the peterkin papers-第21节

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　THE　EDUCATIONAL　BREAKFAST。　　MRS。　PETERKIN'S　nerves　were　so　shaken　by　the　excitement　of　the　fall　of　the　　three　little　boys　into　the　enclosure　where　the　cow　was　kept　that　the　educational　　breakfast　was　long　postponed。　The　little　boys　continued　at　school；　as　before；　　and　the　conversation　dwelt　as　little　as　possible　upon　the　subject　of　education。

Mrs。　Peterkin's　spirits；　however；　gradually　recovered。　The　little　boys　were　　allowed　to　watch　the　cow　at　her　feed。　A　series　of　strings　were　arranged　by　　Agamemnon　and　Solomon　John；　by　which　the　little　boys　could　be　pulled　up；　if　they　　should　again　fall　down　into　the　enclosure。　These　were　planned　something　like　　curtain…cords；　and　Solomon　John　frequently　amused　himself　by　pulling　one　of　the　　little　boys　up　or　letting　him　down。

Some　conversation　did　again　fall　upon　the　old　difficulty　of　questions。　Elizabeth　　Eliza　declared　that　it　was　not　always　necessary　to　answer；　that　many　who　could　　did　not　answer　questions；…the　conductors　of　the　railroads；　for　instance；　who　　probably　knew　the　names　of　all　the　stations　on　a　road；　but　were　seldom　able　to　　tell　them。

〃Yes；〃　said　Agamemnon；　〃one　might　be　a　conductor　without　even　knowing　the　names　　of　the　stations；　because　you　can't　understand　them　when　they　do　tell　them！〃

〃I　never　know；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃whether　it　is　ignorance　in　them；　or　　unwillingness；　that　prevents　them　from　telling　you　how　soon　one　station　is　　coming；　or　how　long　you　are　to　stop；　even　if　one　asks　ever　so　many　times。　It　　would　be　useful　if　they　would　tell。〃

　Mrs。　Peterkin　thought　this　was　carried　too　far　in　the　horse…cars　in　Boston。　The　　conductors　had　always　left　you　as　far　as　possible　from　the　place　where　you　　wanted　to　stop；　but　it　seemed　a　little　too　much　to　have　the　aldermen　take　it　up；　　and　put　a　notice　in　the　cars；　ordering　the　conductors　〃to　stop　at　the　farthest　　crossing。〃

Mrs。　Peterkin　was；　indeed；　recovering　her　spirits。　She　had　been　carrying　on　a　　brisk　correspondence　with　Philadelphia；　that　she　had　imparted　to　no　one；　and　at　　last　she　announced；　as　its　result；　that　she　was　ready　for　a　breakfast　on　　educational　principles。

A　breakfast　indeed；　when　it　appeared！　Mrs。　Peterkin　had　mistaken　the　　alphabetical　suggestion；　and　had　grasped　the　idea　that　the　whole　alphabet　must　　be　represented　in　one　breakfast。

This；　therefore；　was　the　bill　of　fare：　Apple…sauce；　Bread；　Butter；　Coffee；　　Cream；　Doughnuts；　Eggs；　Fish…balls；　Griddles；　Ham；　Ice　（on　butter）；　Jam；　Krout　　（sour）；　Lamb…chops；　Morning　Newspapers；　Oatmeal；　Pepper；　Quince…marmalade；　　Rolls；　Salt；　Tea　Urn；　Veal…pie；　Waffles；　Yeast…biscuit。

Mr。　Peterkin　was　proud　and　astonished。　〃Excellent！〃　he　cried。　〃Every　letter　　represented　except　Z。〃　Mrs。　Peterkin　drew　from　her　pocket　a　letter　from　the　lady　　from　Philadelphia。　〃She　thought　you　would　call　it　X…cellent　for　X；　and　she　tells　　us；〃　she　read；　〃that　if　you　come　with　a　zest；　you　will　bring　the　Z。〃

