the peterkin papers-第23章
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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 where the cow was kept that the educational breakfast was long postponed。 The little boys continued at school； as before； and the conversation dwelt as little as possible upon the subject of education。
Mrs。 Peterkin's spirits； however； gradually recovered。 The little boys were allowed to watch the cow at her feed。 A series of strings were arranged by Agamemnon and Solomon John； by which the little boys could be pulled up； if they should again fall down into the enclosure。 These were planned something like curtain…cords； and Solomon John frequently amused himself by pulling one of the little boys up or letting him down。
Some conversation did again fall upon the old difficulty of questions。 Elizabeth Eliza declared that it was not always necessary to answer； that many who could did not answer questions；…the conductors of the railroads； for instance； who probably knew the names of all the stations on a road； but were seldom able to tell them。
〃Yes；〃 said Agamemnon； 〃one might be a conductor without even knowing the names of the stations； because you can't understand them when they do tell them！〃
〃I never know；〃 said Elizabeth Eliza； 〃whether it is ignorance in them； or unwillingness； that prevents them from telling you how soon one station is coming； or how long you are to stop； even if one asks ever so many times。 It would be useful if they would tell。〃
Mrs。 Peterkin thought this was carried too far in the horse…cars in Boston。 The conductors had always left you as far as possible from the place where you wanted to stop； but it seemed a little too much to have the aldermen take it up； and put a notice in the cars； ordering the conductors 〃to stop at the farthest crossing。〃
Mrs。 Peterkin was； indeed； recovering her spirits。 She had been carrying on a brisk correspondence with Philadelphia； that she had imparted to no one； and at last she announced； as its result； that she was ready for a breakfast on educational principles。
A breakfast indeed； when it appeared！ Mrs。 Peterkin had mistaken the alphabetical suggestion； and had grasped the idea that the whole alphabet must be represented in one breakfast。
This； therefore； was the bill of fare： Apple…sauce； Bread； Butter； Coffee； Cream； Doughnuts； Eggs； Fish…balls； Griddles； Ham； Ice （on butter）； Jam； Krout （sour）； Lamb…chops； Morning Newspapers； Oatmeal； Pepper； Quince…marmalade； Rolls； Salt； Tea Urn； Veal…pie； Waffles； Yeast…biscuit。
Mr。 Peterkin was proud and astonished。 〃Excellent！〃 he cried。 〃Every letter represented except Z。〃 Mrs。 Peterkin drew from her pocket a letter from the lady from Philadelphia。 〃She thought you would call it X…cellent for X； and she tells us；〃 she read； 〃that if you come with a zest； you will bring the Z。〃
Mr。 Peterkin was enchanted。 He only felt that he ought to invite the children in the primary schools to such a breakfast； what a zest； indeed； it would give to the study of their letters！
It was decided to begin with Apple…sauce。
〃How happy；〃 exclaimed Mr。 Peterkin； 〃that this should come first of all！ A child might be brought up on apple…sauce till he had mastered the first letter of the alphabet； and could go on to the more involved subjects hidden in bread； butter； baked beans； etc。〃
Agamemnon thought his father hardly knew how much was hidden in the apple。 There was all the story of William Tell and the Swiss independence。 The little boys were wild to act William Tell； but Mrs。 Peterkin was afraid of the arrows。 Mrs。
Peterkin proposed they should begin by eating the apple…sauce； then discussing it； first botanically； next historically； or perhaps first historically； beginning with Adam and Eve； and the first apple。
Mrs。 Peterkin feared the coffee would be getting cold； and the griddles were waiting。 For herself； she declared she felt more at home on the marmalade； because the quinces came from grandfather's； and she had seen them planted； she remembered all about it； and
