Mary Erskine | Page 2

rules.
One morning Malleville, after lying awake a few minutes, listening to
the birds that were singing in the yard, and wishing that the window
was open so that she could hear them more distinctly, heard Phonny's
voice calling to her.
"Malleville," said he, "are you awake?"
"Yes," said Malleville, "are you?"
"Yes," said Phonny, "I'm awake--but what a cold morning it is!"
It was indeed a cold morning, or at least a very cool one. This was
somewhat remarkable, as it was in the month of June. But the country
about Franconia was cold in winter, and cool in summer. Phonny and
Malleville rose and dressed themselves, and then went down stairs.
They hoped to find a fire in the sitting-room, but there was none.
"How sorry I am," said Phonny. "But hark, I hear a roaring."
"Yes," said Malleville; "it is the oven; they are going to bake."
The back of the oven was so near to the partition wall which formed
one side of the sitting-room, that the sound of the fire could be heard
through it. The mouth of the oven however opened into another small
room connected with the kitchen, which was called the baking-room.
The children went out into the baking-room, to warm themselves by the

oven fire.
"I am very glad that it is a cool day," said Phonny, "for perhaps mother
will let us go to Mary Erskine's. Should not you like to go?"
"Yes," said Malleville, "very much. Where is it?"
The readers who have perused the preceding volumes of this series will
have observed that Mary Bell, who lived with her mother in the
pleasant little farm-house at a short distance from the village, was
always called by her full name, Mary Bell, and not ever, or scarcely
ever, merely Mary. People had acquired the habit of speaking of her in
this way, in order to distinguish her from another Mary who lived with
Mrs. Bell for several years. This other Mary was Mary Erskine. Mary
Erskine did not live now at Mrs. Bell's, but at another house which was
situated nearly two miles from Mrs. Henry's, and the way to it was by a
very wild and unfrequented road. The children were frequently
accustomed to go and make Mary Erskine a visit; but it was so long a
walk that Mrs. Henry never allowed them to go unless on a very cool
day.
At breakfast that morning Phonny asked his mother if that would not be
a good day for them to go and see Mary Erskine. Mrs. Henry said that
it would be an excellent day, and that she should be very glad to have
them go, for there were some things there to be brought home. Besides
Beechnut was going to mill, and he could carry them as far as Kater's
corner.
Kater's corner was a place where a sort of cart path, branching off from
the main road, led through the woods to the house where Mary Erskine
lived. It took its name from a farmer, whose name was Kater, and
whose house was at the corner where the roads diverged. The main
road itself was very rough and wild, and the cart path which led from
the corner was almost impassable in summer, even for a wagon, though
it was a very romantic and beautiful road for travelers on horseback or
on foot. In the winter the road was excellent: for the snow buried all the
roughness of the way two or three feet deep, and the teams which went
back and forth into the woods, made a smooth and beautiful track for

every thing on runners, upon the top of it.
Malleville and Phonny were very much pleased with the prospect of
riding a part of the way to Mary Erskine's, with Beechnut, in the wagon.
They made themselves ready immediately after breakfast, and then
went and sat down upon the step of the door, waiting for Beechnut to
appear. Beechnut was in the barn, harnessing the horse into the wagon.
Malleville sat down quietly upon the step while waiting for Beechnut.
Phonny began to amuse himself by climbing up the railing of the
bannisters, at the side of the stairs. He was trying to poise himself upon
the top of the railing and then to work himself up the ascent by pulling
and pushing with his hands and feet against the bannisters themselves
below.
"I wish you would not do that," said Malleville. "I think it is very
foolish, for you may fall and hurt yourself."
"No," said Phonny. "It is not foolish. It is very useful for me to learn to
climb." So saying he went on scrambling up the railing of the
bannisters as before.
Just then Beechnut came along through the yard,