¡¶Little HOUSE in the BIG WOODS¡·


 Chapter 1: LITTLE HOUSE IN THE BIG WOODS

    O N C E upon a time, sixty years ago, a little girl lived in ttle gray , dark trees of tood all around trees and beyond trees. As far as a man could go to t rees and them.

    olves lived in ts. Muskrats and mink and otter lived by treams. Foxes he hills and deer roamed everywhere.

    to t of ttle log o t, trees, and only a fetle log tered far apart in the Big oods.

    So far as ttle girl could see, ttle er Mary and baby sister Carrie. A rack ran before turning and ting out of sig ttle girl did not kno, nor .

    ttle girl hey do now.

    At nigrundle bed sened and could not  all but trees her.

    Sometimes, far a, a wolf hen he came nearer, and howled again.

    It   little girls. But s. o sleep, Laura. Jack  let trundle bed, close beside Mary, and  to sleep. One nigip out of bed and carried o t s see tting in front of ted t t moon, and howled.

    Jack paced up and doood up along eeto t t get in.

    table airs ttic, pleasant to play in  closed ter. t , door and a back door.

    All around to keep the deer away.

    In t of tiful big oak trees. Every morning as soon as so look out of trees a dead deer hanging from a branch.

    Pa  t t nigrees so t get t.

    t day Pa and Ma and Laura and Mary   Laura  all. But most of t must be salted and smoked and packed ao be eaten in ter.

    For er er, and frost cra nig buried in snos, and treams ter cold  be sure of finding any o s for meat.

    t soundly all er long. ts in rees, ails s  a deer, it  fat and plump as deer are in the fall.

    Pa mig alone all day in tter cold, in t nigo eat.

    So as muc be stored atle er came.

    Pa skinned ted and stretc leat up t, and sprinkled salt over them on a board.

    Standing on end in tall lengt from trunk of a big ree. Pa ood it up, put a little roof over top, and cut a little door on one side near ttom. On t  out ened leatted it into place, and t tle door, ill on it.

    After t ed several days, Pa cut a  a string t. Laura cc on the hollow log.

    tle door and  on t a ladder against to top, moved to one side, and reaco  on those nails.

    t to Laura:

    quot;Run over to tce ones.¡±

    So Laura ran to t smelling chips.

    Just inside ttle door in t a fire of tiny bits of bark and moss, and  very carefully.

    Instead of burning quickly, t ttle smoke squeezed t and a little smoke came out t most of it .

    quot;tter t; Pa said. quot;t  will keep anywher.¡±

    took  ao to cut dorees.

    Laura and Ma copped coming, t t. All time ttle smell of smoke in ty smell came out.

    At last Pa said t t, and Pa took all trips and pieces of meat out of tree. Ma ic whey would keep safe and dry.

    One morning Pa  away before daylig nigo Lake Pepin and caug.

    Ma a cut large slices of flaky ed on t eat fresed doer.

    Pa o ran s and roots. No and put it in a pen made of logs, to fatten. c as soon as to keep the pork frozen.

    Laura cdoors. twice.

    old o to grab tarlig t   at all.

    Laura  get t so mucoo, but ;Anyhe bacon.¡±

    ttle   t jump t tables in time, and at nig times in ttle s among ts and t Jacks tracks oo, and t out again.

    Noatoes and carrots, ts and turnips and cabbages ored in ts had come.

    Onions o long ropes, braided togetops, and ttic beside rung on ttics corners.

    ted fisry, and yellory shelves.

    t of to cc Aunt Pollys butcher knife.

    Near t -a bonfire, and ed a great kettle of er over it. er  to kill topped  he hog squeal.

    quot;It doesnt  ; Pa said. quot;e do it so quickly.quot; But s  to hear him squeal.

    In a minute. sook one finger cautiously out of an ear, and listened. topped squealing. After t, Butcime  fun.

    It was suco see and do. Uncle ail.

    As soon as ted it up and doer till it  on a board and scraped it les came off. After t tree, took out t it o cool.

    ook it do it up. t and spare-ribs and belly. t and tongue, and to be made into s to be made into sausage.

    t . t to pickle in brine, for the hollow log.

    quot;You cant beat ; Pa said.

    made a little igring and gave it to Mary and Laura to play  into t it back and fortheir hands.

    Or it . But even better fun tail.

    Pa skinned it for to t a sick. Ma opened t of tove and raked  coals out into took turns ail over the coals.

    It sizzled and fried, and drops of fat dripped off it and blazed on t . t very , and Laura burned  sed s care. Roasting tail  aking turns.

    At last it   into to cool it, and even before it ing it and burned tongues.

    te every little bit of meat off to Jack. And t ail. t be anotill next year.

    Uncle  er dinner, and Pa  ao  for Laura and Mary and Ma, Butcime  deal for Ma to do, and Laura and Mary helped her.

    All t day and t, Ma rying out ts on tove. Laura and Mary carried c must be , but not too , or ts simmered and boiled, but t not smoke. From time to time Ma skimmed out t t every bit of t to flavor joer.

    Cracklings o eat, but Laura and Mary could aste. too rictle girls, Ma said.

    Ma scraped and cleaned t till all t fell off t fine   and spices. t-liquor , and set it ao cool.

    in slices, and t was headcheese.

    ttle pieces of meat, lean and fat, t il it  and pepper and ossed and turned it until it o balls. S t in to eat all er. t he sausage.

    cime e salt-pork out in ttic he smoked hams and shoulders.

    ttle ing ored aer. try and ttic.

    Laura and Mary must play in t doors and trees. tove never  out. At nig o keep till morning.

    ttic o play. tiful cables. tter y spicy smell.

    Often tside  in ttic Laura and Mary played hing was snug and cosy.

    Mary tle. Laura  it

    Susans fault t simes Mary let Laura tle, but s only w see.

    t times of all  niger supper Pa brougraps in from to grease t and greased ther dipped in bears grease.

    traps and middle-sized traps and great bear traps eet Pa said  on to it.

    raps, Pa told Laura and Mary little jokes and stories, -and afterward he would play his fiddle.

    tig, and tuffed o keep out t Black Susan, t, came and  as s, t-tom of t door. S very quickly, so t catcail, w fell s behind her.

    One nigraps ched Black Susan come in, and he said:

    quot;ts, a big cat and a little cat.¡±

    Laura and Mary ran to lean on .

    quot;s,quot; Pa repeated, quot;a big cat and a little cat. So -. And ttle cat-tle cat.¡±

    topped.

    quot;But tle cat-quot; Mary began.

    quot;Because t  let it,quot; Laura interrupted. quot;Laura, t is very rude. You must never interrupt,quot; said Pa. quot;But I see,quot; ;t eit t ; traps, and ook  of its box and began to play. t  time of all.

 Chapter 2: Winter DAYS and Winter NIGHTS

    t snoter cold. Every morning Pa took raps and ting traps for muskrats and mink along traps for foxes and  out traps o get a fat bear before t into ter.

    One morning ook t a bear. Laura and Mary jumped tip and doed:

    quot;I  tick! I  tick!

    Mary did not know ick is.

    rap in ree covered ree.

    t killed t up to eat it. Pa said tanding up on its s pa as they were hands.

    Pa s t was.

    quot;So I just broug; Pa said.

    ty of fres to last for a long time. ts  t tle sside t thaw.

    ed fres for dinner Pa took t off a c or pork. But t pork, or t for tic.

    t coming till it ed and banked against t in beautiful pictures of trees and flo Jack Frost came in t and made tures,  Jack Frost tle man all snotering ed cap and soft s made of deer-skin.  ens ures.

    Laura and Mary o take Mas tty patterns of circles in t on t tures t Jack Frost .

    to t, te frost melted and ran in drops dos of snodoors and t trees standing bare and black, making te snow.

    Laura and Mary he work.

    Every morning to  Laura alle cup and plate.

    By time t arundle bed anding  one on eacraigucked t t and t trundle bed into its place under the big bed.

    After t belonged to t day. Eacs oo say:

    quot;asuesday, Mend on ednesday, Curday, Rest on Sunday.¡±

    Laura liked t of all the week.

    In er t yello ter c  so pretty. Ma liked everytable to be pretty, so in tertime ster.

    After s tall crockery c it near tove to ed it on ttom of

    tin pan t Pa  across til s all ted up t, juicy mound of grated carrot.

    S ttle pan of milk on tove and o a clot yelloo t colored all tter would be yellow.

    Laura and Mary o eat t 1 after t. Mary t s to  because stler. But Ma said t divide it evenly. It was very good.

    it in t. ttle round he hole.

    Sime. Mary could sometimes ced, but too heavy for Laura.

    At first ttle er a long time, to look grainy. to appear tiny grains of yelloter.

    ook off tter in a golden lump, drotermilk. took out to a imes in cold er, turning it over and over and  il ter ran clear. After t sed it.

    No part of tter. On ttom of tter-mold ure of a strarawberry leaves.

    itter tigo til it urned it upside-doe, and pustom. ttle, firm pat of golden butter came out, ras leaves molded on top.

    Laura and Mary ctle butterpats, eacs straop, dropped on to te as Ma put all tter ttermilk on Saturdays, o a little loaf. t  of cookie dougoo, to make little cookies, and once Laura even made a pie in ty-pan.

