the peterkin papers-第20部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


fect　in　　music。　This　required　a　long　time。

Then　in　this　same　paragraph　a　reference　was　made；　in　it　he　was　requested　to　〃see　　Keys。〃　It　was　necessary；　then；　to　turn　to　〃Keys。〃　This　was　about　the　time　the　　family　were　moving；　which　we　have　mentioned；　when　the　difficult　subject　of　keys　　came　up；　that　suggested　to　him　his　own　simple　invention；　and　the　hope　of　getting　　a　patent　for　it。　This　led　him　astray；　as　inventions　before　have　done　with　　master…minds；　so　that　he　was　drawn　aside　from　his　regular　study。

The　family；　however；　were　perfectly　satisfied　with　the　career　Agamemnon　had　　chosen。　It　would　help　them　all；　in　any　path　of　life；　if　he　should　master　the　　Encyclop？dia　in　a　thorough　way。

Mr。　Peterkin　agreed　it　would　in　the　end　be　not　as　expensive　as　a　college　course；　　even　if　Agamemnon　should　buy　all　the　different　Encyclop？dias　that　appeared。

There　would　be　no　〃spreads〃　involved；　no　expense　of　receiving　friends　at　　entertainments　in　college；　he　could　live　at　home；　so　that　it　would　not　be　　necessary　to　fit　up　another　room；　as　at　college。　At　all　the　times　of　his　leaving　　he　had　sold　out　favorably　to　other　occupants。

Solomon　John's　destiny　was　more　uncertain。　He　was　looking　forward　to　being　a　　doctor　some　time；　but　he　had　not　decided　whether　to　be　allopathic　or　　homeopathic；　or　whether　he　could　not　better　invent　his　own　pills。　And　he　could　　not　understand　how　to　obtain　his　doctor's　degree。

For　a　few　weeks　he　acted　as　clerk　in　a　druggist's　store。　But　he　could　serve　only　　in　the　toothbrush　and　soap　department；　because　it　was　found　he　was　not　familiar　　enough　with　the　Latin　language　to　compound　the　drugs。　He　agreed　to　spend　his　　evenings　in　studying　the　Latin　grammar；　but　his　course　was　interrupted　by　his　　being　dismissed　for　treating　the　little　boys　too　frequently　to　soda。

　The　little　boys　were　going　through　the　schools　regularly。　The　family　had　been　　much　exercised　with　regard　to　their　education。　Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　that　　everything　should　be　expected　from　them；　they　ought　to　take　advantage　from　the　　family　mistakes。　Every　new　method　that　came　up　was　tried　upon　the　little　boys。

They　had　been　taught　spelling　by　all　the　different　systems；　and　were　just　able　　to　read；　when　Mr。　Peterkin　learned　that　it　was　now　considered　best　that　children　　should　not　be　taught　to　read　till　they　were　ten　years　old。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　in　despair。　Perhaps；　if　their　books　were　taken　from　them　even　　then；　they　might　forget　what　they　had　learned。　But　no；　the　evil　was　done；　the　　brain　had　received　certain　impressions　that　could　not　be　blurred　over。

　This　was　long　ago；　however。　The　little　boys　had　since　entered　the　public　　schools。　They　went　also　to　a　gymnasium；　and　a　whittling　school；　and　joined　a　　class　in　music；　and　another　in　dancing；　they　went　to　some　afternoon　lectures　for　　children；　when　there　was　no　other　school；　and　belonged　to　a　walking…club。　Still　　Mr。　Peterkin　was　dissatisfied　by　the　slowness　of　their　progress。　He　visited　the　　schools　himself；　and　found　that　they　did　not　lead　their　classes。　It　seemed　to　　him　a　great　deal　of　time　was　spent　in　things　that　were　not　instructive；　such　as　　putting　on　and　taking　off　their　india…rubber　boots。

Elizabeth　Eliza　proposed　that　they　should　be　taken　from　school　and　taught　by　　Agamemnon　from　the　Encyclop？dia。　The　rest　of　the　family　might　help　in　the　　education　at　all　hours　of　the　day。　Solomon　John　could　take　up　the　Latin　grammar；　　and　she　could　give　lessons　in　French。

The　little　boys　were　enchanted　with　the　plan；　only　they　did　not　want　to　have　the　　study…hours　all　the　time。

Mr。　Peterkin；　however；　had　a　magnificent　idea；　that　they　should　make　their　life　　one　grand　Object　Lesson。　They　should　begin　at　breakfast；　and　study　everything　　put　upon　the　table；…the　material　of　which　it　was　made；　and　where　it　came　from。

In　the　study　of　the　letter　A；　Agamemnon　had　embraced　the　study　of　music；　and　　from　one　meal　they　might　gain　instruction　enough　for　a　day。

〃We　shall　have　the　assistance；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃of　Agamemnon；　with　his　　Encyclop？dia。〃

Agamemnon　modestly　suggested　that　he　had　not　yet　got　out　of　A；　and　in　their　　first　breakfast　everything　would　therefore　have　to　begin　with　A。

〃That　would　not　be　impossible；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。　〃There　is　Amanda；　who　will　　wait　on　table；　to　start　with…〃

〃We　could　have　'am…and…eggs；〃　suggested　Solomon　John　　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　distressed。　It　was　hard　enough　to　think　of　anything　for　　breakfast；　and　impossible；　if　it　all　had　to　begin　with　one　letter。

Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　it　would　not　be　necessary。　All　they　were　to　do　was　to　　ask　questions；　as　in　examination　papers；　and　find　their　answers　as　they　could。

They　could　still　apply　to　the　Encyclop？dia；　even　if　it　were　not　in　Agamemnon's　　alphabetical　course。

