Queechy Volume Ii Part 32

"Let me have it, Miss Edith," said Mr. Carleton, smiling. "I will read it for you."

"Ah, but it would be twice as good if you could hear her read it," said Edith, fluttering over the leaves of the magazine, "she reads it so well. It's so funny ? about the coffee and buckwheat cakes."

"What is that, Edith?" said her mother.

"Something Mr. Carleton is going to read for me, Mamma."

"Don't you trouble Mr. Carleton."

"It won't trouble him, Mamma; he promised of his own accord."

"Let us all have the benefit of it, Mr. Carleton," said the lady.

It is worthy of remark that Fleda's politeness utterly deserted her during the reading of both this piece and the last. She as near as possible turned her back upon the reader.

"Merrily sang the crickets forth One fair October night; And the stars look'd down, and the northern crown Gave its strange fantastic light.

"A nipping frost was in the air, On flowers and gra.s.s it fell; And the leaves were still on the eastern hill, As if touched by a fairy spell.

"To the very top of the tall nut-trees The frost-king seemed to ride; With his wand he stirs the chestnut burrs, And straight they are open'd wide.

"And squirrels and children together dream Of the coming winter's h.o.a.rd; And many, I ween, are the chestnuts seen In hole or in garret stored.

"The children are sleeping in feather-beds ?

Poor Bun in his mossy nest; _He_ courts repose with his tail on his nose, On the others warm blankets rest.

"Late in the morning the sun gets up From behind the village spire; And the children dream that the first red gleam Is the chestnut-trees on fire!

"The squirrel had on when he first awoke, All the clothing he could command; And his breakfast was light ? he just took a bite Of an acorn that lay at hand:

"And then he was off to the trees to work: While the children some time it takes To dress and to eat what _they_ think meet Of coffee and buckwheat cakes.

"The sparkling frost, when they first go out, Lies thick upon all around; And earth and gra.s.s, as they onward pa.s.s, Give a pleasant crackling sound.

"Oh, there is a heap of chestnuts, see!'

Cried the youngest of the train; For they came to a stone where the squirrel had thrown What he meant to pick up again.

"And two bright eyes, from the tree o'er head, Look'd down at the open bag Where the nuts went in ? and so to begin, Almost made his courage flag.

"Away on the hill, outside the wood, Three giant trees there stand: And the chestnuts bright, that hang in sight, Are eyed by the youthful band.

"And one of their number climbs the tree, And pa.s.ses from bough to bough ?

And the children run ? for with pelting fun The nuts fall thickly now.

"Some of the burrs are still shut tight ?

Some open with chestnuts three, And some nuts fall with no burrs at all ?

Smooth, shiny, as nuts should be.

"Oh, who can tell what fun it was To see the p.r.i.c.kly shower: To feel what a whack on head or back Was within a chestnut's power!

"To run beneath the shaking tree, And then to scamper away; And with laughing shout to dance about The gra.s.s where the chestnuts lay.

"With flowing dresses, and blowing hair, And eyes that no shadow knew, Like the growing light of a morning bright ?

The dawn of the summer blue!

"The work was ended ? the trees were stripped ?

The children were 'tired of play:'

And they forgot (but the squirrel did not) The wrong they had done that day."

Whether it was from the reader's enjoyment or good giving of these lines, or from Edith's delight in them, he was frequently interrupted with bursts of laughter.

"I can understand _that_," said Mr. Stackpole, "without any difficulty."

"You are not lost in the mysteries of chestnutting in open daylight," said Mrs. Evelyn.

"Mr. Carleton," said Edith, "wouldn't you have taken the squirrel's chestnuts?"

"I believe I should, Miss Edith, if I had not been hindered."

"But what would have hindered you? don't you think it was right?"

"Ask your friend, Miss Ringgan, what she thinks of it," said he, smiling.

"Now, Mr. Carleton," said Constance, as he threw down the magazine, "will you decide that point of English between Miss Ringgan and me?"

"I should like to hear the pleadings on both sides, Miss Constance."

"Well, Fleda, will you agree to submit it to Mr. Carleton?"