The Goat and Her Kid | Page 7

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?"
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THE ROSE-BUD STORIES.
GOING TO THE COTTAGE. EGGS AND CHICKENS. THE GOAT AND HER KID. BERTHA AND THE BIRD. THE DUCK HOUSE. MAY DAY AT THE COTTAGE. ADVENTURE OF A KITE. A DAY IN THE WOODS. THE PET LAMB. TWO DEAR FRIENDS. LITTLE AMY'S BIRTHDAY. CHRISTMAS EVE AT THE COTTAGE.
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