the peterkin papers-第14章

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　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　box　　of　fish…hooks　for　Solomon　John；　an　ink…bottle；　carefully　done　up　in　a　great　deal　　of　newspaper；　which　was　fortunate；　as　the　ink　was　oozing　out；　some　old　　magazines；　and　a　blacking…bottle；　and　at　the　bottom；　a　sun…dial。　It　was　all　very　　entertaining；　and　there　seemed　to　be　something　for　every　occasion　but　the　　present。　Old　Mr。　Bromwick　did　not　wonder　the　basket　was　so　heavy。　It　was　all　so　　interesting　that　nobody　but　the　Tremletts　went　down　to　the　carriages。

The　sun　was　shining　brighter　than　ever；　and　Ann　Maria　insisted　on　setting　up　the　　sun…dial。　Certainly　there　was　no　danger　of　a　shower；　and　they　might　as　well　go　　on　with　the　picnic。　But　when　Solomon　John　and　Ann　Maria　had　arranged　the　　sun…dial；　they　asked　everybody　to　look　at　their　watches；　so　that　they　might　see　　if　it　was　right。　And　then　came　a　great　exclamation　at　the　hour：　〃It　was　time　　they　were　all　going　home！〃

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　had　been　wrapping　her　shawl　about　her；　as　she　felt　　the　sun　was　low。　But　nobody　had　any　idea　it　was　so　late！　Well；　they　had　left　　late；　and　went　back　a　great　many　times；　had　stopped　sometimes　to　consult；　and　　had　been　long　on　the　road；　and　it　had　taken　a　long　time　to　fetch　up　the　things；　　so　it　was　no　wonder　it　was　time　to　go　away。　But　it　had　been　a　delightful　picnic；　　after　all。

　THE　PETERKINS'　CHARADES。　　EVER　since　the　picnic　the　Peterkins　had　been　wanting　to　have　〃something〃　at　　their　house　in　the　way　of　entertainment。　The　little　boys　wanted　to　get　up　a　　〃great　Exposition；〃　to　show　to　the　people　of　the　place。　But　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　　it　too　great　an　effort　to　send　to　foreign　countries　for　〃exhibits；〃　and　it　was　　given　up。

There　was；　however；　a　new　water…trough　needed　on　the　town　common；　and　the　ladies　　of　the　place　thought　it　ought　to　be　something　handsome；…something　more　than　a　　common　trough；…and　they　ought　to　work　for　it。

Elizabeth　Eliza　had　heard　at　Philadelphia　how　much　women　had　done；　and　she　felt　　they　ought　to　contribute　to　such　a　cause。　She　had　an　idea；　but　she　wo