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