 chapter 14 of the Peterkin papers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Mary Anderson. The Peterkin papers by Lucretia P. Hale, chapter 14 the Peterkin's picnic. There was some doubt about the weather. Solomon John looked at the probabilities. There were to be areas of rain in the New England states. Agamemnon thought if they could only know where the areas of rain were to be, they might go to the others. Mr. Peterkin proposed walking around the house in a procession to examine the sky. As they returned, they met Anne Maria Bromwick, who was to go. Much surprised not to find them ready. Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin were to go in the cariol and take up the lady from Philadelphia. And Anne Maria and the rest was to follow in a wagon and to stop for the daughters of the lady from Philadelphia. The wagon arrived and so Mr. Peterkin had the horse put into the cariol. A basket had been kept on the back piazza for some days where anybody could put anything that would be needed for the picnic as soon as it was thought of. Agamemnon had already decided to take a thermometer. Somebody was always complaining of being too hot or too cold at a picnic. And it would be a great convenience to see if she really were so. He thought now he might take a barometer, as probabilities was so uncertain. Then if it went down in a threatening way they could all come back. The little boys had tied their kites to the basket. They had never tried them at home. It might be a good chance on the hills. Solomon John had put in some fishing poles. Elizabeth Eliza a book of poetry. Mr. Peterkin did not like sitting on the ground and proposed taking two chairs, one for himself and one for anybody else. The little boys were perfectly happy. They jumped in and out of the wagon a dozen times with new India rubber boots bought for the occasion. Before they started Mrs. Peterkin began to think she had already had enough of the picnic, what was coming and going and trying to remember things. So many mistakes were made. The things that were to go into the wagon were put into the carry-all. And the things in the carry-all had to be taken out for the wagon. Elizabeth Eliza forgot her waterproof and had to go back for her veil. And Mr. Peterkin came near forgetting his umbrella. Mrs. Peterkin sat on the piazza and tried to think. She felt as if she must have forgotten something. She knew she must. Why could she not think of it now before it was too late? It seems hard any day to think what to have for dinner. But how much easier now it would be to stay at home quietly and order the dinner. And there was the butcher's cart. But now they must think of everything. At last she was put into the carry-all and Mr. Peterkin in front to drive. Twice they started. And twice they found something was left behind. The loaf of fresh brown bread on the back piazza and a basket of sandwiches on the front porch. And just as the wagon was leaving, the little boy shrieked. The basket of things was left behind. Everybody got out of the wagon. Ag Memnon went into the house to see if anything else were left. He looked into the closets. He shut the front door and was so busy that he forgot to get into the wagon himself. It started off and went down the street without him. He was wondering what he should do if he were left behind. Why had they not thought to arrange a telegraph wire to the back wheel of the wagon so that he might have sent a message in such a case? When the Bromwicks drove out of their yard in their buggy and took him in. They joined the rest of the party at Tatham Corners, where they were all to meet and consult where they were to go. Mrs. Peterkin called to Ag Memnon as soon as he appeared. She had been holding the barometer and thermometer and they waggled so that it troubled her. It was hard keeping the thermometer out of the sun, which would make it so warm. It really took away her pleasure holding the things. Ag Memnon decided to get into the carry-all on the seat with his father and take the barometer and the thermometer. The consultation went on. Should they go to Cherry Swamp or Lone Town Hill? You had the view if you went to Lone Town Hill, but maybe the drive to Cherry Swamp was prettier. Somebody suggested asking the lady from Philadelphia as the picnic was got up for her. But where was she? I declare, said Mr. Peterkin, I forgot to stop for her. The whole picnic there and no lady from Philadelphia. It seemed the horse had twitched his head in a threatening manner as they passed the house and Mr. Peterkin had forgotten to stop. And Mrs. Peterkin had been so busy managing the thermometer that she had not noticed and the wagon had followed on behind. Mrs. Peterkin was in despair. She knew they had forgotten something. She did not like to have Mr. Peterkin making a short turn and it was getting late. And what would the lady from Philadelphia think of it? And had they not better give it all up? But everybody said no. And Mr. Peterkin said he can make a wide turn around the lovejoy barn. So they made the turn and took up the lady from Philadelphia. And the wagon followed behind and took up their daughters. For there was a driver in the wagon beside Solomon John. And Maria Bromwick said it was so late by this time they might as well stop and have the picnic on the common. But the question was put again. Where should they go? The lady from Philadelphia decided for strawberry nook. It sounded inviting. There were no strawberries and there was no nook. It was said. But there was a good place to tie the horses. Mrs. Peterkin was feeling a little nervous for she did not know what the lady from Philadelphia would think of there having forgotten her. And the more she tried to explain it, the worse it seemed