, Isa received a letter from her papa containing some joyful news. Mr. Denton wrote to say that he was expecting to come up and spend the next week with his little ones. How delighted they were! And so were all the children; for they all seemed to think they had a claim upon Mr. Denton, now that their own papa was quite out of reach. 132 COLIN A FISHERIWAZV. 133 Isa and Amy were talking together about the expected visit while they watched jonas milk the cow that evening. “ I wish we could do something nice to amuse papa when he comes,” said Isa, in a womanly way which made Jonas smile. “ He has to work so hard in his office, I know i ” “ I wish so too,” responded Amy. “What can we do ? ” “Well, now,” said Jonas, turning towards the little girls, “I wonder how he would like a beach party ? ” “A beach party! \Vhat is that? ” “ Why, get Mr. Evans’ family, and some others perhaps, and all go down to the beach to spend the day. “The folks generally carry some goodies for a dinner, and the men dig clams and cook them on the beach. They taste first—rate, I can tell you, with the sea air for sauce ! “Then you can all go in and have a dip in the salt water; and the boys can try fishing, if they like, near by;—though I doubt if they catch anything.” “Oh, how perfectly splendid l " interrupted Amy; and Isa added, “ Let’s run in and tell Aunty and Maggie about it, and see what they say.” They said it was an excellent plan ; and so did Mr. Evans when he happened in the next morning. In fact' it was quite the custom at Thorne Hill to make up such parties, after the busiest time. And there had been none as yet this year. “I declare!” Miss Linna exclaimed. “I have been wondering what it was that I missed, this summer;—we have not been to the beach! 134 FROM MAY TO CHRISTMAS. “I hope your papa will come soon, lsa, for, now that you have put me in mind of it, I can hardly wait! ” Mr. Denton did come on Saturday, as he had promised. He was sure he should like the beach party very much : so it was ar— ranged that they would go on Wednesday. Mr. Denton brought up a basket of early ripe peaches, and the children were delighted to carry some to Mr. Evans, as a treat for their kind friends. They enjoyed their own share, too, you may be sure. When Colin had eaten his first peach he called out: “ Papa, may I have ammmm/ peat/Mr? Mine had a great big stone in it! ” i “ Mine, too! ” echoed Rob, gazing at the stone in his hand, which was all that remained of his peach. “ No apologies needed, little folks. Pray takes some more ! ” said Mr. Denton ; “but don’t begrudge room for the stones!” “ Boys,” he asked, a little after, “has that wild cat been disposed of, that Isa wrote me about? ” “Oh, no sir! Would you like to see it? They have it in a strong cage now. They mean to sell it pretty soon to some travel— ling show, or circus.” “Then perhaps we shall meet his lordship in town some time; who knows ? ” “ Yes, Willy; I’d like very much to see your cat: shall we drive over in the morning? I suppose you know the 1) way. COLIN A FISHERZWAAZ I 35 “Oh, and we can go, too: can’t we, papa?” cried lsa. And the other girls and boys saw by his smile that he meant to take them all. There was a package of candy in Mr Denton’s bag, which had been handed over to Nurse to deal out, as was best for her little folks. ‘ The children had some in their pockets when they went the next morning to see the wild cat. “Really, he is a fine-looking fellow—rather savage, to be sure,” said Mr. Denton. “I wonder what species he belongs to ? ” “ Mr. Evans said, sir, that it is a kind of lynx, and is called the ‘American \Vild Cat.’ ” “Thank you, Willy, boy; you remember well. lthink Mr. Evans is right.” “I wonder how you will like chocolate creams, old fellow l ” said \Villy: and when the creature was at the back of his cage for a moment, he threw in two or three. Mr. Lynx snapped them up and evidently enjoyed them, for he looked quite lovingly at \Nilly. “ Give him some more, VVillyl Give him some of mine ! ” called Rex, and Amy, too. ' So Mr. Lynx made quite a feast. When the creams were all gone, a boy who stood by. said : “ I’ve got some peanuts in my pocket; I’ll give him some of these ! ” He threw them in ; but his lordship was quite disgusted with the I36 FROiW MAY T0 CHRISTMAS. shells, and spit and snarled at the giver, in a way that quite fright— ened Colin. It seemed a long time, beforehand, to wait until Wednesday for the trip to the beach; but with such good company