tattine-第5部分

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and　nearer；　saying　over　gently；　〃Whoa；　Lizzie！　dear　little　birdies！〃　until　she
came　very　near　and　then　she　put　out　one　hand　towards　them。　That　was　enough　for
the　fledglings。　Refreshed　by　their　rest　on　the　shafts；　they　flapped　their
tiny　wings　and　fluttered　up　to　the　anxious　mother　bird　on　the　branches　above
them；　wholly　unconscious　that　they　had　been　in　any　peril　whatsoever。

〃And　Black…and…white　would　have　killed　them；　every　one；　if　she　had　had　the
chance；〃　thought　Tattine；　〃oh；　if　I　only　knew　how　to　teach　her　a　lesson！〃　



CHAPTER　V。　THE　KIRKS　AT　HOME

Barney　the　donkey　was　harnessed；　and　Tattine　sat　in　the　little　donkey…cart
waiting；　and　as　she　waited　she　was　saying　aloud；　〃What；　Grandma　Luty？　Yes；
Grandma　Luty。　No；　Grandma　Luty。　What　did　you　say；　Grandma　Luty？〃　and　this　she
said　in　the　most　polite　little　tone　imaginable。　Meantime　Rudolph　and　Mabel；
discovering　that　Tattine　did　not　see　them；　came　stealing　along　under　cover　of
the　apple…trees。

〃Whatever　is　Tattine　doing；　talking　to　herself　like　that？〃　whispered　Mabel；
and　then　they　came　near　enugh　to　hear　what　she　was　saying。

〃She's　out　of　her　head；〃　said　Rudolph；　wh俷　they　had　listened'some　moments；
and　then　Tattine　turned　round　and　saw　them。

〃No；　I'm　not　out　of　my　head　at　all；〃　she　laughed；　〃I　was　just　practicing　a
little　while　I　waited　for　you。〃

〃Practicing　your　GRANDMOTHER；〃　which　as　you　have　observed　was　a　pet　expression
with　Rudolph；　whenever　he　wished　to　intimate　that　he　considered　your　remarks
to　be　simply　absurd。

〃Yes；　that's　exactly　it；〃　Tattine　answered　good…naturedly。　〃I　am　practicing　my
Grandmother。　Grandma　Luty；　that's　Mamma's　mother；　has　come　to　make　us　a　visit；
and　Mamma　has　discovered　that　I'm　not　very　polite　to　old　people。　Children　used
to　be　taught；　you　know；　to　say；　'Yes'm；'　and　'Yes；　sir；'　but　now　that　is　not
considered　nice　at　all；　and　you　must　always　say　the　name　of　the　person　you　are
speaking　to；　especially　if　they　are　older　people；　to　whom　you　ought　to　be
respectful；〃　and　Tattine　sounded　quite　like　a　little　grandmother　herself　as
she　talked。

〃Yes；　we　know；　and　it's　an　awful　bother；〃　sighed　Rudolph。　〃We're　fairly　nagged
about　it；　Mabel　and　I；　but　Mother　says　she's　going　to　keep　it　up　until　we
always　do　it。　Perhaps　we　would　get　on　faster　if　we　practised　by　ourselves　as
you　do；　but　really；　Tattine；　it　did　sound　as　though　you　were　out　of　your　head；
to　hear　you　saying　all　those　sentences　over　to　yourself。〃

While　the　children　were　having　this　little　talk　about　politeness；　Rudolph　and
Mabel　had　climbed　into　the　wagon；　and　the　donkey；　acting　upon　a　suggestion
from　Tattine's　whip；　had　started　down　the　roadway。　The　trio　were　off　for
Patrick's；　for　this　was　to　be　the　day　of　the　Kirks'　〃At　Home；〃　and；　dressed　in
kis　Sunday…best；　Patrick　that　very　minute　was　waiting　at　his　door　to　receive
them。

Full　two　miles　lay　ahead　of　the　children；　and　though　Barney　fortunately　seemed
to　be　in　the　mood　for　doing　his　best；　Patrick　would　still　have　a　full
half…hour　to　wait。　At　last　the　donkey…cart　drew　up　at　the　Kirks'　door　and　two
happy　old　people　welcomed　three　happy　little　people　into　their　comfortable
little　home。　It　would　take　another　book；　the　size　of　this　one；　to　tell　you　all
the　doings　of　that　August　day。　First　they　went　into　the　house　and　laid　their
wraps　on　the　white　coverlid　of　the　great　high　feather…bed　in　the　little　spare
room；　and　then　Mrs。　Kirk　sat　them　down　to　three　little　blue　bowls　of
bread…and…milk；　remarking；　〃shure　you　must　be　after　being　hungry　from　your
long　drive；〃　and　the　children　ate　it　with　far　more　relish　than　home
bread…and…milk　was　ever　eaten。

