Chapter XXIII. Cattle Show

neversentmychildrentoschooltogetridofthem,andnowthattheyareoldenoughtobecompanions,Iwantthemathomemorethanever.Therearetobesomelessons,however,forbusymindsmustbefed,butnotcrammedsoyouboyswillgoandreciteatcertainhourssuchthingsasseemmostimportant.Butthereistobenostudyingatnight,noshuttingupallthebesthoursoftheday,nohurryandfretofgettingonfast,orskimmingoverthesurfaceofmanystudieswithoutlearninganythoroughly.” “SoIsay!”criedJack,pleasedwiththenewidea,forheneverdidlovebooks.“IdohatetobedrivensoIdon'thalfunderstand,becausethereisnotimetohavethingsexplained.SchoolisgoodfunasfarasplaygoesbutIdon'tseethesenseofmakingafellowlearneightyquestionsingeographyoneday,andforgetthemthenext. “Whatistobecomeofme,please?”askedJill,meekly. “YouandMollyaretohavelessonshere.IwasateacherwhenIwasyoung,youknow,andlikedit,soIshallbeschool-ma'am,andleavemyhouse-keepinginbetterhandsthanmine.Ialwaysthoughtthatmothersshouldteachtheirgirlsduringtheseyears,andvarytheirstudiestosuitthegrowingcreaturesasonlymotherscan. “Thatwillbesplendid!WillMolly'sfatherlethercome?”criedJill,feelingquitereconciledtostayingathome,ifherfriendwastobewithher. “Helikestheplanverymuch,forMollyisgrowingfast,andneedsasortofcarethatMissDawescannotgiveher.Iamnotahardmistress,andIhopeyouwillfindmyschoolapleasantone.” “IknowIshallandI'mnotdisappointed,becauseIwasprettysureIcouldn'tgototheoldschoolagain,whenIheardthedoctorsayImustbeverycarefulforalongtime.Ithoughthemeantmonthsbutifitmustbeyears,Icanbearit,forI'vebeenhappythislastonethoughIwassick,”saidJill,gladtoshowthatithadnotbeenwastedtimebybeingcheerfulandpatientnow. “That'smygoodgirl!”andMrs.Minotstrokedthecurlyblackheadasifitwasherownlittledaughter's.“Youhavedonesowell,Iwantyoutogoonimproving,forcarenowwillsaveyoupainanddisappointmentbyandby.Youallhavegotacapitalstartduringthesesixweeks,soitisagoodtimetobeginmyexperiment.Ifitdoesnotworkwell,wewillgobacktoschoolandcollegenextspring.” “HurrahforMammaandthelongvacation!”criedJack,catchinguptwobigbooksandwhirlingthemroundlikeclubs,asiftogethismusclesinorderatonce. “NowIshallhavetimetogototheGymnasiumandstraightenoutmyback,”saidFrank,whowasgrowingsotallheneededmorebreadthtomakehisheightsymmetrical. “Andtoridehorseback.IamgoingtohireoldJaneandgetoutthelittlephaeton,sowecanallenjoythefineweatherwhileitlasts.MollyandIcandriveJill,andyoucantaketurnsinthesaddlewhenyouaretiredofballandboating.Exerciseofallsortsisoneofthelessonswearetolearn,”saidMrs.Minot,suggestingallthepleasantthingsshecouldtosweetenthepillforherpupils,twoofwhomdidlovetheirbooks,notbeingoldenoughtoknowthatevenanexcellentthingmaybeoverdone. “Won'tthatbegay?I'llgetdownthesaddleto-day,sowecanbeginrightoff.Lemrides,andwecangotogether.HopeoldJanewilllikeitaswellasIshall,”saidJack,whohadfoundanewfriendinapleasantladlatelycometotown. “Youmustseethatshedoes,foryouboysaretotakecareofher.Wewillputthebarninorder,andyoucandecidewhichshallbehostlerandwhichgardener,forIdon'tintendtohirelaborontheplaceanymore.Ourestateisnotalargeone,anditwillbeexcellentworkforyou,mymen.” “Allright!I'llseetoJane.Ilovehorses,”saidJack,wellpleasedwiththeprospect. “Myhorsewon'tneedmuchcare.Ipreferabicycletoabeast,soI'llgetinthesquashes,picktheapples,andcoverthestrawberrybedwhenitistime,”addedFrank,whohadenjoyedthefreelifeatPebblyBeachsomuchthathewaswillingtoprolongit. “Youmayputmeinahen-coop,andkeepmethereayear,ifyoulike.Iwon'tfret,forI'msureyouknowwhatisbestforme,”saidJill,gayly,asshelookedupatthegoodfriendwhohaddonesomuchforher. “I'mnotsurethatIwon'tputyouinaprettycageandsendyoutoCattleShow,asasampleofwhatwecandointhewayoftamingawildbirdtillitisnearlyasmeekasadove,”answeredMrs.Minot,muchgratifiedattheamiabilityofherflock. “Idon'tseewhythereshouldnotbeanexhibitionofchildren,andprizesforthegoodandprettyones,aswellasforfatpigs,finehorses,orhandsomefruitandflowers—Idon'tmeanababyshow,butboysandgirls,sopeoplecanseewhattheprospectisofagoodcropforthenextgeneration,”saidFrank,glancingtowardthetowerofthebuildingwheretheyearlyAgriculturalFairwassoontobeheld. “Yearsago,therewasaprettyc