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diff --git a/old/68171-0.txt b/old/68171-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c0cf59d..0000000 --- a/old/68171-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,3010 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook of A visit to a farm house, by S. W. - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and -most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you -will have to check the laws of the country where you are located before -using this eBook. - -Title: A visit to a farm house - or, An introduction to various subjects connected with rural - economy. Seventh Edition revised and corrected. - -Author: S. W. - -Editor: T. H. - -Release Date: May 29, 2022 [eBook #68171] - -Language: English - -Produced by: Charlene Taylor and the Online Distributed Proofreading - Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from - images generously made available by The Internet - Archive/American Libraries.) - -*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VISIT TO A FARM HOUSE *** - - - - - - -[Illustration: - - _A Tribute of - REGARD, - PRESENTED BY - Thy Affectionate - Friend_] - - - - -[Illustration: Frontispiece. - -_The Farm Yard._] - - - - - A - VISIT - TO - A FARM HOUSE; - OR, - AN INTRODUCTION - TO - VARIOUS SUBJECTS - CONNECTED WITH - RURAL ECONOMY. - - EMBELLISHED WITH BEAUTIFUL PLATES. - - _By S. W._ - AUTHOR OF “A VISIT TO LONDON.” - - SEVENTH EDITION, - REVISED AND CORRECTED - _By T.H._ - - LONDON: - WILLIAM DARTON, 58, HOLBORN HILL. - And to be had of all Booksellers. - - 1820. - (Entered at Stationers’ Hall.) - - [PRICE HALF-A-CROWN.] - - - - -PREFACE. - - -This little Work was undertaken to excite the attention of those -children, who live in the country, to the various objects by which they -are surrounded; and to furnish those residing in the metropolis and other -large cities, with some information relative to rural economy, which -their situation prevents them acquiring by personal observation. - -The author acknowledges that she is totally incompetent deeply to discuss -the phenomena of nature, or the science of agriculture; she should -indeed think it inconsistent to introduce scientific researches into -a Work of this kind. But a slight investigation of the simple arts by -which the nourishment of man is effected, or of some of those wonders of -creative power which daily present themselves to view, cannot, in her -opinion, be deemed an improper exercise even at an early age. - - - - -VISITS TO A FARM HOUSE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - -_Cows._ - - -“What a delightful morning!” exclaimed little Arthur Benson on opening -his eyes, and seeing the sun shine bright into his room; “Charles, -Charles,” continued he, turning to his brother, who was still asleep, -“let us get up directly, and we shall have time for a little walk before -grandpapa and grandmamma come down stairs.” Charles obeyed the summons, -and they were soon dressed. They then went into the garden, and from the -garden into the field adjoining; both highly pleased with all they saw, -for they had never slept out of London before, and the country was quite -a new scene to them. “See,” said Charles, “how all the cows are gathered -together by that gate; and here comes a man they call old Ralph with a -pail on his arm. Pray, Ralph, what do the cows want there?” “They want -to be milked,” said Ralph, “and through that gate is the way to the farm -yard.” “Are _you_ going to milk them, and may we come with you?” inquired -Arthur. - -Leave being given, they tripped along by the side of the good old -servant; but both stood at some distance behind when they came near the -cows, as they felt rather afraid of going close to such large animals. -“Why, now, masters, what is there to be afraid of?” said Ralph, who found -they had left off talking and suddenly shrunk back. “The cows will not -hurt you, if you do not hurt them.” “Don’t they sometimes toss people -with their great horns?” asked Charles. “Here and there you may meet with -a vicious one,” replied the man, “but in common they are very gentle.” - -_Arthur._ I remember my papa told me never to run in the way of the cows -that we meet in London streets. - -_Ralph._ Aye, that is a very different thing. The poor cattle are not -used to be there, so sometimes they may be frightened; and then, the -butchers are often cruel, and will beat and drive them about, as I have -heard, so that for what I know it may be best to keep out of their way; -but here there is nothing of the sort. I do not ill use them, and they -are always quiet with me. - -The little Bensons then recovered from their fears, and wanted to milk -the cows themselves. The trial was made, and they were surprised to find -that they were not able to do it as well as Ralph. Had they been older, -they would have known that there are many things which are easy to those -who are accustomed to do them, that one who had never tried would find -difficult. - -“Pray, Ralph,” asked Arthur, “why has the young calf that thing full of -spikes round his mouth? See, he wants to suck the black cow, and she will -not let him. Cannot you take it off?” - -“Oh no, master Arthur, it is time the calf should be weaned. He is old -enough now to eat grass, and we want the milk for the dairy; so we put -the spikes on him, and because of them, as they would hurt her, the -mother will not let him suck any more.” - -“Is he to be killed?” inquired Charles. - -“Not at present,” replied the old man. “Master means to keep him to draw -in the team.” - -“To draw in the team!” said Charles with some surprise. - -“Yes,” returned Ralph; “we have always a team of oxen. You may see them -ploughing in that field yonder; just there,” continued he, pointing with -his finger, “beyond the holly hedge.” - -“I see them; I see them,” said Arthur. “Poor creatures! how slow they go! -Are not they tired, Ralph?” “No, sir,” replied Ralph, “they do not move -so quick as horses; but they are vastly stronger. And though it is not -always quite so easy to manage them, yet on the whole they answer very -well.” - -Ralph had now finished milking: and taking the little boys into the -stable, he showed them a baby calf, as he called it, that was to be sold -to the butcher the next day. - -[Illustration: _Page 6._ - -_The baby Calf._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Jun. Oct. 5, 1815._] - -“O you pretty little thing!” said Arthur. “Only look, Charles, at these -spots on its back. I should like to have it for my own. Why must it be -killed, pray?” - -_Ralph._ To serve us for food, master Arthur. If we were to suffer all -the cattle to live, they would eat all the grass and corn that we could -grow; and then we should be starved, and you would not like that. - -_Arthur._ No, I don’t want to starve; only I do not like to have things -killed. - -At this moment Mr. Mansfield came into the stable. - -“We were talking about this poor calf, grandpapa,” said Charles. “Ralph -says it is to be killed to-morrow to make veal. I am sorry for it; it -has such a pretty coat!” - -“It cannot be helped, my dear,” replied his grandfather. “But when it -is dead, do you know what will be done with its pretty coat?” The boys -answering they did not, “It will be sold,” said he, “to the tanner, who -dresses the skins of cattle, or _hides_ as they are called; and when it -is properly prepared, it makes that beautiful, smooth kind of leather, -that the large books you were looking at last night were bound with. It -is often prepared to write upon, and is then called vellum. The skins of -oxen and cows make a thick coarse leather, such as the soles of our boots -and shoes.” - -“And what becomes of the hair?” asked Charles. - -“After the hide has been soaked for a long time,” replied Mr. Mansfield, -“it comes off easily, and is put into that kind of mortar which is used -to plaster walls, in order to keep them from crumbling and falling away. -Did you never see in a white wall broken down in part, a heap of short -hairs, and here and there perhaps a little loose piece of mortar hanging -to them?” - -Arthur said he had, but he did not know it was cow-hair; and added, he -could not have thought it could have been of any use. - -“Every thing is of use, my dear,” said Mr. Mansfield. “I doubt if you -can name a part of the cow that will not turn to some account.” - -“What the hoofs, grandpapa?” said Charles. - -“Yes, Charles,” returned Mr. Mansfield. “The hoofs and the parings of -the skin, by being boiled down to a strong jelly, make the glue which -carpenters use to join things together.” - -_Arthur._ The horns—Oh, I know what is done with the horns. I have seen -horn lanterns, and I have got a little box at home that mamma says is -made of horn. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Very well, Arthur. And you may have seen boxes, and -knife-handles, and combs, and many other things, made of the bones of the -ox. Even the dung is of some use. It is a good manure for land; it is -used in the process for bleaching linen; and poor women pick it up when -it is dry, and make fires of it, to save coals. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - -_The Dairy._ - - -Mrs. Mansfield, hearing how much her little grandsons had been pleased -with the cows, after breakfast took them into the dairy, to show them -what was done with the milk which those useful animals give in such large -quantities. The dairy was a little room with a brick floor, facing the -north, and kept very cool, by means of a latticed window that let in -fresh air. It was necessary that it should be built in that way, because -heat soon turns milk sour. Round the room were fixed a sort of trays -lined with lead, which then were all filled with milk. - -“Grandmamma, what is to be done with this milk?” inquired Arthur. - -“It is set for cream,” answered Mrs. Mansfield; “and the cream will be -made into butter.” - -_Charles._ How is butter made, pray? - -_Grandmamma._ Come here, and I will show you. The milk is poured into -these trays, which are not deep, but broad, so as to cover a large space. -When it has stood some time, the cream or greasy part, which at first is -mixed with the milk, rises to the top in the manner you now see. Then -it is skimmed off with this ladle, and put into a pan by itself. This -is done twice a-day; and when there is cream enough, it is churned into -butter. - -_Charles._ Is there any churn here, grandmamma? Sister Kate has got a -plaything churn, but I never saw one fit for real use. - -Mrs. Mansfield pointed to a large barrel fixed on a stand, with a -winch handle to turn it, and told him that was the churn. Charles was -surprised, and said it was not at all like his sister’s. - -_Grandmamma._ Perhaps not. Sometimes they are made like a pail, with a -long stick to pull up and down; but these I have give less trouble, and, -I believe, are now common. - -[Illustration: _Page 14._ - -_The Dairy._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Junʳ. Oct. 5, 1815._] - -_Arthur._ Well, grandmamma, how is this used? - -_Grandmamma._ The cream is put in through that little square door, which -is then shut quite close; and when the churn has been turned a good -while, it is changed into butter. - -_Charles._ So then butter is nothing but cream shaken about? I should -like to see it made. - -_Grandmamma._ You cannot see it now, my dear, because Rose churned -yesterday. But I will give you a little cream in a phial: and you may -shake it till you make it into butter. - -_Arthur._ Oh, can _we_ make it so? I should like it very much indeed, if -you please, ma’am. - -Mrs. Mansfield fetched a phial, and the two boys amused themselves a long -time with their experiment. But they found that with all their pains they -could not turn the whole into butter; their grandmamma told them there -was always some waste; that it was called buttermilk, and given to the -pigs. - -Arthur and Charles, quite proud of their success, went to look for -Rose, that they might tell her they could make butter as well as she. -They found her in the dairy, where their attention was drawn to a new -circumstance. Rose was standing before a large tub, full of a white -substance rather thicker than jelly, which she was very diligently -employed in breaking. - -They forgot the butter they had intended to boast of, and both began to -ask a variety of questions, which she answered with great good humour. - -_Both the Boys._ What is that for? What are you doing now, Rose? - -_Rose._ Making cheese. - -_Charles._ Making cheese? Well, since I have been at my grandpapa’s, I -have seen things I never saw before. - -_Arthur._ But how do you make it, Rose? What have you got there? - -_Rose._ Curd. - -_Arthur._ What is curd? - -_Rose._ It is made from milk, master Arthur. When the cream is taken off, -we take the milk and mix it with rennet, and then— - -_Arthur._ Rennet! What is that? - -_Rose._ A sour juice that is made by boiling a part of the inside of a -calf. We put a little rennet to the milk, which makes it part into curds -and whey. This thick white part is the curd, and the thin watery part is -called whey. - -_Arthur._ Is that the whey people take for a cold? - -_Rose._ No. That kind of whey is made with wine instead of rennet; but -the curd parts just in the same manner as