    After times cut paper dolls for t t of stiff s of colored paper s dresses and s, ribbons and laces, so t Laura and Mary could dress tifully.

    But, t time of all  night, when Pa came home.

    ramping tiny icicles ac and mittens, and call: quot;tle  of s cider half drunk up? ¡°

    t was Laura, because she was so small.

    Laura and Mary o climb on  t on  and cap and mittens again and go out to do ty of he fire.

    Sometimes, raps y, or ime to play h Laura and Mary.

    One game tanding it all up on end. trying to get t get away.

    t dodging and running, but once  t tove. t get past Pa, and t.

    terribly,  it all seemed real. Mary  as Pa came nearer Laura screamed, and  over th her.

    And at once t all. tanding t Laura.

    quot;ell!quot; o ;Youre only a little  of cider  by Jinks! Youre as strong as a little French horse!

    quot;You s frig; Ma said. quot;Look heir eyes are.

    Pa looked, and took down o play and sing.

    quot;Yankee Doodle  to torousies,  see tohere was so many houses.¡±

    Laura and Mary forgot all about the mad dog.

    quot;And t big guns, Big as a log of maple, And every time turned em round, It took ttle.

    quot;And every time t took a  made a noise like fation louder.¡±

    Pa ime , and Laura clapped o the music when he sang,  ¡°And Ill sing Yankee Doodle-de-do, And Ill sing Yankee Doodle, And Ill sing Yankee Doodle-de-do, And Ill sing Yankee Doodle!¡±

    All alone in ttle able and  night.

    ts , and Jack t lay blinking at the fireplace.

    Ma sat in  of table. t and s in ttom of its glass boo keep ts of red flannel among t to make it pretty. It ty.

    Laura loved to look at ts glass cs yelloeadily, and its bos of flannel. So look at time, burning yelloimes green above the golden and ruby coals.

    And told stories. ory, ake tickle til they laughed aloud. his eyes were blue and merry.

    One nig Black Susan, stretc and in, and he said:

    quot;Do you kno a pant? a great, big, ?¡±

    quot;No,quot; said Laura.

    quot;ell, it is, said Pa. quot;Just imagine Black Susan bigger t like a panther.¡±

    tled Laura and Mary more comfortably on ;Ill tell you about Grandpa and ther.¡±

    quot;Your Grandpa?quot; Laura asked.

    quot;No, Laura, your Grandpa. My father.¡±

    quot;O; Laura said, and s Pas arm. She Big oods, in a big log house. Pa began:

    tory of Grandpa and t;Your Grandpa  to toe starting  was dark w ened, for he had no gun.¡±

    quot;; Laura asked.

    quot;Like a ; said Pa. quot;Like t; t Laura and Mary serror.,  Ma jumped in ;Mercy, Charles! ¡°

    But Laura and Mary loved to be scared like t.

    quot;t, for it  it could not get a  as t screamed no was always close behind.

    quot;Grandpa leaned foro run faster. t as it could possibly run, and still ther screamed close behind.

    quot;t a glimpse of it, as it leaped from treetop to treetop, almost over;It imes bigger than Black Susan.

    It  if it leaped on Grandpa it could kill s enormous, slass long seeth.

    quot;Grandpa, on  just as a mouse runs from a cat.

    quot;t scream any more. Grandpa did not see it any more. But  it er s might.

    quot;At last to Grandpas  jumped off t t t be where Grandpa had been.

    quot;terribly, and ran. o ts cla Grandpa grabbed  to t in time to s ther dead.

    Grandpa said  his gun.¡±

    old tory, Laura and Mary so rong arms around them.

    to be tretc beside ed and tiff along  Laura and Mary listened to t lonely sound in t afraid.

    table in ttle ed around it and t could not get in by the fire.

 Chapter 3: The Long RIFLE

    EVERY evening before o tell stories, Pa made ts for or  days ing. Laura and Mary  and ts of lead, and t-mold. tted on ts, t one on eacched.

    First ed ts of lead in ted,  carefully from to ttle -mold. ed a minute, t dropped a brig onto th.

    t oo  to touc it semptingly t sometimes Laura or Mary could not ouc. t t say anytold to touc. If t ; t to cool tcs.

    topped.  trimmed off ttle lumps left by tiny so melt again t time s.

    ts  into  pouctle bag wifully of buckskin, from a buck Pa .

    After ts ake . Out in t migtle dampness, and to be dirty from powder smoke.

    So Pa ake ts place under ten a piece of clean clots end. ood tt of ter from tea kettle into t up and doer blackened ed out ttle he gun was loaded.

    Pa: kept pouring in more er and er ran out clear. ter must al ted steel antly.

    t a clean, greased rag on till ,   all over, outside, until every bit of it er t ock until t was brigoo.

    No anding straigall,  on its butt, her side of him, Pa said:

    quot;You cell me if I make a mistake. ¡°

    So tc ake.

    Laura op of tal cap.

    Pa filled ttle and tapped to be sure t all togettom. c; tle tin box full of little pieces of greased clots of greasy clot one of ts on it, and  and tightly

    against t t it and t it down again. ime.

    Next  ts place against taking a box of caps from , tle brig  t came dohe gun would go off.

    No on its he door.

    led t of a green stick raigo he gun securely.

    t Pa could get it quickly and easily, any time he needed a gun.

    into t t poucs, and t tin patc in s. tc   and he gun ready loaded on his shoulder.

    , for,   to meet trouble y gun.

    at a op and load t in and s do in bullet and pound t a fres again.  at -a bear or a pant kill it  s. A ime to load his gun again.

    But Laura and Mary o t s.

    After ts ory-telling time.

    quot;tell us about the oods, Laura would beg him.

    Pa crinkled up  ;O; ;You dont  to  time I le boy.¡±

    quot;O; Laura and Mary said. So Pa began.

    tory of Pa and the oods

    quot;tle boy, not muco go every afternoon to find told me never to play by t to he woods.

    quot;One day I started earlier t I did not need to o see in t I forgot t dark rees, ctle rabbits playing games togettle rabbits, you knoo bed.

    I began to play I alking ting til t once I tering good nig he woods.

    quot;I kne I must get t he cows!

    quot;I listened, but I could not  t come.

    quot;I s, but I dared not go o my fat ting and calling. All time tting trees and trange.

    I could not find t doo dark ravines,  calling and looking. I stopped and listened for t a sound but tling of leaves.

    t a pant it hing.

    quot;My bare legs cruck me. But I kept on, looking and calling, Sukey! Sukey!  quot; Sukey! Sukey! I sed . Sukey!  quot;Rig;My ood straight on end.

    quot; all about ted o get out of to get home.

    quot;t ter me and called again, ;I ran . I ran till I couldnt breatill I kept on running. Somet, and do. Up I jumped, and t even a wolf could  me.

    quot;At last I came out of tood all ting to be let t to the house.

    quot;My fat makes you so late? Been playing by t;I looked do my feet, and t one big-toe nail orn clean off. I  I  felt it  till t minute.¡±

    Pa alopped telling tory ed until Laura said: quot;Go on! Pa! Please go on.¡±

    quot;ell, Pa said, t out into t a stout sco t I o mind er t.

    A big boy nine years old is old enougo remember to mind,  I tell you to do, old, no o you.¡°

    quot;Yes, yes, Pa! quot; Laura ;And t did ; quot;  in ter dark, and you  have been scared by a screech-owl.

 Chapter 4: CHRISTMAS

    CMAS was coming.

    ttle log  buried in sno drifts  took t ao talls.

    t. Laura and Mary stood on c across ttering sno ttering trees. Sno sparkled in to t Icicles as large at top as Lauras arm. ts.

    Pas breat out in clouds and it froze in  on ache and beard.

    amping ts, and caug , actle drops of melting frost.

    Every nigled til  and smooth as silk.

    t tting to little peaks and toar carved on tallest point.  little  ttle stars, and crescent moons, and circles. All around tiny leaves, and flowers, and birds.

    One of ttle boards s edges ars, and t  crescent moons and curlicues.

    Around t board iny flowering vine.

    iniest sting very sloty.

    At last  ted togetifully carved back for a smoottle ss middle. tar  top of it. ted t ifully, too. And ttle vine ran around the shelf.

    Pa  for a Cmas present for Ma.  carefully against tood tle che shelf.

    ttle c on  , and stle gilt ciful, standing on tar at top.

    Ma mas. S-rising bread and ryenlnjun bread, and She cake spoon.

    One morning sogetil t in tdoors. Laura and Mary each had a

    pan, and Pa and Ma so pour ttle streams on to the snow.

    t once and  was saved for Cmas Day.

    All t Eliza and Uncle Peter and ter and Alice and Ella, o spend Cmas.

    tmas t, and t of to te. Aunt Eliza and Uncle Peter and t, all covered up, under blankets and robes and buffalo skins.

    ts and mufflers and veils and s they looked like big, shapeless bundles.

    tle  and  Jack leaped in circles top. Noo play h!

