the peterkin papers-第12部分

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in；　a　small　foot…rug　　in　case　the　ground　should　be　damp；　some　paint…boxes　of　the　little　boys'；　　a　box　　of　fish…hooks　for　Solomon　John；　an　ink…bottle；　carefully　done　up　in　a　great　deal　　of　newspaper；　which　was　fortunate；　as　the　ink　was　oozing　out；　some　old　　magazines；　and　a　blacking…bottle；　and　at　the　bottom；　a　sun…dial。　It　was　all　very　　entertaining；　and　there　seemed　to　be　something　for　every　occasion　but　the　　present。　Old　Mr。　Bromwick　did　not　wonder　the　basket　was　so　heavy。　It　was　all　so　　interesting　that　nobody　but　the　Tremletts　went　down　to　the　carriages。

The　sun　was　shining　brighter　than　ever；　and　Ann　Maria　insisted　on　setting　up　the　　sun…dial。　Certainly　there　was　no　danger　of　a　shower；　and　they　might　as　well　go　　on　with　the　picnic。　But　when　Solomon　John　and　Ann　Maria　had　arranged　the　　sun…dial；　they　asked　everybody　to　look　at　their　watches；　so　that　they　might　see　　if　it　was　right。　And　then　came　a　great　exclamation　at　the　hour：　〃It　was　time　　they　were　all　going　home！〃

The　lady　from　Philadelphia　had　been　wrapping　her　shawl　about　her；　as　she　felt　　the　sun　was　low。　But　nobody　had　any　idea　it　was　so　late！　Well；　they　had　left　　late；　and　went　back　a　great　many　times；　had　stopped　sometimes　to　consult；　and　　had　been　long　on　the　road；　and　it　had　taken　a　long　time　to　fetch　up　the　things；　　so　it　was　no　wonder　it　was　time　to　go　away。　But　it　had　been　a　delightful　picnic；　　after　all。

　THE　PETERKINS'　CHARADES。　　EVER　since　the　picnic　the　Peterkins　had　been　wanting　to　have　〃something〃　at　　their　house　in　the　way　of　entertainment。　The　little　boys　wanted　to　get　up　a　　〃great　Exposition；〃　to　show　to　the　people　of　the　place。　But　Mr。　Peterkin　thought　　it　too　great　an　effort　to　send　to　foreign　countries　for　〃exhibits；〃　and　it　was　　given　up。

There　was；　however；　a　new　water…trough　needed　on　the　town　common；　and　the　ladies　　of　the　place　thought　it　ought　to　be　something　handsome；…something　more　than　a　　common　trough；…and　they　ought　to　work　for　it。

Elizabeth　Eliza　had　heard　at　Philadelphia　how　much　women　had　done；　and　she　felt　　they　ought　to　contribute　to　such　a　cause。　She　had　an　idea；　but　she　would　not　　speak　of　it　at　first；　not　until　after　she　had　written　to　the　lady　from　　Philadelphia。　She　had　often　thought；　in　many　cases；　if　they　had　asked　her　advice　　first；　they　might　have　saved　trouble。

　Still；　how　could　they　ask　advice　before　they　themselves　knew　what　they　wanted？

It　was　very　easy　to　ask　advice；　but　you　must　first　know　what　to　ask　about。　And　　again：　Elizabeth　Eliza　felt　you　might　have　ideas；　but　you　could　not　always　put　　them　together。　There　was　this　idea　of　the　water…trough；　and　then　this　idea　of　　getting　some　money　for　it。　So　she　began　with　writing　to　the　lady　from　　Philadelphia。　The　little　boys　believed　she　spent　enough　for　it　in　postage…stamps　　before　it　all　came　out。

But　it　did　come　out　at　last　that　the　Peterkins　were　to　have　some　charades　at　　their　own　house　for　the　benefit　of　the　needed　water…trough；…tickets　sold　only　to　　especial　friends。　Ann　Maria　Bromwick　was　to　help　act；　because　she　could　bring　　some　old　bonnets　and　gowns　that　had　been　worn　by　an　aged　aunt　years　ago；　and　　which　they　had　always　kept。　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　that　Solomon　John　would　have　to　　be　a　Turk；　and　they　must　borrow　all　the　red　things　and　cashmere　scarfs　in　the　　place。　She　knew　people　would　be　willing　to　lend　things。

Agamemnon　thought　you　ought　to　get　in　something　about　the　Hindoos；　they　were　　such　an　odd　people。　Elizabeth　Eliza　said　you　must　not　have　it　too　odd；　or　people　　would　not　understand　it；　and　she　did　not　want　anything　to　frighten　her　mother。

