the peterkin papers-第3节

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　shouting　for　the　flag；　and　Mr。　Peterkin　　had　to　invite　them　in；　and　give　them　cider　and　gingerbread；　before　he　could　　explain　to　them　that　it　was　only　his　family　visiting　his　hens。

　After　the　crowd　had　dispersed；　Solomon　John　sat　down　to　think　of　his　writing　　again。　Agamemnon　agreed　to　go　over　to　the　bookstore　to　get　a　quill。　They　all　　went　over　with　him。　The　bookseller　was　just　shutting　up　his　shop。　However；　he　　agreed　to　go　in　and　get　a　quill；　which　he　did；　and　they　hurried　home。

So　Solomon　John　sat　down　again；　but　there　was　no　paper。　And　now　the　bookstore　　was　shut　up。　Mr。　Peterkin　suggested　that　the　mail　was　about　in；　and　perhaps　he　　should　have　a　letter；　and　then　they　could　use　the　envelope　to　write　upon。　So　　they　all　went　to　the　post…office；　and　the　little　boys　had　their　india…rubber　　boots　on；　and　they　all　shouted　when　they　found　Mr。　Peterkin　had　a　letter。　The　　postmaster　inquired　what　they　were　shouting　about；　and　when　they　told　him；　he　　said　he　would　give　Solomon　John　a　whole　sheet　of　paper　for　his　book。　And　they　　all　went　back　rejoicing。

　So　Solomon　John　sat　down；　and　the　family　all　sat　round　the　table　looking　at　　him。　He　had　his　pen；　his　ink；　and　his　paper。　He　dipped　his　pen　into　the　ink　and　　held　it　over　the　paper；　and　thought　a　minute；　and　then　said；　〃But　I　haven't　got　　anything　to　say。〃

　MRS。　PETERKIN　WISHES　TO　GO　TO　DRIVE。　　ONE　morning　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　feeling　very　tired；　as　she　had　been　having　a　　great　many　things　to　think　of；　and　she　said　to　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃I　believe　I　shall　　take　a　ride　this　morning！〃

And　the　little　boys　cried　out；　〃Oh；　may　we　go　too？〃

Mrs。　Peterkin　said　that　Elizabeth　Eliza　and　the　little　boys　might　go。

So　Mr。　Peterkin　had　the　horse　put　into　the　carryall；　and　he　and　Agamemnon　went　　off　to　their　business；　and　Solomon　John　to　school；　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　began　to　　get　ready　for　her　ride。

She　had　some　currants　she　wanted　to　carry　to　old　Mrs。　Twomly；　and　some　　gooseberries　for　somebody　else；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　wanted　to　pick　some　flowers　　to　take　to　the　minister's　wife；　so　it　took　them　a　long　time　to　prepare。

The　little　boys　went　out　to　pick　the　currants　and　the　gooseberries；　and　　Elizabeth　Eliza　went　out　for　her　flowers；　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　put　on　her　　cape…bonnet；　and　in　time　they　were　all　ready。　The　little　boys　were　in　their　　india…rubber　boots；　and　they　got　into　the　carriage。

　Elizabeth　Eliza　was　to　drive；　so　she　sat　on　the　front　seat；　and　took　up　the　　reins；　and　the　horse　started　off　merrily；　and　then　suddenly　stopped；　and　would　　not　go　any　farther。

Elizabeth　Eliza　shook　the　reins；　and　pulled　them；　and　then　she　clucked　to　the　　horse；　and　Mrs。　Peterkin　clucked；　and　the　little　boys　whistled　and　shouted；　but　　still　the　horse　would　not　go。

〃We　shall　have　to　whip　him；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

Now　Mrs。　Peterkin　never　liked　to　use　the　whip；　but；　as　the　horse　would　not　go；　　she　said　she　would　get　out　and　turn　her　head　the　other　way；　while　Elizabeth　　Eliza　whipped　the　horse；　and　when　he　began　to　go　she　would　hurry　and　get　in。