    As soon as Aunt Eliza er and Alice and Ella and Laura and Mary began to run and s. At last Aunt Eliza told to be quiet. t;Ill tell you s do. Lets make pictures.¡±

    Alice said t go outdoors to do it, and Ma t it oo cold for Laura to play outdoors. But er all, for a little  and mittens and t her go.

    Laura doors in ter and Mary, making pictures. t his:

    Eacump, and t once,  umps into t, deep sno on tried to get up  spoiling t  exactly like four little girls and a boy, arms and legs and all. tures.

    t oo excited to sleep. But t sleep, or Santa Claus  come. So tockings by t to bed-Alice and Ella and Mary and Laura all in one big bed on the floor.

    Peter rundle bed. Aunt Eliza and Uncle Peter o sleep in ttic floor for Pa and Ma. ts  in from Uncle Peters sled, so there were enough covers for everybody.

    Pa and Ma and Aunt Eliza and Uncle Peter sat by talking. And just as Laura ing off to sleep, ser say:

    quot;Eliza  Lake City. You kno big dog of mine? ¡°

    Laura  once. So  dogs. Sill as a mouse, and looked at t flickering on tened to Uncle Peter.

    quot;ell,quot; Uncle Peter said, quot;early in tarted to to get a pail of er, and Prince o  to t eet and pulled.

    quot;You kno go, and rong s get aill ore a piece out of .

    quot;It ,quot; Aunt Eliza said to Ma.

    quot;Dear me! quot; Ma said.

    quot;ore a big piece rig of t,quot; Aunt Eliza said. quot;I   me.¡±

    quot;Prince gro you? quot; Pa said.

    quot;Yes,quot; said Aunt Eliza.

    quot;So tarted on again to; Uncle Peter  on. quot;But Prince jumped into t tention to alking and scolding.  kept on seetried to get past  in front of   scared her.¡±

    quot;I s ; Ma said.

    quot; o bite me, said Aunt Eliza. quot;I believe he would have.¡±

    quot;I never ; said Ma. quot; on earth did you do?¡±

    quot;I turned rigo t Eliza answered.

    quot;Of course Prince rangers,quot; said Uncle Peter. quot;But o Eliza and t perfectly safe to leave t understand it at all. quot;After s into t pacing around it and groime sarted to open t her and snarled.¡±

    quot;; said Ma.

    quot;ts ,quot; Aunt Eliza said. quot;I didnt knoo do. t up in t daring to go out. And  er. I couldnt even get any snoo melt. Every time I opened ted like ear me to pieces.¡±

    quot;; Pa asked.

    quot;All day, till late in ternoon,quot; Aunt Eliza said. quot;Peter aken t him.¡±

    quot;Along late in ternoon,quot; Uncle Peter said, quot; quiet, and lay do of t o try to slip past  to ter.

    quot;So sly, but of course  a tracks of a panther.¡±

    quot;tracks  Eliza.

    quot;Yes, Uncle Peter said, quot;racks  I ever saracks.  big oak over ting for some animal to come ter. Undoubtedly he would have dropped down on her.

    quot;Nigracks, and s e any time getting back to ter. Prince follohen.¡±

    quot;I took o t; Aunt Eliza said, quot;and ayed inside, till Peter came home.¡±

    quot;Did you get ; Pa asked Uncle Peter.

    quot;No,quot; Uncle Peter said. quot;I took my gun and ed all round t I couldnt find racks. o the Big oods.¡±

    Alice and Ella and Mary  o Alice, quot;My!  you scared?¡±

    Alice hing.

    quot;ell, any being ty,quot; Alice whispered.

    t it till Ma said: quot;C to sleep unless you play for t; So Pa got his fiddle.

    till and ers , and Pas fiddle sang merrily to itself.

    It sang quot;Money Musk,quot; and quot;t; quot;t; and quot;Arkansas traveler.quot; And Laura  to sleep wly singing:

    quot;My darling Nelly Gray, taken you a; In t at t. t tockings, and someta Claus goer in s, all ran sing to see  red mittens, and t stick of red and-riped peppermint candy, all beautifully notched along each side.

    t first. t looked  tmas presents. But Laura was  of all. Laura had a rag doll.

    Siful doll. Se clotton eyes. A black pencil   and raveled, so t it le red flannel stockings and little black cloters for sty pink and blue calico.

    Siful t Laura could not say a  kno everyone  ill Aunt Eliza said:

    Did you ever see such big eyes!¡±

    t jealous because Laura tens, and candy, and a doll, because Laura tlest girl, except Baby Carrie and Aunt Elizas little baby, Dolly Varden. too small for dolls. t even kno Santa Claus. t put tement.

    Laura sat dotens and s s of all. Ste.

    t eactens, and tried on ter bit a large piece and out of ick of candy, but Alice and Ella a Mary and Laura licked to make it last longer.

    quot;ell, ; Uncle Peter said. quot;Isnt tocking  a sc?¡±

    My, my, have you all been such good children? ¡°

    But t believe t Santa Claus could, really,  a sc o some c it couldnt o t ime, every day, for a whole year.

    quot;You mustnt tease ter,quot; Aunt Eliza said.

    Ma said, quot;Laura, arent you going to let t; S, quot;Little girls must not be so selfish.¡±

    So Laura let Mary take tiful doll, and te, and tty dress and admired tockings and ters, and t Laura  Cte was safe in her arms again.

    Pa and Uncle Peter tens, knit in little squares of red and  Eliza hem.

    Aunt Eliza  Ma a large red apple stuck full of cloves.  smelled! And it  spoil, for so many cloves  sound and s.

    Ma gave Aunt Eliza a little needle-book ss of silk for covers and soft o ick ting.

    tiful bracket, and Aunt Eliza said t Uncle Peter  carving.

    Santa Claus  given t all. Santa Claus did not give gros  but t  because t been good.

    Pa and Ma   give eacs.

    ts must be laid atle  out er to do t Eliza make t table, .

    For breakfast turn to bring e, and eacand by tove and cter Ma put on t ing to curn ttle man over, quickly and carefully, on a  griddle.   smoking  on te.

    Peter ate t a Alice and Ella and Mary and Laura ate ttle bits, first t.

    today t t play outdoors, but ttens to admire, and to lick. And t on toget tures in tures of all kinds of animals and birds in Pas big green book. Laura kept Cte in ime.

    tmas dinner. Alice -and Ella and Peter and Mary and Laura did not say a  table, for t c  t need to ask for second  Eliza kept tes full and let t all they could hold.

    quot;Cmas comes but once a year,quot; said Aunt Eliza. Dinner  Eliza, Uncle Peter and to go.

    quot;Best ter said, well  home before dark.¡±

    So as soon as ten dinner, Uncle Peter and Pa  to put to t Eliza he cousins.

    tockings over tockings and t on mittens and coats and atoes into ts to keep t Elizas flatirons ove , ready to put at t in ts and ts and too. So t into tucked t robe hem.

    quot;Good-by! Good-by! quot; t, trotting gaily and the sleigh bells ringing.

    In just a little   had been!

 Chapter 5 SUNDAYS

    NO ter seemed long. Laura and Mary began to be tired of staying alime  so slowly.

    Every Sunday Mary and Laura  in t cloturday night.

    In ttled in er from t in tertime Pa filled and ub ove it melted to er. tove, be over two ched Mary.

    Laura , because stler to go to bed early on Saturday nigte, because after s into go empty tub and fill it er Mary came to bed, Ma , and they were all clean, for Sunday.

    On Sundays Mary and Laura must not run or s or be noisy in t se knit on tiny mittens s look quietly at t t not make anyt alloo se even h pins.

    t sit quietly and listen o tories about lions and tigers and  look at pictures, and t alk to t they could do.

    Laura liked best to look at tures in ts paper covers. Best of all ure of Adam naming the animals.

    Adam sat on a rock, and all ttle, ing to be told able.  o be careful to keep hes on. he wore only a skin around his middle.

    quot;Did Adam o ; Laura asked Ma. quot;No,quot; Ma said. quot;Poor Adam, all o ; Laura did not pity Adam. So  skins.

    One Sunday after supper s bear it any longer. So play es sing. Pa told o sit in , but h her heels.

    quot;I e Sunday! quot; she said.

    Pa put do; ernly, quot;come here.¡±

    dragged as s, because s ook   o Mary, and said:

    quot;Im going to tell you a story about when Grandpa was a boy.¡±

    tory of Grandpas Sled and t; begin on Sunday morning, as it does no began at sundourday nigopped every kind of work or play.

    quot;Supper er supper, Grandpas fater of t straigill in  do up from took a candle and  to bed. t go straigo bed, alking.

    quot;Sunday, morning te a cold breakfast, because not cloto cche horses was work, and no work could be done on Sunday.

    quot;t raig not joke or laughem.

    quot;In c sit perfectly still for to t fidget on t s. t turn to look at t sit perfectly motionless, and never for or one instant take the preacher.

    quot; talk on t t not talk loudly and t never laug e a cold dinner

    sit in a roecil at last t down and Sunday was over.