to make it. She supposed they never did such things in Philadelphia. She knew they had invited all the world to a party. But she was sure she would never want to invite anybody again. There was no fun about it till it was all over. Such a mistake to have a party for a person and then go without her. But she knew they would forget something. She wished they had not called it their picnic. There was another bother. Mr. Peterkin stopped. Was anything broke? exclaimed Mrs. Peterkin. Was something forgotten? asked the lady from Philadelphia. No. But Mr. Peterkin didn't know the way and here he was leading all the party and a long row of carriages following. They stopped and it seemed nobody knew the way to Strawberry Nook unless it was the Gibbons boys who were far behind. They were made to drive up and said that Strawberry Nook was in quite a different direction but they could bring the party round to it through the meadows. The lady from Philadelphia thought they might stop anywhere such a pleasant day. But Mr. Peterkin said they were started for Strawberry Nook and had better keep on. So they kept on. It proved to be an excellent place where they could tie the horses to a fence. Mrs. Peterkin did not like they're all heading different ways. It seemed as if any one of them might come at her and tear up the fence. Especially as the little boys had their kites flapping round. The tremlets insisted upon the whole party going up the hill. It was too damp below. So the Gibbons boys and the little boys and Ag Memnon and Solomon John and all the party had to carry everything up to the rocks. The large basket of things was very heavy. It had been difficult to lift it into the wagon and it was harder to take it out. But with the help of the driver and Mr. Peterkin and old Mr. Bromwick it was got up the hill. And at last all was arranged. Mr. Peterkin was seated in his chair. The other was offered to the lady from Philadelphia but she preferred the carriage cushions. So did old Mr. Bromwick. And the tablecloth was spread. For they did bring a tablecloth. And the baskets were opened and the picnic really began. The pickles had tumbled into the butter and the spoons had been forgotten. And the tremlets basket had been left on their front doorstep. But nobody seemed to mind. Everybody was hungry and everything they ate seemed of the best. The little boys were perfectly happy and ate of all the kinds of cake. Two of the tremlets would stand while they were eating because they were afraid of the ants and the spiders that seemed to be crawling round. And Elizabeth Eliza had to keep poking with a fern leaf to drive the insects out of the plates. The lady from Philadelphia was made comfortable with the cushions and shawls leaning against a rock. Mrs. Peterkin wondered if she forgot. She had been forgotten. John Osborne said it was time for conundrums and asked why is a pastoral musical play better than the music we have here? Because one is a grass hopper and the other is a grass opera. Elizabeth Eliza said she knew a conundrum, a very funny one. One of her friends in Boston had told her it was why is it began? Why is something like, no, why are they different? It was something about an old woman. Or else it was something about a young one. It was very funny if she could only think what it was about or whether it was alike or different. The lady from Philadelphia was proposing they should guess Elizabeth Eliza's of conundrum. First the question and then the answer. When one of the tremlits came running down the hill and declared she had just discovered a very threatening cloud and she was sure it was going to rain directly. Everybody started up though no cloud was to be seen. There was a great looking for umbrellas and waterproofs. Then it appeared that Elizabeth Eliza had left hers after all though she had gone back for it twice. Mr. Peterkin knew he had not forgotten his umbrella because he had put the whole umbrella stand into the wagon and it had been brought up the hill but it proved to hold only the family canes. There was a great cry for the emergency basket that had not been opened yet. Mrs. Peterkin explained how for days the family had been putting into it what might be needed as soon as anything was thought of. Everybody stopped to see its contents. It was carefully covered with newspapers. First came out a backgammon board. That would be useful said Anne Maria if we have to spend the afternoon at anybody's barn. Next a pair of and irons. What were they for? In case of needing a fire in the woods exclaimed Solomon John. Then came a volume of the Encyclopedia but it was the first volume. Ag memnon now regret it and contained only A and a part of B and nothing about rain or showers. Next a bag of peanuts put in by the little boys and Elizabeth Eliza's book of poetry and a change of boots for Mr. Peterkin. A small foot rug in case the ground should be damp. Some paint boxes of the little boys. A book of fish hooks for Solomon John. An ink bottle carefully done up in a great deal of newspaper which was fortunate as the ink was oozing out. Some old magazines and a blacking bottle and at the bottom a sundial. It was all very entertaining and there seemed to be something for every occasion but the present. Old Mr. Bromwick did not wonder the basket was so heavy. It was all so interesting that nobody but the tremlets went down to the carriages. The sun was shining brighter than ever and Anne Maria insisted on setting up the sundial. Certainly there was no danger of a shower and they might as well go on with the picnic. But when Solomon John and Anne Maria had arranged the sundial they asked everybody to look at their watches so they might see if it was right. And then came a great exclamation at the hour. It was time they were all going home. The lady from Philadelphia had been rapping her shawl about her as she felt the sun was low but nobody had any idea it was so late. Well they had left late and went back a great many times. Had stopped sometimes to consult and had been long on the road and it had taken a long time to fetch up the things so it was no wonder it was time to go away. But it had been a delightful picnic after all. End of chapter 14. Chapter 15 of the Peterkin papers. