the peterkin papers-第6部分

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lomon　John　confided　to　Elizabeth　　Eliza　that　it　reminded　him　of　stories　of　prisoners　who　cut　themselves　free；　　through　stone　walls；　after　days　and　days　of　secret　labor。

　Mrs。　Peterkin；　even；　had　come　with　a　pair　of　tongs　in　her　hand。　She　was　　interrupted　by　a　voice　behind　her。

〃Here's　your　leg　of　mutton；　marm！〃

It　was　the　butcher。　How　had　he　got　in？

〃Excuse　me；　marm；　for　coming　in　at　the　side　door；　but　the　back　gate　is　kinder　　blocked　up。　You　were　making　such　a　pounding　I　could　not　make　anybody　hear　me　　knock　at　the　side　door。〃

〃But　how　did　you　make　a　path　to　the　door？〃　asked　Mr。　Peterkin。　〃You　must　have　　been　working　at　it　a　long　time。　It　must　be　near　noon　now。〃

　〃I'm　about　on　regular　time；〃　answered　the　butcher。　〃The　town　team　has　cleared　　out　the　high　road；　and　the　wind　has　been　down　the　last　half…hour。　The　storm　is　　over。〃

True　enough！　The　Peterkins　had　been　so　busy　inside　the　house　they　had　not　　noticed　the　ceasing　of　the　storm　outside。

〃And　we　were　all　up　an　hour　earlier　than　usual；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　when　the　　butcher　left。　He　had　not　explained　to　the　butcher　why　he　had　a　pickaxe　in　his　　hand。

〃If　we　had　lain　abed　till　the　usual　time；〃　said　Solomon　John；　〃we　should　have　　been　all　right。〃

〃For　here　is　the　milkman！〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　as　a　knock　was　now　heard　at　the　　side　door。

〃It　is　a　good　thing　to　learn；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃not　to　get　up　any　earlier　　than　is　necessary。〃

　THE　PETERKINS　DECIDE　TO　KEEP　A　COW。　　NOT　that　they　were　fond　of　drinking　milk；　nor　that　they　drank　very　much。　But　　for　that　reason　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　it　would　be　well　to　have　a　cow；　to　　encourage　the　family　to　drink　more；　as　he　felt　it　would　be　so　healthy。

Mrs。　Peterkin　recalled　the　troubles　of　the　last　cold　winter；　and　how　near　they　　came　to　starving；　when　they　were　shut　up　in　a　severe　snow…storm；　and　the　　water…pipes　burst；　and　the　milk　was　frozen。　If　the　cow…shed　could　open　out　of　　the　wood…shed；　such　trouble　might　be　prevented。

Tony　Larkin　was　to　come　over　and　milk　the　cow　every　morning；　and　Agamemnon　and　　Solomon　John　agreed　to　learn　how　to　milk；　in　case　Tony　should　be　〃snowed　up；〃　or　　have　the　whooping…cough　in　the　course　of　the　winter。　The　little　boys　thought　　they　knew　how　already。

But　if　they　were　to　have　three　or　four　pailfuls　of　milk　every　day；　it　was　　important　to　know　where　to　keep　it。

〃One　way　will　be；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃to　use　a　great　deal　every　day。　We　will　　make　butter。〃

〃That　will　be　admirable；〃　thought　Mr。　Peterkin。

〃And　custards；〃　suggested　Solomon　John。

〃And　syllabub；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃And　cocoa…nut　cakes；〃　exclaimed　the　little　boys。

〃We　don't　need　the　milk　for　cocoa…nut　cakes；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。

　The　little　boys　thought　they　might　have　a　cocoa…nut　tree　instead　of　a　cow。　You　　could　have　the　milk　from　the　cocoa…nuts；　and　it　would　be　pleasant　climbing　the　　tree；　and　you　would　not　have　to　feed　it。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃we　shall　have　to　feed　the　cow。〃

〃Where　shall　we　pasture　her？〃　asked　Agamemnon。

〃Up　on　the　hills；　up　on　the　hills；〃　exclaimed　the　little　boys；　〃where　there　are　　a　great　many　bars　to　take　down；　and　huckleberry…bushes！　〃

Mr。　Peterkin　had　been　thinking　of　their　own　little　lot　behind　the　house。

〃But　I　don't　know；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　cow　might　eat　off　all　the　grass　in　one　　day；　and　there　would　not　be　any　left　for　to…morrow；　unless　the　grass　grew　fast　　enough　every　night。〃

Agamemnon　said　it　would　depend　upon　the　season。　In　a　rainy　season　the　grass　　would　come　up　very　fast；　in　a　drought　it　might　not　grow　at　all。

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃that　is　the　worst　of　having　a　cow；…there　might　　be　a　drought。〃

Mr。　Peterkin　thought　they　might　make　some　calculation　from　the　quantity　of　grass　　in　the　lot。

Solomon　John　suggested　that　measurements　might　be　made　by　seeing　how　much　grass　　the　Bromwicks'　cow；　opposite　them；　eat　up　in　a　day。

　The　little　boys　agreed　to　go　over　and　spend　the　day　on　the　Bromwicks'　fence；　　and　take　an　observation。

〃The　trouble　would　be；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃that　cows　walk　about　so；　and　the　　Bromwicks'　yard　is　very　large。　Now　she　would　be　eating　in　one　place；　and　then　　she　would　walk　to　another。　She　would　not　be　eating　all　the　time；　a　part　of　the　　time　she　would　be　chewing。〃

The　little　boys　thought　they　should　like　nothing　better　than　to　have　some　　sticks；　and　keep　the　cow　in　one　corner　of　the　yard　till　the　calculations　were　　made。

But　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　afraid　the　Bromwicks　would　not　like　it。

〃Of　course；　it　would　bring　all　the　boys　in　the　school　about　the　place；　and　very　　likely　they　would　make　the　cow　angry。〃

Agamemnon　recalled　that　Mr。　Bromwick　once　wanted　to　hire　Mr。　Peterkin's　lot　for　　his　cow。

Mr。　Peterkin　started　up。

〃That　is　true；　and　of　course　Mr。　Bromwick　must　have　known　there　was　feed　enough　　for　one　cow。〃

〃And　the　reason　you　didn't　let　him　have　it；〃　said　Solomon　John；　〃was　that　　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　afraid　of　cows。〃

　〃I　did　not　like　the　idea；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃of　their　cow's　looking　at　me　　over　the　top　of　the　fence；　perhaps；　when　I　should　be　planting　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。　Peter