    Noop of to t door, and in er it  place for sliding down you can possibly imagine.

    quot;One  it every minute of time. It  sled t  all t on it, one beo finis in time to slide doernoon. For every Saturday afternoon to play.

    quot;But t ting dorees in t tern-lig ill dark, and to do, and after supper to go to bed so t up early in the morning.

    quot;time to il Saturday afternoon. t it just as fast as t t get it finisill just as t dourday night.

    quot;After t do slide do  to  until Sunday was over.

    quot;All t still and t t e dinner t ter dinner t doo read t as still as mice on tec t the sled.

    quot;tly and ttering on t t  day for sliding doec about t seemed t Sunday would never end.

    quot;After a long time t t  t asleep.

    quot;t George, and James got up from tiptoed out of t Grandpa and George tiptoed after James. And Grandpa looked fearfully at t on tiptoe  ther snoring.

    quot;took t up to top of t to slide do once. t to techer woke up.

    James sat in front on ttlest. tarted, at first sloer and faster. It eep  t s. t slide silently past t her.

    quot;t ttle w.

    quot;t as toepped out of to tood there.

    quot;t it couldnt be stopped. t time to turn it. t rig doing in front, tanding in t t stop, t ime to say anyt, tting on James and squealing all the way.

    quot;At ttom of topped. to till squealing.

    quot;t to tly to t t saying a word.

    quot;t on reading, and tudied tec;But ook t to tanned ts, first James, then Grandpa.

    quot;So you see, Laura and Mary,quot; Pa said, you may find it o be good, but you s it isnt as o be good no was when Grandpa was a boy.¡±

    quot;Did little girls o be as good as t?quot; Laura asked, and Ma said: quot;It le girls. Because to betle ladies all time, not only on Sundays. Little girls could never slide dole girls o sit in titch on samplers.¡±

    quot;No Ma put you to bed,quot; said Pa, and ook  of its box.

    Laura and Mary lay in trundle bed and listened to t not sing the week-day songs on Sundays.

    quot;Rock of Ages, cleft for me Pa sang, hen he sang:

    quot;So t to hrough bloody seas¡±

    Laura began to float atering noise, and tove, getting breakfast. It  come again for a whole week.

    t morning   Laura and said  give her a spanking.

    First  today  year unless sly and carefully t it did not  a bit.

    quot;One -t; ed and spanked, slo one big spank to grotle led out of a stick, to be company for Cte. Ma gave tle cakes, one for eac Laura te. Mary  sc.

    And t nigreat, Pa played quot;Pop Goes t; for her.

    ;Noc; ;atc time.quot; then he sang:

    quot;A penny for a spool of ts t close, cime.

    quot;Pop! (said Pas finger on tring)

    Goes the fiddle, plain as plain.)¡±

    But Laura and Mary  seen Pas finger make tring pop.

    quot;O again. t on while he sang:

    quot;All around the cobblers bench,

    the weasel!¡±

    t seen Pas finger t time, either.

    c laugo bed and lay listening to Pa and the fiddle singing:

    quot;there was an old darkey, And his name was Uncle Ned,  And he died long ago, long ago.

    top of  to grow.

    quot;eeto eat to let the hoe-cake be.

    quot;So he good darkeys go.¡±

 Chapter 6: TWO BIG BEARS

    t spring o ts of it dropped from trees and made little ening sno noon all ttle er rembling at tips.

    Pa said  go to too trade trapping all er.

    So one evening  oget as big as Pa.

    Very early one morning Pa strapped tarted to o too carry t  take his gun.

    Ma  Pa said t by starting before sun-up and  all day  home again before dark.

    t toore. toget t in a toore full of candy and calico and ot, and salt, and store sugar.

    t Pa rade o torekeeper for beautiful toing ts reetops and no more drops fell from tips of to ch eagerly for Pa.

    t of sig come. Ma started supper and set table, but  come. It ime to do till  come.

    Ma said t Laura mighe cow.

    Laura could carry tern. So Laura put on  and Ma buttoned it up.

    And Laura put o tens t ring around ed tern.

    Laura o be ern very carefully.

    Its sides in,  in t to shrough.

    o ttle bits of candle-ligern leaped all around   yet quite dark. t t on tars. I pat stars. tars did not look as le lig came from tern.

    Laura o see tanding at te. Ma oo.

    It oo early in to be let out in to eat grass. S sometimes on  tall open so so ting for them.

    Ma  up to te, and pus it to open it. But it did not tanding against it. Ma said,  quot;Sukey, get over! quot; Se and slapped Sukeys shoulder.

    Just ttle bits of ligern jumped bete, and Laura satle, glittering eyes.

    Sukey , brown fur. Sukey le eyes.

    Ma said, quot;Laura, o the house.¡±

    So Laura turned around and began to o cern and all, and ran. Ma ran o t;Ma,  a bear?

    quot;Yes, Laura,quot; Ma said. quot;It was a bear.¡±

    Laura began to cry. So Ma and sobbed, quot;O Sukey? ¡°

    quot;No,quot; Ma said, ;Sukey is safe in to keep bears out. No, t get in and eat Sukey. ¡°

    Laura felt better t;But  us, couldnt ; she asked.

    quot;  us,quot; Ma said. quot;You o do exactly as I told you, and to do it quickly,  asking why.¡±

    Ma rembling, and so laugtle. quot;to t; s;Ive slapped a bear!

    t supper on table for Laura and Mary. Pa  come yet.  come.

    Laura and Mary o trundle bed.

    Ma sat by ts. till and strange,  Pa.

    Laura listened to t crying as t  in tened.

    Ma finis. Laura sa to tcring ts  nobody could get in from outside unless sed tcook Carrie, all limp and sleeping, out of the big bed.

    S Laura and Mary ill a;Go to sleep, girls. Everyt. Pa will be he morning.¡±

    t back to  tly and holding Baby Carrie her arms.

    Sting tip late, ing for Pa, and Laura and Marv meant to stay aoo, till  at last t to sleep.

    In t candy for Laura and Mary, and tty calico to make ttern on a tle golden-bros on it. Ma oo; it e pattern all over it.

    t suc o get tiful presents.

    tracks of t Sukey and the horses were safe inside.

    All t day ted, and little streams of er ran from time gre t nigracks  snow.

    After supper Pa took Laura and Mary on ory to tell them.

    tory of Pa and t to toerday   sno took me a long time to get to too do trading. torekeeper  until lie could look at my furs.

    quot;to bargain about to pick out ted to take in trade.

    quot;So it art home.

    quot;I tried to  tired, so I  gone far before nig my gun.

    quot;till six miles to  as I could. t gre of ter dens. I racks o tohe morning.

    quot;Bears are  time of year; you knoer long o eat, and t makes they wake up.

    I did not  to meet one.

    quot;I ars gave a little lig ill black as pitc in ttle anding all around me. I  light.

    quot;All time I cening for or the bushes.

    quot;to an open place, and t in the middle of my road, I saw a big black bear.

    quot;anding up on  me. I could see . I could even see one of arlight.

    quot;My scalp prickled, and my ood straigopped in my tracks, and stood still. t move. tood, looking at me.

    quot;I kne o try to go around o tter t  to figer starved bear in the dark. Oh, how I wished for my gun!

    quot;I o pass t bear, to get  t if I could scare  get out of t me go by. So I took a deep breated  and ran at him, waving my arms.

    quot; move.

    I did not run very far toward ell you!

    I stopped and looked at ood looking at me. ted again. tood. I kept on sing and   budge.

    quot;ell, it o run a meet one any time. I migo  Ma and you girls. I   scared me.

    quot;So at last I looked around, and I got a good big club, a solid,  ree by t of snoer.

    quot;I lifted it up in my raig t bear. I s down, bang! on his head.

    quot;And till stood, for  a big, black, burned stump!

    quot;I  on my o to morning. It  a bear at all. I only t it  bears and being afraid Id meet one.¡±

    quot;It really  a bear at all?quot; Mary asked.

    quot;No, Mary, it  a bear at all. trying to scare a stump! ¡°

    Laura said: quot;Ours   scared, because  it was Sukey.

    Pa did not say anyt ighter.

    quot;Oo-oo! t bear migen Ma and me all up!quot; Laura said, snuggling closer to ;But Ma  all.  hing?

    quot;I guess oo surprised to do anyt; Pa said. quot;I guess ern so  afraid.¡±

    quot;ell, you oo,quot; Laura said. quot;Even if it ump,, you t it was a bear. Youd   you, Pa?¡±

    quot;Yes,quot; said Pa, quot;I would. You see, I o.¡±

    t ime. Ston up tgo dorundle bed and said their prayers.

    quot;Noo sleep,  I pray to keep. If I so take.¡±

    Ma kissed tucked t Mas smooted . tle clicking sounds against  softly, sy calico t Pa raded furs for.

    Laura looked at Pa, ws.

    ac, and t were gay. led chen he sang:

    quot;tle and t;t I laid omb.¡±

    It  build it up. All around ttle tle sounds of falling snoing icicles.

    In just a little ting out the woods.

    tories by t nig all day long Laura and Mary rees, for it would be spring.

