280 



THE FARMERY. 



[Chap. III. 



colli, and another made of rye flour are untouched, for a great loaf, just 

 drawn from the oven, nicely browned and hot, is offered in great broken 

 pieces to tempt the appetite to one of the richest repasts ever given to ::;i 

 epicure. By the side of tlie old lady stands a black eartheru teapot, tiiu 

 contents of which are freely offered, but only accepted by two of the men, 

 as the rich new milk, or the hearty old cider is preferred as a beverage, 

 morning, noon and night, by those old-fashioned, hearty laborers. "We 

 must not forget the never-failing accompaniment of the evening meal at 

 this season of the year in Xew England, for it ig New England's proudest 

 dish, the golden pumpkin, sweetest pie. 



God being thanked for his great bounties after the close of the happy meal, 

 all are drawn into a circle around the great lire-place. Father is finisiiing off 

 an a.xehclve ; Jed is mending a pair of boots ; and one of the hired men, 

 upon the other side of the same bench, is repairing a wagon harness — both 

 using the same tools. The other two are employed, one shelling corn and 

 the other helping Mary to peel pumpkins, which are cut in slices and hung 

 upon poles overhead. This is Mary's accepted lover. Happy hearts and 

 blessed industry ! Ab and Sol are engaged with the schoolmaster around the 

 big table, lighted by a home-made candle ; they are studying geography, 

 writing, spelling, and arithmetic — fitting themselves for future statesmen. 

 Motlier is making a new coat for one of the boys, Ada is ironing at a side- 

 table, and Hetty is washing the supper dishes at another. There are two 

 other members of this family group — ^the cat occupies the top of the blue 

 dye-tub which stands in one corner of the fire-place, and old Bose sleeps 

 quietly under the table. 



Directly, and before any sound is audible to human ear, Bose gets up, 

 walks out into the long entry, and gives a loud, sharp bark at the outside 

 door, and stands waiting the approaching step. Soon satisfied that the new 

 comer is a friend, he retires again to his repose, and three or four boys, who 

 look as though they might be brothers to those already described, so much 

 are they dressed alike, enter and draw around the table with the others and 

 the schoolmaster. These are from a neighboring farm, sons of a widow, who 

 have till now been so much engaged with the labors of the farm that they 

 have been unable to attend the school in the daytime, but are determined to 

 lose none of the evening opportunities to keep along with the class. They 

 will make honest, intelligent, industrious farmers. 



The old folks Avelconie them heartih', and the yoimg ones are all rejoiced 

 at their arrival. The old lady inquires why in the world their mother did 

 not come along ; and Mary, the kind-hearted Mary, is so sorry to hear that 

 it is becaiise Sarah is not so well, and mother is very busy getting their new 

 clothes done so that they can go to school as soon as they finish picking 

 apples. " John," says she, " let us hurry and get through our stent and we 

 will go over to the widow's; and I will help her with hersewing; you will 

 read for tlie amusement of ]wor Sarah, for an hour or two." " If that is the 

 case," savs father, laying down his axe handle, " my good children, you shall 