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Melissa. The Peterkin papers by Lucretia P. Hale. Chapter 15 the Peterkin charades. Ever since the picnic the Peterkins have been wanting to have something at their house in the way of entertainment. The little boys wanted to get up a great exposition to show to the people of the place. But Mr. Peterkin thought it was too great an effort to send to foreign countries for exhibits and it was given up. There was however a new water trough needed on the town common and the ladies of the place thought it ought to be something handsome, something more than a common trough and they ought to work for it. Elizabeth Eliza had heard at Philadelphia how much women had done and she thought they ought to contribute to such a cause. She had an idea but she would not speak of it at first, not until after she had written to the lady from Philadelphia. She had often thought in many cases, if they had asked her advice first they might have saved trouble. Still how could they ask advice before they themselves knew what they wanted? It was very easy to ask advice but you must first know what to ask about and again Elizabeth Eliza felt you might have ideas but you could not always put them together. There was this idea of the water trough and then this idea of getting some money for it. So she began with writing to the lady from Philadelphia. The little boys believed she spent enough for it in postage stamps before it all came out but it did come out at last that the peterkins were to have some charades at their own house for the benefit of the needed water trough. Tickets sold only to special friends and Marie Bromwick was to help act because she could bring some old bonnets and gowns that had been worn by an aged aunt years ago and which they had always kept. Elizabeth Eliza said that Solomon John would have to be a Turk and they must borrow all the red things and cashmere scarfs in the place. She knew people would be willing to lend things. Agamemnon thought you ought to get in something about the Hindus. They were such an odd people. Elizabeth Eliza says you must not have it too odd or people would not understand it and she did not want anything to frighten her mother. She had one word suggested by the lady from Philadelphia in her letters the one that had Turk in it but they ought to have two words. Oh yes Anne Marie said you must have two words if the people paid for their tickets they would want to get their money's worth. Solomon John thought you might have Hindus. The little boys could color their faces brown to look like Hindus. You could have the first scene in Irishman catching a hen and then paying the water taxes for dues and then have the little boys for Hindus. A great many other words were talked of but nothing seemed to suit. There was a curtain too to be thought of because the folding doors stuck when you tried to open and shut them. Agamemnon said that the Pin Elocutionists had a curtain that they would probably lend John Osborn and so it was decided to ask John Osborn to help. If they had a curtain they ought to have a stage. Solomon John said he was sure he had boards and nails enough and it would be easy to make a stage if John Osborn would help put it up. All this talk was the day before the charades. In the midst of it Anne Marie went over for her old bonnets and dresses and umbrellas and they spent the evening trying on the various things. Such odd caps and remarkable bonnets. Solomon John said they ought to have plenty of band boxes. If you only had band boxes enough a charade was sure to go off well. He had seen charades in Boston. Mr. Peterkin said there were plenty in their attic and the little boys brought down piles of them and the back parlor was filled with costumes. Anne Marie said she could bring over more things if she only knew what they were going to act. Elizabeth Eliza told her to bring everything she had it would all come to use. The morning came and the boards were collected for the stage. Agamemnon and Solomon John gave themselves to the work and John Osborn helped zealously. He said the Pan-Elocutionists would lend a scene also. There was a great clatter of band boxes and piles of shawls and corners and such a piece of work in getting up the curtain. In the midst of it came in the little boys shouting all the tickets are sold at ten cents each. Seventy tickets sold exclaimed Agamemnon. Seven dollars for the water troughs said Elizabeth Eliza and we do not know yet what we are going to act exclaimed Anne Marie. But everyone's attention had to be given to the scene that was going up in the background borrowed from the Pan-Elocutionists. It was magnificent and representative forest. Where are we going to put seventy people exclaimed Mrs. Peterkin venturing dismayed into the heaps of shavings and boards and litter. The little boys exclaimed that a large part of the audience consisted of boys who would not take up much room. But how much clearing and sweeping and moving of chairs was necessary before all could be made ready. It was late and some of the people had already come to secure good seats even before the actors had assembled. Where are we going to act asked Anne Marie. I have been so torn with one thing and another said Elizabeth Eliza I