a summer in a canyon-第15部分

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carry　him　home　to　Dr。　Paul。

Knowing　that　the　little　beasts　were　gregarious；　we　hunted　about　for　a
nest；　which　we　might　send　to　you　after　ousting　its　disagreeable
occupant。　　After　much　searching；　we　found　a　group　of　themquite　a
tarantula　village；　in　fact。　　Their　wonderful　little　houses　are　closed
on　the　outside　by　a　circular；　many…webbed　mesh；　two　or　three　inches
across；　and　this　web　betrays　the　spider's　den　to　the　person　who　knows
the　tricks　of　the　trade。　　Directly　underneath　it　you　come　upon　the
tiny　circular　trap…door；　which　you　will　notice　in　the　nest　we　send
with　these　letters。　　You　will　see　how　wonderfully　it　is　made；　with
its　silken　weaving　inside；　and　its　bits　of　bark　and　leaves　outside；
and　I　know　you　will　admire　the　hinge；　which　the　tarantula　must　have
invented；　and　which　is　as　pretty　a　bit　of　workmanship　as　the　most
accomplished　mechanic　could　turn　out。　　We　tore　away　the　web　and　the
door　from　one　of　the　nests；　and　then　poured　water　down　the　hole。　　The
spider　was　at　home；　came　out　as　fact　as　his　clumsy　legs　would　carry
him；　and　clutched　the　end　of　the　stick　Jack　held　out　to　him。　　Then　we
tumbled　him　into　the　tomato…can　just　as　he　appeared　to　be　making　for
us。　　The　two　didn't　agree　at　all。　　One　of　them　despatched　the　other
on　the　way　homethe　same　hero　who　had　killed　the　other　four；　but；　on
hearing　his　bloody　record；　Aunt　Truth　refused　to　have　him　about　the
camp；　so　we　gave　him　an　alcohol　bath；　and　you　shall　see　his　lordship
when　you　come。　　As　Dr。　Paul　says；　they　have　been　known　to　clear
fourteen　feet　at　a　jump；　perhaps　you　will　feel　happier　to　know　that
he　is　in　alcohol；　though　their　bite　is　not　necessarily　fatal　if　it　is
rightly　cared　for。

The　girls　have　been　patronising　the　landscape　by　naming　every　peak；
valley；　grove；　and　stream　in　the　vicinity；　and　as　there　is　nobody　to
object；　the　names　may　hold。

We　carry　about　with　us　a　collection　of　strong；　flat　stakes；　which
have　various　names　painted　on　them　in　neat　black　letters。　　Jack　likes
that　kind　of　work；　and　spends　most　of　his　time　at　it；　for　now　that
Dr。　Paul　has　bought　a　hundred　acres　up　here；　we　are　all　greatly
interested　in　its　improvement。

Geoff　has　named　the　mountain　Pico　Negro；　as　I　told　you；　and　the
little　canyon　on　its　side　is　called　the　Giant's　Yawn。　　Then　we　have　…

Mirror　Pool；
The　Lone　Stump；
Field　of　the　Cloth…of…Gold；
Cosy　Nook；
The　Imp's　Wash…Bowl；
Dunce…Cap　Hill；
The　Saint's　Rest；　and
Il　Penseroso　Fall　（in　honour　of　Dicky；　who　was　nearly　drowned　there）。

If　anybody　fails　to　call　these　localities　by　their　proper　names　he
has　to　pay　a　fine　of　five　cents；　which　goes　towards　beautifying　the
place。　　Dr。　Paul　has　had　to　pay　two　fines　for　Bell；　three　for　Aunt
Truth；　and　seven　for　Dicky；　so　he　considers　it　an　ill…judged
arrangement。

Our　encampment　is　supposed　to　be　in　the　Forest　of　Arden；　and　Jack　has
begun　nailing　verses　of　poetry　on　the　trees；　like　a　second　Orlando；
save　that　they　are　not　love…poems　at　all；　but　appropriate　quotations
from　Wordsworth　or　Bryant。　　And　this　brings　me　to　our　thrilling
rendition　of　the　play　'As　You　Like　It；'　last　evening；　but　it　is
deserving　of　more　than　the　passing　notice　which　I　can　give　it　here。

