the peterkin papers-第11部分

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aughters　of　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。　The　wagon　arrived；　and　so　　Mr。　Peterkin　had　the　horse　put　into　the　carryall。

　A　basket　had　been　kept　on　the　back　piazza　for　some　days；　where　anybody　could　　put　anything　that　would　be　needed　for　the　picnic　as　soon　as　it　was　thought　of。

Agamemnon　had　already　decided　to　take　a　thermometer；　somebody　was　always　　complaining　of　being　too　hot　or　too　cold　at　a　picnic；　and　it　would　be　a　great　　convenience　to　see　if　she　really　were　so。　He　thought　now　he　might　take　a　　barometer；　as　〃Probabilities〃　was　so　uncertain。　Then；　if　it　went　down　in　a　　threatening　way；　they　could　all　come　back。

The　little　boys　had　tied　their　kites　to　the　basket。　They　had　never　tried　them　at　　home；　it　might　be　a　good　chance　on　the　hills。　Solomon　John　had　put　in　some　　fishing…poles；　Elizabeth　Eliza；　a　book　of　poetry。　Mr。　Peterkin　did　not　like　　sitting　on　the　ground；　and　proposed　taking　two　chairs；　one　for　himself　and　one　　for　anybody　else。　The　little　boys　were　perfectly　happy；　they　jumped　in　and　out　　of　the　wagon　a　dozen　times；　with　new　india…rubber　boots；　bought　for　the　　occasion。

　Before　they　started；　Mrs。　Peterkin　began　to　think　she　had　already　had　enough　of　　the　picnic；　what　with　going　and　coming；　and　trying　to　remember　things。　So　many　　mistakes　were　made。　The　things　that　were　to　go　in　the　wagon　were　put　in　the　　carryall；　and　the　things　in　the　carryall　had　to　be　taken　out　for　the　wagon！

Elizabeth　Eliza　forgot　her　water…proof；　and　had　to　go　back　for　her　veil；　and　Mr。

Peterkin　came　near　forgetting　his　umbrella。

Mrs。　Peterkin　sat　on　the　piazza　and　tried　to　think。　She　felt　as　if　she　must　have　　forgotten　something；　she　knew　she　must。　Why　could　not　she　think　of　it　now；　　before　it　was　too　late？　It　seems　hard　any　day　to　think　what　to　have　for　dinner；　　but　how　much　easier　now　it　would　be　to　stay　at　home　quietly　and　order　the　　dinner；…and　there　was　the　butcher's　cart！　But　now　they　must　think　of　everything。

　　At　last　she　was　put　into　the　carryall；　and　Mr。　Peterkin　in　front　to　drive。

Twice　they　started；　and　twice　they　found　something　was　left　behind；…the　loaf　of　　fresh　brown　bread　on　the　back　piazza；　and　a　basket　of　sandwiches　on　the　front　　porch。　And　just　as　the　wagon　was　leaving；　the　little　boys　shrieked；　〃The　basket　　of　things　was　left　behind！〃

Everybody　got　out　of　the　wagon。　Agamemnon　went　back　into　the　house；　to　see　if　　anything　else　were　left。　He　looked　into　the　closets；　he　shut　the　front　door；　and　　was　so　busy　that　he　forgot　to　get　into　the　wagon　himself。　It　started　off　and　　went　down　the　street　without　him！

He　was　wondering　what　he　should　do　if　he　were　left　behind　（why　had　they　not　　thought　to　arrange　a　telegraph　wire　to　the　back　wheel　of　the　wagon；　so　that　he　　might　have　sent　a　message　in　such　a　case！）；　when　the　Bromwicks　drove　out　of　　their　yard　in　their　buggy；　and　took　him　in。

　They　joined　the　rest　of　the　party　at　Tatham　Corners；　where　they　were　all　to　　meet　and　consult　where　they　were　to　go。　Mrs。　Peterkin　called　to　Agamemnon；　as　　soon　as　he　appeared。　She　had　been　holding　the　barometer　and　the　thermometer；　and　　they　waggled　so　that　it　troubled　her。　It　was　hard　keeping　the　thermometer　out　of　　the　sun；　which　would　make　it　so　warm。　It　really　took　away　her　pleasure；　holding　　the　things。　Agamemnon　decided　to　get　into　the　carryall；　on　the　seat　with　his　　father；　and　take　the　barometer　and　thermometer。

