A Terrible Tomboy

work, a li

going-and s

he fifteenth of July, springing out of the pony-trap before Pixie had stopped,

lock, and waltzing into the kitchen, where Aunt Helen and Nancy were busy making

ncy and me if you are all going mad like this. My dear child, don't you t

ped up in

harness Pixie. Joe's away in the turnip-field. No home-lessons to

y had taken to entomology, and panted over the hot pastures, chasing butterflies with unflagging zeal. At dusk he would enlist Peggy's services, and the pair went treacling for moths. A careful mixture of gin a

ecame so full of interesting specimens that Aunt Helen, for once, rebelle

er in my teacup,' she complained. 'So you had better k

vivid shade of purple, and the fields a far more brilliant green than Nature ever painted them; but it was all good practice, and the admiring Peggy thought that no Royal Academician could have produced such charming masterpieces. There was a little work, too, to make the pla

p book, perhaps, for a little girl, but it was all about pirates, and sailors, and hairbreadth escapes, of so wildly exciting a nature,

tly when we are very young that we take the greatest delight in the sad songs; those who have felt the real bitterness of sorrow are g

e had much preferred the tragedy of Red Riding Hood to the brighter fate of the princesses who lived happily

a distinctly pensive strain. When only

Child's L

me when

hou cans

sleeping

ends, re

p my little

s you'll

s in a drawe

h I last

n such a comic light that the indignant authoress had never found the heart to finish it, though the fragment was considered very talented b

arden for a little diversion. Lilian's fresh young voice proclaiming that her heart 'was breaking, breaking,' came wafted along the terr

f the patriarch of her poultry-yard, and enforcing her remarks by sounding raps on the culprit's curly brown pate

afternoon; don't you think we might take our tea out into the woods?

a loaf while you are out, too,' said Aunt Helen, rummaging a shilling out of her pocket. 'We're baking again

usiasm to rouse Lilian from the piano and forag

first, with the basket of cups and provisions, Peggy with the milk-can, and Bobby armed

a newspaper. You're sure you put in the s

; the rocks under the overhanging trees were carpeted with the softest and greenest of moss, and tall ferns grew right down to the water's edge, mingling with trailing ivy and creeping moneywort. A grassy glade under a tall beech seemed intended by Nature for a summer-house, for t

the stream, and planted it firmly on Lilian's elaborate erection of sticks. Peggy struck a match and set the paper alight; up went the smoke, and in a few moments the bonfire was blazing grandly. But unfortunately the p

. 'We must find something to hang t

a thick branch across,' suggested Peggy. 'It will be easier to lift the kettle of

n a short time the water was boiling bravely, while a v

olemnly marched a very small girl indeed, so round and fat and chubby that she looked nearly as broad as she was long. She was a pretty child, with soft, dark eyes and pink cheeks, so plump and full that the

stonished children with

he announced calmly, 'so I took

u, I'm sure,' said Lilian.

her a dolly: it hurts her feelin

lian, trying to repress Bobby's gi

mes, when Isabella don't want me,' confided the juvenile artist; and to judge from the smears of p

lap?' said Peggy coaxingly,

ht figure up and down, as if appr

n,' she remarked scornfully, set

yet,' said Lilian, trying to dr

tabel Wilkins, but they

don't call you Fatt

t like boys. I was four last week, so I'm quite a big girl now.

on't hurt you; it's only his play. Come here, Rollo! I'm afraid I haven't a spare cup

k the cows. Mary sings to them. I can sing

uble you too muc

that the children were nearly in fits. It had neither time nor tune, but the notes quavered about on the scale like a distant representation of the

when the youthful Madame Patti had at length

k. Shall I sing it for you over agai

suggested Peggy hastily. 'See, I've put

harms of music, for Miss Wilkins ate stolidly for fi

ss!' with an eye on Peggy. 'What a lot that boy eats! Nurse says it's very rude to fill your m

e now,' said Lilian, politely pa

ood-bye. I'll call again another day;' and the young lady crammed one piece of cake into a diminutive pocket

trees, and much relieved at seeing a tall figure in a brown velvet jacket catch up Miss Wilkins and bear her off

e ill with laughing,' said Bobby, swallowing down his f

e woods to Pengarth, and buy the bread there. We can leave our things here, under the tree, till we

through the thick, overhanging bushes and the trailing brambles, where the blackberries were already turning red, and showing a fine promise for the aut

with a rope for a hand-rail, a somewhat dizzy foothold for anyone who minded the rushing w

road that wound along the top of a cliff, with a stream roaring below, till round a sudden turn they came upon Peng

k wig and horn spectacles, who seemed to find much enjoyment in gossiping with her customers; for the children had to wait quite a long time, while the chief points of last Sunday's sermon in chapel and the new dress of the minister's wife were freely discussed. At length the

the stream by the picnic place instead of the pine bridge? It wou

her doubtfully. 'I don't think there's a proper path through the wood

o save themselves from falling, and bringing down such showers of small loose stones and shale that it seemed as if the whole hillside were sliding too, and Lilian was very relieved when they all got safe

y else would offer to go first, but nobody liking to make the plunge; even Rollo s

re charging at the enemy, and with four jumps and a long leap he managed

lder, and in a moment she had plunged, tea-cakes and all, into an impromptu bath. Luckily, it was not deep, and she soon scrambled ou

af with all the strength she could muster across the stream. It fell well on the opposite bank, and Peggy made a desperate effort to catch

have to leave it for the fishes,' said Peggy, poking vainly into the depths with a long sti

nd hustled Miss Peggy home with all possible haste, to be dried; for the water was very cold, and her teeth were chattering in

recounted their adventures round the supper-table. 'I can scarcely let you out

e: it's in the blood, and bound to come out somehow, so best let it have its fling while they are you

of lungs carried the resoluti