CHAPTER I.
MISS PRIM'S RIDE.
ABOUT three miles from one of our chief cities there once lived a family by the name of Corwin. There was a large farm with an old-fashioned house upon it, long known by the name of Corwin's Nest. Here lived father, mother, and two children, Bessie and James, or Jamie as he was called. There were also a woman, Nurse Blake, a cook, and chamber-maid.
It was a lovely morning in May. Near the house, there was a pleasant fragrance from the pear and apple blossoms. The robins had returned from their winter quarters to their old homes in the great trees, and were now busily engaged in making nests for their young.
The great tulip tree was in full bloom, and looked very gorgeous. The lower branches were so high from the ground that it would take a very long ladder to reach them; but the boughs almost touched the nursery windows, so that the flowers could be reached from them.
On the piazza in front of the house, childish voices could be heard mingling with the songs of the birds, and the cackling of the hens who had been laying eggs, and could not keep the secret.
Presently there was a bark of a dog, and Flossy ran down the granite steps, looking back for Bessie and Jamie—or Junior, as papa called him, to follow.
"I'll ask mamma if the ground is dry enough now," said the little girl.
She darted into the house, up the stairs, and quickly returned with a beaming face, bringing with her a great doll, almost as large as a live baby.
"She says 'yes,' Jamie; come, let's carry Miss Prim and all her family to ride. O Flossy!" she added, laughing merrily. "How lazy you are growing! You always like to ride too."
"Carry Miss Prim to see chickies," lisped Jamie, picking his way carefully down the steps.
The great doll sat up very straight, holding two or three smaller dolls; but she didn't pay much attention to them—she stared straight before her with her dull black eyes.
There were ever so many chickens in the hennery, and little turkeys running in the barn-yard; but the children were too much afraid of the great gobbler, who strutted about with his red comb, to go very near them.
"Me isn't afraid," said Jamie, bravely; but when the old fellow turned toward them screaming, "Gobble, gobble, gobble!" his little feet carried him away pretty quick.
"I wish Nellie's school didn't keep all the time," said Bessie. "I want her to play with us."
"Ganma in there; ganma giving bossies dinner," exclaimed Jamie, pointing his fat finger toward the barn.
[Illustration: THE FARMER'S WIFE FEEDING THE CHICKENS.]
So they trotted on, dragging the wagon full of dolls.
When they reached the barn-yard, the farmer's wife was scattering corn to some of the chickens. They stopped to watch her a few minutes when grandma saw them, and beckoned them to come to her.
"Hi! Little folks," said the old lady. "How's Miss Bessie to-day and Master Jamie?"
"Pretty well, ganma," lisped the boy. "I'm going with you to see the bossies."
She laughed as she said, "That's right. I have some milk, I'm going to make the new bossy drink."
But the old lady found this was a very difficult matter. She poured the milk into a pan, and put the calf's nose into it; but he only snuffed and shook his head, and cried for the mooley his ma.
Bessie and her brother stood by, looking very sober, and pitying the little creature very much.
Grandma tried every way to teach bossy to lap up the milk; but he didn't know how. At last she put her finger in the milk, and let him taste of that. He caught her finger, and began to suck it with all his might; so she laid her hand in the pan, and in a few minutes he had sucked all the milk up. Then he was quiet, and went to lie down on the straw the man had piled up for his bed.
"I like bossies," said Bessie; "but I should think their own mothers would take care of them and feed them. Why don't they?"
"Mrs. Mooley would be glad enough to do so," answered grandma; "but your father means to raise this calf; and he can't spare all the new milk. While it is young, it can drink skim milk, and soon it will begin to eat meal and hay. But there comes nurse to look for you."
When they went out from the barn door, they found Miss Prim had kept her family very quiet; and Flossy was sound asleep at the bottom of the carriage. She roused up at the sound of their voices, and began to whine for attention.
[Illustration]