the children found that the time flew fast. Wednesday proved as lovely a day as could have been asked; and soon after breakfast every child was ready, and watching for the wagons. Jonas had engaged a two—horse conveyance to carry the larger part of Nurse Gregory’s household : for every one was going, even Mrs. Jones and Dot. i Kitty Bacon was to go with them, too: for Maggie had offered to take care of her. “There comes Mr. Evans! ” cried Rex. “I see old Tim com- ing along I ” “ I should hardly think that old Tim would make very good time in a drive of nine or ten miles,” said Mr. Denton. L “Oh, yes, papa, he is a real good horse! ” said Isa. “ Why, he can go as fast as Dobbin l ” “Can he, really?” Mr. Denton’s mouth wore a comical smile which wig/12f have meant that he had seen faster horses than Dob— bin, even. I Miss Linna was with her father, looking bright and merry ;— Mrs. Evans came with the Brights, in their comfortable carry- all. ‘ Soon the whole party were on the road; and you would have COLIN A FISHER/LIAN. I 37 judged, from the laughing and chattering, that they expected to have a good time. The tide was going out when they arrived at the beach, so the gentlemen set about digging clams at once. They had brought old clothes, and the children thought they looked very funny as clam diggers. Jone went out with his father, and for some reason these two seemed to have the best luck. Such fun as the boys and girls had on the smooth beach ! Little Rob seemed to think himself in a new world, and ran about scream- ing with delight. Most of the party had brought bathing clothes, and after the clams were dug they all went out into the water. Such a splashing and dashing as the little ones made, in the shallow water! And 138 FR 011! MA Y T0 CHRISYYVIAS. how they enjoyed being caught up, one by one, and dipped under the waves ! After the bath every one seemed to think it must be about dinner time. So a fire was made on the sand, in a little fireplace, built up with stones; and a large kettle of clams was put over to cools. In the meantime a table-cloth was spread, and the baskets brought from the wagons and unpacked. In a short time the hungry company were summoned to dinner; and a very good dinner _ it was, judging from the V way young an d old seemed to enjoy it. Mr. Denton. was sure he had never tasted such clams before in all his life. As the children were digging in the sand af- ter dinner, building forts and stocking them with pebbles, they saw a little boy and girl with fishing poles on their shoulders, going out to the rocks. “Oh,” cried Colin, “they’re going to catch fishes! May I go too, papa ? " “Yes,” said his father; “run along: but don’t tumble into the water; I can’t spare you for food for the fishes I ” The little fisher boy was not much older than Colin; his sister COLIN A fiISHERiWA/V. 139 was younger. They had a dog with them, who looked as if he felt it his duty to keep them out of danger. “ Halloo!” cried Colin. And the little strangers stopped and waited for him. “ Are you going a—fishing? May I go with you?” he asked, breathlessly. “ Yes :\ but where’s your pole? ” “Take mine;——he may have my pole a little while," said the little girl. “Oh, thank you 1 ” Colin said, seizing the pole. The little girl looked wistfully toward the group playing on the sand ; and Miss Linna saw it and beckoned to her. “ Do you want to play with these little girls P " she asked. “ I see you have lent Colin your pole——it was very kind of you.” “ Oh, I’d rather play than fish! ” the little one answered, brightly. Colin and his new friend stood patiently on the rocks, waiting for a bite. If it had been a good spot for fishing the older boys would have been on the alert; but they knew better. After a while Jone picked up a small dead fish near the water’s edge: then he went to the little fishermen as if to ask how they were getting on. “Can you see that ship, away off on the water?” he asked: and while they were both looking off at the ship he managed to fasten the dead fish on Colin’s hook, and quietly dropped it into the water. Colin turned quickly and drew up his line. 14o FRO/W MAY TO CHRISTMAS. “ 011, a fish! I’ve caught a real fish ! ” he cried, in great delight. His young comrade took hold of the fish. “Poh!” said he; “ that’s only a dead one ! ” “Then how did it get on my hook? ” asked Colin; “it couldn’t get on my hook if it was dead ! ” “Well, it 2': dead: my mother wouldn’t cook an old dead fish like that ! ” “ Never