10 
THE TLAY-GROUND. 
and beyond this again was a green field, 
which reached to the river and was kept 
smooth by a small flock of sheep which 
pastured there. There were several large 
trees in this meadow, besides a pretty brook; 
and at one end was a large rock, or rather 
pile of rocks, the top of which was nearly 
as high as the terrace upon which the house 
stood. All these things made it a very fa¬ 
vourite play-ground for the children of the 
family; and at this time in- the afternoon 
they were usually to be seen either under 
the trees or on the rocks, or else about the 
door of the neat little log cabin which their 
grandfather had built for them near the 
brook, or under the shadow of one of the 
great trees which I have mentioned. 
Just at this time, however, there were 
none of them visible. They had all gone 
for a walk, intending to take the village in 
their way and do some errands for their 
aunt. 
Miss Winston counted her stitches, and 
then, folding her work and laying it in her 
book for a mark, she arose, and, taking her 
crutch, (for she was lame,) she stepped out 
upon the platform under the window and 