　Mr。　Peterkin　suggested　a　great　variety。　One　day　they　would　study　the　botany　of　　the　breakfast…table；　another　day；　its　natural　history。　The　study　of　butter　would　　include　that　of　the　cow。　Even　that　of　the　butter…dish　would　bring　in　geology。

The　little　boys　were　charmed　at　the　idea　of　learning　pottery　from　the　cream…jug；　　and　they　were　promised　a　potter's　wheel　directly。

〃You　see；　my　dear；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin　to　his　wife；　〃before　many　weeks；　we　shall　　be　drinking　our　milk　from　jugs　made　by　our　children。〃

　Elizabeth　Eliza　hoped　for　a　thorough　study。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃we　might　begin　with　botany。　That　would　be　near　to　　Agamemnon　alphabetically。　We　ought　to　find　out　the　botany　of　butter。　On　what　　does　the　cow　feed？〃

The　little　boys　were　eager　to　go　out　and　see。

〃If　she　eats　clover；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃we　shall　expect　the　botany　of　clover。〃

　The　little　boys　insisted　that　they　were　to　begin　the　next　day；　that　very　evening　　they　should　go　out　and　study　the　cow。

Mrs。　Peterkin　sighed；　and　decided　she　would　order　a　simple　breakfast。　The　little　　boys　took　their　note…books　and　pencils；　and　clambered　upon　the　fence；　where　they　　seated　themselves　in　a　row。

For　there　were　three　little　boys。　So　it　was　now　supposed。　They　were　always　　coming　in　or　going　out；　and　it　had　been　difficult　to　count　them；　and　nobody　was　　very　sure　how　many　there　were。

There　they　sat；　however；　on　the　fence；　looking　at　the　cow。　She　looked　at　them　　with　large　eyes。

〃She　won't　eat；〃　they　cried；　〃while　we　are　looking　at　her！〃

So　they　turned　about；　and　pretended　to　look　into　the　street；　and　seated　　themselves　that　way；　turning　their　heads　back；　from　time　to　time；　to　see　the　　cow。

〃Now　she　is　nibbling　a　clover。〃

〃No；　that　is　a　bit　of　sorrel。〃

〃It's　a　whole　handful　of　grass。〃

〃What　kind　of　grass？〃　they　exclaimed。

It　was　very　hard；　sitting　with　their　backs　to　the　cow；　and　pretending　to　the　cow　　that　they　were　looking　into　the　street；　and　yet　to　be　looking　at　the　cow　all　the　　time；　and　finding　out　what　she　was　eating；　and　the　upper　rail　of　the　fence　was　　narrow　and　a　little　sharp。　It　was　very　high；　too；　for　some　additional　rails　had　　been　put　on　to　prevent　the　cow　from　jumping　into　the　garden　or　street。

　Suddenly；　looking　out　into　the　hazy　twilight；　Elizabeth　Eliza　saw　six　legs　and　　six　india…rubber　boots　in　the　air；　and　the　little　boys　disappeared！

〃They　are　tossed　by　the　cow！　The　little　boys　are　tossed　by　the　cow！〃

Mrs。　Peterkin　rushed　for　the　window；　but　fainted　on　the　way。　Solomon　John　and　　Elizabeth　Eliza　were　hurrying　to　the　door；　but　stopped；　not　knowing　what　to　do　　next。　Mrs。　Peterkin　recovered　herself　with　a　supreme　effort；　and　sent　them　out　　to　the　rescue。

But　what　could　they　do？　The　fence　had　been　made　so　high；　to　keep　the　cow　out；　　that　nobody　could　get　in。　The　boy　that　did　the　milking　had　gone　off　with　the　key　　of　the　outer　gate；　and　perhaps　with　the　key　of　the　shed　door。　Even　if　that　were　　not　locked；　before　Agamemnon　could　get　round　by　the　wood…shed　and　cow…shed；　the　　little　boys　might　be　gored　through　and　through！

Elizabeth　Eliza　ran　to　the　neighbors；　Solomon　John　to　the　druggist's　for　　plasters；　while　Agamemnon　made　his　way　through　the　dining…room　to　the　wood…shed　　and　outer…shed　door。　Mr。　Peterkin　mounted　the　outside　of　the　fence；　while　Mrs。

Peterkin　begged　him　not　to　put　himself　in　danger。　He　climbed　high　enough　to　view　　the　scene。　He　held　to　the　corner　post　and　reported　what　he　saw。

They　were　not　gored。　The　cow　was　at　the　other　end　of　the　lot。　One　of　the　little　　boys　were　lying　in　a　bunch　of　dark　leaves。　He　was　moving。

The　cow　glared；　but　did　not　stir。　Another　little　boy　was　pulling　his　　india…rubber　boots　out　of　the　mud。　The　cow　still　looked　at　him。

Another　was　feeling　the　top　of　his　head。　The　cow　began　to　crop　the　grass；　still　　looking　at　him。

Agamemnon　had　reached　and　opened　the　shed…door。　The　little　boys　were　next　seen　　running　toward　it。

A　crowd　of　neighbors；　with　pitchforks；　had　returned　meanwhile　with　Elizabeth　　Eliza。　Solomon　John　had　brought　four　druggists。　But；　by　the　time　they　had　　reached　the　house；　the　three　little　boys　were　safe　in　the　arms　of　their　mother！

〃This　is　too　dangerous　a　form　of　education；〃　she　cried；　〃I　had　rather　they　went　　to　school。〃

〃No！〃　they　bravely　cried。　They　were　still　willing　to　try　the　other　way。

　THE　EDUCATIONAL　BREAKFAST。　　MRS。　PETERKIN'S　nerves　were　so　shaken　by　the　excitement　of　the　fall　of　the　　three　little　boys　into　the　enclosure　whe