So　they　tried　this；　but　the　horse　would　not　stir。

〃Perhaps　we　have　too　heavy　a　load；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　as　she　got　in。

So　they　took　out　the　currants　and　the　gooseberries　and　the　flowers；　but　still　　the　horse　would　not　go。

One　of　the　neighbors；　from　the　opposite　house；　looking　out　just　then；　called　out　　to　them　to　try　the　whip。　There　was　a　high　wind；　and　they　could　not　hear　exactly　　what　she　said。

〃I　have　tried　the　whip；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃She　says　'whips；'　such　as　you　eat；〃　said　one　of　the　little　boys。

〃We　might　make　those；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　thoughtfully。

〃We　have　got　plenty　of　cream；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃Yes；　let　us　have　some　whips；〃　cried　the　little　boys；　getting　out。

And　the　opposite　neighbor　cried　out　something　about　whips；　and　the　wind　was　very　　high。

So　they　went　into　the　kitchen；　and　whipped　up　the　cream；　and　made　some　very　　delicious　whips；　and　the　little　boys　tasted　all　round；　and　they　all　thought　they　　were　very　nice。

They　carried　some　out　to　the　horse；　who　swallowed　it　down　very　quickly。

　〃That　is　just　what　he　wanted；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃now　he　will　certainly　go！〃

So　they　all　got　into　the　carriage　again；　and　put　in　the　currants　and　the　　gooseberries　and　the　flowers；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　shook　the　reins；　and　they　all　　clucked；　but　still　the　horse　would　not　go！

〃We　must　either　give　up　our　ride；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　mournfully；　〃or　else　send　　over　to　the　lady　from　Philadelphia；　and　see　what　she　will　say。〃

The　little　boys　jumped　out　as　quickly　as　they　could；　they　were　eager　to　go　and　　ask　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。　Elizabeth　Eliza　went　with　them；　while　her　mother　　took　the　reins。

　They　found　that　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　was　very　ill　that　day；　and　was　in　　her　bed。　But　when　she　was　told　what　the　trouble　was；　she　very　kindly　said　they　　might　draw　up　the　curtain　from　the　window　at　the　foot　of　the　bed；　and　open　the　　blinds；　and　she　would　see。　Then　she　asked　for　her　opera…glass；　and　looked　　through　it；　across　the　way；　up　the　street；　to　Mrs。　Peterkin's　door。

After　she　had　looked　through　the　glass；　she　laid　it　down；　leaned　her　head　back　　against　the　pillow；　for　she　was　very　tired；　and　then　said；　〃Why　don't　you　　unchain　the　horse　from　the　horse…post？〃

Elizabeth　Eliza　and　the　little　boys　looked　at　one　another；　and　then　hurried　back　　to　the　house　and　told　their　mother。　The　horse　was　untied；　and　they　all　went　to　　ride。

　THE　PETERKINS　AT　HOME。　AT　DINNER。　　ANOTHER　little　incident　occurred　in　the　Peterkin　family。　This　was　at　　dinner…time。

　They　sat　down　to　a　dish　of　boiled　ham。　Now　it　was　a　peculiarity　of　the　children　　of　the　family；　that　half　of　them　liked　fat；　and　half　liked　lean。　Mr。　Peterkin　　sat　down　to　cut　the　ham。　But　the　ham　turned　out　to　be　a　very　remarkable　one。　The　　fat　and　the　lean　came　in　separate　slices；…first　one　of　lean；　than　one　of　fat；　　then　two　slices　of　lean；　and　so　on。　Mr。　Peterkin　began　as　usual　by　helping　the　　children　first；　according　to　their　age。　Now　Agamemnon；　who　liked　lean；　got　a　fat　　slice；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza；　who　preferred　fat；　had　a　lean　slice。　Solomon　John；　　who　could　eat　nothing　but　lean；　was　helped　to　fat；　and　so　on。　Nobody　had　what　he　　could　eat。

