Betty's Bright Idea; Deacon Pitkin's Farm; and the First Christmas of New England

rising from their knees, saluted each other in that genial humor which always posse

' are," said Elder Brewster

t. I tell you, sirs, when that beam amidships sprung and cracked Master Coppin here sa

ery sailor, with a face red and shining as a glazed bun. "I said

Brown, the carpenter, "if I had not put in that

dance of the needful ever to his hand. When He wills to answer prayer,

stiff bitch who sat by him, "what sayest thou? Give us thy mind

her tail and gave three tremendous barks, whereat a little spa

f ordnance! Old Deb is in the spirit of the thing and opens out li

said Wrestling Brewster, a bright, sturdy boy, creepin

rs of girls and boys tired of being cooped up,-"O

want to go ashore to wash and be decent, for there isn't a soul of us

ut all things in their order. How say you, Mr. Carv

, "and send a picked company to see what e

st are sharper than a thorn-hedge. What! what!" he said, looking over to the eager group of girl

a golden-haired, pale-cheeked child, of a tender and spiritual beauty of face. "I'd like to

said old Margery. "Mind the old saying, 'B

e Standish, "wilt thou g

at else am I come for-and

very ventur

t? Not being good enough to be in your church nor one of the saints,

tured countenance in an iron headpiece, and R

some of the gravest, and wisest, as well as the youngest and most able-bodied of the ship's' company. The impatient children ran in a group and clustered on the side of the sh

throwing her arms round the dog's rough neck; "thou must not take on s

er caresses, and sitting down by her she patted

hath! In all the roughness and the terrors of the sea she

her head. "She never had the ways of other babies, but hath ever that wistful look-and her eye

Rose, "let not her

s if she had been made out of sunshine. 'Tis a sweet babe as ever was; but fitter for the kingdom of heave

aid Rose Standish; "we must all keep

une to equal his. Why, Master Davidson, the Queen's Secretary of State, thought all the world of him; and when he went to Holland on the Queen's business, he must take him along; and when he took the keys of the cities there, it was my master that

the heart under it-that's the thing. Thou hast more cau

le in worldly things-driven and hunted from place to place in England, cl

ith the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin fo

been of such. But if he must come to the wilderness I will come with him. Gracious me! what noise is that?" she exclaimed, as a sudden report of firearms from belo

ed Wrestling Brewster and two other of the boys down into the cabin to show them his skill in

er comes home! Lord a mercy! here was half a keg of powder standing open! Enough to have blown us all up! Here, Master Cla

re is a richness and sweetness gleaming through the brief records of these men in their journals, which shows how the new land

expedition the

bay, and on the further side the sea, the ground or earth, sand-hills, much like the downs in Holland, but much better; the crust of the earth a spit's depth of excellent black earth; all wooded with oaks, pines, sassafras, juniper, birch, holly, vines, some ash and walnut; the wood

slow, "what fine red berries Capt

thee to dress the cabin withal. We shall not want for Christma

ll of sap in this land, even the cedars of Lebanon, which he hath plante

gle of grapevines, whereon the leaves in many places yet hung, and we picked up store

river, and bird and fowl flying, and deer running by, and yet though a man's children be crying for bread, an' he catch a fish or snare a bird, he shall be snatched up and hanged. This is a sore evil in Old England; but we will make a country here for the p

ish, "and thereto I give my best