mind, Colin 1” said Jone, who began to feel sorry that he had imposed on, the little fellow. “ It's about time to go home now; but some day we’ll go a-fishing up at home—we boys—and I’ll ask if you may go, too.” On the strength of this promise Colin was contented to throw away his fish, and leave the rocks. The delightful beach party ended with a pleasant drive home; and Nurse Gregory declared the children were all as lively when they reached home as they had been when they started. “Why, of course, Aunty Gregg! " said Rex: “the sea air always does people good.” Colin by no means forgot Jone’s promise: he talked about it all the next day. “ Is there any good fishing about here ? ” Mr. Denton asked Jone. “Oh, yes, sir; sometimes we catch fish in the mill pond: and there's first—rate fishing at Darley’s Pond, three miles from here." “Very well; we will see what your father says about going over there to-morrow, and taking the boys.” "3‘ "“‘!il\‘\\\‘\\\ ‘ "t “3"“ I “HURRAH FOR COLIN!” CRIED REX—Page 143. COLIN A FISHER/WAN. I43 Jonas was quite willing to go; and as for Willy, Rex, and Colin, they thought this plan “ next best ” to the beach party. But Rex came down-stairs the next morning with a very gloomy face ; and when Maggie asked what was the matter, he said : “ Why, don't you see how cloudy it is? I suppose we can't go a—fishing, after all I ” “Yes, we will, too l " Jone declared. “A cloudy day is best for fishing: and father says it will not rain this morning.” I “ Oh 1” said Rex, and his face brightened wonderfully as he went out to hunt for bait. They did go, sure enough. And little Colin never forgot that fishing expedition. , Mr. Evans went with them: they rowed out in two boats to what Jonas said was “the best fishing ground; ” though Colin declared it “wasn’t ground at all, it was all water!” And then, when all the lines were dropped, and all were watch- ing and waiting—Colin caught the first fish! It was a good-sized perch; and the little fellow was so excited when he felt it pulling on his line, that his father had to help him get it in. “ Hurrah for Colin l ” cried Rex, who was in that boat; and then ‘Nilly, Jonas, and Jone looked over from the‘other boat to see what had happened, and waved their hats. ’ Colin was a proud little boy at that moment. He did not catch any more fish ; but he was quite satisfied with his perch. When two or three more had been taken, he exclaimed, anxiously: I44 - FRO/II MAY T0 CHRISTMAS. “Papa, don’t put them all togedder; you won’t know which is mine ! ” ‘ " Oh, yes, I will be sure to remember,” said papa; “and you shall ask Mrs. Jones to cook it for your breakfast.” , The fishing proved quite successful. Rex caught two, and Willy four, and the rest of the party five or six a piece. As they came to shore they saw two boys near the landing place at the mouth of a little creek: they were catching bull—frogs; they had put them in their pockets, and the frogs kept poking up their heads. The little boys thought this a comical sight. When the party reached home, Nurse, Maggie, and the little girls were summoned to admire Colin’s fish. \ Nurse promised to put it on a plate by itself, as soon as it was cleaned, and cook it first in the morning. ’i “ And you shall have part of it, Aunty, said Colin ; “and papa, 7’ and Isa, and “That will do, dear boy; you must taste your own fish yourself! We shall have plenty more—such a fine string you have brought home ! ” “Well!” said Colin. Then he found Spot, Molly’s kitten; and gave her an earnest charge not to touch the fish. “Had good luck, didn't you, Colin?" said Jone. “This pays for the dead fish you caught the other day l ” Colin thought it did. All/5.3 LAN/NA ’5 £1]? THDA Y. 1 4 5 CHAPTER XV. MISS LINNA’S BIRTHDAY. days ! ” Isa said this at bedtime, the second Sun— day which Mr. Denton spent at Thorne Hill. The children had had such a pleasant day, going to church with papa; and then after church he had told them such nice Bible stories, “making them easy,” as Amy said. “I wish I could, my darling,” said papa; “but we ought to be thankful for two Sundays together. “ Now let me hear the evening hymn; and then you must go to rest: for you will all want to be up in time to have one more ride before I go away.” Mr. Denton sent for the two-horse wagon in the morning, so that all the children could go, and Nursey too; and they had a delight- ful drive. As they passed the store,—the only store of which Thorne Hill could boast,——a little girl