 Chapter 7: The Sugar Snow

    FOR days t on t smasrees s, black branches, and chunks of snow fell down.

    ter from trees. t glitter; it looked soft and tired. Under trees it ted wtling.

    tc grehe woodpile.

    quot;Cant I go out to play, Ma?quot; Laura asked, and Ma said:

    quot;May, Laura.¡±

    quot;May I go out to play?quot; she asked.

    quot;You may tomorro; Ma promised.

    t nig tucking anot over her.

    quot;Snuggle close to Mary,quot; Ma said, quot;and youll get warm.¡±

    In tove, but  t, trees t lay in mounds along top of tood up in great, op of te-posts.

    Pa came in, s sno from s.

    quot;Its a sugar sno; he said.

    Laura put ongue quickly to a little bit of te sno lay in a fold of

    on ongue, like any snoe it.

    quot; a sugar snoo explain now.  o Grandpas.

    Grandpa lived far arees ogetood at tc and strong, c and pos made great tracks in t snocill  of sighe woods.

    It e before  niged t.

    quot;;  to Ma, and t ts he door.

    quot;If Id met a bear,quot; ;I couldnt   dropping my load.quot; t;And if Id dropped t bucket and bundle, I  o s ood and c hem and lick his chops.¡±

    Ma un was full of dark brown syrup.

    quot;; Pa said, and tle round package out of .

    took off ttle, ifully crinkled edges.

    quot;Bite it,quot; said Pa, and winkled.

    Eac off one little crinkle, and it . It crumbled in t ter even tmas candy.

    quot;Maple sugar,quot; said Pa.

    Supper tle maple sugar cakes beside tes, heir bread.

    After supper, Pa took t before told t  Grandpas, and the sugar snow.

    quot;All er, Pa said, Grandpa s and little trouge as give a bad taste to the maple syrup.

    quot;to make troug out little sticks as long as my  tick  one   stick,  one end. t, and tled ill it  part of tick  ill it tle trough.

    quot;en nes.  o move in trees.

    quot;t into t ree, and tle trougo t a cedar bucket on t end.

    quot;tree. It comes up from, ts, o tip of eaco make the green leaves grow.

    quot;ell, ree, it ran out of tree, dotle trougo t.¡±

    quot;O it  tree?quot; Laura asked.

    quot;No more t s you ; said Pa.

    quot;Every day Grandpa puts on s and  and  into tree to tree and empties ts into t to a big iron kettle, t imber betrees.

    quot;ies t into ttle. ttle, and tc carefully. t be  enougo keep t not  enougo make it boil over.

    quot;Every fees t be skimmed. Grandpa skims it  s too , Grandpa lifts ladlefuls of  back slotle and keeps it from boiling over. quot; enougs er t, il it grains w in a saucer.

    quot;tant to t all out from beneattle. t as o t are standing ready. In turns to cakes of hard, brown maple sugar.¡±

    quot;So ts ; Laura asked.

    quot;Noquot;, Pa said. quot;Its called a sugar snoime of year means t men can make more sugar. You see, ttle cold spell and trees, and t makes a longer run of sap.

    quot; means t Grandpa can make enougo last all takes o too trade for mucore sugar.  only a little store sugar, to able when company comes.¡±

    quot;Grandpa must be glad t; Laura said.

    quot;Yes,quot; Pa said, quot;o sugar off again next Monday, and  all come,¡±

    Pas blue eyes t, and o Ma:

    quot;herell be a dance!¡±

    Ma smiled. Se.  Oh, Charles! she said.

    t on  s on smiling. S;Ill wear my delaine.¡±

    Mas delaine dress iful. It tle pattern all over it t looked like ripe stra, in t  to thes.

    t  s to t touciful dark red buttons t buttoned t, and sly t in ttle criss-cross stitches.

    It sant a dance o iful delaine dress. Laura and Mary ed. tions about til at last he said:

    quot;Noo bed! Youll kno t. I o put a nering on my fiddle.¡±

    ticky fingers and s mouto be ime Laura and Mary rundle bed, Pa and t time  on the floor:

    ¡°Im Captain Jinks of ten go beyond my means,  For Im Captain Jinks of tain in the army!¡±

 Chapter 8:DANCE at GRANDPA¡¯S

    MONDAY morning everybody got up early, in a o get started to Grandpas. Pa ed to be to s make good to eat for all to the dance.

    Breakfast en and t. Pa packed s box and put it in t ing at te.

    ty and t he robes.

    t on to Grandpas.

    t, and trees seemed to be her side.

    After aree trunks, and tly pink. All ttle curve of snos and every little track in the snow had a shadow.

    Pa sracks of tures in t tracks of cottontail rabbits, tiny tracks of field mice, and titcracks of snoracks, like dogs tracks,  o the woods.

    t t last long.

    It did not seem long until to t Grandpas o tood to to come in.

    S Grandpa and Uncle George   in t to  into Grandmas ook off their wraps.

    Laura loved Grandmas  tle room t belonged to Uncle George, and ts, Aunt Docia and Aunt Ruby. And tcove.

    It o run t one end all to Grandmas bed, under t Grandpa e, and t hers.

    t caken to t set table, but ate cold venison sandwic for supper Grandma made y pudding.

    Sood by tove, sifting to a kettle of boiling salted er. Sirred ter all time ed in til ttle  it on tove w would cook slowly.

    It smelled good. t and spicy smells from tc flames in t on table. thing was large and spacious and clean.

    At supper time Pa and Grandpa came from t Grandpa   to fit around t to fit over t full of  maple syrup.

    Pa and Grandpa  ttle in teadied ts  t tle on tove. Pa and Grand Pa poured to ttle, and it  it s. t of syrup, and everybody ate t y pudding h maple syrup for supper.

    Uncle George tons, and h a swagger.

    Laura looked at ime sing y pudding, because so Ma t he was wild.

    George is  couldnt be o be a drummer boy in teen years old.

    Laura  know w.

    outside t made a lovely, ringing sound, far a and trees stood still as tening. ttle bugle anshe big one.

    quot;Listen,quot; Uncle George said, quot;isnt t pretty? quot; Laura looked at  s say anytopped bloo the house.

    Ma and Grandma cleared a t Docia and Aunt Ruby made tty it, their room.

    Laura sat on tc t it carefully. ted it from to ted it

    across from ear to ear. ts.

    t tcore soap, not t, dark bro Grandma made and kept in a big jar to use for common every day.

    time   ttle looking-glass t  so smootraige part t it s. ttle puff on eacoo, and ted neatly under t in the back.

    tiful ockings, t t of fine cotton tterns, and ttoned up t ss. Aunt Docia pulled as  Rubys corset strings, and t Docia o t of t Ruby pulled on hers.

    quot;Pull, Ruby, pull!quot; Aunt Docia said, breat;Pull ; So Aunt Ruby braced  and pulled  Docia kept measuring   last s;I guess ts t you can do.¡±

    S hey were married.¡±

    Caroline was Lauras Ma, and w proud.

    t Ruby and Aunt Docia put on tticoats and tticoats and tiff, starce petticoats ted lace all around t on tiful dresses.

    Aunt Docias dress , dark blue, . ttoned do tons  Laura ed to taste them.

    Aunt Rubys dress tern in lig buttoned  tons, and every button tle castle and a tree carved on it.

    Aunt Docias pretty ened in front . But Aunt Ruby pinned   couldnt be used as a needle any more.

    ts. ttle s rose up tig, under the wings of shining, sleek hair.

    Ma iful, too, in tle leaves t looked like stratered over it. t rimmed s of dark green ribbon, and nestling at  , as long and as  fingers, and it  Laura o touch her.

    People o come. t terns, and to time.

    tall boots and s Libby tle girl,  ttier than Baby Carrie.

    quot;S, eit; Laura said. quot;Carries ttiest baby in t;No, s,quot; ther Laura said.

    quot;Yes, s; quot;No, squot;  Ma came sailing over in ;Laura!

    So neit made a loud, ringing sound in took  of its box and began to play, and all tood in squares on to dance whe figures.

    quot;Grand rig!quot; Pa called out, and all ts began to ss began to stamp. t round and round, all ts going one s going ting he air.

    quot;Sners!quot; Pa called, and quot;Eac boo t!

    tc sle  bending and  Ma  dancer in the fiddle was singing:

    O you coming out tonig you coming out tonig you coming out tonig you coming out tonigo dance by t of the moon?¡±

    ttle circles and t round and round, and ts ss stamped, and partners boed -and met and bowed again.

    In tcirring ttle. Sirred in time to times Grandma took a spoonful of syrup from ttle and poured it on some of the snow in a saucer.

    Laura c;t; now. he called:

    quot;Doe see, ladies, doe see doe,  Come down oe!

    Laura could not keep  still. Uncle George looked at her and laughed.

    t tle dance cciful, too; a dark blue calico umn-colored leaves scattered over it. he wooden spoon was in her hand.

    quot;I cant leave t; she said.

    But Pa began to play quot;traveler,quot; and everybody began to clap in time to to teps by tily as any of t drohe music of Pas fiddle.

    Suddenly Uncle George did a pigeon ossed o somebody. S ed. Grandma was jigging.

    Laura clapped ime to t s  as ts.

    Everybody ed. Uncle George kept on) jiggling and Grandma kept on facing oo. t stop. Uncle George began to breat off winkled.

    quot;You cant beat ; somebody sed.

    Uncle George jigged faster.  as heir

    easing George. George did not care, but  o laugh. he was jigging.

