Uncle Titus and His Visit to the Country

ery hue glistened and glowed in the bright sunshine that seemed always to lie on those lovely meadows. Near the house was the stable, in which stamped four spirited horses, and there, also, ma

a mere lad. Now that he was well on in years, he had been advanced to the position of house-servant, but he still had an eye upon the stable and over the whole farm. The mows were neatly filled with sweet-smelling hay, and the bins were piled full of wheat and oats and barley, all the product of the farm, which extended over the hill

, lazily glancing about now and then to see what was stirring. All was quiet, however, and he peacefully dozed again after each survey. Occasionally a young, gray cat peeped slily forth from beneath the door-step, stared at the mo

nd soon Aunt Ninette was busy in the large chamber unpacking her big trunk, while Dora in her little bedroom soon emptied her little box and put her clothes in the other room, which was to be his study, Uncle Titus also sat at a square table, busy placing his writing materials in readiness for work. Dora ran again and again to the window, whence she saw very different sights from any she had ever looked upon before. Green fields sprink

ied the child, "Isn't

in Uncle Titus' house, for the new scenes had aroused h

ke of you, child! Don't you know that your unc

aunt's hands, but while passin

a minute now, Aunt? I want to see what

From the other window you see the big open space in front of the great house. Nothing else but the slee

see green sward and flower-beds and shady bowers. How lovely it must be over there! There was no one in sight, but some one certainly must have been there, for by the door of the house rose a wonderful triumphal arch, made o

children came bursting out of the door of the house, all together; one, two, three, four, five, six, both boys and girls. "I, I, I must get upon the box," cried each one, and all together, louder and louder at every word

," cried she, almost beside herself.

e carriage," cried Dora, who was enchanted at the

on the box beside the driver, from which he reached down his h

g swing. Meantime the eldest boy lifted a little girl from the ground, and jumped her into the carriage, and two younger boys, one slender, the other round as a ball, began to clamor, "Me too, Jule, me too, a big high one! me higher still!" and they shout

rine! Trine! bring me Philomele, I want to take Philom

tuation at once. She seized the gray cat that stood on the stone step casting angry lo

g what effect all this disturbance would have upon him. He was sitting c

reseen this? What shall we do?" s

th of children. We cannot help that, but we can kee

healthy mountain air! As you never go out, you must let the air come in to you. But w

n," said Uncle Titus,

proposition, Aunt Nine

em if they came into the garden. She thought that she might perhaps find a hole in the hedge that divided Mrs. Kurd's little garden from the large grounds next door, through which she could get a good view of what the children were doing, and how they looked. The child did not know what Aunt Ninette would say to this, but she determined to ask directly. At the door of her aunt's room she met Mrs. Kurd, who had come to call them to supper. Dora made her request then and there, to be allowed to go into the little garden, but her a

a little while, but don'

nd merry. And to have seen them all climbing into the carriage and driving off together! What a jolly party! She lay down on the ground in a little heap, and peered through the hedge. There was nothing to be heard; the garden beyond was still; the odor of the flowers was wafted to her on the cool, evening air, and she felt as if she could not get enough of it into her lungs. How beautiful it must be in there, she thought; to be able to walk about among the flower-beds! to sit under the tree whe

boat came in. Their mother had remained at home to complete the preparations for the grand reception and the feast in the garden under the

one after another, and the cat and the dog too, and they all crowded into the large hall, where the welcomings and greetin

last, when he succeeded in making himself heard through the tumult, "first the youngest

imself Hunne, the other children and the parents had adopted the nick-name. Moreover, Julius, the eldest brother, declared that the ba

r, that there was not time to wait for the e

or Wili and Lili." And giving the twins each a kiss he asked them, "Well now

her's absence, thought it best not to make any answer. The twins were eight years old, and perfectly inseparable, never more

to a twelve-year old lad with a high forehead, and a strong,

boy. "But the children will not guess my

rning to the eldest daughter, a girl of nearly th

one in your garden walks? have y

s beautiful to have you at home agai

e,' is using his vacati

ace. "You must know, father, that the hazel-nuts are almost ripe and I am watching them c

ng in a distant town. He was seventeen, and tall, even too tall for

children's governess and the dear friend of the fa

st of your greetings in the garden, where

, pounding and thumping him to give him to understand that the "surprise" was not a

stop, I tell you. I will make it all

mother has prepared all sorts of delicious th

d under my favorite apple-tree. That is a surprise w

e swarm following, Wili and Lili capering about in most noisy delight that

triumphal arch, with red lanterns hung on each side, lighting u

ow really surprised, "a beautiful arch and

stand i

the gar

are that you

you'd co

ve stayed-bu

is all

rld now is g

s here

hor of that, was he not?" and Wili and Li

ll out and he made the verses, and Jule put u

ed. "How pretty the garden looks, all lighted up with red and blue and yellow

and while the hand-shaking and kissing had been going on in the house, Battiste and Trine had lighted the candles. The big apple-tree was dotted all over with them, so that it looke

and loaded with all sorts of nice d

l taste! But what is this? Another poem?" and to be sure, a large white placard hung by

is good fo

than

we have lo

er do in

th merry he

shout it

e shoulder. "I will begin to guess it as soon as I can. Now we must sit down and

tory to tell of what had happened, and what had been done during the sepa

ift for each one of them. First came a pair of shining spurs for "big Jule," then a lovely book with blue covers for Paula. Next a long bow with a quiver and two feather arrows. "This is for Rolf," said the father, adding as he showed

l in pairs, and Noah's family, all the men with walking-sticks and all the

the sins of the world. He opened his big jaws as if he were howling, and when they were snapped together, he gnashed his tee

own and each others' presents, and their joy and grat

o into the house, for it was long after the children's us

uessed the

ught of it, except t

spoke. "It must be 'welcome,' is it not, Rolf? I will touch gla

is burning, it is burning!" Everybody ran from under the apple-tree; Battiste and Trine came from the hous

dge is on fire!" There was t

She had been so completely absorbed by what had been taking place under the apple-tree, though indeed she saw and heard but imperfectly, th

ing. She had collected all her things from the drawers an

w she had staid out too long, "you need not be frightened

e; everything was dark, even the last lantern extinguished. Some one wa

said Aunt Ninette, half scolding, half-whimpering. "Go to bed now Dora. To-mo

d garden, the sparkling apple tree, and the father and mother with their happy children gathered about them. She thought of the time when she

had been watching, that the thought of going away again as her aunt threatened, was a very sad one. She could not go to sleep. Prese

ds us in

the best

ms she again saw the shining apple-tree

thought of turning the riddle into a transparency, so that suddenly the company might see it shinin

and held the candles as near as possible to the card. As they did not perceive any expression of surprise on the faces of the company at the table, the

ed with but a gentle reproof, so as not to spoil the general effect of the festivity

he moon looked peacefully down on the trees