the peterkin papers-第6部分

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ting　the　sweet　peas　in　　the　garden。　I　hope　our　cow　would　be　a　quiet　one。　I　should　not　like　her　jumping　　over　the　fence　into　the　flower…beds。〃

Mr。　Peterkin　declared　that　he　should　buy　a　cow　of　the　quietest　kind。

〃I　should　think　something　might　be　done　about　covering　her　horns；〃　said　Mrs。

Peterkin；　〃that　seems　the　most　dangerous　part。　Perhaps　they　might　be　padded　with　　cotton。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　said　cows　were　built　so　large　and　clumsy；　that　if　they　came　at　　you　they　could　not　help　knocking　you　over。

The　little　boys　would　prefer　having　the　pasture　a　great　way　off。　Half　the　fun　of　　having　a　cow　would　be　going　up　on　the　hills　after　her。

Agamemnon　thought　the　feed　was　not　so　good　on　the　hills。

　〃The　cow　would　like　it　ever　so　much　better；〃　the　little　boys　declared；　〃on　　account　of　the　variety。　If　she　did　not　like　the　rocks　and　the　bushes；　she　could　　walk　round　and　find　the　grassy　places。〃

〃I　am　not　sure；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃but　it　would　be　less　dangerous　to　keep　　the　cow　in　the　lot　behind　the　house；　because　she　would　not　be　coming　and　going；　　morning　and　night；　in　that　jerky　way　the　Larkins'　cows　come　home。　They　don't　　mind　which　gate　they　rush　in　at。　I　should　hate　to　have　our　cow　dash　into　our　　front　yard　just　as　I　was　coming　home　of　an　afternoon。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃we　can　have　the　door　of　the　cow…house　open　　directly　into　the　pasture；　and　save　the　coming　and　going。〃

The　little　boys　were　quite　disappointed。　The　cow　would　miss　the　exercise；　and　　they　would　lose　a　great　pleasure。

Solomon　John　suggested　that　they　might　sit　on　the　fence　and　watch　the　cow。

It　was　decided　to　keep　the　cow　in　their　own　pasture；　and　as　they　were　to　put　on　　an　end　kitchen；　it　would　be　perfectly　easy　to　build　a　dairy。

The　cow　proved　a　quiet　one。　She　was　a　little　excited　when　all　the　family　stood　　round　at　the　first　milking；　and　watched　her　slowly　walking　into　the　shed。

Elizabeth　Eliza　had　her　scarlet　sack　dyed　brown　a　fortnight　before。　It　was　the　　one　she　did　her　gardening　in；　and　it　might　have　infuriated　the　cow。　And　she　kept　　out　of　the　garden　the　first　day　or　two。

　Mrs。　Peterkin　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　bought　the　best　kind　of　milk…pans；　of　every　　size。

But　there　was　a　little　disappointment　about　the　taste　of　the　milk。

The　little　boys　liked　it；　and　drank　large　mugs　of　it。　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　she　　could　never　learn　to　love　milk　warm　from　the　cow；　though　she　would　like　to　do　　her　best　to　patronize　the　cow。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　afraid　Amanda　did　not　under　stand　about　taking　care　of　the　　milk；　yet　she　had　been　down　to　overlook　her；　and　she　was　sure　the　pans　and　the　　closet　were　all　clean。

〃Suppose　we　send　a　pitcher　of　cream　over　to　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　to　try；〃

said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃it　will　be　a　pretty　attention　before　she　goes。〃

〃It　might　be　awkward　if　she　didn't　like　it；〃　said　Solomon　John。　〃Perhaps　　something　is　the　matter　with　the　grass。〃

〃I　gave　the　cow　an　apple　to　eat　yesterday；〃　said　one　of　the　little　boys；　　remorsefully。

Elizabeth　Eliza　went　over；　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　too；　and　explained　all　to　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia；　asking　her　to　taste　the　milk。

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　tasted；　and　said　the　truth　was　that　the　milk　was　sour　　！

〃I　was　afraid　it　was　so；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃but　I　didn't　know　what　to　expect　　from　these　new　kinds　of　cows。〃

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　asked　where　the　milk　was　kept。

　〃In　the　new　dairy；〃　answered　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃Is　that　in　a　cool　place？〃　asked　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。