haven't had time to think. Haven't you the word yet asked John Osborn for the audience was flocking in and the seats were filling up rapidly. I have got one word in my pocket said Elizabeth Eliza in the letter from the lady from Philadelphia. She sent me the parts of the word. Solomon John is to be a Turk but I don't yet understand the whole of the word. You don't know the word and the people are all here said John Osborn impatiently. Elizabeth Eliza exclaimed Anne Marie. Solomon John says I'm to be a Turkish slave and I'll have to wear a veil. Do you know where the veils are? You know I brought them over last night. Elizabeth Eliza Solomon John was you to send him the large cashier scarf exclaimed one of the little boys coming in. Elizabeth Eliza you must tell us what kind of faces to make up cried another of the boys and the audience were heard meanwhile taking the seats on the other side of the thin curtain. You sit in front Mrs. Bromwick you are a little hard of hearing sit where you can hear and let Julia Finch come where she can see at another voice and we have not yet words for them to hear or see exclaimed John Osborn behind the curtain. Oh I wish we'd never determined to have charades exclaimed Elizabeth Eliza can't we return the money they're all here we must give them something said John Osborn heroically and Solomon John is almost stressed of Ann Maria winding a veil around her head why don't we take Solomon John's word Hindus for the first said Agamemnon John Osborn agreed to go in the first hunting the hen or anything and one of the little boys took the part of the hen with the help of a feather duster the bell rang and the first scene began it was a great success John Osborn's Irish was perfect nobody guessed the word for the hen crowed by mistake but it received great applause Mr. Peter King came in on the second scene to receive the water rates and made a long speech on taxation he was interrupted by Ann Maria as an old woman in a huge bonnet she persisted in turning her back to the audience speaking so low nobody heard her and Elizabeth Eliza who appeared in a more remarkable bonnet was so alarmed she went directly back seeing she'd forgotten something but this was supposed to be the effect intended and it was loudly cheered then came a long delay for the little boys brought out a number of their friends to be browned for Hindus Ann Maria played on the piano until the scene was ready the curtain rose upon five brown boys done up in blankets and turbines I am thankful this is over said Elizabeth Eliza for now we can act my word only I don't myself know the whole never mind let us act it so John Osborn and the audience can guess the the first syllable must be the letter p said Elizabeth Eliza and we must have the school Agamemnon was master and the little boys and their friends went on as scholars all the boys talked and shouted at once acting their idea of a school by flinging peanuts about and scoffing at the master they'll guess that to be a row said John Osborn in despair they'll never guess p the next scene was gorgeous Solomon John as a Turk reclined on John Osborn's army blanket he had on a turban and a long beard and all the family shawls Ann Maria and Elizabeth Eliza were brought into him veiled by the little boys in their Hindu costumes this was considered the great scene of the evening though Elizabeth Eliza was sure she did not know what to do whether to kneel or sit down she did not know whether Turkish women did sit down and she could not help laughing whenever she looked at Solomon John he however kept his solemnity I suppose I need not say much he had said for I shall be the Turk who was dreaming of the hour but he did order the little boys to bring sherbert and when they brought it without ice insisted they must have their heads cut off and Ann Marie fainted and the scene closed what are we to do now asked John Osborn warming up to the occasion we must have an in-scene said Elizabeth Eliza consulting her letter two ends if we can we will have some travelers disgusted with one in and going to another sit John Osborn now is the time for the band boxes said Solomon John who since his Turk scene was over could give his attention to the rest of the charade Elizabeth Eliza and Ann Maria went on his rival hostesses trying to draw Solomon John Agamemnon and John Osborn into their several ends the little boys carried velices handbags umbrellas and band boxes band box after band box appeared and when Agamemnon sat down upon his the applause was immense at last the curtain fell now for the whole said John Osborn as he made his way off the stage over a heap of umbrellas I can't think whether Lady from Philadelphia did not send me the whole said Elizabeth Eliza musing over the letter listen they are guessing said John Osborn de-ice box I don't wonder they get it wrong but we know it can't be that exclaimed Elizabeth Eliza and Agony how can we act the whole if we don't know it ourselves oh I see it said Ann Maria clapping her hands get your whole family in for the last scene Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin were summoned to the stage and formed the background standing on stools in front where Agamemnon and Solomon John leaving room for Elizabeth Eliza in between a little in advance and in front of all half kneeling for the little boys in their India rubber boots the audience rose to an exclamation of delight the Peterkins Peterkins it was not until this moment that Elizabeth Eliza guessed the whole would it have low exclaimed Mr. Bromwick the Peterkin family guessing their own charade and of chapter 15 recording by Melissa chapter 16 of the Peterkin papers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org recording by Mary Anderson in Spokane