Mr。　Peterkin　was　enchanted。　He　only　felt　that　he　ought　to　invite　the　children　in　　the　primary　schools　to　such　a　breakfast；　what　a　zest；　indeed；　it　would　give　to　　the　study　of　their　letters！

It　was　decided　to　begin　with　Apple…sauce。

〃How　happy；〃　exclaimed　Mr。　Peterkin；　〃that　this　should　come　first　of　all！　A　　child　might　be　brought　up　on　apple…sauce　till　he　had　mastered　the　first　letter　　of　the　alphabet；　and　could　go　on　to　the　more　involved　subjects　hidden　in　bread；　　butter；　baked　beans；　etc。〃

Agamemnon　thought　his　father　hardly　knew　how　much　was　hidden　in　the　apple。　There　　was　all　the　story　of　William　Tell　and　the　Swiss　independence。　The　little　boys　　were　wild　to　act　William　Tell；　but　Mrs。　Peterkin　was　afraid　of　the　arrows。　Mrs。

Peterkin　proposed　they　should　begin　by　eating　the　apple…sauce；　then　discussing　　it；　first　botanically；　next　historically；　or　perhaps　first　historically；　　beginning　with　Adam　and　Eve；　and　the　first　apple。

　Mrs。　Peterkin　feared　the　coffee　would　be　getting　cold；　and　the　griddles　were　　waiting。　For　herself；　she　declared　she　felt　more　at　home　on　the　marmalade；　　because　the　quinces　came　from　grandfather's；　and　she　had　seen　them　planted；　she　　remembered　all　about　it；　and　now　the　bush　came　up　to　the　sitting…room　window。

She　seemed　to　have　heard　him　tell　that　the　town　of　Quincy；　where　the　granite　　came　from；　was　named　from　them；　and　she　never　quite　recollected　why；　except　they　　were　so　hard；　as　hard　as　stone；　and　it　took　you　almost　the　whole　day　to　stew　　them；　and　then　you　might　as　well　set　them　on　again。

Mr。　Peterkin　was　glad　to　be　reminded　of　the　old　place　at　grandfather's。　In　order　　to　know　thoroughly　about　apples；　they　ought　to　understand　the　making　of　cider。

Now；　they　might　some　time　drive　up　to　grandfather's；　scarcely　twelve　miles　away；　　and　see　the　cider　made。　Why；　indeed；　should　not　the　family　go　this　very　day　up　　to　grandfather's；　and　continue　the　education　of　the　breakfast？

〃Why　not　indeed？〃　exclaimed　the　little　boys。　A　day　at　grandfather's　would　give　　them　the　whole　process　of　the　apple；　from　the　orchard　to　the　cider…mill。　In　this　　way　they　could　widen　the　field　of　study；　even　to　follow　in　time　the　cup　of　　coffee　to　Java。

It　was　suggested；　too；　that　at　grandfather's　they　might　study　the　processes　of　　maple…syrup　as　involved　in　the　griddle…cakes。

　Agamemnon　pointed　out　the　connection　between　the　two　subjects：　they　were　both　　the　products　of　trees…the　apple…tree　and　the　maple。　Mr。　Peterkin　proposed　that　　the　lesson　for　the　day　should　be　considered　the　study　of　trees；　and　on　the　way　　they　could　look　at　other　trees。

Why　not；　indeed；　go　this　very　day？　There　was　no　time　like　the　present。　Their　　breakfast　had　been　so　copious；　they　would　scarcely　be　in　a　hurry　for　dinner；　and　　would；　therefore；　have　the　whole　day　before　them。

Mrs。　Peterkin　could　put　up　the　remains　of　the　breakfast　for　luncheon。

But　how　should　they　go？　The　carryall；　in　spite　of　its　name；　could　hardly　take　　the　whole　family；　though　they　might　squeeze　in　six；　as　the　little　boys　did　not　　take　up　much　room。

Elizabeth　Eliza　suggested　that　she　could　spend　the　night　at　grandfather's。

Indeed；　she　had　been　planning　a　visit　there；　and　would　not　object　to　staying　　some　days。　This　would　make　it　easier　about　coming　home；　but　it　did　not　settle　　the　difficulty　in　getting　there。