    Pas blue eyes crings. Laura jumped up and down and squealed and clapped her hands.

    Grandma kept on jigging.  on jigging, but s did not t first. Grandmas  on clickety-clacking gaily.

    A drop of s dripped off Georges forehead and shone on his cheek.

    All at once ;Im beat!quot; opped jigging.

    Everybody made a terrific noise, sing and yelling and stamping, -c a little minute more, topped. S like Pas woo, and wiping his forehead on his sleeve.

    Suddenly Grandma stopped laugurned and ran as fast as so tcopped playing. All talking at once and all teasing George, but everybody ill for or a minute, w.

    to tche big room, and said:

    quot;the syrup is waxing. Come and help yourselves.¡±

    to talk and laugh again.

    to tces, and outdoors to fill tes che cold air came in.

    Outdoors tars y in th was like smoke.

    Ses. t back into tchen.

    Grandma stood by ttle and  syrup on eace of sno cooled into soft candy, and as fast as it cooled te it.

    t all ted, for maple sugar never  anybody. ty of syrup in ttle, and plenty of snodoors. As soon as te one plateful, tes .

    en t maple candy until t no more of it, table loaded -rising bread, too, and cold pickles boiled pork, and pickles. ¡°Oo, e till to dance again. But Grandma ctle. Many times sook a little of it out into a saucer, and stirred it round and round. to ttle.

    the dancing.

    At last, as Grandma stirred, t; saucer turned into little grains like sand, and Grandma called:

    quot;Quick, girls! Its graining!

    Aunt Ruby and Aunt Docia and Ma left t out pans, pans and little pans, and as fast as Grandma filled t out more. t to cool into maple sugar.

    t;Noty-pans for the children.¡±

    tty-pan, or at least a broken cup or a saucer, for every little girl and boy. tc t be enougo be unselfise.

    t enougo go round. t scrapings of ttle exactly filled t patty-pan. Nobody  out.

    t on and on. Laura and tood around and c docty and t Laura kneired of it.

    All tiful skirts  ss  stamping, and t on singing gaily.

    t of Grandmas bed. It s on t. S Docia and Aunt Ruby in their bed.

    Soon everybody ting up. t, and t to the door.

    ossed to traucked in tood calling, quot;Good-by! Good-by!quot; as to the Big oods, going home.

    trotting s of muddy snoprints, and every footprint o the mud.

    quot;Before nig; Pa said, quot; of the sugar snow.¡±

 Chapter 9: GOING to TOWN

    AFtER ttercups and violets, tiny starry grassflowers were everywhere.

    As soon as to be alloo run barefoot. At first t only run out around t. Next day t a all day long.

    Every nigo  to bed. Under ts t heir faces.

    trees in front of tree, and Lauras playree. t grass made a green carpet for or ts of the blue sky.

    Pa made a soug to a large, lo  so be unselfis Mary s o.

    Mary o play iful cup  of it. Cte and Nettie, and ttle e and Nettie, and ttle leaf cups and saucers to set on table. table h rock.

    Sukey and Rosie, turned loose in to eat ttle calves in ttle pigs he pigpen.

    In t year, Pa umps and putting in  o Laura:

    quot; do you today?¡±

    S guess.

    quot;ell,quot; Pa said. quot; tood a deer. S ;  quot;A baby deer!quot; Laura and Mary guessed togetheir hands.

    quot;Yes,quot; Pa said, quot; ty little test fa iniest feet, not muc tle legs, and test muzzle.

    quot;It stood t me s large, soft eyes,   afraid at all.¡±

    quot;You  s a little baby deer, ; Laura said.

    quot;No, never!quot; ;Nor its Ma, nor its Pa. No more ing, noill all ttle  fres till fall.¡±

    Pa said t as soon as o tooo. they were old enough now.

    ted, and next day tried to play going to to do it very  quite sure oore in to tore.

    Nearly every day after t, Cte and Nettle o to Laura and Mary al;No, dear, you cant go t year, if you are good, then you can go.¡±

    t Pa said, quot;ell go to toomorrow.

    t nig  up to  tig of rag. ttle bumps all over

    turned on their hair would be curly.

    ted t t go to sleep at once. Ma  sitting  as usual. Sting everyt and laying out t stockings and petticoats and dresses, and Pas good s, and tle purple flo.

    t t. It iful, clear spring morning.

    Ma  and s on tockings and s on t dresses-Marys ctoned Laura up ttoned Mary.

    Ma took t into long, round curls t  t t dreadfully. Marys ifully golden, but Lauras -colored brown.

    ied ts under tened ting on  e.

    ill t t on t. Ma,  up on t  on a board fastened across t.

    time , cool smells came out of the leafy woods.

    Rabbits stood up in ttle front paall, tctle ail. t trees.

    It o too he shore of Lake Pepin.

    After a long time Laura began to see glimpses of blue er betrees. turned to soft sand. t deep do and ted. Often Pa stopped to rest for a fees.

    t once t of t   to thing

    but flat, blue er. Very far aer met, and there was a darker blue line.

    t ty space all around  s small and frig Pa and Ma here.

    Suddenly t. t overy sky, and tood back from the Big oods seemed smaller under so much sky.

    Pa stopped turned around on t. ed ah his whip.

    quot;t; ;town of Pepin.¡±

    Laura stood up on toohere were so many houses.

    Rig big building. t ore, Pa told   made of logs. It . Beore t home.

    Standing among tumps, t.

    t made of logs, etore.

    Laura ogetore. One of t  ime to get gray; it  wood.

    People   Monday, some woman  a wasumps by her house.

    Several girls and boys ore and tump to t stump and sing.

    quot;ell, ts Pepin,quot; Pa said.

    Laura just nodded  say a er a on.

    t tcied one to eacook Laura and Mary by the hand, and Ma came beside

    to tore. tops of Lauras shoes.

    tform in front of tore, and at one end of it steps  up to it out of t ing so fast t seps. Srembling all over.

    tore to rade  in, torekeeper kne from beer and spoke to o Ma, and to sheir manners.

    Mary said, quot;; but Laura could not say anything.

    torekeeper said to Pa and Ma, quot;ts a pretty little girl youve got t; and   say anyt Laura, or about hey were ugly and brown.

    tore o look at. All along one side of it iful pinks and blues and reds and broers t, and t, and sacks of store sugar.

    In tore ering brigeel ax ing knives and skinning knives and butcs and little boots, big stle shoes.

    Laura could  seen all t  store. S knohe world.

    Pa and Ma traded for a long time. torekeeper took dos and bolts of beautiful calicos and spread t for Ma to finger and look at and price. Laura and Mary looked, but must not touctern tier t, and t know how Ma could ever choose.

    Ma cterns of calico to make ss for Pa, and a piece of broo make  some o make ss and underwear.

    Pa got enougo make a new apron. Ma said:

    quot;O really need it.¡±

    But Pa laug pick it out, or  urkey red piece tern. Ma smiled and flus a pattern of rosebuds and leaves on a soft, fawn-colored ground.

    t for obacco to smoke in  a pound of tea, and a little paper package of store sugar to   dark brohe maple sugar Ma used for every day.

    rading orekeeper gave Mary and Laura eaconis t stood looking at t;thank you.¡±

    Laura could not speak. Everybody ing, and s make a sound. Ma o ask her:

    quot; do you say, Laura?

    t;thank you.¡±

    After t t out of tore. Bote, and flat and t-sing on tters. Ma read it for them. Marys said:

    Roses are red,  Violets are blue, Sugar is s,  And so are you.

    Lauras said only: Ss to t.

    tly ting han Marys.

    t back to ttom of ts  for the picnic box.

    t on te bread and butter and c t and slid back  hissing sound.

    After dinner, Pa  back to tore to talk ail s to sleep. But Laura and Mary ran along tty pebbles t il th.

    t in the Big oods.

    ty one, Laura put , and ttier t, t s full. to tc ime to go home.

    Laura iful pebbles in . But hing happened.

    tore  rig of  fell, and ttom of the wagon box.

    Laura cried because sorn  dress.

    Ma gave Carrie to Pa and came quickly to look at torn place. t .

    quot;Stop crying, Laura,quot; s;I can fix it.quot; S t torn at all, nor t. t tle bag, seo t, and . Only t in again, as good as new.

    quot;Pick up tty pebbles, Laura,quot; Ma said. quot;And anotime, dont be so greedy.¡±

    So Laura gat t, and carried t in  mind very muc tle girl t sook more than she could carry away.

    Not ever o Mary. Mary tle girl w  and minded  .

    Mary looked very good and s, unrumpled and clean, sitting on t t was fair.

    But it   tiful lake, and to  ao keep al oo pretty to eat.

    ted along on t, and t before t of twilighey were safe, because Pa had his gun.

    t moonligreetops and made patc and sy-clop.

    Laura and Mary did not say anytired, and Ma sat silently  Pa sang softly:

    quot;Mid pleasures and palaces, t ever so heres no place like home.¡±

 Chapter 10: SUMMERTIME

    NO it ime, and people  visiting. Sometimes Uncle  of to see Pa. Ma o the folks were, and she would say:

    quot;Che clearing.¡±

    time or  talking a little o work.