The　consultation　went　on。　Should　they　go　to　Cherry　Swamp；　or　Lonetown　Hill？　You　　had　the　view　if　you　went　to　Lonetown　Hill；　but　maybe　the　drive　to　Cherry　Swamp　　was　prettier。

Somebody　suggested　asking　the　lady　from　Philadelphia；　as　the　picnic　was　got　up　　for　her。

But　where　was　she？

〃I　declare；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃I　forgot　to　stop　for　her！〃　The　whole　picnic　　there；　and　no　lady　from　Philadelphia！

It　seemed　the　horse　had　twitched　his　head　in　a　threatening　manner　as　they　passed　　the　house；　and　Mr。　Peterkin　had　forgotten　to　stop；　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　had　been　so　　busy　managing　the　thermometers　that　she　had　not　noticed；　and　the　wagon　had　　followed　on　behind。

　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　in　despair。　She　knew　they　had　forgotten　something！　She　did　　not　like　to　have　Mr。　Peterkin　make　a　short　turn；　and　it　was　getting　late；　and　　what　would　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　think　of　it；　and　had　they　not　better　give　　it　all　up？

But　everybody　said　〃No！〃　and　Mr。　Peterkin　said　he　could　make　a　wide　turn　round　　the　Lovejoy　barn。　So　they　made　the　turn；　and　took　up　the　lady　from　Philadelphia；　　and　the　wagon　followed　behind　and　took　up　their　daughters；　for　there　was　a　　driver　in　the　wagon　besides　Solomon　John。

　Ann　Maria　Bromwick　said　it　was　so　late　by　this　time；　they　might　as　well　stop　　and　have　the　picnic　on　the　Common！　But　the　question　was　put　again；　Where　should　　they　go？

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　decided　for　Strawberry　Nook…it　sounded　inviting。

There　were　no　strawberries；　and　there　was　no　nook；　it　was　said；　but　there　was　a　　good　place　to　tie　the　horses。

Mrs。　Peterkin　was　feeling　a　little　nervous；　for　she　did　not　know　what　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia　would　think　of　their　having　forgotten　her；　and　the　more　she　　tried　to　explain　it；　the　worse　it　seemed　to　make　it。　She　supposed　they　never　did　　such　things　in　Philadelphia；　she　knew　they　had　invited　all　the　world　to　a　party；　　but　she　was　sure　she　would　never　want　to　invite　anybody　again。　There　was　no　fun　　about　it　till　it　was　all　over。　Such　a　mistake…to　have　a　party　for　a　person；　and　　then　go　without　her；　but　she　knew　they　would　forget　something！　She　wished　they　　had　not　called　it　their　picnic。

There　was　another　bother！　Mr。　Peterkin　stopped。　〃Was　anything　broke？〃　exclaimed　　Mrs。　Peterkin。　〃Was　something　forgotten？〃　asked　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。

　No！　But　Mr。　Peterkin　didn't　know　the　way；　and　here　he　was　leading　all　the　　party；　and　a　long　row　of　carriages　following。

They　stopped；　and　it　seemed　nobody　knew　the　way　to　Strawberry　Nook；　unless　it　　was　the　Gibbons　boys；　who　were　far　behind。　They　were　made　to　drive　up；　and　said　　that　Strawberry　Nook　was　in　quite　a　different　direction；　but　they　could　bring　　the　party　round　to　it　through　the　meadows。

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　thought　they　might　stop　anywhere；　such　a　pleasant　　day；　but　Mr。　Peterkin　said　they　were　started　for　Strawberry　Nook；　and　had　better　　keep　on；　　　So　they　kept　on。　It　proved　to　be　an　excellent　place；　where　they　could　tie　the　　horses　to　a　fence。　Mrs。　Peterkin　did　not　like　their　all　heading　different　ways；　　it　seemed　as　if　any　of　them　might　come　at　her；　and　tear　up　the　fence；　especially　　as　the　little　boys　had　their　kites　flapping　round。　The　Tremletts　insisted　upon　　the　whole　party　going　up　the　hill；　it　was　too　damp　below。　So　the　Gibbons　boys；　　and　the　little　boys　and　Agamemnon；　and　Solomon　John；　and　all　the　party　had　to　　carry　everything　up　to　the　rocks。　The　large　basket　of　〃things〃　was　very　heavy。