Washington the Peterkin papers by Lucretia P. Hale chapter 16 the Peterkins are obliged to move Agamemnon had long felt it an impropriety to live in a house that was called a semi-detached house when there was no other semi to it had always remained wholly detached as the owner had never built the other half Mrs. Peterkin felt this was not a sufficient reason for undertaking the terrible process of a move to another house when they were fully satisfied with the one they were in but a more powerful reason forced them to go the track of a new railroad had to be carried directly through the place and a station was to be built on that very spot Mrs. Peterkin so much dreaded moving that she questioned whether they could not continue to live in the upper part of the house and give up the lower part to the station they could then dine at the restaurant and it would be very convenient about traveling as there would be no danger of missing the train if one were sure of the direction but when the track was actually laid by the side of the house and the steam engine of the construction train puffed and screamed under the dining room windows the engineer calmly looked in to see what the family had for dinner she felt indeed that they must move but where should they go it was difficult to find a house that satisfied the whole family one was too far off and looked into a tan pit another was too much in the middle of town next door to a machine shop Elizabeth Eliza wanted a porch covered with vines that should face the sunset while Mr. Peterkin thought it would not be convenient to sit there looking towards the west in the late afternoon which was his only leisure time for the sun would shine in his face the little boys wanted a house with great many doors so that they could go in and out often but Mr. Peterkin did not like so much slamming and felt there was more danger of burglars with so many doors Agamemnon wanted an observatory and Solomon John a shed for a workshop if he could have carpenters tools and a workbench he could build an observatory if it were wanted but it was necessary to decide upon something for they must leave their house directly so they were obliged to take Mr. Finches at the corners it satisfied none of the family the porch was a piazza and was opposite a barn there were three other doors too many to please Mr. Peterkin and not enough for the little boys there was no observatory and nothing to observe if there were one as the house was too low and some high trees shut out any view Elizabeth Eliza had hoped for a view but Mr. Peterkin consoled her by deciding it was more healthy to have to walk for a view and Mrs. Peterkin agreed that they might get tired of the same every day and everybody was glad a selection was made and the little boys carried their india rubber boots the very first afternoon Elizabeth Eliza wanted to have some system in the moving and spent the evening in drawing up a plan it would be easy to arrange everything beforehand so there should not be the confusion that her mother dreaded and the discomfort they had in their last move Mrs. Peterkin shook her head she did not think it possible to move with any comfort Agamemnon said a great deal could be done with a list and a program Elizabeth Eliza declared if all were well arranged a program would make it perfectly easy they were to have new parlor carpets which could be put down in new house the first thing then the parlor furniture could be moved in and there would be two comfortable rooms in which Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin could sit while the rest of the move went on then the old parlor carpets could be taken up for the new dining room and the downstairs bedroom and the family could mean while dying at the old house Mr. Peterkin did not object to this though the distance was considerable as he felt exercise would be good for them all Elizabeth Eliza's program then arranged that the dining room furniture should be moved the third day by which time one of the old parlor carpets would be down in the new dining room and they could still sleep in the old house thus there would always be a quiet comfortable place in one house or the other each night when Mr. Peterkin came home he would find some place for quiet thought and rest and each day there should be moved only the furniture needed for a certain room great confusion would be avoided and nothing misplaced Elizabeth Eliza wrote these last words at the head of her program misplace nothing and Agamemnon made a copy of the program for each member of the family the first thing to be done was to buy the parlor carpets Elizabeth Eliza had already looked at some in Boston and the next morning she went by an early train with her father Agamemnon and Solomon John to decide upon them they got home about 11 o'clock and when they reached the house were dismayed to find two furniture wagons in front of the gate already partly filled Mrs. Peterkin was walking in and out of the open door a large book in one hand and a duster in the other and she came to meet them in an agony of anxiety what should they do the furniture carts had appeared soon after the rest had left for Boston and the men had insist upon beginning to move the things in vain she had shown Elizabeth Eliza's program in vain had she insisted they must take only the parlor furniture they had declared they must put the heavy pieces in the bottom of the cart and the lighter furniture on top so she had seen them go into every room in the house and select one piece of furniture after another without even looking at Elizabeth Eliza's program she doubted if they could have read it if they had looked at it Mr. Peterkin had ordered the carters to come but he had no idea they would come so early and