Child reading
Child reading
Boy.Where isJames.
Lady.He is in the house; you may go to him there.
Boy.If you please, I like to stay here.
Lady.What shall we do?
Boy.I wish to have my knife and a stick; then with this small piece of board I will make a chair forJane’sdoll.
Lady.That will please MissJane; that piece will do for a couch; you might stuff it with wool.
Boy.I wish I could; pray will you teach me how to do it?
Lady.If you make the frame well, I will stuff it for you.
Boy.Thank you; I thinkJanewill dance for joy.
Lady.She does not dream of such a nice chair; stay, this is the right way to cut it; you must not notch it so.
Boy.I think I hearJane’svoice; I would not have her come till it is done. Will she thank me?
Lady.Yes, sure; she ought to thank you.
Boy.Why does she sleep in the day?
Lady.She is a babe—you slept at noon, when you were so young.
Boy.Now I do not sleep till night. I hear my ducks; what do you quack for?—May I fetch them some bread? Here is a crust which I left; pray may I give it to them?
Lady.If it be clean, some poor child would be glad of it; that is a large piece—We will give chaff to the ducks.
Boy.This bread is made of wheat; wheat grows in the earth; wheat is a grain. I am to seeTombind a sheaf: and whenTomgoes home to shear his sheep, I am to see him. He will throw them in a pond: plunge them in! Our cloth is made of wool; how can they weave cloth, and how can they stain it? How light this chair will be! it will not weigh much.
Lady.Who heard the clock; I meant to count it. I left my watch in my room.
Boy.Why did you leave it?
Lady.The chain was broken last night.
Boy.I like to have my couch ofgreen.Janeloves green. What do you call this?
Lady.A blush, or faint bloom; some call it bloom of peach; it is near white. That is quite white.
Boy.May I sit on the grass? I love to sit in the shade, and read my book.
Lady.The earth is as dry as a floor now.
Boy.If I could reach those sweetpeas I would get some seed; they are such nice round balls.Janelikes them to play with.
Lady.You may go now and fetch a quill for me; do not put it in your mouth. While you go, I shall go on with the work.