She　had　one　word　suggested　by　the　lady　from　Philadelphia　in　her　letters；…the　one　　that　had　〃Turk〃　in　it；…but　they　ought　to　have　two　words　　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Ann　Maria　said；　〃you　must　have　two　words；　if　the　people　paid　for　　their　tickets　they　would　want　to　get　their　money's　worth。〃

Solomon　John　thought　you　might　have　〃Hindoos〃；　the　little　boys　could　color　their　　faces　brown；　to　look　like　Hindoos。　You　could　have　the　first　scene　an　Irishman　　catching　a　hen；　and　then　paying　the　water…taxes　for　〃dues；〃　and　then　have　the　　little　boys　for　Hindoos。

　A　great　many　other　words　were　talked　of；　but　nothing　seemed　to　suit。　There　was　　a　curtain；　too；　to　be　thought　of；　because　the　folding…doors　stuck　when　you　tried　　to　open　and　shut　them。　Agamemnon　said　that　the　Pan…Elocutionists　had　a　curtain　　they　would　probably　lend　John　Osborne；　and　so　it　was　decided　to　ask　John　Osborne　　to　help。

If　they　had　a　curtain　they　ought　to　have　a　stage。　Solomon　John　said　he　was　sure　　he　had　boards　and　nails　enough；　and　it　would　be　easy　to　make　a　stage　if　John　　Osborne　would　help　put　it　up。

All　this　talk　was　the　day　before　the　charades。　In　the　midst　of　it　Ann　Maria　went　　over　for　her　old　bonnets　and　dresses　and　umbrellas；　and　they　spent　the　evening　　in　trying　on　the　various　things；…such　odd　caps　and　remarkable　bonnets　！　Solomon　　John　said　they　ought　to　have　plenty　of　bandboxes；　if　you　only　had　bandboxes　　enough　a　charade　was　sure　to　go　off　well；　he　had　seen　charades　in　Boston。　Mrs。

Peterkin　said　there　were　plenty　in　their　attic；　and　the　little　boys　brought　down　　piles　of　them；　and　the　back　parlor　was　filled　with　costumes。

Ann　Maria　said　she　could　bring　over　more　things　if　she　only　knew　what　they　were　　going　to　act。　Elizabeth　Eliza　told　her　to　bring　anything　she　had；…it　would　all　　come　of　use。

The　morning　came；　and　the　boards　were　collected　for　the　stage。　Agamemnon　and　　Solomon　John　gave　themselves　to　the　work；　and　John　Osborne　helped　zealously。　He　　said　the　Pan…Elocutionists　would　lend　a　scene　also。　There　was　a　great　clatter　of　　bandboxes；　and　piles　of　shawls　in　corners；　and　such　a　piece　of　work　in　getting　　up　the　curtain！　In　the　midst　of　it　came　in　the　little　boys；　shouting；　〃All　the　　tickets　are　sold；　at　ten　cents　each　！〃

〃Seventy　tickets　sold！〃　exclaimed　Agamemnon。

〃Seven　dollars　for　the　water…trough！〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃And　we　do　not　know　yet　what　we　are　going　to　act！〃　exclaimed　Ann　Maria。

But　everybody's　attention　had　to　be　given　to　the　scene　that　was　going　up　in　the　　background；　borrowed　from　the　Pan…Elocutionists。　It　was　magnificent；　and　　represented　a　forest。

〃Where　are　we　going　to　put　seventy　people？〃　exclaimed　Mrs。　Peterkin；　venturing；　　dismayed；　into　the　heaps　of　shavings；　and　boards；　and　litter。

The　little　boys　exclaimed　that　a　large　part　of　the　audience　consisted　of　boys；　　who　would　not　take　up　much　room。　But　how　much　clearing　and　sweeping　and　moving　　of　chairs　was　necessary　before　all　could　be　made　ready！　It　was　late；　and　some　of　　the　people　had　already　come　to　secure　good　seats；　even　before　the　actors　had　　assembled。

〃What　are　we　going　to　act？〃　asked　Ann　Maria。

〃I　have　been　so　torn　with　one　thing　and　another；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃I　　haven't　had　time　to　think！〃

〃Haven't　you　the　word　yet？〃　asked　John　Osborne；　for　the　audience　was　flocking　　in；　and　the　seats　were　filling　up　rapidly。