supposed it would take them a long time to fill the carts but they had taken the dining room sideboard first a heavy piece of furniture and all its contents were now on the dining room tables then indeed they selected the parlor bookcase but had set every book on the floor the men had told Mrs. Peterkin they would put the books in the bottom of the cart very much in the order they were taken from the shelves but by this time Mrs. Peterkin was considering the carters as natural enemies and dared not trust them besides the books ought all to be dusted so she was now holding one of the volumes of Agamemnon's encyclopedia with difficulty in one hand while she was dusting it with the other Elizabeth Eliza was in dismay at this moment four men were bringing down a large chest of drawers from her father's room and they called to her to stand out of the way the parlors were a scene of confusion in dusting the books Mrs. Peterkin neglected to restore them to the careful rows in which they were left by the men and they lay in hopeless masses in different parts of the room Elizabeth Eliza sunken despair upon the end of a sofa it would have been better to buy the red and blue carpet said Solomon John is not the carpet bought exclaimed Mrs. Peterkin and then they were obliged to confess that they had been unable to decide upon one and had come back to consult Mrs. Peterkin what shall we do asked Mrs. Peterkin Elizabeth Eliza rose from the sofa and went to the door saying I shall be back in a moment Agamemnon slowly passed around the room collecting the scattered volumes of his encyclopedia Mr. Peterkin offered a helping hand to a man lifting a wardrobe Elizabeth Eliza soon returned I did not like to go and ask her but I felt that I must in such an emergency I explained to her the whole matter and she thinks we should take the carpet at McKillans McKillans was a store in the village and the carpet was the only one all the family had liked without any doubt but they had supposed they might prefer one from Boston the moment was a critical one Solomon John was sent directly to McKillans to order the carpet to be put down that very day but where should they dine where should they have their supper and where was Mr. Peterkin's quiet hour Elizabeth Eliza was frantic the dining room floor and table were covered with things it was decided that Mr. and Mrs. Peterkin should dine at the Bromwicks who had been most neighborly in their offers and the rest should get something to eat at the bakers Agamemnon and Elizabeth Eliza hastened a way to be ready to receive the carts at the other house and direct the furniture as they could after all there was something exhilarating in this opening of the new house and in deciding where things should go Gailey Elizabeth Eliza stepped down the front garden of the new home and across the piazza into the door but it was locked and she had no keys Agamemnon did you bring the keys she exclaimed no he had not seen them since the morning when ah yes the little boys were allowed to go to the house for their india rubber boots as there was a threatening of rain perhaps they had left some door and fastened perhaps they had put the keys under the door mat no each door each window was solidly closed and there was no mat I shall have to go to the school to see if they took the keys with them said Agamemnon or else go home to see if they left them there the school was in a different direction from the house and far at the other end of the town for Mr. Peterkin had not yet changed the boy's school as he proposed to do after their move that will be the only way said Elizabeth Eliza for it had been arranged that the little boys should take their lunch to school and not come home at noon she sat down on the steps to wait but only for a moment for the cart soon appeared turning the corner what should be done with the furniture of course the carters must wait for the keys as she should need them to set the furniture up in the right places but they could not stop for this they put it down upon the piazza on the steps in the garden and Elizabeth Eliza saw how incongruous it was there was something from every room in the house even the large family chest which had proved too heavy for them to travel with had come down from the attic and stood against the front door and Solomon John appeared with a carpet woman and a boy with a wheelbarrow bringing the new carpet and all stood and waited some opposite neighbors appeared to offer advice and look on and Elizabeth Eliza groaned inwardly that only the shabbiest of their furniture appeared to be standing full in view it seemed ages before Agamemnon returned and no wonder for he had been to the house then to the school then back to the house for one of the little boys had left the keys at home in the pocket of his clothes meanwhile the carpet woman had waited and the boy with a wheelbarrow had waited and when they got in they found the parlor must be swept and cleaned so the carpet woman went off in dungeon for she was sure there would not be enough time to do anything and one of the carts came again and in their hurry the men set the furniture down anywhere Elizabeth Eliza was hoping to make a little place in the dining room where they might have their supper and go home to sleep but she looked out and there were the carters bringing the bedsteads and proceeding to carry them upstairs in despair Elizabeth Eliza went back to the old house if she had been there she might have prevented this she found mrs peterkin in an agony about the entry oil cloth it had been made in the house and how could it be taken out of the house Agamemnon made measurements it certainly could not go out of the front door he suggested it might be left till the house was pulled down when it