Why　not　〃Ride　and　Tie〃？

The　little　boys　were　fond　of　walking；　so　was　Mr。　Peterkin；　and　Agamemnon　and　　Solomon　John　did　not　object　to　their　turn。　Mrs。　Peterkin　could　sit　in　the　　carriage；　when　it　was　waiting　for　the　pedestrians　to　come　up；　or；　she　said；　she　　did　not　object　to　a　little　turn　of　walking。　Mr。　Peterkin　would　start；　with　　Solomon　John　and　the　little　boys；　before　the　rest；　and　Agamemnon　should　drive　　his　mother　and　Elizabeth　Eliza　to　the　first　stopping…place。

　Then　came　up　another　question；…of　Elizabeth　Eliza's　trunk。　If　she　stayed　a　few　　days；　she　would　need　to　carry　something。　It　might　be　hot；　and　it　might　be　cold。

Just　as　soon　as　she　carried　her　thin　things；　she　would　need　her　heaviest　wraps。

You　never　could　depend　upon　the　weather。　Even　〃Probabilities〃　got　you　no　farther　　than　to…day。

In　an　inspired　moment；　Elizabeth　Eliza　bethought　herself　of　the　expressman。　She　　would　send　her　trunk　by　the　express；　and　she　left　the　table　directly　to　go　and　　pack　it。　Mrs。　Peterkin　busied　herself　with　Amanda　over　the　remains　of　the　　breakfast。　Mr。　Peterkin　and　Agamemnon　went　to　order　the　horse　and　the　　expressman；　and　Solomon　John　and　the　little　boys　prepared　themselves　for　a　　pedestrian　excursion。

Elizabeth　Eliza　found　it　difficult　to　pack　in　a　hurry；　there　were　so　many　things　　she　might　want；　and　then　again　she　might　not。　She　must　put　up　her　music；　because　　her　grandfather　had　a　piano；　and　then　she　bethought　herself　of　Agamemnon's　　flute；　and　decided　to　pick　out　a　volume　or　two　of　the　Encyclop？dia。　　But　it　was　　hard　to　decide；　all　by　herself；　whether　to　take　G　for　griddle…cakes；　or　M　for　　maple…syrup；　or　T　for　tree。　She　would　take　as　many　as　she　could　make　room　for。

She　put　up　her　work…box　and　two　extra　work…baskets；　and　she　must　take　some　　French　books　she　had　never　yet　found　time　to　read。　This　involved　taking　her　　French　dictionary；　as　she　doubted　if　her　grandfather　had　one。　She　ought　to　put　　in　a　〃Botany；〃　if　they　were　to　study　trees；　but　she　could　not　tell　which；　so　she　　would　take　all　there　were。　She　might　as　well　take　all　her　dresses；　and　it　was　no　　harm　if　one　had　too　many　wraps。　When　she　had　her　trunk　packed；　she　found　it　　over…full；　it　was　difficult　to　shut　it。　She　had　heard　Solomon　John　set　out　from　　the　front　door　with　his　father　and　the　little　boys；　and　Agamemnon　was　busy　　holding　the　horse　at　the　side　door；　so　there　was　no　use　in　calling　for　help。　She　　got　upon　the　trunk；　she　jumped　upon　it；　she　sat　down　upon　it；　and；　leaning　over；　　found　she　could　lock　it！　Yes；　it　was　really　locked。

But；　on　getting　down　from　the　trunk；　she　found　her　dress　had　been　caught　in　the　　lid；　she　could　not　move　away　from　it！　What　was　worse；　she　was　so　fastened　to　the　　trunk　that　she　could　not　lean　forward　far　enough　to　turn　the　key　back；　to　unlock　　the　trunk　and　release　herself！　The　lock　had　slipped　easily；　but　she　could　not　　now　get　hold　of　the　key　in　the　right　way　to　turn　it　back。

She　tried　to　pull　her　dress　away。　No；　it　was　caught　too　firmly。　She　called　f