_Of Works to be Done; and how it Was that a Glad Light Came into
the Eyes of the Man who Wears Gray Neckties and Is Kind to Mice._
Morning works is done--and some more already too. There is enough
barks in for to-day and to-morrow. And many kindlings are now in on
the floor by the big wood-box. I have had my dinner at the noontime
and I went into the barn. There were little sad sounds in the stall.
It was the moos of Mathilde Plantagenet. Now I have thinks her
moos were moos for some dinner at noontime. She has breakfast at
morningtime and supper she has at gray-light-time. But when noontime
is come, Mathilde Plantagenet is here in the barn, and her mother,
the most gentle Jersey cow, is away out in the pasture. I have thinks
there is needs for me to take Mathilde Plantagenet from the barn to
the pasture at noontimes so she may have her dinner. I go now to
so do.
I did give the latch of the barn-door a slip back. Then I led
Mathilde Plantagenet out by the little rope I did use to use to lead
Elizabeth Barrett Browning out by when she was a little calf. We
went our way to the pasture-bars. I did give to one a push, and it
made a drop down. Then I gave two more pushes, and they went drop
downs. We went on through in between. It took a more long time to
fix up the pasture-bars. They have so heavy feels when I go to put
them back again. When I did have them so put, we made a go-on. We
went a little way on. We did not have goes far, for the gentle Jersey
cow had sees of our coming and she came to meet us. We was glad to
have it so. I have thinks Mathilde Plantagenet did have most joy
feels about it. She did start to get her dinner from her mother in
a quick way. I watched her suck and suck some more. Seeing her have
her dinner from her mother a long time before suppertime did make
me to have such a big amount of satisfaction feels.
The grandpa felt not so. There was disturbs on his temper. He was
at our house when I was come home from leading Mathilde Plantagenet
back to the barn after she had sucked her mother a long time. The
mamma did spank me some and some more. Now I have wonders why was
it the grandpa felt not satisfaction feels at Mathilde Plantagenet
having her dinner near noontime just like most all other children.
After the mamma did spank me, she told me more works to do, and she
went with her father to the ranch-house to see her mother that was
newly come back from the mill town where she did go early on this
morning.
When the more works was done, I went in a quick soft way to the
woods. I made little hops over the bushes--the little bushes--as
I did go along. I went along the path until I came near unto the
way that does lead to the big old log where is the moss-box. I hid
behind a tree when I was almost come there. I so did to wait a wait
to see if the fairies were near about. I had not seeing of one about
the moss-box.
I looked looks about. I looked looks about the old root by the log. It
turned a big piece of bark over. Under it was something between two
layers of moss tied up with a pink ribbon. I felt glad feels. When
I did untie the pink ribbon around the moss, there was lots more of
pink ribbons. They did have little cards, and the little card on a
nice long piece of pink ribbon said, “For Thomas Chatterton Jupiter
Zeus.” Another card on a more long piece did say, “For William
Shakespeare.” Another card on a more short piece did say, “For Lars
Porsena of Clusium.” And there was a ribbon for Brave Horatius and
Isaiah and Elizabeth Barrett Browning and for Mathilde Plantagenet,
and there was more.
I did take them all in my arms and I did go to the mill in the far
woods. I so went to show all those pretty pink ribbons to the man
that wears gray neckties and is kind to mice. I did show him all the
cards that was on them. He was glad. I had seeing of the glad light
in his eyes. He and I--we do believe in fairies. Near him to-day was
working the man of the long step that whistles most all of the time.
He is a man with an understanding soul. When Brave Horatius did get
his leg hurt the other day, this man did wash it and mentholatum it,
and he wrapped his handkerchief in rounds around it. Brave Horatius
has likes for him, too.
To-day, when I did show to the man that wears gray neckties and is
kind to mice all the pink ribbons the fairies did bring, he did say
he thought the other man would like to see Brave Horatius’s new
pink ribbon that he was going to wear to cathedral service come a
Sunday. And he did have likes to see it. When I told him how it was
brought by the fairies to the moss-box by the old log, he said, “By
jolly--that’s fine.” And the man that wears gray neckties and is
kind to mice gave me pats on the head, and I brought the ribbons
back to a box where I do keep things in the woods.
I went on. When I was come to the house we live in, I had sees the
mamma was come back. When I was come into the house, I had sees with
her the mamma brought back a little bottle--it is called china-mending
glue--guaranteed to stick. That sounds great. I believe that bottle
is quite a blessing. It has an interest look. It will be of much use
in many ways. I’m glad the mamma set it on the lamp-shelf, because
I can climb on the stove and reach up to the shelf.
Now I go to talk with the willows where Nonette flows. I am going
to tell them about this being the borning day of Queen Elizabeth of
York, in 1465. Then I am going goes to tell William Shakespeare and
Lars Porsena of Clusium about it.