The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-12-09
For the National Era.
STORIES FOR CHILDREN AND POETS.
INTRODUCTION

| IL was summer tme-a warm, mellow, hHZy,
lazy afternoon il was out of doors, a piece of
water threaded woodland about a mile from
| the village; it was very still and the birds
seemed to be taking their afternoon nap; now
and then ono twittered little in his dream, but
not much; and the mutitudnOus, ever-gossip-
ing beech leaves whispered very softly the sun
forgot himself once or twice and winked, but
speedily rousing, glowed out again more ar
IDENTIFY than ever.
few melting silver cloud wreaths went
dreaming off through the blue and about the
neighboring clover-feld a fragrance-freighted
breeze swung heavily awhile, and dropped, and
slept till evening. Altogether, it might be call
ed a lazy afternoon and in keeping with the
rest, that dear old forest-loving stream the Sar-
rowin, loled along in and out of the greened
gloom, now darby ripping round tho roots of
the father trees, now lounging out into the
broader beauty of the sun
In one place, however, sun and shade con-
tended, and the broken light lay in scattered
fragments on the water; and here the waves
FLASHED drowsily against the sides of an anti
quated boat, tied with piece of grape vine to
AN oyerhanging beech
In the boat were three children, spending
their Saturday afternoon as it pleased them
best
Willy was very busy; he had taken off his
sisters apron, and was fishing with the string
and crooked pin; but the fish, too seemed to be
| mapping; and If once in II long while Il lnnnow
| did condcscend to be aware Of the bait, and
came snulling round with disrespectful non
chalance, Willy insured it's farther safety by
instantly falling into great splutter, and whip
ping out his line, TO be sure that the pin was
| fat in Al IN InI
prize when he caught it.
His sister Emma, w0manly, compact, little
girl; rat upright, in brisk sort of manner. in
the middle seat of the boat knitting away at r
pair of-in fact, CATERS.
Eunice the good nothing, lay across the
stern her short sleeve rolled up still farther,
and her round arm laved to the shoulder in the
dark lin. crystal.
Eep said Emma, breaking n silence of
somSnve or six minutes, during which Willy
had been engrossed by the unparalleled luck
of three nibbes and an escape,) Euny Pm
going to narrow"
But Eunice had dipped the other arm and
was leaning over with dreamy gravity look
ing at her fingers in the water.
Emma did not like TO sit long without talk
ing; so, after little pause, she essayed again
"Cissey, Pm narrowing"
Eunice leaned over till her hair touched the
water, and did not hear word
The little woman gave up, and turned TO her
brother
81 tell you what" she said, confdentially, OTIS
a. little queer, that after all the CATERS have
knit, and stockings too for that matter, yet
never come TO the narrowing but nearly mike
II mistake; nearly you see--Ill tell you how
manage it--nOt quite; as sOon M come to tho
second row ! stop and make myself do it tho
way don't think is right aud 40, Of course, it
is right; because if ] were to do il the way
think is right it would be wrong, because you
see always make mistake there and 30 D.
" Bah you aggravating thing" broke in
Will, apostrOphizng c0ntemptuous minnOw
"come sliding and snuihng and making believe
to bite and after all sneak of that way
wouldn't be no mean for ten thousand marbles ~
and Willy looked gloomily into the bottom Of
the boat, where the captive sinners would have
been if he had caught them.
Emma knitted away in indignant taciturni-
ty mentally resolving not to waste her words
on such people if she had TO refrain from talk
ing till suniall and 10 there was another pause
Look here, Em' spoke VIII, at length,
"tho fnct il, the string is too short; here ]
throw my line and pay out and out till come
right up TO the apron, and then look down
and see IA minnow nosing rousd, exactly three
inches from tho hook, (seo that y well, now, if
you'd let me wet tho apron, Or il ] had exactly
three inches more string, why of course should
catch him. Don't you think you could lot me
pull the string out, Emmy"
Emma was dubious The tape was only run
through the hem, but it was sewod fast in sew
eral places.
"Would you, Cissey?" Emma had quite for
gotten her VOW Of silence.
Eunice looked up, emerging gradually from
masses Of fallen hair, like moon from break
ing clouds she sat awhile and then answer
ed, reliectiyely, Couldn't You cut itl"
ooh, you goosey," cried Emma, laughing
merrly "now, cut what"
"rm sure | don't know; thought you
wanted something about string"
"Never mind CisSey don't want the fishes;
who cares In fact ! would rather not catch
any this afternoon. Lots do something else !;
let's tell stories"
81 don't think wO know any" suggested
Emma.
"Oh, that's nothing make up as you 20
along. Now, all ready. Ladies and gontle-
men, Miss Emma h. is going 10 toll story
Once on II time, Emmy