Elizabeth　Eliza　explained　it　was　close　by　the　new　kitchen。

〃Is　it　near　the　chimney　？〃　inquired　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。

〃It　is　directly　back　of　the　chimney　and　the　new　kitchen…range；〃　replied　　Elizabeth　Eliza。　〃I　suppose　it　is　too　hot！　〃

〃Well；　well！〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃that　is　it！　Last　winter　the　milk　froze；　and　　now　we　have　gone　to　the　other　extreme！　Where　shall　we　put　our　dairy？〃

　THE　PETERKINS'　CHRISTMAS…TREE。　　　EARLY　in　the　autumn　the　Peterkins　began　to　prepare　for　their　Christmas…tree。

Everything　was　done　in　great　privacy；　as　it　was　to　be　a　surprise　to　the　　neighbors；　as　well　as　to　the　rest　of　the　family。　Mr。　Peterkin　had　been　up　to　Mr。

Bromwick's　wood…lot；　and；　with　his　consent；　selected　the　tree。　Agamemnon　went　to　　look　at　it　occasionally　after　dark；　and　Solomon　John　made　frequent　visits　to　it　　mornings；　just　after　sunrise。　Mr。　Peterkin　drove　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　her　mother　　that　way；　and　pointed　furtively　to　it　with　his　whip；　but　none　of　them　ever　spoke　　of　it　aloud　to　each　other。　It　was　suspected　that　the　little　boys　had　been　to　see　　it　Wednesday　and　Saturday　afternoons。　But　they　came　home　with　their　pockets　full　　of　chestnuts；　and　said　nothing　about　it。

　At　length　Mr。　Peterkin　had　it　cut　down　and　brought　secretly　into　the　Larkin's　　barn。　A　week　or　two　before　Christmas　a　measurement　was　made　of　it　with　Elizabeth　　Eliza's　yard…measure。　To　Mr。　Peterkin's　great　dismay　it　was　discovered　that　it　　was　too　high　to　stand　in　the　back　parlor。

This　fact　was　brought　out　at　a　secret　council　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin；　　Elizabeth　Eliza；　and　Agamemnon。

Agamemnon　suggested　that　it　might　be　set　up　slanting；　but　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　very　　sure　it　would　make　her　dizzy；　and　the　candles　would　drip。

But　a　brilliant　idea　came　to　Mr。　Peterkin。　He　proposed　that　the　ceiling　of　the　　parlor　should　be　raised　to　make　room　for　the　top　of　the　tree。

Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　the　space　would　need　to　be　quite　large。　It　must　not　be　　like　a　small　box；　or　you　could　not　see　the　tree。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃I　should　have　the　ceiling　lifted　all　across　the　room；　　the　effect　would　be　finer。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　objected　to　having　the　whole　ceiling　raised；　because　her　room　　was　over　the　back　parlor；　and　she　would　have　no　floor　while　the　alteration　was　　going　on；　which　would　be　very　awkward。　Besides；　her　room　was　not　very　high　now；　　and；　if　the　floor　were　raised；　perhaps　she　could　not　walk　in　it　upright。

Mr。　Peterkin　explained　that　he　didn't　propose　altering　the　whole　ceiling；　but　to　　life　up　a　ridge　across　the　room　at　the　back　part　where　the　tree　was　to　stand。

This　would　make　a　hump；　to　be　sure；　in　Elizabeth　Eliza's　room；　but　it　would　go　　across　the　whole　room。

Elizabeth　Eliza　said　she　would　not　mind　that。　It　would　be　like　the　cuddy　thing　　that　comes　up　on　the　deck　of　a　ship；　that　you　sit　against；　only　here　you　would　　not　have　the　sea…sickness。　She　thought　she　should　like　it；　for　a　rarity。　She　　might　use　it　for　a　divan。

Mrs。　Peterkin　thought　it　would　come　in　the　worn　place　of　the　carpet；　and　might　　be　a　convenience　in　making　the　carpet　over。

Agamemnon　was　afraid　there　would　be　trouble　in　keeping　the　matter　secret；　for　it　　would　be　a　long　piece　of　work　for　a　carpenter；　but　Mr。　Peterkin　proposed　having　　the　carpenter　for　a　day　or　two；　for　a　number　of　other　jobs。