〃I　have　got　one　word　in　my　pocket；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃in　the　letter　from　　the　lady　from　Philadelphia。　She　sent　me　the　parts　of　the　word。　Solomon　John　is　　to　be　a　Turk；　but　I　don't　yet　understand　the　whole　of　the　word。〃

〃You　don't　know　the　word；　and　the　people　are　all　here！〃　said　John　Osborne；　　impatiently。

〃Elizabeth　Eliza　！〃　exclaimed　Ann　Maria；　〃Solomon　John　says　I'm　to　be　a　Turkish　　slave；　and　I'll　have　to　wear　a　veil。　Do　you　know　where　the　veils　are？　You　know　I　　brought　them　over　last　night。〃

〃Elizabeth　Eliza！　Solomon　John　wants　you　to　send　him　the　large　cashmere　scarf　！〃

exclaimed　one　of　the　little　boys；　coming　in。

〃Elizabeth　Eliza！　you　must　tell　us　what　kind　of　faces　to　make　up！〃　cried　another　　of　the　boys。

And　the　audience　were　heard　meanwhile　taking　the　seats　on　the　other　side　of　the　　thin　curtain。

〃You　sit　in　front；　Mrs。　Bromwick；　you　are　a　little　hard　of　hearing；　sit　where　　you　can　hear。〃

〃And　let　Julia　Fitch　come　where　she　can　see；〃　said　another　voice。

〃And　we　have　not　any　words　for　them　to　hear　or　see！〃　exclaimed　John　Osborne；　　behind　the　curtain。

〃Oh；　I　wish　we'd　never　determined　to　have　charades！　exclaimed　Elizabeth　Eliza。

〃Can't　we　return　the　money？〃

〃They　are　all　here；　we　must　give　them　something！〃　said　John　Osborne；　heroically。

　〃And　Solomon　John　is　almost　dressed；〃　reported　Ann　Maria；　winding　a　veil　around　　her　head。

〃Why　don't　we　take　Solomon　John's　word　'Hindoos'　for　the　first？〃　said　Agamemnon。

　　John　Osborne　agreed　to　go　in　the　first；　hunting　the　〃hin；〃　or　anything；　and　one　　of　the　little　boys　took　the　part　of　the　hen；　with　the　help　of　a　feather　duster。

The　bell　rang；　and　the　first　scene　began。

It　was　a　great　success。　John　Osborne's　Irish　was　perfect。　Nobody　guessed　the　　word；　for　the　hen　crowed　by　mistake；　but　it　received　great　applause。

Mr。　Peterkin　came　on　in　the　second　scene　to　receive　the　water…rates；　and　made　a　　long　speech　on　taxation。　He　was　interrupted　by　Ann　Maria　as　an　old　woman　in　a　　huge　bonnet。　She　persisted　in　turning　her　back　to　the　audience；　speaking　so　low　　nobody　heard　her；　and　Elizabeth　Eliza；　who　appeared　in　a　more　remarkable　bonnet；　　was　so　alarmed　she　went　directly　back；　saying　she　had　forgotten　something　But　　this　was　supposed　to　be　the　effect　intended；　and　it　was　loudly　cheered。

Then　came　a　long　delay；　for　the　little　boys　brought　out　a　number　of　their　　friends　to　be　browned　for　Hindoos。　Ann　Maria　played　on　the　piano　till　the　scene　　was　ready。　The　curtain　rose　upon　five　brown　boys　done　up　in　blankets　and　　turbans。

〃I　am　thankful　that　is　over；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃for　now　we　can　act　my　word。

Only　I　don't　myself　know　the　whole。〃

〃Never　mind；　let　us　act　it；〃　said　John　Osborne；　〃and　the　audience　can　guess　the　　whole。〃

〃The　first　syllable　must　be　the　letter　P；〃　said　Elizabeth　Eliza；　〃and　we　must　　have　a　school。〃

Agamemnon　was　master；　and　the　little　boys　and　their　friends　went　on　as　scholars。

All　the　boys　talked　and　shouted　at　once；　acting　their　idea　of　a　school　by　　flinging　pea…nuts　about；　and　scoffing　at　the　master。

〃They'll　guess　that　to　be　'row；'〃　said　John　Osborne　in　despair；　〃they'll　never　　guess　'P'！〃

　The　next　scene　was　gorgeous。　Solomon　John；　as　a　Turk；　reclined　on　John　　Osborne's　army…blanket。　He　had　on　a　turban；　and　a　long　beard；　and　all　the　family　　shawls。　Ann　Maria