Chapter XXIII. Cattle Show

ustomhereofcollectingalltheschoolstogetherinthespring,andhavingafestivalattheTownHall.Eachschoolshoweditsbestpupils,andtheparentslookedonatthebloomingflowershow.Itwasapityitwasevergivenup,fortheschoolshaveneverbeensogoodasthen,northeinterestinthemsogreat”andMrs.Minotwondered,asmanypeopledo,whyfarmersseemtocaremorefortheircattleandcropsthanfortheirchildren,willinglyspendinglargesumsonbigbarnsandcostlyexperiments,whiletheschool-housesareshabbyandinconvenient,andthecheapestteacherspreferred. “Ralphisgoingtosendmybust.Heaskedifhemight,andmothersaidYes.Mr.Germanthinksitverygood,andIhopeotherpeoplewill,”saidJill,noddingtowardthelittleplasterheadthatsmileddownfromitsbracketwithherownmerrylook. “Icouldsendmymodelitisnearlydone.Ralphtoldmeitwasacleverpieceofwork,andheknows,”addedFrank,quitetakenwiththeideaofexhibitinghisskillinmechanics. “AndIcouldsendmystarbedquilt!TheyalwayshavethingsofthatkindatCattleShow”andJillbegantorummageintheclosetfortheprideofherheart,burningtodisplayittoanadmiringworld. “Ihaven'tgotanything.Can'tsewragstogetherormakebabyengines,andIhavenolive-stock—yes,Ihavetoo!There'soldBun.I'llsendhim,forthefunofithereallyisacuriosity,forheisthebiggestoneIeversaw,andhoppingintothelimehasmadehisfursuchaqueercolor,helookslikeanewsortofrabbit.I'llcatchandshuthimupbeforehegetswildagain”andoffrushedJacktolureunsuspectingoldBun,whohadgrowntameduringtheirabsence,intothecagewhichhedetested. Theyalllaughedathisardor,butthefancypleasedthemandasMammasawnoreasonwhytheirlittleworksofartshouldnotbesent,Frankfelltoworkonhismodel,andJillresolvedtofinishherquiltatonce,whileMrs.MinotwentofftoseeMr.Actonaboutthehoursandstudiesfortheboys. Inaweekortwo,theyoungpeoplewerealmostresignedtothelossofschool,fortheyfoundthemselvesdelightfullyfreshforthefewlessonstheydidhave,andnotwearyofplay,sinceittookmanyusefulforms.OldJanenotonlycarriedthemalltoride,butgaveJackplentyofworkkeepingherpremisesinniceorder.Frankmournedprivatelyoverthedelayofcollege,butfoundasolaceinhiswhirligigandtheGymnasium,wherehesethimselftodevelopingachesttomatchthebigheadabove,whichheadnolongerachedwitheightortenhoursofstudy.Harvestingbeansandrakingupleavesseemedtohaveasoothingeffectuponhisnerves,fornowhefellasleepatonceinsteadofthumpinghispillowwithvexationbecausehisbrainwouldgoonworkingatdifficultproblemsandpassageswhenhewantedittostop. JillandMollydroveawayinthelittlephaetoneveryfairmorningoverthesunnyhillsandthroughthechangingwoods,fillingtheirhandswithastersandgolden-rod,theirlungswiththepure,invigoratingair,andtheirheadswithallmannerofsweetandhappyfanciesandfeelingsbornofthewholesomeinfluencesaboutthem.Peopleshooktheirheads,andsaiditwaswastingtimebuttherosy-facedgirlswerecontenttotrustthosewiserthanthemselves,andfoundtheirnewschoolverypleasant.Theyreadaloudagooddeal,rapidlyacquiringoneoftherarestandmostbeautifulaccomplishmentsfortheycouldstopandaskquestionsastheywentalong,sothattheyunderstoodwhattheyread,whichishalfthesecret.Athousandthingscameupastheysewedtogetherintheafternoon,andtheeagermindsreceivedmuchgeneralinformationinaneasyandwell-orderedway.Physiologywasoneofthefavoritestudies,andMrs.Hammondoftencameintogivethemalittlelecture,teachingthemtounderstandthewondersoftheirownsystems,andhowtokeeptheminorder—alessonoffarmoreimportancejustthenthanGreekorLatin,forgirlsarethefuturemothers,nurses,teachers,oftherace,andshouldfeelhowmuchdependsonthem.Merrycouldnotresisttheattractionsofthefriendlycircle,andsoonpersuadedhermothertoletherdoastheydidsoshegotmoreexerciseandlessstudy,whichwasjustwhatthedelicategirlneeded. Thefirstofthenewideasseemedtoprosper,andthesecond,thoughsuggestedinjoke,wascarriedoutinearnest,fortheotheryoungpeoplewereseizedwithastrongdesiretosendsomethingtotheFair.Infact,allsortsofqueerarticleswereproposed,andmuchfunprevailed,especiallyamongtheboys,whoransackedtheirgardensformammothvegetables,sighedforfive-leggedcalves,blueroses,oranyothernaturalcuriositybymeansofwhichtheymightdistinguishthemselves.RalphwastheonlyonewhohadanythingreallyworthsendingforthoughFrank'smodelseemedquiteperfect,itobstinatelyrefuse