It　had　been　difficult　to　lift　it　into　the　wagon；　and　it　was　harder　to　take　it　　out。　But　with　the　help　of　the　driver；　and　Mr。　Peterkin；　and　old　Mr。　Bromwick；　it　　was　got　up　the　hill。

And　at　last　all　was　arranged。　Mr。　Peterkin　was　seated　in　his　chair。　The　other　　was　offered　to　the　lady　from　Philadelphia；　but　she　preferred　the　carriage　　cushions；　so　did　old　Mr。　Bromwick。　And　the　table…cloth　was　spread；…for　they　did　　bring　a　table…cloth；…and　the　baskets　were　opened；　and　the　picnic　really　began。

The　pickles　had　tumbled　into　the　butter；　and　the　spoons　had　been　forgotten；　and　　the　Tremletts'　basket　had　been　left　on　their　front　door…step。　But　nobody　seemed　　to　mind。　Everybody　was　hungry；　and　everything　they　ate　seemed　of　the　best。　The　　little　boys　were　perfectly　happy；　and　ate　of　all　the　kinds　of　cake。　Two　of　the　　Tremletts　would　stand　while　they　were　eating；　because　they　were　afraid　of　the　　ants　and　the　spiders　that　seemed　to　be　crawling　round。　And　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　　to　keep　poking　with　a　fern　leaf　to　drive　the　insects　out　of　the　plates。　The　lady　　from　Philadelphia　was　made　comfortable　with　the　cushions　and　shawls；　leaning　　against　a　rock。　Mrs。　Peterkin　wondered　if　she　forgot　she　had　been　forgotten。

John　Osborne　said　it　was　time　for　conundrums；　and　asked：　〃Why　is　a　pastoral　　musical　play　better　than　the　music　we　have　here？　Because　one　is　a　grasshopper；　　and　the　other　is　a　grass…opera！〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　said　she　knew　a　conundrum；　a　very　funny　one；　one　of　her　friends　　in　Boston　had　told　her。　It　was；　〃Why　is…〃　It　began；　〃Why　is　something　like…〃

…no；　〃Why　are　they　different？〃　It　was　something　about　an　old　woman；　or　else　it　　was　something　about　a　young　one。　It　was　very　funny；　if　she　could　only　think　what　　it　was　about；　or　whether　it　was　alike　or　different。

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　was　proposing　they　should　guess　Elizabeth　Eliza's　　conundrum；　first　the　question；　and　then　the　answer；　when　one　of　the　Tremletts　　came　running　down　the　hill；　and　declared　she　had　just　discovered　a　very　　threatening　cloud；　and　she　was　sure　it　was　going　to　rain　down　directly。

Everybody　started　up；　though　no　cloud　was　to　be　seen。

There　was　a　great　looking　for　umbrellas　and　water…proofs。　Then　it　appeared　that　　Elizabeth　Eliza　had　left　hers；　after　all；　though　she　had　gone　back　for　it　twice。

Mr。　Peterkin　knew　he　had　not　forgotten　his　umbrella；　because　he　had　put　the　　whole　umbrella…stand　into　the　wagon；　and　it　had　been　brought　up　the　hill；　but　it　　proved　to　hold　only　the　family　canes！

　There　was　a　great　cry　for　the　〃emergency　basket；〃　that　had　not　been　opened　yet。

Mrs。　Peterkin　explained　how　for　days　the　family　had　been　putting　into　it　what　　might　be　needed；　as　soon　as　anything　was　thought　of。　Everybody　stopped　to　see　　its　contents。　It　was　carefully　covered　with　newspapers。　First　came　out　a　　backgammon…board。　〃That　would　be　useful；〃　said　Ann　Maria；　〃if　we　have　to　spend　　the　afternoon　in　anybody's　barn。〃　Next；　a　pair　of　andirons。　〃What　were　they　　for？〃　〃In　case　of　needing　a　fire　in　the　woods；〃　explained　Solomon　John。　Then　　came　a　volume　of　the　Encyclop？dia。　But　it　was　the　first　volume；　Agamemnon　now　　regretted；　and　contained　only　A　and　a　part　of　B；　and　nothing　about　rain　or　　showers。　Next；　a　bag　of　pea…nuts；　put　in　by　the　little　boys；　and　Elizabeth　　Eliza's　book　of　poetry；　and　a　change　of　boots　for　Mr。　Peterkin；　a　small　foot…rug　　in　case　the　ground　should　be　damp；　some　paint…boxes　of　the　little　boys'；　　a　bo