Mary Erskine

ere deep and large, and they were divided from the room by curtains, so that they formed as it were separate chambers: and yet the children could speak to each other from them in the morning before

rds that were singing in the yard, and wishing that the window was open so t

said he, "ar

Malleville

"I'm awake-but what

of June. But the country about Franconia was cold in winter, and cool in summer. Phonny and Malleville rose and

id Phonny. "But hark

e; "it is the oven; t

e fire could be heard through it. The mouth of the oven however opened into another small room connected with the kitc

Phonny, "for perhaps mother will let us go

eville, "very mu

, merely Mary. People had acquired the habit of speaking of her in this way, in order to distinguish her from another Mary who lived with Mrs. Bell for several years. This other Mary was Mary Erskine. Mary Erskine did not live now at Mrs. Bell's, but at another house which wa

Mrs. Henry said that it would be an excellent day, and that she should be very glad to have them go, for there were som

roads diverged. The main road itself was very rough and wild, and the cart path which led from the corner was almost impassable in summer, even for a wagon, though it was a very romantic and beautiful road for travelers on horseback or on foot.

Beechnut, in the wagon. They made themselves ready immediately after breakfast, and then went and sat down upon t

railing of the bannisters, at the side of the stairs. He was trying to poise himself upon the top of the railing and th

alleville. "I think it is very foolish

ful for me to learn to climb." So saying he went on s

hrough the yard, towards the ho

ille, "I wish that you

nny had to twist his head round in a very unusual position, and look out under his arm. It was obvious that in doi

oolish?" ask

nt, and then said, as he resu

I have known boys sometimes to

hey do?" as

f the door, and then took hold of the latch and pulled the door to, and pi

passed through the

he tumbled off the bannisters, but fortunately he fell in, towards the stairs, and was very little hurt. He came down the

they might have plenty of room, and also that they might be high up, where they could see. He had a small bench which was made to fit in, in front, and which he was accu

y invented on the spot, and were often extremely wild and extravagant, both in the incidents involved in them, and in the personages whom he introduced as actors. The extravagance of these tales was however usually no objection to them in Phonny's and Malleville's estimation. In fact Beechnut observed that the more extravagant his stories were, the better pleased his auditors

on Beechnut be

a large black cat. The cat was of a jet black color, and

s of mischief which the people could never find out till afterwards, that they gave her the name of Sligo. Some people said that the reason why she had

l import of the pussy's name in the most grave and serious mann

irl's name?" as

ed Beechnut. "Oh, he

on," said

looked about a little, and presently she saw a work-basket upon the corner of a table, where Arabella's mother had been at work. Sligo began to look at t

t fall over, and all the sewing and knitting work, and the balls, and needles, and spools, fell out upon the floor. Sligo then jumped down and pushed the basket along towar

e things upon the floor, she supposed that Arabella herself was the rogue that had thrown the basket off the table. Arabella could not talk much. When her mother accused her of doing this mischie

at Sligo was asl

eechnut, "but she waked up when Ara

denly he began to point forward to a little distance before them in the roa

ieve it is Je

g with, pain. Beechnut asked him what was the matter. He said that he had sprained his foot dreadfully. Beechnut stopped

h hurt?" ask

my, moaning and gro

f the road, toward a small tree, where he thought he would stand, and then taking Malleville out,

iding along here, and the horse pranced about and threw

e horse?" as

there. He has gone along the road. And t

ide of the road at some distance, quietly eating the grass. A little this side of the plac

a wild and reckless character. This was, however, partly his father's fault, who never gave him any

cks of the horses. He was immediately inspired with the ambition to imitate this feat, and the next time that he mounted his father's horse, he made the attempt to perform it. His father, when he found it out, was very angry with him, an

ed a much more convenient footing than any saddle; and as to standing on the naked back of a horse, it was manifestly impossible for any body but a rope-dancer. When, however, Jemmy saw his father placing the bags of grain upon the horse, he perceived at once that a good broad and level

rd antics, which he considered dancing, looking round continually, with a mingled expression of guilt, pleasure, and fear, in his countenance, in order to be sure that his father was not coming. Finally, he undertook to make his horse trot a little. The horse, however, by this time, began to grow somewhat impatient at the unusual sensations which he experienced-the weight of the rider being concentrated upon one single point, directly on his back, and resting very unsteadily and interruptedly there,-and the bridle-reins passing up almost perpendicularly into the air, instead of declining backwards, as they ought to do in any proper position of the

se of guilt, than to the actual pain of the injury which he h

man may break his leg, and yet live to dance many a hornpipe afterwards. You'll ge

aid to go hom

afraid of?"

ther," sa

for the grist I'll carry it to mill with mine. So there

, "and I will go a

ound and seeing that it was nobody but Phonny he went on eating as before. When Phonny got pretty near to the horse, he began to walk up slowly towards him, putting out his hand as if to take hold of the bridle and saying, "Whoa-Dobbin,-whoa." The horse raise

however, moved on, shaking his head as before. He seemed to

ng back and calling out alo

e was fully occupied in

old of the bridle. He then fastened him behind the wagon, and putting Jemmy's two bags in, he turned round and went back to carry Jemmy home, leaving Malleville and Phonny to walk the rest of the way to Mary Erskine's. Besides their ride, t