Mary Jane - Her Visit | Page 5

act like she wouldn't hurt me," she added.
Grandfather threw back his head and laughed at that. "No, she didn't;
you're right, Mary Jane! She acted pretty bad. But you shouldn't be here
alone before you get used to our family."
Grandmother explained about the 'phone calling her back. "And I left
the receiver hanging, I came so quickly," she added laughingly. "I
guess I'll go back now and hang it up."
"Then I'll show Mary Jane around myself," said Grandfather firmly.
"She's more important than work, so there!" He set her down beside
him, took her hand snugly in his own (and it feels pretty good to have
somebody hold your hand when everything is strange, you know that
yourself), and they started off.
First they went into the barn where they saw Mrs. Pig, grunting still,
but standing very meekly in her own corner; and eleven little pigs that
grunted such cunning, squeaky little grunts. Mary Jane wasn't afraid of
them for one minute. They weren't dirty as Mary Jane supposed pigs
always were, not a bit dirty; they were tidy and neat and their little
round sides shone like silk.
"Oh, I like them, Grandfather!" she exclaimed. "Could I play with them

someday?"
"I thought you didn't like pigs," teased Grandfather.
"Oh, but these aren't pigs," corrected Mary Jane; "these are _piggies_;
nice piggies like in my painting book. I like them."
"I don't know about playing with them," laughed Grandfather; "we'll
have to see. But I'll tell you what you may do; when we're through
looking all over the place, you may come back here with me and feed
them. Would you like that?"
Would she? Mary Jane clapped her hands and wanted to insist on
feeding them right that very minute; only, just in time, she remembered
that she wasn't to tease. So she slipped her hand back into Grandfather's
big one and they went on with their walk.
Next they saw Brindle Bess, but Mary Jane didn't like her as well as the
little pigs. She switched her tail and looked around at Mary Jane so
pointedly that Mary Jane was really relieved when Grandfather slipped
around and opened the door and let her wander out to pasture.
"She's an awful big cow, isn't she, Grandfather?" said Mary Jane, as the
cow ambled off.
"Oh, I don't know about that," said Grandfather, not understanding.
"Well, she's lots bigger than me when I'm five," said Mary Jane
positively. "I think I like little things best."
"Then I've the very creature to show you," said Grandfather, "and we
might as well see him now because your grandmother will want to
show you the chickens when she comes out. We'll lock this door so Mrs.
Pig can't get out into the front barn yard again, and then we'll cross the
road and I'll show you something you'll like."
"Will it be big?" asked Mary Jane as she skipped along beside him.
"Middling big and middling little," answered Grandfather.
"Will it be brown or gray?" asked Mary Jane, thinking of the cow and
the pigs.
"Neither," said Grandfather.
That puzzled Mary Jane, but she couldn't think of anything else to
guess so she kept her eyes carefully ahead as they went down the yard
and across the road, in hopes she Would see the surprise quicker that
way.
Across the road from Grandfather's house was a strip of wooded land
which Grandfather had let grow wild. Grandmother loved the trees and

the wild flowers and liked to feel that they were near to her.
"Oh!" exclaimed Mary Jane as they crossed the road, "see those trees!
Are those the surprise?"
"My, no!" replied Grandfather; "those are only a couple of wild crab
trees--they do look pretty full of bloom as they are, don't they? But the
surprise is a real, live, running around surprise. Here, let me boost you
over the fence; that's more fun than a dozen gates." He set Mary Jane
over the fence and then came in the gate and locked it carefully behind
him.
"Are you 'fraid it'll get away, is that why you lock the gate?" asked
Mary Jane.
"Well, it's pretty little to run away," said Grandfather, "but you never
can tell, so I lock it to be sure." He took hold of Mary Jane's hand again
as he added, "now just behind these trees; and around these bushes;
and--"
"I see it myself," exclaimed Mary Jane, "and I know what it is--it's a
little sheep!" She dropped his hand and ran a few steps toward the lamb
she saw grazing a few steps away. But just as she drew near, the lamb
spied her and started to meet her. Mary Jane ran quickly back toward
her grandfather; it was one thing to go