stood outside, displaying something in a paper to a very curious boy. 146 F1301” Zl/[AY T0 CHRISTZIIAS. “Why, there is Hetty l ” exclaimed Isa. “ Yes, her mamma has braided up her hair; how funny ! ” said Amy. , “She seems to have found something appetizing in that queer little shop,” said Mr. Denton: “suppose we see what they have in there. “And ask Hetty if she wants to go with us: we can make room for her; can’t we .9 ” “ Oh, yes l——— Hetty! Hetty l ” clamored the children. I Hetty’s face dimpled with smiles when she \understood what they wanted. “But I must carry R" m, ”C" r ' i i the basket to mamma, and get my hat,” she said ;—“ I ran over without my hat: can you wait just a minute? ” “Yes—is that one of mamma’s parcels out of which you were helping the bOy ? ” “ Oh, no, sir!” ‘ Hetty answered, smiling back at Mr. Denton. M155 LIA/[VA ’5 BIRTHDA Y. 147 “Those are dates—I buyed them with my pennies. Take some; they are real good I ” She held up the paper, but Mr. Denton said: “Thank you, dear; you have given away a good part already. If they are ‘ real good,’ Willy may run in and get some while you are gone; so give those to mamma, if you want to.” The little girl hastened away, greatly pleased; and was back in “just a minute,” as she promised, with enough happiness in her face to add to the enjoyment of all the rest. The pleasant drive came to an end, and so did the last morning of Mr. Denton’s visit. No one could blame Isa for crying a little when her papa kissed her good—by; but she soon brushed away the tears, saying: “ \Ve’ll see papa pretty soon again, won’t we, Colie ? " \Villy went to the post-office just after Mr. Denton left; and he came back running with all his might. “ \Villy has a letter, I’m sure ! ” said Maggie. And so it proved. “ A letter from England, Aunty Gregg! Oh, make haste and l!) open it cried Amy. “ I’m sure Bessie must have written to Rex and me this time 1 ” “ It is from your papa, but not from England this time,” Nursey said. “ You know the last letter said they were to leave England in a day or two. 0 “Yes; here is your letter, Amy dear; it is for Rex too; run and call him.H I48 FROM MAY T0 CHRISTIWAS. Rex was soon found; and Maggie read the letter to them; for they could not make it out fast enough, the first time, to suit their impatience. “Bring your map first, Willy,” said Maggie, “and show them where Brussels is. You would like to see, wouldn’t you, children ? ” “I wonder if we get Brussels carpets from there! ” said Isa, who remembered the name. “I suppose those carpets were made there first,” said Maggie; “but they are made in this country now.” Willy found the place on his map, and then Maggie read: “ DEAR REX AND AMY,--I am afraid you think I have forgotten my promise, and forgotten you too, by this time ; but indeed I have not. “ Mamma was not very well for a week or two before we left England, and so I had very little time for writing. I am glad to say that she is much better now. “We came here on Saturday, all the way from London. It was a very long jour- ‘ney, and took us all day ; but there were so many new and strange things to be seen as the train passed through the villages and towns, that we hardly felt tired. “Yesterday was Sunday : and in the morning papa and I went to a little Ameri— can church. Mamma was not quite well enough to go with us. “ On the way to church we noticed that the shops were all open, and the people were buying and selling just the same as on any other day. “The ‘church ’ was in a room about the size of our library, away up-stairs in the top of a large public building: and all the people there were travellers from Eng- land and America. “On the way back to the hotel it rained very hard, and we got quite wet. It kept on raining most of the afternoon, and when I was tired of reading I looked out of the window, and watched the people running to take shelter in the doorways and MISS LINJVA '5 5’1]? THDA Y. 149 porches. It was very interesting to see the strange dresses of the women : and we saw many priests going about the streets in long black gowns. “Our windows looked out on a large square ; on one side of the square was a very large Roman Catholic Church, and we could see the people going in and out all day. ‘& Then right opposite, on the other side of the square, was a large public building in which the King of the Belgians was holding a reception. “ About five o’clock we saw the king drive past our window in a very large fine carriage drawn by