It　was　a　rule　of　the　Peterkin　family；　that　no　one　should　eat　any　of　the　　vegetables　without　some　of　the　meat；　so　now；　although　the　children　saw　upon　　their　plates　apple…sauce　and　squash　and　tomato　and　sweet　potato　and　sour　potato；　　not　one　of　them　could　eat　a　mouthful；　because　not　one　was　satisfied　with　the　　meat。　Mr。　and　Mrs。　Peterkin；　however；　liked　both　fat　and　lean；　and　were　making　a　　very　good　meal；　when　they　looked　up　and　saw　the　children　all　sitting　eating　　nothing；　and　looking　dissatisfied　into　their　plates。

〃What　is　the　matter　now？〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin。

But　the　children　were　taught　not　to　speak　at　table。　Agamemnon；　however；　made　a　　sign　of　disgust　at　his　fat；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　at　her　lean；　and　so　on；　and　they　　presently　discovered　what　was　the　difficulty。

〃What　shall　be　done　now？〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin。

They　all　sat　and　thought　for　a　little　while。

At　last　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　rather　uncertainly；　〃Suppose　we　ask　the　lady　from　　Philadelphia　what　is　best　to　be　done。〃

But　Mr。　Peterkin　said　he　didn't　like　to　go　to　her　for　everything；　let　the　　children　try　and　eat　their　dinner　as　it　was。

And　they　all　tried；　but　they　couldn't。　〃Very　well；　then。〃　said　Mr。　Peterkin；　　〃let　them　go　and　ask　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。〃

〃All　of　us？〃　cried　one　of　the　little　boys；　in　the　excitement　of　the　moment。

　〃Yes；〃　said　Mrs。　Peterkin；　〃only　put　on　your　india…rubber　boots。〃　And　they　　hurried　out　of　the　house。

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　was　just　going　in　to　her　dinner；　but　she　kindly　　stopped　in　the　entry　to　hear　what　the　trouble　was。　Agamemnon　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　　told　her　all　the　difficulty；　and　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　said；　〃But　why　don't　　you　give　the　slices　of　fat　to　those　who　like　the　fat；　and　the　slices　of　lean　to　　those　who　like　the　lean？〃

They　looked　at　one　another。　Agamemnon　looked　at　Elizabeth　Eliza；　and　Solomon　　John　looked　at　the　little　boys。　〃Why　didn't　we　think　of　that？〃　said　they；　and　　ran　home　to　tell　their　mother。

　WHY　THE　PETERKINS　HAD　A　LATE　DINNER。　　THE　trouble　was　in　the　dumb…waiter。　All　had　seated　themselves　at　the　　dinner…table；　and　Amanda　had　gone　to　take　out　the　dinner　she　had　sent　up　from　　the　kitchen　on　the　dumb…waiter。　But　something　was　the　matter；　she　could　not　pull　　it　up。　There　was　the　dinner；　but　she　could　not　reach　it。　All　the　family；　in　　turn；　went　and　tried；　all　pulled　together；　in　vain；the　dinner　could　not　be　　stirred。

〃No　dinner！〃　exclaimed　Agamemnon。

〃I　am　quite　hungry；〃　said　Solomon　John。

At　last　Mr。　Peterkin　said；　〃I　am　not　proud。　I　am　willing　to　dine　in　the　　kitchen。〃

This　room　was　below　the　dining…room。　All　consented　to　this。　Each　one　went　down；　　taking　a　napkin。

The　cook　laid　the　kitchen　table；　put　on　it　her　best　table…cloth；　and　the　family　　sat　down。　Amanda　went　to　the　dumb…waiter　for　the　dinner；　but　she　could　not　move　　it　down。

The　family　were　all　in　dismay。　There　was　the　dinner；　half…way　between　the　　kitchen　and　dining…room；　and　there　were　they　all　hungry　to　eat　it！

　〃What　is　there　for　dinner？〃　asked　Mr。　Peterkin。

〃Ro