could easily be moved out of one side but Elizabeth Eliza reminded him that the whole house was to be moved without being taken apart perhaps it could be cut in strips narrow enough to go out one of the men loading the remaining cart disposed of the question by coming in and rolling up the oil cloth and carrying it on top of his wagon Elizabeth Eliza felt she must hurry back to the new house but what should they do no beds here no carpets there the dining room table and sideboard were at the other house the plates and forks and spoons here in vain she looked at her program it was all reversed everything was misplaced mr peterkin would suppose they were to eat here and sleep here and what had become of the little boys meanwhile the man with the first cart had returned they fell to packing the dining room china they were up in the attic they were down in the cellar even one suggested to take the tax out of the parlor carpets as they should want to take them next mrs peterkin sunk upon a kitchen chair oh i wish we had decided to stay and be moved in the house she exclaimed solemn and john urged his mother to go to the new house for mr peterkin would be there for his quiet hour and when the carters at last appeared carrying the parlor carpets on their shoulders she sighed and said there is nothing left and make Lee consented to be led away they reached the new house to find mr peterkin sitting calmly in a rocking chair in the piazza watching the oxen coming into the opposite barn he was waiting for the keys which solemn and john had taken back with him the little boys were in a horse chestnut tree at the side of the house agamemnon opened the door the passages were crowded with furniture the floors were strewn with books the bureau was upstairs that was to stand in a lower bedroom there was not a place to lay a table there was nothing to lay upon it for the knives and plates and spoons had not come and although the tables were there they were covered with chairs and boxes at this moment came a covered basket from the lady from philadelphia it contained a choice supper and forks and spoons and at the same moment appeared a pot of hot tea from an opposite neighbor they placed all this on the back of a bookcase lying upset and sat around it solemn and john came rushing in from the gate the last load is coming we are all moved he exclaimed and the little boys joined in a chorus we are moved we are moved mrs peterkin looks sadly round the kitchen utensils were lying in the parlor lounge and an old family gun on elizabeth eliza's hatbox the parlor clock stood on a barrel some coal scuttles have been placed on the parlor table a bust of washington stood in the doorway and the looking glasses leaned against the pillars of the piazza but they were moved mrs peterkin felt indeed that they were very much moved end of chapter 16 chapter 17 of the peterkin papers this is a libra vox recording all libra vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org recording by melissa the peterkin papers by lucrecia p. hale chapter 17 the peterkins decide to learn the languages certainly now was the time to learn the languages the peterkins had moved into a new house far more convenient than their old one where they would have a place for everything and everything in its place of course they would then have more time elizabeth eliza recalled the troubles of the old house how for a long time she was obliged to sit outside of the window upon the piazza when she wanted to play on her piano mrs peterkin reminded them of the difficulty about the tablecloths the upper tablecloth was kept in a trunk that had to stand in front of the door to the closet under the stairs but the under tablecloth was kept in a drawer in the closet so whenever the cloths were changed the trunk had to be pushed away under some projecting shelves to make room for opening the closet door as the under tablecloth must be taken out first then the trunk was pushed back to make room for it to be opened for the upper tablecloth and after all it was necessary to push the trunk away again to open the closet door for the knife tray this always consumed a great deal of time now that the china closet was large enough everything could find a place in it agamemnon especially enjoyed the new library in the old house there was no separate room for books the dictionaries were kept upstairs which was very inconvenient and the volumes of the encyclopedia could not be together there was not room for all in one place so from a to p were to be found downstairs and from q to z were scattered in different rooms upstairs and the worst of it was you could never remember whether from a to p included p i always went upstairs after p said agamemnon and then always found it downstairs or else it was the other way of course now there were more conveniences for study with the book soul in one room there would be no time wasted in looking for them mr peterkin suggested that they should each take a separate language if they went abroad this should prove a great convenience elizabeth eliza could talk french with the peresians agamemnon german with the germans solomon john italian with the italians mrs peterkin spanish within spain and perhaps he could himself master all the eastern languages in russian mrs peterkin was uncertain about undertaking the spanish but all the family felt very sure that they should not go to spain as elizabeth eliza dreaded the inquisition and mrs peterkin felt more willing still she had quite an objection to going abroad she'd always said she would not go till a bridge was made across the atlantic and she was sure it did not look like it now agamemnon said there was no way knowing there was something new every day and a bridge was surely not harder