One　thing；　however；　I　must　tell　you；　as　the　girls　will　not　write　it
of　themselvesthat；　although　Bell　carried　off　first　honours　and
fairly　captivated　the　actors　as　well　as　the　audience；　all　three　of
them　looked　bewitching　and　acted　with　the　greatest　spirit；　much
better　than　we　fellows　did。

Of　course　we　didn't　give　the　entire　play；　and　we　had　to　'double　up'
on　some　of　the　characters　in　the　most　ridiculous　fashion；　but　the
Burtons　helped　out　wonderfully；　Scott　playing　Oliver；　and　Laura　doing
Audrey。　　They　were　so　delighted　with　the　camp　that　Aunt　Truth　has
invited　them　to　come　again　on　Saturday　and　stay　a　week。

At　the　risk　of　being　called　conceited　I　will　also　state　that　we　boys
consider　that　the　stage　management　was　a　triumph　of　inventive　art；　we
worked　like　beavers　for　two　days；　and　the　results　were　marvellous；
'if　I　do　say　so　as　shouldn't。'

Just　consider　we　were　'six　miles　from　a　lemon；'　as　Sydney　Smith　would
say；　and　yet　we　transformed　all　out　of　doors；　first　into　an　elegant
interior；　and　then　into　a　conventional　stage　forest。

A　great　deal　of　work　is　available　for　other　performances；　and　so　we
do　not　regret　it　a　bit；　we　propose　doing　'As　You　Like　It'　again　when
you　are　down　here；　and　meanwhile　we　give　diversified　entertainments
which　Jack　calls　variety　shows；　but　which　in　reality　are　very　chaste
and　elegant　occasions。

The　other　night　we　had　a　minstrel　show；　wearing　masks　of　black
cambric；　with　red　mouths　painted　on　them；　you　should　have　seen　us；
all　in　a　dusky　semicircle；　seated　on　boards　supported　by　nail…kegs：
it　was　a　scene　better　imagined　than　described。　　This　is　certainly　the
ideal　way　to　live　in　summer…time；　and　we　should　be　perfectly　happy
and　content　if　you　could　only　shake　off　your　troublesome　cough　and
come　to　share　our　pleasure。　　We　feel　incomplete　without　you；　and　no
matter　how　large　our　party　may　grow　as　the　summer　progresses；　there
will　always　be　a　vacant　niche　that　none　can　fill　save　the　dear　little
Saint　who　is　always　enshrined　therein　by　all　her　loyal　worshippers；
and　by　none　more　reverently　than　her　friend；

PHILIP　S。　NOBLE。


III。　　THE　KNIGHT　OF　THE　SPECTACLES　TAKES　THE　QUILL。


This　paper　is　writ　unto　her　most　Royal　Highness；　our　beloved　Gold
Elsie；　Queen　of　our　thoughts　and　Empress　of　all　hearts。

You　must　know；　most　noble　Lady；　that　one　who　is　your　next　of　kin　and
high　in　the　royal　favour　has　laid　upon　us　a　most　difficult　and
embarrassing　task。

In　our　capacity　as　Director　of　the　Court　Games；　we　humbly　suggested
the　subjects　for　the　weekly　bulletin　which　your　Highness　commanded　to
be　written；　but；　alas；　with　indifferent　success；　for　the　Courtiers
growled　and　the　Ladies…in…waiting　howled　at　the　topics　given　them　for
consideration。

On　soliciting　our　own　subjects　from　the　Privy　Councillor　and　Knight
of　the　Brush；　Lord　John　Howard；　he　revengefully　ordered　me　to　'edify'
your　Majesty　with　wise　utterances；　as　if　such　poor；　rude　words　as
mine　could　please　the　ear　that　should　only　listen　to　the　singing　of
birds；　the　babbling　of　brooks；　or　the　silvery　tongue　of　genius！