    Sometimes Ma let Laura and Mary go across to see Mrs. Peterson. tersons  moved in. t, because Mrs. Peterson tle girls to muss it up. S Laura and Mary look at tty t from Sweden-laces, and colored embroideries, and china.

    Mrs. Peterson talked Salked Engliso ood eacly. S, and they walked home.

    Laura nibbled aly ly  wo  was a whole cookie.

    t riged to do o divide till, if Mary saved e te   either.

    t knoo do. So eac to Baby Carrie. But t t some  quite fair.

    Sometimes a neig  to spend tra cleaning and cooking, and opened tore sugar. And on t, a o te in trange co play ay h.

    t came, t Eva and Clarence ty girl,  , but Laura liked better to play h Clarence.

    Clarence y, too.  buttoned all t  gilt buttons, and trimmed oed shoes.

    trips of copper across toes tering brig Laura le girls didnt oes.

    Laura and Clarence ran and sed and climbed trees, alked. and Mrs. t visited and looked at a Godeys Ladys Book  looked at their pipes.

    Once Aunt Lotty came to spend t morning Laura o stand still a long time  into long curls. Mary ting primly on a ch her golden curls shining and her china-blue dress fresh and crisp.

    Laura liked  Ma pulled  ead of golden, so t no one noticed it. Everyone noticed and admired Marys.

    quot;t; Ma said at last. quot;Your ifully, and Lotty is coming.

    Run meet , brown curls or golden curls.¡±

    Laura and Mary ran out of t Lotty  te. Aunt Lotty iful pink and s by one string.

    quot;, Aunt Lotty,quot; Mary asked, quot;bro; Ma old to ask t, and Mary tle girl ed to  Aunt Lotty would say, and s miserable.

    quot;I like bot,quot; Aunt Lotty said, smiling. Sook Laura and Mary by to tood.

    treaming to t and pretty. table ove s place under try door stood  and smell of goodies on tairs from ttic, waking a nap.

    It , and Laura felt so gay and good t no one would ever  sy as s evening.

    Aunt Lotty ired and cross. t to kindle ted to pick up c every day to do it. toniged it more than ever.

    Laura grabbed t chip, and Mary said:

    quot;I dont care. Aunt Lotty likes my , anytier than brown.¡±

    Lauras t sig speak. Stier t speak, so s quickly and slapped Marys face.

    t;Come here, Laura.¡±

    S sloting just inside the door. he had seen her slap Mary.

    quot;You remember,quot; Pa said, quot;I told you girls you must never strike eacher.¡±

    Laura began, quot;But Mary said-¡±

    quot;t makes no difference,quot; said Pa. quot;It is  you must mind.¡±

    took dorap from trap.

    Laura sat on a copped sobbing, so be glad about  Mary o fill the chip pan all by herself.

    At last, ting dark, Pa said again, quot;Come ; ook  in t ly covering  again.

    Sold Pa all about it, and s;You dont like golden ter than brown, do you?¡±

    Pas blue eyes s ;ell, Laura, my hair is brown.¡±

    S t of t. Pas  bro s Mary o gathe chips.

    In t tell stories Dr play tired after he fields.

    Ma oo. Laura and Mary hey helped make cheese.

    all and ty of milk, t ime to make cheese.

    Somebody must kill a calf, for c be made  rennet, and rennet is tomac be very young, so t it en anyt milk.

    Laura  Pa must kill one of ttle calves in t. One  and t beat fast o Pa about making cheese.

    Pa  kill eito coo Grandpas and to Uncle o talk about t for Aunt Polly and Grandma. So Pa  again to Uncle tle calfs stomac , grayise leather, all ridged and rough on one side.

    nig to make into butter later. t  it all on tove to .

    A bit of t, tied in a cloter.

    ed enouger from t in ter into tirred it  it in a ove. In a little o a smooth, quivery mass.

    it to little squares, and let it stand  all into a clot t.

    ied to a big pan and salted it, turning and mixing it well.

    Laura and Mary o eat bits of ting it. It squeaked in teeth.

    Under tree outside t up to press t ttle ood an empty pail.

    Ma put  clot, and filled it ed curd. S clotop of it a round board, cut small enougo go inside ted a op of the board.

    All day long ttled slo of t and ran doo t morning, Ma ake out the cheese hoop again.

    Every morning sook t of trimmed it smootig, and rubbed tter. t try.

    Every day s clot all over ter once more, and laid it dos oter a great many days, t.

    t ao do  but eat it.

    Laura and Mary liked co eat t squeaked in teeto eat to make th.

    Ma laug ting green cheese.

    quot;t; sold them.

    trees. But it  green, it he moon.

    quot;Its green,quot; said, quot;because it isnt ripened yet. s cured and ripened, it  be a green cheese.¡±

    quot;Is t; Laura asked, and laughed.

    quot;I t, because it looks like a green c; s;But appearances are deceiving.quot; tter, sold t t is like a little world on whing grows.

    t day made casted tasted it  saying anyto , and  Laura asted t like it.

    quot;You  starve to deat; Pa said.

    Laura begged o tell  Old Grimes. So, tired, ook  of its box and played and sang for Laura:

    quot;Old Grimes is dead, t good old man, e neer so , All buttoned down before.

    quot;Old Grimeses , And blew Old Grimes away.¡±

    quot;t! quot; said Pa. quot;Siged tle cream would  aggered along.

    quot;But s of cream, and poor Old Grimes got so tarved to death.¡±

    t Ma and said, quot;Nobodyd starve to death when you were around, Caroline.¡±

    ell , no,quot; Ma said. quot;No, C if you o provide for us.

    Pa  , to ttle cogetting aling softly to himself.

    After ao omorroo borroting -umps in t-field. A man just o keep everlasting at it, or take back the place.¡±

    Early next morning arted to o Uncle  before long co there were.

    quot;I dont kno; ;but Id e to em and not haveem.

    quot;O is it:  is it?quot; Laura asked, jumping up and doement.

    quot;Pas found a bee tree,quot; Ma said. quot;Maybe hell bring us some honey.¡±

    It o t stopped by t s see into it.

    Pa called, quot;Caroline, if youll come take tch.¡±

    Ma came out to ted. She said:

    quot;ell, C; to threw up her hands. Pa laughed.

    All ts he wash-boiler.

    Pa and Ma  back and fortubs and ts and pails into te  neatly hs.

    For dinner t, and Pa told tree.

    quot;I didnt take my gun,quot; ;because I  ing, and nos summer t mucing trouble. Pant, time of year, t tured.

    quot;ell, I took a s cut to a big bear. I came around a clump of underbrus as far from me as across this room.

    quot; me, and I guess   pay anyquot;, more attention to me.

    quot;anding at t of a big tree, and bees ing t brush one paw.

    quot;I stood tc to a ree and dre out all dripping  by t time I ed t honey myself.

    So I made a great racket, banging t a tree and yelling. t and so full of   dropped on all fours and rees. I cance and got , aree, and the wagon.¡±

    Laura asked  the bees.

    quot;t ;I left t get stung, and tree do it open.¡±

    quot;Didnt ting you?¡±

    quot;No, said Pa. quot;Bees never sting me.

    quot;tree o bottom  oring   I guess I got enougo last us a long time.¡±

    Laura he poor bees. She said:

    quot;t have any honey.¡±

    But Pa said ts of  for tree near by, into ime they had a clean, new home.

    take t in tree, make it into fresore it in t it ay of er came.

 Chapter 11 HARVEST

    PA AND Uncle raded o  Polly and all to spend t to  ook Laura and Mary and Carrie to spend t Polly.

    Ma and Aunt Polly ogetill dinner time. Aunt Pollys yard o play, because tumps ump to stump I  ever touche ground.

    Even Laura, , could do t trees ogetump to stump all over tumps  a time, and op rail of t being afraid.

    Pa and Uncle  in tting ts eel blade fastened to a frames t caugalks of grain o tanding oats.  enougo make a pile, t stalks off ts, into neat he ground.

    It o tting it, t into the piles.

    After all t, t go over time toop over eacaking up a alks in eac togeto make a longer strand. they

    tigie tuck in its ends.

    After t be so make a sood five bundles uprigoget- t talks to make a little roof and ser the five bundles from dew and rain.

    Every stalk of t grain must al .

    Pa and Uncle  and still t ted rain. ts  cut and in t. ter. At noon Pa and Uncle o t  C  afternoon.

    Laura looked at Pa,  o Ma t Uncle  Polly spoiled Ceam. But C all.

    Noo t deal of time. o ter, and cer-jug one whe blades needed sharpening.

    All t C  to go to ted to stay in t, of course,  say so.

    Pa and Uncle  rest at all. te in a  rigo hem.

    No, and sed to play a quiet, ladylike play. So in ternoon tumps oves, and leaves he children.

    On t nigell Ma w he field.

    Instead of rouble  in t sstone, so to  for it er-jug till Uncle ed at imes, and then he was sullen.

    After t alking and asking questions. too o pay any attention to old o go a bothem.

    But to s.

    to C t;I fooled you t time!¡±

    Pa said if anned t boys  t Uncle  do it.

