The Goat and Her Kid | Page 7

diamonds,
because it was so shaded. Now you will put the brown oak leaves, all
shining. Here are some more; do put these; and then the pretty little
brown beech leaves glittering all over. It looks beautiful!"
"How pretty the form of the oak leaves is," said Chrissy.
"Now let us take it in to mamma," cried Mary.
"But, remember," said Chrissy, "if we take it in all its charm will vanish.
Here in the frosty air it looks as if it had been dressed up by the fairies,
but in the warm room we should soon have nothing but a bare twig and
a few withered leaves."
Mary looked rather sad.
"See," said Chrissy, "let us fasten it to the top of your mamma's favorite

seat under the beech-tree; it will make a pretty ornament there."
Now the sliding began. Mary's papa took hold of her hand and ran with
her along the field, till they came to the edge of the pond; then away
they went, sliding side by side. He kept tight hold of her hand; for she
could not help tumbling down very often, because this was only the
second time she had tried. Once they both very nearly had a tumble, for
Bouncer came out, and ran bounding and barking by their side, and
rushed on the ice with them; but he suddenly stopped short and barked,
as if to say, "How is this? What makes the water so hard this morning?"
and when he stopped they nearly tumbled over him, but they managed
to keep up. After sliding till Mary's face looked like a rosy-cheeked
apple, it was time to go in to lessons; and afterwards they took a walk,
and saw some gentlemen and boys skating on the large pond on the
Common.
Just as Mary's mamma said they must go home, the London coach with
its four horses came gayly along the hard frosty road along the
Common. A boy on the top waved a red handkerchief, and Mary cried
out, "That's Thomas; I know it is!" She was quite right, for the coach
stopped, and aunt Mary and Willie got out, while Thomas slid down
from the roof. They were soon shaking hands, giving kisses and kind
welcomes, and all walked merrily up the lane, and had a very happy
dinner.
Then came what Mary called "happy time." This was the time when it
grew dark, candles were brought, shutters and curtains closed, and they
all collected round the tea-table, while the fire blazed, the kettle boiled,
and everything looked bright and pleasant. This evening it seemed
happier than ever; and next morning it was delightful to awake and
remember who had come to the cottage, and to see the party at
breakfast; and then to have Thomas and Willie to slide on the pond.
Mary grew quite a brave slider before they were called in to dinner.
When dinner was over, she asked her mamma whether they should not
go on with nice work this evening? and her mamma said, "O, yes, they
must, or they should not be ready." This "nice work" was preparing a
number of presents, which were to be given away at Christmas. None

of their friends had been forgotten. Mary was busy hemming, knitting,
dressing dolls, and making pincushions; her mamma was also hard at
work, and besides, was often cutting out and fixing, and had a village
girl, who came almost every day for work, making frocks and different
things; Chrissy was also busy making all kinds of pretty things.
When aunt Mary heard of it, she said, "We are all at work in the same
way. Thomas has brought his turning lathe, and a few tools that he has,
and he and Willie are very busy about something." Thomas put his
finger on his lips to show her that she must not tell what that something
was, and Willie put his arms round her neck, and whispered something
very mysteriously.
"Chrissy and Mary have some secret too," said Mary's mamma, "they
go into a room by themselves every day, and nobody must disturb
them."
At this they both laughed.
"Well, we shall know about it all on Christmas Eve," said Mary, "and
then, besides, we shall see somebody, mamma says; somebody that is
coming here that we shall like very much, and that we know, and yet
have never seen."
"Is it a gentleman or lady?" asked Thomas.
"A gentleman," said Mary; "I have guessed everybody I can think of,
but I cannot find out."
"Somebody we know, and yet have never seen," said Thomas; "who
can it be?"
* * * * *

THE ROSE-BUD STORIES.
GOING TO THE COTTAGE. EGGS AND CHICKENS. THE GOAT

AND HER KID. BERTHA AND THE BIRD. THE DUCK