this. - -_Charles._ I will ask our Sally to let me look at it the next time she -makes whey. But why do you break it? - -_Rose._ That there may be no lumps. Wait a little, if you please, and you -shall see how I go on. - -She then took a large round bag made of coarse cloth, into which she put -all the curd, and pressed it with very heavy weights in order to squeeze -out as much of the whey as she could. This done, she turned it out of -the bag into a vat which has holes like a cullender, and, leaving it to -drain, then told them the cheese was finished. - -“I did not know,” said Charles, “it was so easy to make cheese. But what -is the rind, pray?” - -“’Tis the same as the rest,” replied Rose; “only, being left to the air, -it grows hard in time.” Then leading them into another room, she showed -them a great number of cheeses; some were still soft, having been lately -made; others, that had been longer kept, were grown quite hard. - -“What is the whey good for?’ asked Charles, as they came back through the -dairy. - -“We give it to the pigs,” said Rose. - -“So then,” said Arthur to himself as he walked away, “_butter and cheese -are both made from milk; but the butter is the greasy part, and the -cheese is the curdy_.” - -“Yes, master Arthur,” said Rose, “you are right, for that is our way -of making butter and cheese in this country: but in many places, where -richer cheese is made, they use the milk without skimming off the cream; -and to make good cream cheese, the cream only is used when skimmed from -the milk.” - - - - -CHAPTER III. - -_The Pigs._ - - -When dinner-time came, it happened that there were brought to table some -custards and gooseberry tarts, of which Charles was tempted to eat very -greedily. He had already been twice helped, and the servant was going to -carry away the remainder of a tart that had been left in the dish, when -Charles, not satisfied whilst any remained, stopped him, and once more -filled his plate with it. - -The footman stared; and his grandpapa and grandmamma looked at him with -surprise, but said nothing. - -In the evening Mr. Mansfield led his grandsons into the yard, just at -the time his man was giving the pigs their supper. Arthur and Charles -were diverted at the eagerness with which the whole family squeaked and -grunted over their food, which they devoured with the utmost haste, -treading one over another as they scrambled for a share. - -“O grandpapa,” exclaimed Charles, “how droll it is to see the pigs eat! -Look there! look there! One has got a cabbage leaf, and another wants it. -Now it has got it away, and it eats it as fast as ever it can. And now -it is come for more. I dare say they will soon empty the trough.” - -“Perhaps so,” replied his grandpapa, smiling. “Pigs are as fond of -cabbage leaves and bean stalks, as little boys are of gooseberry pie.” - -Charles blushed. - -“Hey, Charles!” continued he, putting his hand upon his head so as to -look full in his face, “this is not the first time to-day I thought I had -a pig for my companion. Do you know any body that ate voraciously, and at -last _emptied the dish_?” - -Charles softly answered, “Yes, sir.” - -“Well, I believe he is ashamed of his greediness,” said Mr. Mansfield; -“I only advise him another time to be more upon his guard for fear we -should take him for a pig.” - -As they were sauntering about, a sow with a fine litter of pigs at her -heels came across the yard. - -“Pray, sir,” asked Arthur, “how many pigs may a sow have at once?” - -“From ten to twenty,” said Mr. Mansfield. “But as she has not milk enough -to suckle so many, she casts off some, and seldom brings up more than -twelve.” - -_Arthur._ What food do they like best, sir? - -[Illustration: _Page 24._ - -_The Pigs._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Junʳ. Oct. 5, 1815._] - -_Grandpapa._ They are not very difficult. They will eat almost any kind -of rubbish and offal: but vegetables of all sorts are best for them. -Cabbage stalks, potatoe parings, bean and pea shells, they like very -well; and it is a good way to turn them out into the forests, where they -meet with plenty of acorns, and mast nuts that grow upon beach trees. -With their long snouts they turn up the ground, that they may get at the -roots or plants: to prevent this, we are obliged to have a ring thrust -through their noses, otherwise they would do a great deal of mischief. - -_Charles._ Are they of much use, grandpapa? - -_Grandpapa._ Not whilst they are alive. When dead, the flesh, you know, -is eaten, and is called pork, or bacon if salted in a particular manner. -The lard, or some of the fat, is used in making many sorts of plasters, -and the bristles are formed into brushes of various kinds; and are used -by shoemakers and others in sewing leather, instead of needles. - -_Arthur._ I like _little pigs_ much better than I do great old ones. - -_Grandpapa._ I cannot say the hog is a favourite animal with me. He is -not only ugly, but his habits of life are disagreeable. You may have -observed that he is very fond of grouting in the mire. Neither his -grunting nor his squeaking is pleasant music; and the whole race are so -greedy, that, if they have food enough, they will eat till they are too -heavy to stand on their legs; even then they will lie on their sides, and -eat still. Sometimes the sow will go so far as to devour her own young. - -_Arthur._ Indeed? The unnatural brute! - -_Grandpapa._ I should have told you that their stomach is made very -large, and requires an unusual quantity of food. But if we are disgusted -with the manners of a hog, we should be careful not to imitate them; as -filth, gluttony, and want of natural affection, must surely be ten times -more shocking in the creature man, who is blessed with reason. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - -_Sheep-Shearing._ - - -The following day being appointed for sheep-shearing, a number of men and -boys assembled at an early hour in the great barn. Arthur and Charles -went with their grandpapa to see the process, and were greatly pleased -with the hurry and bustle of the scene. The sheep were penned in a fold -close to the barn, and were fetched away by the lads one by one, as fast -as the shearers were ready for them. A few days before, they had all -been washed at a mill-pond, so that their fleeces were beautifully white, -and they were so thick as to make the animals appear almost twice as -large as they really were. - -[Illustration: _Page 28._ - -_Sheep Shearing._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Junʳ. Octʳ. 5, 1815._] - -Arthur observed with surprise, that the poor creatures were perfectly -quiet during the time of their being shorn; although they struggled with -terror when they were first brought out, and bleated piteously as soon as -they were set at liberty. - -He wondered at the ease with which the men laid them on the ground, and -afterwards turned them over from side to side, as was necessary in the -course of the shearing. After watching one of the shearers for some time, -he began the following conversation with him:— - -_Arthur._ Good man, does not it hurt the sheep to be pulled about in that -way? - -_The Man._ They do not like it; but I try to hurt them as little as I can. - -_Arthur._ Are you not afraid of cutting them with the shears, when you -put them down into the middle of the wool? - -_The Man._ We take care to feel our way, but now and then they get an -unlucky snip. That man there, that stands by the door, has some tar that -he puts to them if they chance to be hurt. - -_Arthur._ Poor things! how cold they must feel when they lose such a -quantity of wool! - -_The Man._ It is time they should be shorn now, master. This is their -winter coat, as one may say; and if it was left much longer, by little -and little it would fall off of itself. - -_Arthur._ Then why don’t you let it come off of itself, instead of taking -all this trouble, and teasing the sheep? - -_The Man._ My service to you, sir! What, are we to lose the wool, or to -follow the sheep from place to place wherever they choose to stray, in -order to gather it after them? No, no; they may suffer a little at first, -but if the weather is warm they soon get over it. - -_Arthur._ How many can you shear in a day, good man? - -_The Man._ Why, fifty, more or less. The quickest hands can finish one in -ten minutes. - -Charles during this time was helping a little girl to pick up the loose -locks of wool that were scattered over the floor. His brother turned -round, and saw how he was employed. What should _he_ do? Every one was -busy besides himself, and he could not bear to be the only idle person. -A message came to fetch away one of the women, whose task it was to -roll up the fleeces and pile them together on a heap. Arthur offered to -take her place; and, after a few trials, he learned to tie them up very -dexterously. He continued at this employment for some time, and rejoiced -to find himself of some use. - -Mr. Mansfield at length called the two boys to go away. They immediately -obeyed; and Charles, taking hold of his grandpapa’s hand, asked him if he -did not think a sheep-shearing was a most charming thing. - -_Grandpapa._ It does very well in its season, my dear boy. Wool is so -useful, that the shearing-time always gives me pleasure. - -_Arthur._ What shall you do with it, grandpapa? - -_Grandpapa._ I shall sell it to the wool-stapler; and, after it has -passed through the hands of different manufacturers, you may perhaps meet -with it again in some shop, though so altered as not to be known for the -same. It will then be in the shape of flannel, worsted, cloth, or perhaps -some kind of stuff. - -“That is all very droll,” said Charles. “But when will there be another -sheep-shearing, grandpapa?” - -“Not till this day twelvemonth, my dear,” returned Mr. Mansfield. “Wool -does not grow very fast. In two or three weeks you will see the sheep -covered with a little short wool; and the traces of the shears will then -be worn away. As winter comes on, it grows thicker and longer; but that -is not a time to rob them of their fleece. At last the year will come -round, and then they will be again ready for the shearer.” - -“I am fond of sheep,” said Arthur; “and I like little lambs, they look so -innocent.” - -_Grandpapa._ They are gentle, timid creatures, and require the care of -man more than almost any other animal; as they have neither strength to -defend themselves when attacked by their enemies, nor swiftness to run -from danger. - -_Arthur._ And they pay us for the care we take of them, by letting us -have their wool? - -_Grandpapa._ Indeed they do, Arthur; but not by their wool alone, for -they are useful in more ways than one. Mutton, which you know is the -flesh of the sheep, is one of the most wholesome meats we have; some -parts of the fat are melted down to make tallow. The skin is sometimes -made into parchment, and sometimes into leather, for gloves, shoes, and -other things: and parts of the guts are twisted into strings for musical -instruments. - -_Charles._ What enemies have sheep, grandpapa? You have said they can’t -defend themselves against their enemies. - -_Grandpapa._ Wherever there are wild beasts, Charles, they have many -enemies, as they all prey upon the sheep. Eagles will attack young lambs; -so will foxes; and even dogs, if they are fierce, and not properly -trained. - -_Arthur._ But I have often seen a dog along with a flock of sheep. - -_Grandpapa._ Yes; the breed that is called the shepherd’s dog is very -useful in managing them. They seldom bite, but will fetch those back -that have gone astray; and by barking at them alone, guide the whole -flock much more easily than a man can do. When they have done their -business, you may see them come back to the shepherd, and follow him as -quietly as possible. - -In the evening a supper was provided to refresh the shearers after their -hard day’s work, consisting of legs of mutton, and plum-puddings, with -plenty of good ale. All was jollity and mirth. During the day a constant -buz of many voices might have been heard even at some distance from the -barn; but the business they were engaged in did not allow time for much -talk. At night, on the contrary, they had nothing to do but to divert -themselves, and every tongue was heard. They told merry stories without -end, sang songs, and drank to the health of their kind master. Mr. -Mansfield himself staid with them for some time, encouraging them to be -cheerful, and walked about to see that every body was helped. At length, -he left the party, followed by his grand-children, who immediately -retired to rest, highly satisfied with the pleasures of the day. - - - - -CHAPTER V. - -_A Walk through the Fields._ - - -The next morning, Mr. Mansfield asked the little boys if they were -disposed for a walk. Arthur replied that he should like it very much; -but Charles said he would rather stay at home with his grandmamma; -accordingly they set off without him. - -“What pretty purple flowers grow in that field!” observed Arthur, when -they had proceeded a little way. “Pray, grandpapa, what are they?” - -“That is a field of clover,” replied Mr. Mansfield; “and it will soon be -cut for hay.” - -_Arthur._ I never saw such pretty hay as that. - -_Grandpapa._ Oh, there will be no beauty in it. On the contrary, it looks -much coarser and