〃Now　I'm　doubting〃〃　said　Patrick；　standing　with　his　back　to　the　cooking…stove
and　with　a　corn…cob　pipe　in　his　mouth；　〃if　it's　the　style　to　have
bread…and…milk　at　'At　Homes'　in　the　city。〃

〃Patrick；〃　answered　Tattine　seriously；　〃we　do　not　want　this　to　be　a　city　'At
Home。'　I　don't　care　for　them　at　all。　Everybody　stays　for　just　a　little　while；
and　everybody　talks　at　once；　and　as　loudly　as　they　can；　and　at　some　of　them
they　only　have　tea　and　a　little　cake　or　something　like　that　to　eat；〃　and
Tattine　glanced　at　the　kitchen…table　over　by　the　window　with　a　smile　and　a
shake　of　the　head；　as　though　very　much　better　pleased　with　what　she　saw　there。
A　pair　of　chickens　lay　ready　for　broiling　on　a　blue　china　platter。　Several
ears　of　corn　were　husked　ready　for　the　pot　they　were　to　be　boiled　in。　A　plate
of　cold　potatoes　looked　as　though　waiting　for　the　frying…pan；　and　from　the
depths　of　a　glass　fruit…dish　a　beautiful　pile　of　Fall…pippins　towered　up　to　a
huge　red　apple　at　the　top。

〃Indade；　thin；　but　we'll　do　our　best；〃　said　Mrs。　Kirk；　〃to　make　it　as
different　from　what　you　be　calling　a　city　'At　Home'　as　possible；　and　now
suppose　you　let　Patrick　take　you　over　our　bit　of　a　farm；　and　see　what　you
foind　to　interest　you；　and　I'm　going　wid　yer；　while　ye　have　a　look　at　my
geese；　for　there's　not　the　loike　of　my　geese　at　any　of　the　big　gentlemin's
farms　within　tin　miles　of　us。〃

And　so；　nothing　loth；　the　little　party　filed　out　of　the　house；　and　after　all
hands　had　assisted　in　unharnessing　Barney　and　tying　him　into　his　stall；　with　a
manger…full　of　sweet；　crisp　hay　for　his　dinner；　they　followed　Mrs。　Kirk's　lead
to　the　little　pond　at　the　foot　of　the　apple…orchard。　And　then　what　did　they
see！　but　a　truly　beautiful　great　flock　of　white　geese。　Some　were　sailing
gracefully　around　the　pond；　some　were　pluming　their　snowy　breasts　on　the　shore
beside　it；　and　three；　the　finest　of　them　all；　and　each　with　a　bow　of　ribbon
tied　round　its　long　neck；　were　confined　within　a　little　picket…fence　apart
from　the　others。

〃Why；　what　beauties；　Mrs。　Kirk！〃　exclaimed　Tattine；　the　minute　she　spied　them；
〃and　what　are　the　ribbons　for？　Do　they　mean　they　have　taken　a　prize　at　some
show　or　other？　And　why　do　they　each　have　a　different　color？〃

〃They　mane；〃　said　Mrs。　Kirk　proudly；　standing　with　her　hands　upon　her　hips　and
her　face　fairly　beaming；　〃they　mane　as　how　they're　to　be　presinted　to　you
three　children。　The　red　is　for　Master　Rudolph；　the　white　is　for　Miss　Mabel；
and　the　blue　is　for　you；　Miss　Tattine。〃

〃Oh；　Mrs。　Kirk！〃　the　three　children　exclaimed；　with　delight；　and　Mabel　added
politely；　〃But　do　you　really　think　you　can　spare　them；　Mrs。　Kirk？〃

〃Why；　of　course　she　can！　can't　you；　Mrs。　Kirk？〃　cut　in　Rudolph　warmly；　for　the
idea　of　relinquishing　such　a　splendid　gift　was　not　for　a　moment　to　be　thought
of。　〃I　wonder　how　we　can　get　them　home；〃　he　added；　by　way　of　settling　the
matter。