When　may　your　devoted　subjects　hope　to　see　their　gracious　Sovereign
again　in　their　midst？

The　court　is　fast　drifting　into　dangerous　informalities　of　conduct。
The　Princess　Bell…Pepper　partakes　of　the　odoriferous　onion　at　each
noon…day　meal；　so　that　a　royal　salute　would　be　impossible；　the　hands
of　the　Countess　Paulina　look　as　if　you　might　have　chosen　one　of　your
attendants　from　'Afric's　sunny　fountains；　or　India's　coral　strand'；
and　as　for　the　Court　Chaplain；　Rev。　Jack…in…the…Pulpit；　he　has
woefully　forsaken　the　manners　of　the　'cloth；'　and　insists　upon
retaining　his　ancient　title　of　Knight　of　the　Brush；　the　Duchess　of
Sweet　Marjoram　alone　continues　circumspect　in　walk　and　mien；　for
blood　will　tell；　and　she　is　more　Noble　than　the　others。

In　our　capacity　of　Court　Physician　we　have　thrice　relieved　your
youthful　page；　Sir　Dicky　Winship；　of　indigestion；　caused　by　too
generous　indulgence　in　the　flowing　bowlof　milk　and　cherries；　we
have　also　prescribed　for　his　grace　the　Duke　of　Noble；　whose　ducal　ear
was　poisoned　by　the　insidious　oak　leaf。

Your　private　box　awaits　you　in　the　Princess'　Theatre；　and　your
Majesty's　special　interpreters　of　the　drama　will　celebrate　your
arrival　as　gorgeously　as　it　deserves。

The　health　of　our　dearly　beloved　Sovereign　engages　the　constant
thought　of　all　her　loyal　and　adoring　subjects；　they　hope　ere　long　to
cull　a　wreath　of　laurel　with　their　own　hands　and　place　it　on　a　brow
which　needs　naught　but　its　golden　crown　of　hair　to　affirm　its　queenly
dignity。　　And　as　for　crown　jewels；　has　not　our　Empress　of　Hearts　a
full　store？two　dazzling　sapphires；　her　eyes；　a　string　of　pearls；
her　teeth；　her　lips　two　rubies；　and　when　she　opens　them；　diamonds　of
wisdom　issue　therefrom！

Come！　and　let　the　sight　of　thy　royal　charms　gladden　the　eyes　of　thy
waiting　people！　　Issued　under　the　hand　of

SIR　GEOFFREY　STRONG；　Bart。；
Court　Physician　and　Knight　of　the　Spectacles。


IV。　　MARGERY'S　CONTRIBUTION。


COSY　NOOK；　July　11；　188…　。

My　own　dear　Elsie；Your　weekly　chronicle　is　almost　ready　for
Monday's　stage；　and　I　am　allowed　to　come　in　at　the　close　with　as　many
pages　of　'gossip'　as　I　choose；　which　means　that　I　may　run　on　to　my
heart's　content　and　tell　you　all　the　little　things　that　happen　in　the
chinks　between　the　great　ones；　for　Uncle　Doc　has　refused　to　read　this
part　of　the　letter。

First　for　some　commissions：　　Aunt　Truth　asks　if　your　mother　will
kindly　select　goods　and　engage　Mrs。　Perkins　to　make　us　each　a　couple
of　Scotch　gingham　dresses。　　She　has　our　measures；　and　we　wish　them
simple；　full…skirted　gowns；　like　the　last；　everybody　thinks　them　so
pretty　and　becoming。　　Bell's　two　must　be　buff　and　pink；　Polly's　grey
and　green；　and　mine　blue　and　brown。　　We　find　that　we　haven't　clothes
enough　for　a　three　months'　stay；　and　the　out…of…door　life　is　so　hard
upon　our　'forest　suits'　that　we　have　asked　Mrs。　Perkins　to　send　us
new　ones　as　soon　as　possible。

We　have　had　a　very　busy　and　exciti