browner than what is made of common grass, which is -called meadow hay. - -_Arthur._ What becomes of the flowers then? - -_Grandpapa._ They dry and wither away. You do not suppose they would live -when cut down. Did you ever see how hay is made? - -_Arthur._ Yes, a great many times. A number of men and women go into -a field and turn the grass, and then they put it into cocks, and -afterwards make a stack of it. - -_Grandpapa._ Why do they do all that? - -_Arthur._ To make it into hay. - -_Grandpapa._ Yes. But why does turning it about make grass into hay? - -Arthur said he did not know. - -_Grandpapa._ Then I will tell you. The grass when cut down is full of -moisture. If you squeeze a blade in your fingers, it will be damp; and -that dampness is called sap. Now, while the sap is in it the grass will -not keep. If you were to make it into a stack, it would soon rot, and -smell so putrid you would not like to go near it. But when it is turned -about to the sun and the wind, till the sap is dried away, there is no -more danger, and you may stack it, and keep it for a long time. - -_Arthur._ But if I had a field, grandpapa, I would never make hay. My -horses should go in and eat the grass when they wanted it; and I would -save myself the trouble of working for them. - -_Grandpapa._ I am afraid, Arthur, you would make a lazy farmer. Do not -you know that nothing in this world is to be had without trouble? and if -you are so very sparing of your pains, I fear you will not succeed very -well. - -_Arthur._ Why not, pray, sir? - -_Grandpapa._ Did you ever take notice of the grass in the winter? - -_Arthur._ Yes; I believe it is then short and black. - -_Grandpapa._ The blackness is nothing but the earth among it; it is very -thin at that time of the year. Did you ever observe a field just before -it was cut for hay? - -_Arthur._ Oh, yes. Do you know, grandpapa, we all took a walk in a field -a little while ago; and the grass was so very long that it came up to the -top of my legs; and little Kate cried, and could not get on at all. - -_Grandpapa._ You see then, that as there is much grass in summer and -but little in winter, your horses at one time would have more than they -could eat, and at another would starve. Yet this would be owing to your -own fault: for God gives enough for the whole year; and all he requires -of us is, that we should in the season of plenty lay up for the time of -need. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - -_The Walk continued._ - - -The next field they came to was sown with rye, which Mr. Mansfield -said was a species of corn; and, although much coarser than wheat, was -frequently made into bread, and in many places formed the chief food of -the poor. He desired his grandson to gather an ear or two, that he might -learn to distinguish between that and barley, which grew in the field -through which they were next to pass. - -Arthur pulled up a root of rye, and then ran to overtake his -grandfather, who by this time had got over the stile, and was slowly -crossing the barley field. - -“Well, Arthur, what difference do you find in the growth of these two -kinds of corn?” asked Mr. Mansfield. - -_Arthur._ Indeed, grandpapa, I don’t see any, except that the rye grows -very high, as high as the top of your hat, and that the barley only comes -to my elbow. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ That is one difference, to be sure. Examine them well, -and perhaps you may discover some other. - -_Arthur._ Oh, yes, I see, sir. The spikes of the rye are neither so fine -nor so long as in the barley. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Very true again. So you see you need never mistake -between them. The straw of the rye is the longest, but the beard (you -should not call it the spikes) is shorter and coarser. - -_Arthur._ I think the long beard of the barley gives it rather a silky -look, as it waves about with the wind. Pray, grandpapa, is barley sown to -make bread too? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Sometimes it is used for that purpose; but the greatest -part of what we grow in England is for making beer. - -_Arthur._ Beer! Is it possible that barley can make beer? Do you know, -sir, how it is done? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Yes; and you shall hear, if you wish to know. All grain -is the seed of the plant; and before it can be put to any use it must be -taken out of the ear. Now, to do that, it is thrashed with an instrument -called a flail. I suppose you have seen one, have you not? - -_Arthur._ I remember once passing at some distance from a barn, where a -man was swinging something about, that looked like a bent stick; and he -beat the ground with it, and somebody said he was thrashing. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ That he certainly was. The corn was spread upon the -barn-floor, and he was beating out the grain with a flail. The next -business is to separate it from the chaff, or outside skin. This is -sometimes done by turning a machine very quickly so as to cause a wind, -which blows away the chaff, for it is as light as a feather. A more -simple method is, to throw the corn across from one side of the barn to -the other, against the wind. The chaff, being so light, is soon blown -back, whilst the corn goes on a little further, and falls in a heap by -itself. - -_Arthur._ But, dear grandpapa, what has this to do with making beer? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ All in good time, my dear boy. You must _get at_ the -barley before you can _use_ it, must you not? The method of winnowing -I have described, relates principally to wheat (for barley is without -chaff); but the barley must be thrashed, and separated from the ear; -after which it is put for some days into a cistern of water. It is -then taken out and laid in heaps; when it ferments, and is ready to -shoot out in the same manner as if sown in the ground. Afterwards it is -spread thinly over a floor, and frequently turned; and when partly dry -is carried to a kiln, a kind of oven, where it is dried. Having passed -through all this process it is called malt, and the man whose business it -is, is termed a maltster. - -_Arthur._ I thought brewers made beer? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ You were right. Brewers buy malt. They grind it, and -then pour hot water upon it, to get out its strength and goodness. The -liquor thus obtained, which is sweet-wort, becomes the most valuable part -of the commodity; for the malt has lost its virtue, and is called grains, -and is only used to feed pigs and cattle. The wort is afterwards boiled -with hops, which give it a bitterish taste instead of a sickly sweet, and -keep it wholesome and good. Then it takes the name of beer; and after -fermenting for a little while may be put into casks and kept for use. -And now, Arthur, do you think that you understand brewing? Shall you -recollect that malt is barley prepared in a particular way? and that beer -is made by pouring warm water on the malt, and afterwards boiling it with -hops? - -_Arthur._ I think I shall, grandpapa. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - -_The Pony._ - - -As Mr. Mansfield and Arthur were returning from their walk, in a lane -at a little distance from the house they were met by Charles, who had -mounted a pony belonging to his grandfather: it had taken fright, and -was running away at full speed. Mr. Mansfield stopped it by catching -hold of the bridle; and as soon as he was satisfied that no mischief had -happened, and Charles was sufficiently recovered to be able to talk, he -inquired what had led him to try his skill in horsemanship. - -[Illustration: _Page 52._ - -_Charles on the Poney._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Junʳ. Oct. 5, 1815._] - -“Why, grandpapa,” replied Charles, “Robert had just come home with the -pony, and left him at the gate; and I wanted to ride; so I got upon him, -and he ran away with me.” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ As you have never been used to ride, my dear Charles, -you had better not get upon strange horses when you are alone. I wonder -too that Plover should run away; he is in general very gentle. - -_Charles._ At first he would keep his head over the gate, and I could not -get him to move. So I hit him with a stick I had in my hand, and that set -him off in a gallop. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ I fancy all was owing to your want of skill; for Plover -is a very quiet creature, and easily managed; but he will not bear -ill usage; therefore, if you beat him much, I am not surprised at the -accident. - -_Arthur._ I am sure, grandpapa, Charles did not mean to be cruel, and use -the horse ill. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ He is so good a boy that I do not suspect him of it; -and I only meant to give him a caution against another time. No, my dear -children, I hope you will never take pleasure in wanton cruelty. My heart -has often ached at the barbarities I have seen practised on poor dumb -creatures. - -_Arthur._ Once when I was walking with papa, we saw a man beating a -horse about the head with the butt end of his whip, and my papa advised -him not to do so; but he said it was his own horse, and he had a right to -do as he liked. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Nothing can give a man a right to be cruel. We may, it -is true, make what use we please of our beasts, as long as we treat them -well, for they were made for our convenience; but God Almighty has given -to them life and feeling the same as he has to us; and we make him angry -with us whenever we use them ill. - -“I often think, grandpapa, that it is very strange such large creatures -as these,” said Arthur, patting Plover, who now walked quietly by the -side of his master, “should suffer us to get upon their backs, and -manage them as we please. They are much stronger than we are; and I -wonder they do not drive us away, and not carry us, and refuse to draw -our coaches and do every thing we like.” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ It would be astonishing, Arthur, if we did not consider -that our reason gives us a great advantage over all brutes. Some of them, -it is true, are much larger, some much stronger, and others much swifter -than we; but by means of our understanding we can conquer the strongest, -and tame the fiercest of them. - -_Charles._ How can we tame them, pray, sir? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ By methods which they cannot resist. Plover is stronger -than you, but a boy of your size who understands riding would be able to -manage him. He would pull the bridle on this side, or on that, according -as he wished him to turn; and as he pulled, the bit would hurt the -horse’s mouth just enough to make him willing to go where he was wanted: -therefore, by our knowing how to manage a bit and a bridle, we are more -than a match for a horse in spite of his great strength. - -_Arthur._ I understand you now, grandpapa. And I have something to tell -you. As we were taking a walk a little while ago, a dog came barking and -snapping, and I thought he was going to bite me; but my mamma called out, -“Don’t be frightened, Arthur; pick up a stone to throw at the dog, and it -will send him away.” So I did, and to be sure he slunk off at once. Now -was not it my reason that made me conquer the dog, though the dog could -bite harder than myself? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Exactly so. You see, then, that although our bodies are -naturally weak and helpless, yet by our reason we are furnished with the -means of strength and defence. So God has ordained; and therefore, though -he will not suffer us to be cruel to any of his creatures, yet, as our -Bible tells us, he said at the beginning of the world, that the fear and -dread of man should be for ever upon all animals. - -As Mr. Mansfield finished these words, they reached the stable yard, and -Ralph came forward to unharness the pony. - -“Plover must be shod to-morrow, sir,” said he, as he looked at one of his -hinder feet. - -“Is not it cruel, grandpapa,” asked Charles, “to drive nails into the -horse’s feet?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ No, my dear, it is not. The nails only go into the -hoofs, which are very hard, and have not any feeling; but if we did not -put on these iron shoes, the hoofs, hard as they are, would soon be -battered to pieces when they travel over rough and gravelled ground. - -_Arthur._ Dead horses are of no use; are they, sir? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Their flesh is given to dogs; but the skin, when -converted into leather, is used for making harness and some other things. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - -_A Visit to the Windmill._ - - -“Do you know, my dear,” said Mrs. Mansfield to her husband, when they -were sitting at tea, “the miller has forgotten to send home the flour he -promised to let us have last week; and Sarah has just told me we have not -enough in the house to bake to-morrow! So what must we do? Can you spare -one of the men to go over and inquire about it?” - -“I am afraid, my dear,” said Mr. Mansfield, “they are all busy at -present; but when Ralph comes in he may go of the errand.” - -“It has just occurred to me,” rejoined Mrs. Mansfield, “that if you are -disposed for another walk this fine evening, you might go yourself and -take the children with you; and it will be a nice treat to them, for I -know they have never seen a mill.” - -“Ah, do go, grandpapa; will you, grandpapa? it will be so very -delightful!” said both the boys at the same instant. - -“Well, bring me my hat then,” said their indulgent grandfather. “I did -not intend to stir again to-night; but if it will give you pleasure, my -dear boys——” - -“Thank you, sir! thank you, sir!” cried Charles, running for the hat. - -“I hope you won’t be tired though,” said Arthur. “You shall rest upon my -shoulder all the way; and do not be afraid of leaning all your weight, -for I shall be able to bear it very well.” - -“You shall have my shoulder to rest upon too,” exclaimed Charles: “So I -dare say, grandpapa, you will not be tired.” - -“Indeed,” replied Mr. Mansfield, putting one hand upon the shoulder of -each, as he rose from the chair, “with two such kind little supporters, I -shall not be easily fatigued.” - -As they walked, Charles expressed his joy that they were going to see the -inside of a mill, which was what he had long wished to do. “And, pray,” -inquired he, “what is it like?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ That you will see when you get to it: in the mean time, -Arthur, examine this wheat. I showed you barley and rye in the morning. - -“There is no beard to this,” said Arthur. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ No; and the ear is heavier and larger. Gather one, and -count the number of grains it contains. - -Charles pulled violently, and drew up a root that had seven stalks -growing from it. - -[Illustration: _Farm House Page 64._ - -_The Mill._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Jun. Oct. 5, 1815._] - -“Hold, you wasteful little fellow!” cried his grandpapa. “I did not tell -you to root up my field at one stroke. Let me see, however. Observe what -a wonderful increase here is. These seven stalks have all sprung from -one single grain, and each ear contains, perhaps, twenty grains; which -gives us in all a hundred and forty grains instead of one.” - -_Arthur._ That is astonishing, indeed! So there always grows a hundred -and forty times as much wheat as is sown? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ No, no, I did not say that. In this instance it is -so; and sometimes it may even happen to produce more; but a great deal -of seed rots in the ground, without ever growing at all: of what does -come up, some is spoilt before it is ripe, and the ears that come to -perfection do not all yield so well as these. I believe, therefore, that -taking the kingdom throughout, we only gather about eight times the -quantity we sow. - -_Arthur._ How long is wheat growing, pray, sir? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Nine or ten months generally. No sooner is the harvest -of one year got in, than we begin to prepare for that of the ensuing -year. We plough the land, and sow it again immediately. Some seed, -indeed, is not sown before the spring, but that never produces quite such -good crops. - -_Charles._ What is the use of ploughing, grandpapa? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ To break up the earth, which would otherwise get so hard -that no corn could grow in it. When a field has been ploughed, a man -walks over it, and scatters the seed all over the field. Then it is raked -in by an instrument full of great iron teeth, called a harrow. Care must -afterwards be taken to keep it free from weeds, but besides that nothing -more can be done. It is left for the rain to water, and the sun to ripen -it. - -_Charles._ And when it is quite ripe, then the harvest comes, does it -not, sir? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Yes. Then the reapers go into the field, and cut down -the corn with their sickles. They tie it up in bundles, which are called -sheaves, when it is carried into barns, and thrashed out for use. - -As they were conversing in this manner they arrived at the mill; and -when Mr. Mansfield had given his orders, he asked leave to lead his -grandchildren over it. He then explained to them, how the sails, being -turned round by the wind, were the occasion of turning different wheels -in the inside of the building. He next pointed out to them two large flat -stones, shut up in a kind of box. “You may see,” said he, “that all the -corn is made to pass between these stones. The understone is fixed; but -the upper one turns round, and presses so heavily upon it, as to bruise -and grind the corn to powder.” - -“I understand you, grandpapa,” returned Charles. “And is that all that is -done here?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Not all, Charles; for the corn, though ground into -meal, wants sifting. To do that, there is a contrivance called a -boulting engine, and you may look at it if you step this way. - -Mr. Mansfield then opened a little door in the large wooden box, or -bin, that contained the engine; when a quantity of fine flour flew out -into their faces, and powdered them all over. The boulter was made of -frame-work, five or six feet long, round which a canvas was tightly -strained. “Now,” said Mr. Mansfield, “the meal is put into this boulting -machine, which turns round, you see, very fast when the mill is at work. -The quickness of its motion causes the fine flour to fly off through the -canvas; but the coarse and husky part, which is bran, not being able to -do that, falls to the bottom by itself. The use of shutting it up in this -box, is to prevent the flour from being scattered over the mill.” - -The Bensons and their grandfather remained at the mill till they had -thoroughly examined every part of it. They received much pleasure from -seeing the different wheels and contrivances, and were diverted to find, -when they came away, that they were so covered with flour as to look -almost as white as millers. - -As they were returning home, Arthur observed, that having first seen -the wheat growing, and afterwards ground, they only wanted now to know -how flour was made into bread, to understand the whole process from -beginning to end. - -Mr. Mansfield replied, that he could easily explain that. The flour was -mixed with a proper quantity of water, and a little yeast put in to make -it rise. “This,” said he, “is well kneaded together, and then it is put -into an oven and baked.” - -“But what is yeast?” inquired Charles. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ A scum that rises on the top of new beer. - -_Arthur._ Have not I, sir, seen to-day, some of all the different kinds -of corn that grow here? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ I do not recollect our having met with oats. They do not -grow in one compact ear like the rest, for every grain has a separate -little foot-stalk to itself. In this part of the country they are chiefly -given to horses; but in Scotland, and the north of England, oatmeal cakes -are frequently eaten instead of bread. - -“And now,” continued he, “I am not sorry to find myself near home. You, -Arthur, may likewise be glad to rest yourself, for you have been stumping -about almost all day.” - -The boys declared they were not at all tired, and thanked their grandpapa -for the pleasure he had procured them. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - -_Poultry._ - - -“Grandmamma, pray where are you going?” asked Charles one morning, on -seeing his grandmother walk out at the garden door. - -“To feed my chickens, my love,” returned she. - -“Then I will go with you, if I may,” said Charles. “And so will I,” said -Arthur: and he threw down his peg-top in a corner. - -“My speckled hen,” said Mrs. Mansfield, “came off her nest, yesterday, -with a fine brood of chickens.” - -_Arthur._ That is the one, is not it, ma’am, that has been sitting so -close ever since we came? - -_Grandmamma._ Yes, and for a fortnight before, which makes in all three -weeks; the time hens always sit on their eggs. - -_Charles._ I think they must be tired of keeping still so long. - -_Grandmamma._ I believe, Charles, you would be tired of such confinement; -but birds do not seem to mind it at all. Though so active at other times; -when they have laid their eggs, they are quite contented to sit still -till the young ones are hatched. - -_Arthur._ Do all birds sit for three weeks, grandmamma? - -_Grandmamma._ No: ducks and geese sit for a month; and pigeons and -smaller birds for about a fortnight. Now you may give them some of these -grits, and then you will have the pleasure of seeing them peck. - -_Charles._ Let me have a handful, if you please. Chick, chick, chick, -chick! come here, poor chickey, and I will give you something to eat. -Dear grandmamma! they will not let me catch them; and look at the old -hen, she is almost ready to fly at me. - -_Grandmamma._ She is afraid you are going to hurt her chickens, when she -sees you run after them. Hens are often very fierce, if any one offers to -meddle with their young ones. - -_Charles._ Well then, poor things! I will not take you up in my hand, but -I will give you your food on the ground. How pretty they look! They are -the colour of my canary bird. - -_Arthur._ I see the old hen does not eat much herself. She only pecks -about the grits, to show them to her chickens. - -_Grandmamma._ She is a very good mother; so we will give her some barley. -That is the best food for the old ones. - -_Arthur._ See, Charles, how oddly they drink! They turn up their heads -whenever they swallow. - -_Grandmamma._ By that means they let the water trickle down their -throats. - -[Illustration: _Farm House Page 76._ - -_The Poultry Yard._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Jun. Oct. 5, 1815._] - -_Arthur._ Then why do not we do so when we drink? - -_Grandmamma._ Because our throats are not formed the same as birds’; -for we are provided with a muscle, which carries down the liquor by its -motion. - -_Charles._ How the pretty creatures creep under their mother’s wings! -and she puffs her feathers out, and makes herself as large as she can to -cover them all. - -_Grandmamma._ You see how Providence has provided for the welfare of all -his creatures. Whilst they are too young to take care of themselves, -he gives to the parent a strong affection towards them, and wisdom -sufficient to bring them up. The mother, though generally timorous, and -easily frightened, to preserve her young ones will boldly turn round -and face almost any danger. You observed that the hen forgot her own -hunger, when she was teaching the little chickens to peck; now she covers -them with her wings to keep them from the cold, which, as they are not -completely fledged, would probably kill them if it were not for her care. - -_Charles._ And what will she do when these little things are grown as big -as she is? - -_Grandmamma._ Long before that time she will have cast them off. Brutes -never care for their young when they are able to shift for themselves. - -_Arthur._ That is very different from us. I do not think my mamma will -cast us off as long as she lives. - -_Grandmamma._ I do not think she will. And I hope, my dear boys, that -in return you will never neglect _her_. A chicken, you see, could not -be reared unless the hen took care of it; but a child requires constant -attention for many years; and even when grown up, the fondness of the -parents still continues. Surely, then, nothing can excuse ingratitude and -undutifulness towards them. - -_Arthur._ No, grandmamma: so for the future I will always mind what my -papa and mamma say to me; and I will try never to do any thing that I -think they won’t like. - -_Grandmamma._ That is a very good resolution, and I hope you will keep -to it.—— Well, Charles, what do you say to the pigeons? They are pretty -birds, are they not? - -_Charles._ Indeed, ma’am, they are. I was looking at them falling head -over heels, when up in the air. - -_Grandmamma._ Those are called tumblers, that fly in that way. There are -many kinds of pigeons. The white ones out there, with tails that stand up -somewhat like hens’, are called fan-tails. - -_Arthur._ What must we feed the pigeons with? - -_Grandmamma._ You may give them a few tares, if you like; but here we -have no occasion to supply them with much food, for they come to the barn -doors, and pick up the corn that is scattered about. - -_Charles._ Are all those one brood, that sit together on the top of that -cart-house? - -_Grandmamma._ No. Pigeons never lay more than two eggs at one time; and -the pair that are hatched commonly continue mates to one another all -their lives. - -_Charles._ Now let us look at the ducks and geese, if you please. The -pond is nearly covered with them, I see. - -_Arthur._ How very small some of them are! I should have thought that -they were too young to be able to swim. - -_Grandmamma._ Oh, they take to the water as soon as they leave the -egg-shell. They are web-footed, and that enables them to swim. - -_Charles._ What is being web-footed, ma’am? - -_Grandmamma._ Having a skin to fill up all the space between the toes. -When they swim, they paddle, or strike with their broad feet against the -water; which gives them motion onwards. - -_Arthur._ I suppose, grandmamma, you keep poultry for the sake of eating -them! - -_Grandmamma._ You are right. But do you know what is done with the -feathers? - -_Charles._ No. - -_Arthur._ I do, ma’am. Beds and pillows are stuffed with them. - -_Grandmamma._ And what use is made of the long quill feathers, that grow -in the goose’s wing? - -_Arthur._ I never have been told. - -_Grandmamma._ The quill part, by being cut into shape, is converted into -pens for writing. - -_Charles._ Do only geese furnish pens? - -_Grandmamma._ Some people write with crow-quills: but they are too small -for a bold hand; so that they are very little used. The quills of the -turkey are too hard; and those of ducks and chickens, on the contrary, -are as much too soft. Swan quills, however, make excellent pens; but they -are too scarce to be in general use. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - -_The Deer._ - - -In Mr. Mansfield’s neighbourhood resided a Mr. Ashley, a gentleman of -large fortune, and of a very obliging disposition. He had heard that -Arthur and Charles Benson were at their grandpapa’s on a visit, and one -day he sent for them to play with his son William, a little boy nearly -of their own age. The Bensons went, and William took them into the park, -where they amused themselves for some time by the play of trap-ball. The -game was at last suddenly broken off by master Ashley, who threw down the -bat upon the ground, exclaiming that his pretty tame fawn was coming in -sight, and that he must go and stroke it. The Bensons were rather sorry -to be interrupted in their play; but, as they had been early taught, that -it was often necessary to give up their own inclinations to the wishes of -others, they left off with the utmost good humour. “Look at the pretty -creature!” said William Ashley, caressing the fawn. “I wish I had a bit -of bread here: it would eat it out of my hand.” - -“I have found a piece of biscuit in the corner of my pocket,” said -Charles. “Here it is. I will feed it, if you please.” - -“How old is he?” inquired Arthur. - -“Six weeks, or two months, I do not recollect which,” replied William. -“But see, here comes the mother! I thought she could not be far off, for -does never desert their young ones until the end of the summer.” - -The little party was still admiring the fawn, when Mr. Ashley came, and -told them that dinner was almost ready. - -“We will come, papa,” said William, “as soon as we have done counting the -spots upon my little fawn’s back.” - -“Pray,” inquired Charles, “are all deer spotted?” - -_Mr. Ashley._ No: their colour is various. Some are of a reddish cast, -some of a deep brown, some white, and others spotted like these. Observe -the herd that are feeding under those trees, and you will see a great -difference amongst them. - -“And those, sir,” said Arthur, “have all fine branching horns.” - -“They are stags,” returned Mr. Ashley. “The does are the females, and -never have any horns. But perhaps you did not know that even stags are -without, for a part of every year?” - -_Arthur._ Indeed, sir, I did not, and shall be obliged to you if you will -tell me about it. - -_Mr. Ashley._ I will readily. Towards the latter end of February, stags -shed their horns, and soon after fresh ones begin to grow. These are at -first very tender; and the flies, when they are in that state, are often -extremely troublesome to the poor animals. Whilst the horns are off, they -separate from each other, and endeavour to hide themselves from every -other creature, as they are then incapable of making any defence; but in -about three months, when the new ones have grown to their full size, they -associate together again in large herds. - -After these observations, the whole party returned to the house, and -entered the dining-parlour, and their conversation was interrupted by -the inquiries which Mrs. Ashley made, after the health of Mr. and Mrs. -Mansfield: but soon after dinner, William renewed the subject, by asking -his father, whether he might be permitted the next season to hunt with -the stag hounds? - -Mr. Ashley replied, that he was much too young; and then turning to -Charles, he asked him if it was his wish also to be a sportsman? - -“Indeed, sir,” returned Charles, “I don’t thoroughly understand what you -mean by a sportsman; and I never wished nor even thought about it.” - -“Oh, a sportsman,” said William, “is a man who is fond of hunting and -shooting, and other field sports; and if you knew what they were, I am -sure you would like them, for I think they must be the greatest pleasures -of life.” - -“In what way do they hunt?” inquired Arthur. - -_William._ Why, a stag is turned out into the country, and then, fly -where he will, a whole pack of dogs follow him in full cry; and a number -of gentlemen, mounted on fine horses, gallop after with the greatest -possible speed: and they don’t mind what they come to; for they leap over -gates, and hedges, and ditches, and ride down hills that are almost as -steep as precipices; and at last, when the stag can run no further, he is -caught by the dogs, who kill him; but sometimes his life is saved, that -he may be hunted again another day. - -“What a cruel diversion!” exclaimed Arthur, shocked at the thought of -what the stag must suffer. “I am sure I could never take pleasure in -tormenting a poor animal in that way.” - -“We huntsmen do not think of the _poor animals_,” returned Mr. Ashley. - -“Perhaps not, my dear,” said his wife; “but your want of thought will not -prevent them from feeling pain and terror; and I must own, I am always -surprised when men of humanity join in such barbarous sports.” - -“Do you hunt any thing besides deer?” asked Charles. - -_Mr. Ashley._ Yes, my dear, foxes and hares; the former with fox-hounds, -and the latter with harriers. - -_Arthur._ Pray, sir, are deer ever wild in this country? - -_Mr. Ashley._ Not the kind that we have in our parks, which are fallow -deer; but there is another species, properly called stags, somewhat -larger, differing in a few particulars from those that are wild in our -forests. I do not mean that every body has a right to take them; for they -are accounted the property of the king. - -_William._ I forget, papa, where you told me that fallow deer were first -brought from. - -_Mr. Ashley._ It is said, they came originally from Bengal: but they -were brought here from Norway by King James the first; and England is -now more famous for venison than any other country in the world. - -_Charles._ Is any use made of the skins, pray, sir? - -_Mr. Ashley._ Yes: the skin both of the buck and doe makes the soft thick -leather, of which gentlemen’s riding breeches and gloves are made. The -horns are very hard and solid, and make excellent handles for knives and -other utensils. They likewise contain a salt, called salt of hartshorn, -from which is extracted spirit of hartshorn. - -_Mrs. Ashley._ How should you like to go to Lapland, and ride over the -snow in a sledge drawn by rein deer? - -_Charles._ By rein deer, ma’am? What, have deer strength enough to draw -carriages? - -_Mrs. Ashley._ The rein deer, my love, is a very extraordinary creature. -It inhabits Lapland, and other cold countries, and answers to the -inhabitants the purpose of most of the animals we have among us. It -serves them instead of a horse, and draws their sledges with amazing -swiftness over the frozen country. It supplies them too with milk and -cheese, instead of the cow; and answers the purpose of our sheep, in -furnishing them with warm covering. - -Providence, who has thus formed the rein deer capable of supplying the -numerous wants of man, has provided with wonderful care for its support. -That dreary country, where no grass will grow, and not any herb which we -are accustomed to see, is nevertheless covered all over with a species of -white moss, which serves as food for it. This is its only pasture; and it -gets at it in winter, by scratching away the snow with its hinder legs. - -_Arthur._ Is the rein deer good to eat, pray, ma’am? - -_Mr. Ashley._ It is. So, when it has lived about sixteen years, the -Laplander generally kills him for the sake of his flesh and his skin. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - -_The Pheasantry._ - - -Mr. Ashley’s pleasure-grounds were very extensive; and in one corner of -the park he had inclosed four or five acres of land for keeping rare and -curious birds. - -Early in the afternoon, he proposed to his young visitors to take a walk -to the pheasantry, as it was called; an offer which they gladly accepted. -They entered the inclosure by going through a pretty cottage, where an -old man lived who had the care of the birds. - -The cottage was deserted; but outside the back door they found Maddox -asleep in a chair, and his little grand-daughter Peggy hard at work by -his side. - -Peggy rose, and curtsied in a very pretty manner. Then having roused the -old man, by telling him that ’squire Ashley was come, she sat down again -to her needle. But master William, who was very fond of her, begged she -would leave her work while they stayed, and look after the birds with -them. On a grass plot close to the cottage there were three or four -hens under baskets; and they had each a little brood belonging to them, -which the Bensons mistook for bantams. But Peggy said they were young -pheasants; their eggs they often set under hens, as they made the best -mothers of any fowl. - -“Are these _all_ we are to see?” inquired Arthur. - -“No, sir,” replied Peggy; “we have many that are full grown; only they -are now scattered about, and hid among the bushes. I’ll call them.” - -She then fetched out a pan with some of their food, which she scattered -over the grass, calling at the same time in a particular manner. -Presently several pheasants came from their hiding-places. They were -rather shy at first; but by degrees they ventured nearer, and at last -began to eat the food that was thrown to them. The boys admired their -beauty. The plumage of some was of a fine gold colour, variegated -with streaks of purple and green. These they learnt were called gold -pheasants. The silver pheasants were very handsome, although not quite so -showy. They were of a clear white, streaked likewise with purple on the -neck and breast. The common pheasant was not equal in beauty to these; -but it had notwithstanding a great variety of colours, and was remarkably -brilliant. - -“What do you feed them with?” asked Charles. - -“Ants’ eggs and curds are most proper for them,” said Peggy: “but they -will eat oats and barley; and they pick up wood-lice, and earwigs, and -other insects.” - -A loud squalling now diverted the attention of the little party to -another object. They looked up, and saw it proceeded from a peacock, -which was perched on the top of a high tree. - -Charles inquired if any thing was the matter with him; he was answered -that they always made such noise. A little further in the woods they -found another peacock. His beautiful long tail did not trail after him -in the usual way, for he had spread it, so as to make the feathers stand -straight out from his body; and the eyes, or large spots in the ends of -the feathers, being raised one above the other, had a very pretty effect. -In this state he marched about with a proud air, and turned himself -round and round, as if to exhibit his gaudy appearance to every body -present. - -Arthur observed another bird with a fine neck and head like the peacock, -but without his beautiful tail. In answer to his inquiries, Mr. -Ashley told him that it was a pea-hen, and added, that, with very few -exceptions, the females, throughout the feathered race, were greatly -inferior in beauty to the males. - -The party now returned to the house, and Arthur, who liked to know to -what purpose every thing was applied, asked Mr. Ashley, what was the use -of the fine birds they had seen? - -“They are merely kept as curiosities,” answered that gentleman. “Now and -then we kill a young pea-fowl, to eat as a delicacy; but my chief motive -in keeping them is, that I may have the pleasure of showing them to my -friends.” - -“Pheasants are eaten sometimes, I know,” said Charles. - -“Yes,” said William; “but not gold and silver pheasants. The common ones -that fly about wild, are killed in the shooting season by the sportsmen, -the same as partridges and other game.” - -_Charles._ What do you mean by game? - -_Mr. Ashley._ Game denotes such kind of birds, or beasts, as are taken or -killed by fowling and hunting. - -They were now arrived at the house, and Mr. Ashley left them; but the -boys, at the request of Arthur, resumed their game of trapball. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - -_The Story of Old Maddox._ - - -The next morning at breakfast, the two boys entertained their grandpapa -and grandmamma with a full account of what they had seen on the preceding -day; and both dwelt with particular pleasure on the beauty of the -pheasants. - -“Did you take notice of Harry Maddox, the old man who has the care of -them?” inquired Mr. Mansfield. - -The children replied, that he was for some time talking with Mr. Ashley; -but that he took no notice of them, and that they had observed nothing -particular about him. - -“That, man,” said Mr. Mansfield, “shabby and mean as he now appears, was -once in possession of considerable property. It was his idleness alone -that reduced him to poverty.” - -“How so, grandpapa?” inquired Charles. “Pray tell us about him.” - -“I was going to do so,” returned Mr. Mansfield, “in the hope that the -history of his misfortunes might be a lesson to you, not to fall into the -fault that has occasioned his ruin. - -“Maddox’s father rented a capital farm, a few miles from this village. -Harry was a school-fellow of mine, so that in his childhood I saw a -great deal of him. He had some good qualities. He always spoke the truth, -and I don’t recollect that he ever did any thing spiteful, or injured -another purposely. His great fault was a habit of constant idleness. At -play-time, when the rest of the boys were amusing themselves at their -different sports, Maddox might always be found sitting on the stump of an -old tree, that once overshadowed the playground; and all his employment -was to scratch up the earth with a stick. This was so constantly the -case, that the stump was called by the boys _Maddox’s seat_; and I have -been told that it still goes by the same name; though, most likely, the -circumstance that gave rise to it has long been forgotten. You may -suppose that in school hours Harry did not gain much credit. He was -oftener in disgrace than any boy amongst us. He stood near the bottom -of the lowest class, and I do not know that he ever made his way much -higher. Indeed, how should he? for all the time that he ought to have -spent in learning his lessons, he passed in merely holding the book in -his hand, or twisting the corners of the leaves.” - -_Charles._ But I should have thought he would have been punished if he -could not say his lesson; and he would not like that, I suppose. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Perhaps he did not like punishment; but he liked the -trouble of avoiding it still less. Indeed, after a smart caning, he would -sometimes sit down to his book, and learn as much in half an hour as most -of us could in a whole one. His being able to do so, as our good master -used to say, made him so much the more inexcusable. “If, Maddox, you were -dull by nature, and could not learn,” I remember his telling him one -day, when the boy was crying, and begging not to be flogged, “I should -pity you; and, as long as you did your best, should never be angry: but -you have really a good understanding, and this idleness is unpardonable, -and you need not hope to escape correction.” Correction, however, and -encouragement, were equally thrown away upon Maddox; and he left school -at fifteen, after having passed a miserable time, scolded by the masters -and derided by the boys. - -_Arthur._ What became of him then, grandpapa? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ His father took him home, intending to bring him up -to farming: but he found he could make nothing of him; so he put him -apprentice to a brewer in a good way of business. - -However, Harry still continued idle, and learned nothing, so that when he -was out of his time, his master was very glad to get rid of so useless -a hand, and declared he would have nothing further to say to him; -notwithstanding he was then in want of a partner, and old Mr. Maddox, -the father, had offered to advance a considerable sum, if he would give -him a share of the business. - -Some time after this, he married; and his father then set him up in a -brewery by himself, and gave him all that was necessary to begin trade -with. - -His success, however, was just what might have been expected. He did not -like to give himself trouble; and his beer was so bad, that nobody would -buy it. In short, he lost all his customers, and ran into debt; so that -every thing he had was taken away to pay his creditors. - -The kind father once more received his son, with his wife and family, -into his own house; and instead of being angry, he tried to console him -for his misfortunes, by telling him, that as long as he had a shilling -in the world he should share it with him; and that, by industry and -frugality, they might yet do very well. One would have thought that such -great kindness, and the distresses he had brought upon himself, would -have had some effect on the mind of young Maddox; and indeed they had: -for a short time, he went on pretty well, but he soon relapsed into his -former habits of indolence. As long, however, as his father lived, he did -not know what it was to want. It is true, he was accustomed to lie in bed -till noon, and then to doze in an arm chair the greatest part of the day. -But his father was always up before the dawn, and continued to attend to -the concerns of his farm till after the sun was set; for he found that -much additional industry was required, to enable him to support such -a large increase to his household. Harry at length lost his excellent -parent, and had the misfortune, not long after, to bury his wife. - -_Charles._ Ah, poor Maddox! How badly off he must have been then, -grandpapa! - -_Mr. Mansfield._ He was, indeed, my dear. All good management was at -an end, both in the house and in the fields. He took no care of his -children himself, nor did he provide any body to look after them for -him. His sons, in consequence of this neglect, grew up very wild young -men. They were always in company with the most worthless fellows in the -neighbourhood; and at last one of them ran away to sea, and never was -heard of more. The youngest girl fell into an ill state of health, and -perished from want of care and nursing. The eldest daughter, mother to -the little Peggy whom you saw at the cottage, was the only one of the -children that grew up to be a comfort to herself, or to her family. She -married at a very early age, but, unfortunately for Peggy, died some time -ago. - -_Arthur._ So poor Peggy has no mother! What a sad thing for her! - -_Mr. Mansfield._ She has no father neither, my dear: but we will talk -more of her by and by, if I have not tired you with my long story. - -_Charles._ Oh, you need not be afraid of tiring us, grandpapa. We like to -hear you very much, and I want to know how Maddox went on with his farm. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Why, he left his farm to take care of itself; and when -the men went to him for directions, he used to tell them to begone about -their business, and do as they would, for he should not trouble himself -about the matter. So perhaps one wanted to sow beans, when another wanted -to sow corn; and then they would get into a quarrel, and not work at -all. By this means, the seed was never put into his fields till after it -had begun to grow up in all the country round: and as he took no care -to keep his land clean, it was always choked with weeds; and, in all -the time he was a farmer, he had not a single good crop. His fences too -were left in the most ruinous state, and his neighbour’s cattle used to -get into his fields through the gaps in the hedges, and do much mischief -among his corn and hay. Then sometimes his own beasts trespassed in the -same manner upon the grounds of other people, and he was obliged to pay -for the damage they did; and if they were sent to the pound, it was some -expense to him to redeem them. - -_Arthur._ What do you mean, sir, by saying they were sent to the pound? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ A pound is a small spot inclosed with high rails, in -which cattle that go astray may be confined; and the person whose office -it is to keep the pound claims a certain fee when they are sent for by -the owner. - -Maddox’s farm belonged to Mr. Ashley; and when the lease was out, his -landlord refused to grant him another. From the time of the old man’s -death, the rents had been very irregularly paid; and besides, Mr. Ashley -did not choose to let any part of his estate to a man who suffered it to -go to ruin. - -_Charles._ Indeed, I think he was in the right. I should not like to -have my fields, that might be kept in nice order, like yours, grandpapa, -spoilt from want of proper care. But what became of Maddox, then? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ He hired a wretched cottage, and lived for some time -upon the little money he had by him. When that was gone, he was actually -reduced to beggary. He had scarcely a rag to cover him, and could -barely get food to keep him alive. I happened to hear of his miserable -situation, and I called on Mr. Ashley, to consult about what could be -done for him. - -_Arthur._ And what did Mr. Ashley say? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ He said he was sorry to hear of his distress; and would -be glad to relieve him, if it were in his power. “But,” he added, “what -can I do? It is not proper to maintain a strong, hearty man, like -Maddox, in idleness. He learned so little when he was young, that I know -he can hardly read or write; therefore, I cannot make him my steward. -If I hire him as a labourer, he will not do a day’s work in the year; -and I am sure, for the pains he would take, my deer might all be lost, -or stolen, if I made him deer-keeper.” Soon after this conversation, -however, Mr. Ashley inclosed a part of his park, for keeping pheasants, -and then he resolved to intrust the care of them to Harry Maddox, and -ordered that he should take little Peggy to live with him; for the poor -girl just before had had the misfortune to lose both her parents. - -_Charles._ Oh, you promised just now to tell us something about Peggy. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ I have only to say, that her character is the very -reverse of her grandfather’s. She is a notable, active girl, and does a -wonderful deal for her age. As Mr. Maddox still continues the same, the -birds would be sadly neglected, if it were not for her care. Mr. Ashley -puts her to school, where she learns to work: and I believe she keeps -both her own and the old man’s clothes in very tolerable order. The -cottage, too, is neat and clean, though there is no one to do any thing -but herself. - -“I thought she was a nice girl,” said Charles. “She was at work, you -know, Arthur, yesterday afternoon, when we went there.” - -“Yes,” replied Arthur, “and the old man was fast asleep. What a contrast -between them!” - -“You see,” rejoined Mr. Mansfield, “though she is but a child, in how -respectable a light her industry makes her appear. She acquires the -esteem of all who know her, and she has the satisfaction of feeling that -she does not live in vain. As for poor old Maddox, I don’t know from -what source his satisfactions can arise. The review of his past life -can afford him no comfort; and if he looks forward to the close of his -present existence, he must be shocked at the account to which he will -then be called, for duties neglected, talents misemployed, and a family -ruined, through his want of care.” - -_Arthur._ Well, I have often been told that I ought to be a good boy, -and mind my lessons; but I did not know before, that idleness could lead -to so much mischief. I always thought that, when I was a man, I should -attend to my business as a matter of course. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Ah, my dear child, you are much mistaken, if you suppose -that you will be able to get the better of your faults, only by growing -older. Now is the time for you to acquire good habits of all sorts; and -if you neglect to do so, depend upon it, that when you become a man, -you will find the task only rendered a great deal more difficult, from -having been so long delayed. - -“Very true, my dear,” said Mrs. Mansfield. “Besides, little folks should -consider, that it is not their future advantage alone which should lead -them to take pains with their studies—it is one of the absolute duties -of their infant state. God Almighty did not mean that any of us should -be idle at any time; and a child who is idle when he ought to be at his -book, as much transgresses the will of God, as a man who neglects his -trade, or a woman who takes no care of her family.” - -“I think,” said Mr. Mansfield, starting up as he looked at his watch, -“that whilst I have been prating away in favour of industry, I seem to -have forgotten that I have a thousand concerns to attend to. But I will -no longer act in a way so contrary to my precepts. And so good morning to -you, I am off till dinner-time.” - -[Illustration: _Page 127._ - -_Chap. XIII._ - -_A pleasant Ride._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Jun. Oct. 1815._] - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - -_A pleasant Ride._ - - -The story of Maddox had a very good effect upon the minds of the young -Bensons. They immediately brought out their books, and spent some time in -reading and learning their lessons. Afterwards Mrs. Mansfield heard them -the catechism, and explained to them some parts of it which they did not -clearly understand. - -When Mr. Mansfield came in to dinner, he said that he should be obliged -in the afternoon to go upon business to a place about ten miles off; and -he asked his wife, if she would like to accompany him in their one-horse -chaise. - -“Thank you, my dear,” returned Mrs. Mansfield; “but it would give me more -pleasure if you would take the boys. I know they would enjoy a ride, and -they have been very good this morning.” - -“Have they so?” said the obliging grandpapa. “Why then, if you will give -up your place, I will take them very willingly. I like the company of -good children.” - -The party thus settled, dinner was quickly dispatched; the chaise stood -ready at the door, and the boys jumped into it with a look of pleasure on -their countenances that can more easily be fancied than described. - -Part of the road they were to travel lay through a large forest. Here -they had an opportunity of seeing a variety of trees; and Mr. Mansfield -answered with the greatest readiness every question they put to him -concerning them. - -“What tree is that, grandpapa?” inquired Charles, pointing to one that -grew near the road; “the one, I mean, that has such an amazing large -trunk, and the branches of it spread so wide all round?