    So took a drink of er and  back to work.

    times Co  as t t it ill, Uncle  tan his hide.

    time  imes t t on heir work.

    C on screaming, louder and s say anyt Uncle ;Let ; So t on  him scream.

    on jumping up and doop. At last Uncle henry said:

    quot;Maybe somet; t across to him.

    And all t time Cs nest!

    ts lived in a nest in tepped on it by mistake. ttle bees in  t yellos came s  stings, and t C  get away.

    inging inging s legs and stinging and crainging. tung.

    Pa and Uncle ook s nest. ts and tings inging  of  o the house.

    Laura and Mary and tly in to t tears could  of his eyes.

    , and ood out stiff and stle, e dents all over  face and neck.

    Laura and Mary and tood and looked at him.

    Ma and Aunt Polly came running out of t ter. C s. So t a big pan of eart Polly took Co the house and undressed him.

    tered . t and put o bed.  and  Polly covered ied t Polly steeped some o give ood around for some time, looking at him.

    It  nigs   do any harm.

    Pa could not stay to supper; o get ing, at  milked on time t give so mucc into the wagon.

    Pa ired and   drive very  t beside  on tell about w Charley had done.

    Laura and Mary  anyone could be as naug o s.  minded o  work.

    told about ts nest, and ;It served ttle liar right.¡±

    After srundle bed t nigened to treaming from t about w Pa had said.

    S about s o C it served C, too. It served  because rously naug to sting heir home.

    But s understand and  said a word.

 Chapter 12 The Wonderful MACHINE

    NEXt day Pa cut ts, and broug, yellorao Ma. S tub of er, to soften t. t in tub, and braided traws.

    Sook up several of tted togeto braid. tra lengtraub in its place and  on braiding. S to ter and kept on braiding till sime for or days, sraws.

    S stra notc straws s braid of all.

    ra t round and round,   after it tle mat, and Ma said it op of t.

    tig on se around and around. t on se and  brim.

    t so t it could not unbraid itself.

    Ma se, narro braid. For Pa and for s of tc  braid.

    , Ma set it on a board to dry, s nicely as s dried it stayed in t.

    Ma could make beautiful s. Laura liked to co braid tratle  for Cte.

    ter and ts  colors opped being green. t and crimson and golden and brown.

    Along ts dark red cones of berries above brigtle acorn cups and saucers for ts and s o ters store of nuts and rees.

    Laura and Mary  o gats and s and s. to dry, t off ter ored ts in ttic for er.

    It o gats and ts, and ttle s t greer s  stained t t asted good, too, o pry a nut loose.

    Everyone ables must be stored aatoes after Pa s and topped turnips, and the pumpkin for pumpkin pies.

    itc to  of ter and cut to long slices, from o cubes.

    Ma put to t on tove, poured in some er, and tcer and t be boiled a never burn.

    ttle. It did not boil like er, but bubbles came up in it and suddenly exploded, leaving  closed quickly. Every time a. bubble exploded, t, pumpkin smell came out.

    Laura stood on a ccirred it irred carefully, because if t be any pumpkin pies.

    For dinner te te into pretty ses. It iful color, and smoottily o play  table; t al nicely everyt  before tes. But s teo pretty se it.

    At otimes t Ma o take Pas ax to cut to pieces. o spread t insides ter and t it.

    For supper, noen  oo. It  Laura could  for to be ready, after Ma started to . It took to make hulled corn.

    t day, Ma cleaned and brus of tove. t s as ttle cloth bag.

    t nig in some ears of corn  tips.

    t into a large pan, until the pan was full.

    Early next day Ma put to ttle. Stle er, and kept it boiling a long time.

    At last to sil t open and began to peel off.

    tle outdoors. Sub er from t of ttle into tub.

    t by tub. itil ted on top of ter.

    Often ser off, and filled tub again s of er from t on rubbing and scrubbing til every hull came off and was washed away.

    Ma looked pretty, e, er. Ser on ty dress.

    last t all t, ry. t last, they had hulled corn and milk for supper.

    Sometimes t, imes Ma fried t kernels in pork drippings. But Laura liked t h milk.

    Autumn  fun. to do, so many good to cat, so many neo see. Laura ering like to night.

    One frosty morning, a mac, and t. t up into terson acked t.

    ter it another, smaller machine.

    Pa called to Ma t t. to team. Laura and Mary asked Ma, and t to ter  c to get in the way.

    Uncle ied o a tree. tc of to the smaller machine.

    tceam to tick t came out from ter of to the big machine.

    Afterions, and Pa told t tor, and tumbling rod, and ttle mac co it and made it go, so t-horsepower machine.

    A man sat on top of to to go. team pulling on tick to epped carefully over tumbling rod, he ground.

    tumbling rod keep rolling over, and tor, ack of w.

    All t, rackety-banging and clanging. Laura and Mary igo eac tc.

    Pa and Uncle op of t stack, co a board. A man stood at t t a time into a  tor.

    tors mout eeteetor sra at tors ot poured out of its side.

    t, trampling tra into a stack. One man  sacking t poured out of tor into a  as ty one into its place and emptied to a sack.  time to empty it and slip it back under t before ther measure ran over.

    All t as t t riged tigared.

    ted, Giddap trying to s; Crack!  t;Careful t go but so fast no how.¡±

    tor sra in a golden cloud, t streamed golden-bro of t,  blehing.

    Laura and Mary chey could.

    to to  dinner for all those men.

    A big kettle of cabbage and meat ove; a big pan of beans and a Jo table for t on salt rising bread and butter, boewed pumpkin, pumpkin pies and dried berry pies and cookies, cchers of milk.

    t on tatoes and cabbage and meat, t joea.

    Laura al cake. Ma didnt kno jo, ate so muc.

    t for fun. Ma  s kno  be very good bread to take on a journey.

    At noon to table loaded  too muc very hungry.

    By ternoon to taking  t o t place  and ed to t.

    Pa ired t nig o Ma:

    quot;It o t macoday. e   as muc, eit  have been as clean.

    quot;t mac invention!quot; he said.

    quot;Otick to old-fas to, but Im all for progress. Its a great age o , if the neighborhood.¡±

    oo tired t nigo talk to Laura, but Laura o stack t toget was a wonderful mac had come.

 Chapter 13 The DEER In The Wood

    t be taken out of t in to be fed. All t-colored leaves became dull brown whe cold fall rains began.

    trees. But Pa  rained, and o play ter supper.

    topped. t. t and a little fire burned all day in tove to keep ter  far away.

    ttic and tarted to make patcs. Everyto be snug and cosy again.

    One nig after supper o c in ttle  noing again.

    Pa rees near by in o c. A deer-lick  salt. y place in to lick it, and t he ground.

    After supper Pa took  into t to sleep  any stories or music.

    As soon as to t trees. Pa  to get a deer and come  one. Laura and Mary did not knoo think.

    All day Pa tle rao keep out t nig tiger.

    After supper Pa took Laura on  close in tle chair. And Pa said:

    quot;Noell you o eat today.

    quot; out to to a big oak tree. I found a place on a brancable and could co s any animal t came to it, and my gun was loaded and ready on my knee.

    quot;t and ed for to rise and ligtle tired from cerday, and I must ;t rising. I could see it betrees, lo against it I saanding. ening. , brancood out above his head.

    the moon.

    quot;It  s. But iful, rong and free and  I couldnt kill  t il o the dark woods.

    quot;t, Ma and my little girls ing for me to bring  next time I would s.

    quot;After ao t at from feasting on berries and roots and grubs all summer t , until o a rotten log. , and listened. t apart and sniffed among ting up t we grubs.

    quot;tood up on ly still, looking all around o be suspicious t sometrying to see or smell  was.

    quot; mark to s at, but I ed in c, t I forgot all about my gun. I did not even ting il o the woods.

    quot; t. Ill never get any meat t;I settled myself in tree and ed again. time I ermined to s t game I saw.

    quot;t le open place. All around it trees.

    quot;After a long ily out of t afraid at all. to t, and ttle of it.

    quot;t eacepped over and stood beside tood toget t. t.

    I just sat t til t of tree and came home.¡±

    Laura  s them! ¡°

    Mary said, quot;e can eat bread and butter.¡±

    Pa lifted Mary up out of ogether.

    quot;Youre my good girls,quot; ;And nos bedtime. Run along, w my fiddle.¡±

    ucked snugly under trundle beds covers, Pa ting in t  t need its ligly in ting needles flas above tting.

    ter evenings of firelight and music had come again. Pas fiddle walled while Pa was singing:

    O you cry for me, Im going to Cal-i-for-ni-a, t for to see.¡±

    to play again t Old Grimes. But  sing t. Pas strong, s voice ly singing:

    quot;Sance be forgot, And never brougo mind? Sance be forgot, And tance be forgot, And the days of auld lang syne?¡±

    opped singing Laura called out softly, quot; are days of auld lang syne, Pa?¡±

    quot;time ago, Laura,quot; Pa said. quot;Go to sleep, now.

    But Laura lay atle o Pas fiddle softly playing and to t Pa sitting on t gleaming on ening on t Ma, gently rocking and knitting.

    S to ;this is now.¡±

    S t and t be forgotten, s, because no can never be a long time ago.