　One　of　them　was　to　make　all　the　chairs　in　the　house　of　the　same　height；　for　　Mrs。　Peterkin　had　nearly　broken　her　spine　by　sitting　down　in　a　chair　that　she　　had　supposed　was　her　own　rocking…chair；　and　it　had　proved　to　be　two　inches　　lower。　The　little　boys　were　now　large　enough　to　sit　in　any　chair；　so　a　medium　　was　fixed　upon　to　satisfy　all　the　family；　and　the　chairs　were　made　uniformly　of　　the　same　height。

On　consulting　the　carpenter；　however；　he　insisted　that　the　tree　could　be　cut　off　　at　the　lower　end　to　suit　the　height　of　the　parlor；　and　demurred　at　so　great　a　　change　as　altering　the　ceiling。　But　Mr。　Peterkin　had　set　his　mind　upon　the　　improvement；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　cut　her　carpet　in　preparation　for　it。

　So　the　folding…doors　into　the　back　parlor　were　closed；　and　for　nearly　a　　fortnight　before　Christmas　there　was　great　litter　of　fallen　plastering；　and　　laths；　and　chips；　and　shavings；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza's　carpet　was　taken　up；　and　　the　furniture　had　to　be　changed；　and　one　night　she　had　to　sleep　at　the　　Bromwicks'；　for　there　was　a　long　hole　in　her　floor　that　might　be　dangerous。

All　this　delighted　the　little　boys。　They　could　not　understand　what　was　going　on。

Perhaps　they　suspected　a　Christmas…tree；　but　they　did　not　know　why　a　　Christmas…tree　should　have　so　many　chips；　and　were　still　more　astonished　at　the　　hump　that　appeared　in　Elizabeth　Eliza's　room。　It　must　be　a　Christmas　present；　or　　else　the　tree　in　a　box。

Some　aunts　and　uncles；　too；　arrived　a　day　or　two　before　Christmas；　with　some　　small　cousins。　These　cousins　occupied　the　attention　of　the　little　boys；　and　　there　was　a　great　deal　of　whispering　and　mystery；　behind　doors；　and　under　the　　stairs；　and　in　the　corners　of　the　entry。

Solomon　John　was　busy；　privately　making　some　candles　for　the　tree。　He　had　been　　collecting　some　bayberries；　as　he　understood　they　made　very　nice　candles；　so　　that　it　would　not　be　necessary　to　buy　any。

The　elders　of　the　family　never　all　went　into　the　back　parlor　together；　and　all　　tried　not　to　see　what　was　going　on。　Mrs。　Peterkin　would　go　in　with　Solomon　John；　　or　Mr。　Peterkin　with　Elizabeth　Eliza；　or　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　Agamemnon　and　　Solomon　John。　The　little　boys　and　the　small　cousins　were　never　allowed　even　to　　look　inside　the　room。

Elizabeth　Eliza　meanwhile　went　into　town　a　number　of　times。　She　wanted　to　　consult　Amanda　as　to　how　much　ice…cream　they　should　need；　and　whether　they　could　　make　it　at　home；　as　they　had　cream　and　ice。　She　was　pretty　busy　in　her　own　room；　　the　furniture　had　to　be　changed；　and　the　carpet　altered。　The　〃hump〃　was　higher　　than　she　expected。　There　was　danger　of　bumping　her　own　head　whenever　she　crossed　　it。　She　had　to　nail　some　padding　on　the　ceiling　for　fear　of　accidents。

The　afternoon　before　Christmas；　Elizabeth　Eliza；　Solomon　John；　and　their　father　　collected　in　the　back　parlor　for　a　council。　The　carpenters　had　done　their　work；　　and　the　tree　stood　at　its　full　height　at　the　back　of　the　room；　the　top　　stretching　up　into　the　space　arranged　for　it。　All　the　chips　and　shavings　were　　cleared　away；　and　it　stood　on　a　neat　box。

But　what　were　they　to　put　upon　the　tree？

　Solomon　John　had　brought　in　his　supply　of　candles；　but　they　proved　to　be　very　　〃stringy〃　and　very　few　of　them。　It　was　strange　how　many　bayberries　it　took　to　　make　a　few　candles！　The　little　boys　had　helped　him；　and　he　had　gathered　as　much　　as　a　bushel　of　bayberries。　He　had　put　them　in　water；　an