the peterkin papers-第7章

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〃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。　Peterkin　had　been　up　to　Mr。

Bromwick's　wood…lot；　and；　with　his　consent；　selected　the　tree。　Agamemnon　went　to　　look　at　it　occasionally　after　dark；　and　Solomon　John　made　frequent　visits　to　it　　mornings；　just　after　sunrise。　Mr。　Peterkin　drove　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　her　mother　　that　way；　and　pointed　furtively　to　it　with　his　whip；　but　none　of　them　ever　spoke　　of　it　aloud　to　each　other。　It　was　suspected　that　the　little　boys　had　been　to　see　　it　Wednesday　and　Saturday　afternoons。　But　they　came　home　with　their　pockets　full　　of　chestnuts；　and　said　nothing　about　it。

　At　length　Mr。　Peterkin　had　it　cut　down　and　brought　secretly　into　the　Larkin's　　barn。　A　week　or　two　before　Christmas　a　measurement　was　made　of　it　with　Elizabeth　　Eliza's　yard…measure。　To　Mr。　Peterkin's　great　dismay　it　was　discovered　that　it　　was　too　high　to　stand　in　the　back　parlor。

This　fact　was　brought　out　at　a　secret　council　of　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin；　　Elizabeth　Eliza；　and　Agamemnon。

Agamemnon　suggested　that　it　might　be　set　up　slanting；　but　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　very　　sure　it　would　make　her　dizzy；　and　the　candles　would　drip。

But　a　brilliant　idea　came　to　Mr。　Peterkin。　He　proposed　that　the　ceiling　of　the　　parlor　should　be　raised　to　make　room　for　the　top　of　the　tree。

Elizabeth　Eliza　thought　the　space　would　need　to　be　quite　large。　It　must　not　be　　like　a　small　box；　or　you　could　not　see　the　tree。

〃Yes；〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃I　should　have　the　ceiling　lifted　all　across　the　room；　　the　effect　would　be　finer。〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　objected　to　having　the　whole　ceiling　raised；　because　her　room　　was　over　the　back　parlor；　and　she　would　have　no　floor　while　the　alteration　was　　going　on；　which　would　be　very　awkward。　Besides；　her　room　was　not　very　high　now；　　and；　if　the　floor　were　raised；　perhaps　she　could　not　walk　in　it　upright。

Mr。　Peterkin　explained　that　he　didn't　propose　altering　the　whole　ceiling；　but　to　　life　up　a　ridge　across　the　room　at　the　back　part　where　the　tree　was　to　stand。