362 
RURAL HOURS. 
but — alas, that it should be so — there are other unruly flocks 
where the boys, ay, and even the girls, too, have been known to 
unite in hooting and making faces at the traveller, a disgrace to 
themselves and to their instructors. But the children at the Red 
Brook behaved very properly, albeit they were not so polished as 
to bow and curtsey. They told their names, showed their books, 
and pointed out their different roads home in a civil, pretty 
way. Indeed, those instances of unmannerly conduct alluded to 
above did not occur in the same neighborhood, but were observed 
at some little distance from this valley. 
The appearance of most of the little people was creditable ; 
they looked cleanly and simple. Many of the children were bare- 
footed, as usual in warm weather, — almost all the boys, and a 
number of the girls. In winter they are all provided with shoes 
and stockings. Here and there among the girls there was some 
show of tawdry finery : ribbons that were no longer clean, glass 
jewels, and copper rings ; and one of the older girls had a silk 
hat, which looked both hot and heavy, beside her companions' 
nice sun-bonnets ; it was trimmed inside and out with shabby ar- 
tificial flowers. But then, as an off'set to these, there were several 
among the little people whose clothes, well washed and ironed, 
showed a patch here and there. Now there is nothing in the 
world which carries a more respectable look with it, than a clean 
coat or frock which has been nicely patched ; when united with 
cleanliness, the patch tells of more than one virtue in the wearer : 
it shows prudence, simphcity, and good sense, and industry ; it 
shows that he or she is not ashamed of honest poverty, and does 
not seek to parade under false colors. There are two situations 
in which patched clothing excite an especial feeling of interest and 