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ It is an oak, my dear; the most valuable timber tree -that grows. - -_Arthur._ What are timber trees? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Trees that are used in building houses and ships; they -are principally oaks, elms, and ash-trees. - -_Arthur._ And you say that the oak is the most valuable of them all; pray -what makes it so? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ The wood is very hard, and tough; not apt to splinter, -nor liable to be eaten by worms; and as it remains sound for a great -while when under water, it answers very well for building ships, or for -piles, or bridges; in short, for any thing that requires strength and -durability. - -They now came to a part of the forest where many large oaks had been -recently felled. Leafless, and stript of all, but the stumps of the -larger branches, they lay at length upon the ground, and made a striking -contrast to the green and flourishing trees that grew around. - -Charles inquired, what made them look so white? Mr. Mansfield replied, -that they had been stript of their bark, or outer skin, which was used -by the tanner, in the process of manufacturing leather. “Indeed,” added -he, “every part of the oak may be employed in tanning; the saw-dust, the -leaves, all have a binding quality, that, in process of time, will harden -the raw hide of beasts into leather.” - -“Acorns grow upon oaks, don’t they, sir?” said Charles. - -“To be sure they do,” answered Arthur. “I have seen them in abundance -since we have been riding. Are they good to eat, grandpapa?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ _You_ would find them bitter and disagreeable, but pigs -and deer fatten upon them. Did you ever take notice of the cups? - -As he said this, he broke off a bough from a tree which they were -passing, and gave it to the boys to examine. - -“Would you suppose,” asked he, “that these large oaks, that cover so -much ground, and form the glory of the forest, all sprung from acorns no -larger than these?” - -“It is very wonderful,” said Arthur. “Pray, sir, are they long growing?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ An oak seldom comes to perfection in less than two -hundred years, and they will sometimes live four or five hundred. Our -English oaks are particularly esteemed, but they are much fewer in -number than they once were. In ancient times, before there were so -many inhabitants, and when cultivation was little attended to, almost -the whole island was but one forest. It has been cleared by degrees, -however, and converted into corn and pasture land; and we have only now -a few forests of any size. In consequence of this, oak timber is much -scarcer than it used to be. If you go into old houses, that were built -two or three centuries ago, you will see nothing but oaken floors and -oaken wainscots. Now the case is altered, and people are obliged to be -contented with wood of a very inferior quality. Deal, for instance, is -much used for the purposes I have mentioned. - -_Charles._ Are there any deal trees in this forest, grandpapa? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ There are no such things as deal trees, Charles. It is -the wood of the fir, which, when cut up into timber, is called deal. By -and by, I will point out to you a plantation of firs, of which there -are several different species. They are all ever-greens; that is, they -do not lose their leaves in winter. The Scotch fir is the most hardy, -and thrives well on the bleak mountains of the north. It may likewise -be reckoned the most useful; for it supplies us with the best deal -for making masts of ships, floors, wainscots, tables, boxes, and other -things. The trunk and branches afford excellent pitch and tar. The roots, -when divided into small splinters, are sometimes burnt by poor people -instead of candles. The outer bark is used, as well as that of the oak, -in tanning leather; and I have heard that there is a place in Scotland -where they make ropes of the inner bark; and that in some of the northern -countries of Europe, in times of scarcity, they grind it, and mix it with -their flour when they make bread. - -_Arthur._ I see another large tree, grandpapa, but it does not look like -the oak. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ ’Tis a beech, a very useful tree to the cabinet-maker. -Its branches, you observe, slope gently downwards, instead of growing -straight out, and it is more full of leaf than the oak. That tree on the -left is an ash. Its foliage is very light. The wood is much used for -making implements of husbandry, particularly hop-poles. - -“And _there_ is a fine stately tree!” observed Charles; “is it another -beech?” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ No, Charles, that is an elm; a timber tree of great -value. You may often see them in hedgerows, and they are frequently -planted in rows to make avenues in parks. The inner part of the wood -is almost as solid and heavy as iron; and is therefore much used in -mill-work, and to make axle-trees, keels of boats, chairs, and coffins. - -“Pray, pray,” interrupted Arthur, “look at that tree a little way off, -how the leaves flutter with the wind! They are in constant motion; but -yet it is very calm, and all the other trees are still.” - -“That tree,” replied Mr. Mansfield, “is called an aspen, or trembling -poplar. It is the nature of it to be in that constant agitation, whether -the wind is high or not.” - -“What is done with the aspen?” inquired Charles. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ The stem is bored for water-pipes, and is made into -milk-pails, clogs, and pattens. - -The business which Mr. Mansfield had to transact, detained them so long -that it grew very dark as they were returning home; and the little boys -were surprised, in the midst of the gloom, to see a bright shining speck -upon the ground. “What is that, what is that, grandpapa?” they exclaimed -at the same instant. “It looks,” added Charles, “as if one of the stars -had fallen to the earth.” “And I see another, and another,” said Arthur, -laughing: “oh, what can they be?” - -“They are glow-worms,” replied Mr. Mansfield; “and you may find numbers -of them, after dark, at this time of the year.” - -“They are very pretty,” said Arthur. “I should like to see one near. -Will you be so kind, sir, as to stop for a moment, and let me get out and -fetch one?” - -Mr. Mansfield consented, and Arthur jumped out, and presently returned -in triumph with his prize. They then saw that the glow-worm was a small -insect, something bigger than a wood-louse; and that the brightness -proceeded from a part under the tail. The light it gave was strong enough -for them to see what time it was by their grandfather’s watch, when held -close to it. - -“I have been trying, grandpapa,” said Arthur, after having sat still for -some time, with the glow-worm in his hand, “to find what it is that -occasions the light; but I cannot make it out.” - -“I believe, Arthur,” said Mr. Mansfield, smiling, “that this wonderful -little insect has puzzled philosophers much wiser than you. I never heard -its luminous appearance explained in a very satisfactory manner; and not -at all in a way that _you_ would understand.” - -_Charles._ There is no difficulty in finding out glow-worms, let it be -ever so dark. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Your observation, my dear, brings to my mind a pretty -fable I once read about a glow-worm; and the moral of it is, that we -ought not to boast of any external advantages we may possess, or despise -those who happen to be without them; since the very things we are proud -of, often bring down misfortunes upon us. - -_Arthur._ But what was the fable, grandpapa? In my book they always put -the fable first; but you have begun with the moral. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ “A glow-worm, vain of her beauty, began to upbraid a -poor humble wood-louse, that lay beside her. ‘Dost not thou admire my -splendid tail,’ said she, ‘that sends forth a light almost as glorious as -the stars? Insignificant reptile that _thou_ art! wonder at thy boldness, -in venturing so near to one of my brilliant appearance. What admiration -wilt _thou_ acquire, or when wilt _thou_ become the pride and glory of -the night?’ - -“The wood-louse replied with great humility, ‘Happy in myself, I do not -wish to draw the attention of others; and if I have not thy beauty to -boast of, I am at least without thy pride.’ - -“A nightingale, who was singing in a neighbouring bush, attracted by -the light of the glow-worm, flew to the spot where she lay, and seizing -the vain insect in her beak, carried it away to feast her family. The -wood-louse, concealed in darkness, escaped the enemy’s notice.” - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - -_Bees._ - - -The next morning, on the little boys getting up, they were surprised at -hearing a tinkling sound just under their windows. They were induced, as -soon as they were ready, to run down into the garden, to see what was -going forward. - -Mrs. Mansfield was the person who occasioned the noise, by striking the -lid of a tin saucepan with a large key. - -“Oh, grandmamma, what are you about?” exclaimed Arthur, laughing. “I -should have taken you for my little sister Kate, amusing herself by -making, what she would call, a _pretty noise_.” - -“I do it, my dear, to prevent the bees from going away,” replied Mrs. -Mansfield. “Don’t you see what swarms are flying about?” - -“Yes,” returned Arthur. “But what have they to do with the key and the -saucepan lid?” - -[Illustration: _Page 142._ - -_Chap. XIV._ - -_The Bees._ - -_London. Published by W. Darton Junʳ. Oct. 1ˢᵗ. 1815._] - -“All these,” said Mrs. Mansfield, “are young bees, that have been hatched -this summer; and now that they are grown up, the hive is too small to -contain them. They therefore have left it; and are going to seek another -place for themselves; and it is generally supposed that a tinkling noise -will keep them from going to a distance; though, whether it has any -effect or not, I cannot pretend to determine.” - -By this time the bees had settled in a cluster on the branch of a tree, -where they all hung together in one great mass. Old Ralph then took an -empty hive, and shook them into it, having previously covered his hands -and face, that he might not be stung. - -“How do bees make honey, grandmamma?” inquired Charles. - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ By means of their long trunks they suck up the -sweetness that is in the cups of flowers. - -_Charles._ And is that honey? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ Not until it has been further prepared by the bees, -who swallow it, and then throw it up again, after having digested it in -their stomachs. - -_Charles._ Bees make wax too, do not they? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ Yes: come to this bed of flowers, and you will see them -at work. - -“I observe,” said Arthur, after having watched them attentively for some -time, “that they every moment stroke their legs over one another; is that -of any use?” - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ It is in order to put the yellow dust, which they -collect from the flowers, and of which the wax is made, upon their hinder -thighs: a few short hairs on them form a kind of basket, on purpose to -receive it. When they have collected as much as they can carry, they fly -back to the hive to deposit it there. - -_Arthur._ And what use do they make of it, grandmamma? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ After having kneaded and properly prepared it, they -make it into the honey-comb, or little cells which contain the honey; and -when the cells are full, the bees stop them up with a little more wax, to -preserve it as food for the winter. - -_Arthur._ Then how do we get it? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ The hive is held over brimstone, which kills the bees, -and then we take out the honey-combs. Some people adopt a method of -taking the honey without destroying the bees; but I do not know whether -that is less cruel in the end; for the poor things are then frequently -starved in the winter, for want of their proper food. - -_Arthur._ Have not I heard something about a queen-bee? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ Very probably you have. There is a queen to every -hive; and she is larger than the rest. She very seldom comes abroad, and -whenever she does, she is attended by a number of her subjects. They are -so much attached to her, that, if she dies, they make a mournful humming, -and unless another queen be given to them, will at last pine away, and -die too. - -“How very surprising!” said Charles. “Who would have thought that such -little insects could show so much attachment to each other?” - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ The natural history of the bee is full of wonders, my -dear. Besides the queen, there are two different sorts, the drones and -the working bees. - -The drones seldom leave the hive, and never assist to procure honey. When -the time comes for making up their winter stores, they are, therefore, -all killed by the working bees as useless members of society. As they are -without stings, they are unable to defend themselves. The working bees -compose the most numerous body of the state. They have the care of the -hive, collect wax and honey from the flowers, make the wax into combs, -feed the young, keep the hive clean, turn out all strangers, and employ -themselves in promoting the general good. - -_Arthur._ They are very industrious, indeed, Charles! Do you recollect -Dr. Watts’s little hymn about the Busy Bee? - -_Charles._ Yes, brother; I was just thinking of it. - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ Repeat it then will you, my love? After the account I -have been giving you, we shall attend to it with particular pleasure. - - _Charles._ How doth the little busy bee - Improve each shining hour! - And gather honey all the day - From every opening flower! - - How skilfully she builds her cell! - How neat she spreads the wax! - And labours hard to store it well - With the sweet food she makes! - - In work of labour, or of skill, - I would be busy too; - For Satan finds some mischief still - For idle hands to do. - - In books, or work, or healthful play, - Let my first years be past; - That I may give, for every day, - A good account at last. - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - -_An Evening Stroll._ - - -As the weather was remarkably pleasant, Mrs. Mansfield proposed having -tea earlier than usual, that they might afterwards have time for a walk; -and the rest of the party approving the scheme, they set off in high -spirits, the moment that meal was concluded. Mrs. Mansfield was not a -very good walker, but she leaned upon her husband’s arm, and enjoyed -the fineness of the evening. It was not their intention to go to any -great distance from home; so when they came to a stile, or the stump of -a tree, she sat down to rest herself, and take a view of the country; -during which time, the little boys amused themselves by running backwards -and forwards, and would frequently pick up some flower or curious little -pebble, and bring it to their grandpapa, to inquire its name and use. As -they were proceeding gently by the side of a large pond, they saw a great -number of birds skimming over the surface in all directions. In answer to -Arthur’s inquiries, Mr. Mansfield replied that they were swallows, and -that they were flying about in quest of food. - -“What food,” asked Charles, “can they possibly expect to find growing -upon the pond?” - -“Flies and insects,” answered his grandfather, “are the proper food for -swallows; and many of them constantly sport on the water.” - -“And swallows,” said Mrs. Mansfield, “are thought to be of great use, by -destroying so many millions of them, which would otherwise multiply so -fast, as to be quite a nuisance to the world.” - -_Charles._ Can they catch them as they fly? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ Yes, my dear. Their mouths are made large that they -may take in their prey the more easily; and indeed, every part of the -swallow is wonderfully adapted to its nature and manner of living. - -_Arthur._ How do you mean, grandmamma? - -_Mrs. Mansfield._ As in pursuit of insects it is necessary for them to -be almost constantly on the wing, their bodies are very light and small; -and the wings being long in proportion, they fly with great ease and -swiftness. This is more particularly needful to them, because they are -birds of passage; that is, they go to different countries according to -the season of the year. They come over here in large flocks about the -middle of April; and in October they assemble again in great numbers, and -fly across the sea to some warmer climate. They make their nests with -clay, and line them with feathers and soft grass, and build them chiefly -a little way down the tops of chimneys, or under the eaves of houses. As -they have little occasion to be upon the ground, their legs are short and -ill adapted for walking. - -“Your observation, my dear,” said Mr. Mansfield, “that swallows are -formed in the best manner possible for their habits of life, is perfectly -just; but it should not be confined to them. The God of Nature has -equally adapted every other kind of bird, and, I may add, every animal, -to the state for which he designed it.” - -_Arthur._ Has he, indeed, grandpapa! I wish you would tell me about them, -then. I should like you should give me an account of every creature that -lives. - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Oh, my dear! I am much too ignorant of Natural History -to be able to do that. Indeed, I know very little of it; but the more -I read and the more I observe, the greater reason I see to admire the -wonderful goodness and wisdom of the Almighty. - -At this instant, Charles, who had been running to a little distance, -returned with great speed, bringing with him, by the hinder leg, a dead -animal he had picked up, rather smaller than a common rat, but broader in -proportion to its length. - -“What is this, what is this?” asked he. - -“A mole,” replied Mrs. Mansfield, who saw it first. - -“A mole!” repeated her husband: “Oh, bring it to us, then. This little -animal, Arthur, will serve as an instance of what I was saying; for no -creature can be more exactly suited to its mode of life.” - -“How, sir?” inquired Arthur. - -“In the first place,” returned Mr. Mansfield, “you should be informed -that the mole lives almost constantly under ground; as its food consists -of worms and little insects that it finds in the earth. It is therefore -necessary for it to be able to work its way through the earth; and if you -examine it well, you will find it admirably constructed for that purpose.” - -“Indeed,” said Arthur, “_I_ see nothing very particular in it.” - -_Mr. Mansfield._ Look at its fore-feet. They are broad, strong, and -short; not set straight from the body, but inclining a little sideways. -By means of this position, it is enabled, as it burrows its way, to cast -off the mould on each side, so as to make for itself a hollow passage in -the middle. Their breadth likewise serves the purpose of hands, to form -their nests, scoop out the earth, and seize their prey. The form of the -body is equally well contrived. The fore part is thick and strong, so -that it can dig its way with wonderful quickness, either to pursue its -prey or to escape from its enemies; whilst the hinder parts being small -and taper, enable it to pass easily through the loose earth that the -fore-feet had flung behind. - -“It is of a clean black colour,” said Charles; “and the hair is short, -thick, and very soft.” - -“True,” said Mr. Mansfield. “And the skin is so tough that it would -require a sharp knife to cut it. It is not therefore liable to be injured -by flints, or other stones that it may meet with in its passage under -ground. Now let me see which of you can find its eyes.” - -_Charles._ The eyes, the eyes! grandpapa, this mole must be without eyes! - -_Arthur._ I would find them if I could, but it certainly has none. - -Mr. Mansfield parted the hair, and pointed out two very small specks. -“The smallness of the eyes,” said he, “is to this animal a peculiar -happiness. Had they been larger, they would have been liable to frequent -injuries, from the mould falling into them; and of what use would they be -to him, when destined to pass his whole life where no light could reach -him?” - -_Arthur._ But then, sir, how do they see to get their food? - -_Mr. Mansfield._ They do _not see_ it, Arthur; they find it out by their -smell, which as well as their hearing is very acute: so that, though -nearly blind, they are not without the means of providing for their -support, and of knowing how to avoid danger. The eye is, therefore, -merely given them to let them know that they are out of the way when -they see the light. The mole shows great art in skinning worms, which it -always does before it eats them; stripping the skin from end to end, -and squeezing out all the contents of the body. During summer they run -in search of snails and worms, in the night-time, among the grass; which -often makes them the prey of owls. Moles do a good deal of mischief in -fields and gardens; because, by running under the earth, they loosen the -roots of plants and corn. But yet they are of use, as every thing living -is, in the grand system of Nature: their prey would without them so -multiply, that they themselves would commit greater mischief than we fear -from moles. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - -_The Return Home._ - - -The next day was the day appointed for the young Bensons to return home. -They rose earlier than usual, that they might have time to walk round the -farm, and take a last look at the objects that had given them so much -pleasure. They first went to the poultry-yard, and took with them some -tares, to feed a pigeon that was grown so tame as to fly down when he saw -them, and perch upon their heads. Their next business was to take leave -of Plover the pony, for whom they had both conceived a great affection; -for, after Charles’s fright, Mr. Mansfield had given them several lessons -in riding, and they had learned to manage him tolerably well, and were -exceedingly delighted with the exercise. - -They were stroking him, and lamenting that they should have no more -rides, when old Ralph came up. - -Honest Ralph was much attached to his master, and was disposed to love -his grandchildren for his sake; and their constant civility and good -humour conspired to make them favourites. - -As he had heard what they said, he very obligingly brought out the -saddle and bridle; and, harnessing the pony, told them that breakfast was -not yet ready, and that they should have a ride the last morning. - -These words “the last morning” brought the tears into Charles’s eyes; -but as he had a good deal of fortitude, he strove to suppress them, and, -mounting Plover, galloped away to a distance, that he might not be seen -to cry. Presently after Arthur took his turn, and, as it grew late, they -then went in doors. - -They found Mr. and Mrs. Mansfield in the parlour, and the post-chaise, -in which they were to set off, already at the door. They were therefore -obliged to hurry over their breakfast, that they might not keep their -grandfather waiting for them; for the old gentleman had engaged to -accompany his grandsons to London, where he was to remain for a few days. -Mrs. Mansfield kissed both the boys over and over again, and charged them -to give her love to their papa and mamma, and little sister. She bestowed -upon them great commendations for their good conduct and docility during -the whole of their stay, and told them that, as they had enjoyed their -visit, she hoped they would repeat it at some future opportunity. - -Arthur and Charles pressed her hand, and returned her embraces; but their -voices failed when they attempted to thank her for the great kindness she -had shown them. - -At length the moment of separation came; but before they stepped into the -chaise, they went round to shake hands with all the servants, who had -assembled about the door, in order to see them set off, and wish them -good-bye. - -When the carriage drove off, a gloom hung for a short time upon the -countenances of the young travellers; but it cleared away by degrees, as -their attention was diverted to new objects, and in a short time they -entirely recovered their gaiety. - -After they had travelled some miles, Mr. Mansfield informed them that -they were then upon a new road, which a few years before had been cut -through a steep hill. “You observe,” said he, “that we have a high bank -on each side of us, so that we seem to be almost buried between the two. -The spot where we now are was formerly level with the top of the banks, -and made a part of the same field with them; and the old road then went -several miles further about, to avoid this hill. But now that the ground -has been cut away so as to leave the road on a gentle ascent, coming this -way saves time, and is less fatiguing to horses.” - -“It must have been a work of great labour,” said Arthur. - -“Certainly,” returned Mr. Mansfield; “but it is nothing in comparison to -some works that have been accomplished. What should you think of making -canals, or artificial rivers, for forty or fifty miles together, where -before was dry land?” - -“Is it possible,” said Charles, “that that should ever have been done!” - -“Undoubtedly, my dear, in several places,” observed Mr. Mansfield. “When -a number of men, Charles, unite together in the same work, with prudence -and industry, it is difficult to say what they _cannot_ do.” - -The travellers did not arrive in London till late in the evening. 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