four horses, and preceded by two men on horseback, in red coats. “One thing particularly I wish you could see; and that is the funny little milk wagons that have been going about the streets all day. They are little open carts filled with large and very bright brass milk cans ; and instead of horses they were drawn by large brown dogs, in heavy looking brass harness. “Beside each. cart walks an old woman, dressed in a very short dark blue dress, with a white cap and apron. “Would you not feel sorry if our old Nep had to draw around three or four heavy milk cans all day? “ Dear Amy, it was such a nice thought of yours to have Robbie’s picture taken— the darling 1 Kiss him as long as he will stand it ; and then kiss each other for i Your BESSIE.” “ Now who wants to go to Mrs. Flynn’s for me? ” asked Nursey, when the letters had been read and talked over. “I will ! ” and, “ I will!” “ Let’s all go ! ” said Amy, “and have a nice walk! ” As they came near Mrs. Flynn’s they all began to laugh; for there were all the little Flynns in an old horse trough; even the baby, who was nodding, poor little thing ! held straight up on Nora’s lap. I 50 1“]? OJ] 21/14 Y 70 CHRISTZWAS. They were playing boat, and pretended to be out on the deep sea. Just as Nurse Gregory’s children came up, however, little Biddy scrambled out of the boat and ran to the door screaming: “Oh, mother, mother! Mickey had Pat’s knifer—an’ sure' he wants a bit of soft rag! ” Out rushed Mrs. Flynn, hardly stopping to speak to the children in her anxiety to see the extent of Mickey’s injuries. ’ “Ah, thin, was there iver such a boy, to be borrying Pat’s knife: —an’ look at the size of him I ” MISS LINN/1 '5 3116 THDA Y. ‘ 151 Mickey was roaring at the top of his lungs, frightened by a few drops of blood ; but the cut proved to be not very deep. “An’ what if ye’d cut your finger about off, as Pat did himself; an’ he no bigger than you I ” the mother went on, as she bound up the cut. i “Oh, Mrs. Flynn ! did it grow on again? ” asked Rex. “What did you do ? ” “Sure it was in town we were then; an’ when I saw the cutI just happed him up in me apron and ran wid him to the docther; an’ the sight he was with the blood ! “ Yes ; the docther put it right, and bound it somehow so it grew together; but he can show the scar now i ” “There Colie l ” said Isa; “you see why Aunty don’t want you to whittle yet ! ” Mickey’s cries had awakened the fat baby, and she was staring solemnly at the strangers as if suspecting them of all the noise. “I want to get into the boat; may I? ” asked Molly. “I don’t believe we had better stop, Molly dear,” said Rex; “for Aunty said she wanted the eggs to make something for tea.” “ I’ll hurry and get you the eggs then,” said Mrs. Flynn ; “and sure you’re good childher to mind what’s told yezl ” “I think we would be very bad chillen if we didn’f mind Aunty Gregg; don’t you, Amy ? ” said Molly, as they started home- ward. It was well that the little folks did remember Nursey’s wishes—— it is always well for little folks to do this, of course ; but this after- 152 FR 01V] MA Y TO CHRISIIVAS. noon, just as they came near home, they saw Mr. Evans driving towards the house. And what do you think he had come for? Why, it was Miss Linna’s birthday; and she wanted every one of the children to come and take tea with her ;—Robbie, Dot, and all. Miss Linna did not know, in the morning, that Mr. Denton was going away that day, else she would have sent before: but she did not want to ask Isa and Colin to leave their papa. It was very nice that she found it out before her father started on his parish duty; and very kind of him to promise to bring the message. “Old Tim can take fwo children, along with me, Mrs. Gregory,” said Mr. Evans: “ that will lighten Dobbin’s load, and leave plenty of room for Maggie. “ And as I have to go over this road again this evening to marry a couple, I can bring two home, you see.” Did the children have a pleasant time? Yes; indeed they did. Clem and Jessie Bright were on the door-step, watching for them, when they arrived. That is, when Amy and Willy arrived; for they came in the buggy with Mr. Evans. “Where is Miss Linna?” asked Amy, as soon as she had kissed Jessie. “Oh, she is out sweeping up the arbor: we are going to have tea in the arbor; won’t it be fun? Come and see ! ” It was a nice large arbor, and just the place for a tea party that warm afternoon; so all the children agreed. ., , IIMMM/MWIAII‘H‘HJVHIL ‘ l/IJ/ufl/ ,/ /uw