〃Indade；　thin；　and　I　have　this　foine　crate　ready　to　go　right　in　the　back　of
your　cart；〃　and　there；　to　be　sure；　was　a　fine　sort　of　cage　with　a　board　top
and　bottom　and　laths　at　the　sides；　while　other　laths　were　lying　ready　to　be
nailed　into　place　after　the　geese　should　have　been　stowed　away　within　it。　The
children　were　simply　wild　over　this　addition　to　their　separate　little　sets　of
live…stock；　and　although　the　whole　day　was　delightful；　there　was　all　the　while
an　almost　impatient　looking　forward　to　the　supreme　moment　when　they　should
start　for　home　with　those　beautiful　geese　in　their　keeping。　And　at　last　it
came。

〃I　wonder　if　my　goose　will　be　a　little　lonely；〃　said　Tattine；　as　they　all
stood　about；　watching　Patrick　nail　on　the　laths。

〃Faith　and　it　will　thin；〃　said　Mrs。　Kirk。　〃It　never　came　to　my　moind　that　they
wouldn't　all　three　be　together。　Here's　little　Grey…wing　to　keep　Blue…ribbon
company；〃　and　Mrs。　Kirk　seized　one　of　the　smaller　geese　that　happened　to　be
near　her；　and　squeezed　it　into　the　cage　through　the　small　opening　that　was
left。

〃Well；　if　you　can　spare　it；　I　think　that　is　better；　Mrs。　Kirk；　because
everything　has　a　companion　over　at　our　place。　We　have　two　cats；　two　pairs　of
puppies；　two　little　bay　horses；　and　two　greys；　and　two　everything；　but　as
there's　only　one　of　me　I　am　friends　with　them　all〃

〃Bless　your　heart；　but　I'm　glad　you　thought　to　mintion　it；〃　and　then　Patrick
and　Mrs。　Kirk　gave　each　little　extended　hand　a　hearty　shake；　and　the
childrendeclaring　over　and　over　that　〃they　had　a　lovely　time　and　were　so
much　obliged　for　the　geese〃climbed　into　the　cart　and　set　off　for　home。

〃I'd　go　the　short　cut　by　the　ford；〃　advised　Patrick；　〃it　looks　like　we　might
get　a　shower　by　sunset。〃

〃Yes；　I　think　we　would　better；〃　said　Rudolph；　glancing　toward　the　clouds　in
the　west　Rudolph　prided　himself　on　his　ability　to　forecast　the　weather；　and
was　generally　able　to　tell　correctly　when　a　shower　was　pretty　sure　to　come　and
when　it　was　likely　to　〃go　round。〃

So　Barney　was　coaxed　into　a　good　gait；　which　he　was　ready　as　a　rule　to　take
towards　home；　and　the　little　ford　by　way　of　a　farm…lane；　and　which　saved　a
good　mile　on　the　road　home；　was　soon　reached。　Barney　knew　the　place　well　and；
always　enjoying　it；　picked　his　way　carefully　to　the　middle　of　the　ford；　and
then　he　took　it　into　his　stubborn　little　head　to　stand　stock　still；　and　to
plant　his　four　hoofs　firmly　in　the　nice　soft　mud　at　the　bottom　of　the　stream。

〃Go　on；〃　urged　Tattine；　〃Go　on；〃　urged　Mabel；　and　Rudolph　applied　his　sapling
whip　with　might　and　main；　but　all　to　no　effect。　Meantime　some　geese　from　a
neighboring　farm　had　come　sailing　out　into　the　ford；　to　have　a　look　at　their
friends　in　the　crate；　and　the　geese　in　the　crate；　wild　to　be　out　on　the　water
with　their　comrades；　craned　their　long　necks　far　out　between　the　laths；　and
set　up　a　tremendous　squawking。　It　was　rather　a　comical　situation；　and　the
children　laughed　till　their　sides　ached；　but　after　a　while　it　ceased　to　be　so
funny。　The　clouds　were　rolling　up　blacker；　and　there　was　an　occasional　flash
of　lightning　far　off　in　the　distance；　but　Barney　stood　still　obdurate　and
unmoved；　simply　revelling　in　the　sensation　of　the　cool　water；　running
down…stream　against　his　four　little　donkey…legs。　At　last　Rudolph　was　at　his
wits'　end；　for　what　did　Tattine　and　Mabel　do　but　commence　to　cry。　Great　drops
of　rain　were　falling　now；　and　they　COULD　NOT　BEAR　THE　THOUGHT　of　being　mid…way
in　that　stream　with　the　storm　breaking　right　above　their　heads；　and　when
girls；　little　or　big；　young　or　old；　cannot　bear　the　thought　of　things　they
cry。　It　does　not　always　help　matters；　it　frequently　makes　them　more　difficult；
but　then　again　so