CHAPTER XV 



UNDERNEATH my stroking hand, 

 Startled eyes of hazel bland 



Kindling, growing larger, 

 Up thou leapest with a spring, 

 Full of prank and cu vetting, 



Leaping like a charger." 



ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING. 



OH, wasn't I wild with delight when, 

 in the glorious mid - September, 

 while the sea was such an azure 

 blue, and the fields all shining with drifts of 

 goldenrod, aunt Mary and the doctor de- 

 cided to have one of their grand picnics, on 

 the anniversary of their wedding-day. I 

 was all alert for days before, my little ears 

 pricked up and my eyes full of gold-and- 

 brown interrogation points, while aunt 

 Mary was discussing with mamma as to 

 where we should go. 



Should we ride or sail ? Should we 

 spread our feast under the singing pines on 

 the lovely shores of Ashumet pond ? Or on 

 the great flat rock in the shade of the redo- 



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