to admit than a telephone if they had bridges in the very earliest days then came up the question of the teachers probably these could be found in boston if they could all come the same day three could be brought out in the carry-all agamemnon could go in for them and could learn a little on the way out and in mr peterkin made some inquiries about the oriental languages he was told sanskrit was at the root of all so he proposed they should all begin with sanskrit they would thus require but one teacher and could branch out into the other languages afterward but the family preferred learning the separate languages elizabeth eliza already knew something of the french she had tried to talk it without much success at the centennial exhibition at one of the side stands but she found she had been talking with a morris gentleman who did not understand french mr peterkin feared they might need more libraries if all the teachers came at the same hour but agamemnon reminded him that they would be using different dictionaries and mr peterkin thought something might be learned by having them all at once each one might pick up something beside the language he was studying and it was a great thing to learn to talk foreign language while others were talking about you mrs peterkin was afraid it would be like the tower of babel and hoped it was all right agamemnon brought forward another difficulty of course they ought to have foreign teachers who spoke only their native languages but in this case how could they engage them to come and to explain to them about the carry-all or arrange the proposed hours did not understand how anyone ever began with a foreigner because he could not even tell him what he wanted elizabeth eliza thought a great deal might be done with science and panamite solemn john and the little boys began to show how it might be done elizabeth eliza explained how long meant both languages and tongues and they should point to their tongues for practice the little boys represented the foreign teachers talking in their different language is an agamemnon and solemn john went to invite them to come out and teach the family by a series of signs mr peterkin thought their success was admirable and that they might almost go abroad without any study of the languages and trust to explaining themselves by science still as the bridge was not yet made it might be as well to wait and cultivate the languages mr peterkin was afraid the foreign teachers might imagine they were invited out to lunch solemn john had constantly pointed to his mouth as he opened it and shut it putting out his tongue and it looked a great deal more as if you're inviting them to eat than asking them to teach agamemnon suggested that they might carry the separate dictionaries when they went to see the teachers and that would show that they meant lessons and not lunch mr peterkin was not sure but she ought to prepare a lunch for them if they had to come all that way but she certainly did not know what they were accustomed to eat mr peterkin thought this would be a good thing to learn of the foreigners it would be a good preparation for going abroad and they might get used to the dishes before starting the little boys were delighted the idea of having new things cooked agamemnon had heard that beer soup was a favorite dish of the german's and he would inquire how it was made in the first lesson solemn john had heard that they were all very fond of garlic and thought it would be a pretty attention to have some in the house the first day but they might be cheered by the odor elizabeth eliza wanted to surprise the lady from philadelphia by her knowledge of french and hoped to begin on her lessons before the philadelphia family arrived for their annual visit there were still some delays mr peterkin was very anxious to obtain teachers who had been for a short time in this country he did not want to be tempted to talk any english with them he wanted the latest and freshest languages and at last came home one day with a list of brand new foreigners they decided to borrow the bromwux carry-all to use beside their own for the first day and mr peterkin and agamemnon drove into town to bring all the teachers out one was a russian gentleman traveling who came with no idea of giving lessons for perhaps he would consent to do so he could not yet speak english mr peterkin had his card case and the cards of the several gentlemen who had recommended the different teachers and he went with agamemnon from hotel to hotel collecting them he found them all very polite and ready to come after the explanation by sands agreed upon the dictionaries had been forgotten but agamemnon had a directory which looked the same and seemed to satisfy the foreigners mr peterkin was obliged to contend himself with the russian instead of one who could teach Sanskrit as there was no new teacher of that language lately arrived there was an unexpected difficulty in getting the russian gentleman into the same carriage with the teacher of arabic or he was a Turk sitting with a fez on his head on the back seat they glared at each other and began to assail each other in every language they knew none of which mr peterkin could understand it might be russian it might be arabic it was easy to understand that they would never consent to sit in the same carriage mr peterkin was in despair he had forgotten about the russian war what a mistake to have invited the Turk quite a crowd collected on the side while in front of the hotel but the french gentleman politely but stiffly invited the russian to go with him in the first carry-all here was another difficulty for the german professor was quietly ensconced on the back seat as soon as the french gentleman put his foot on the step and saw him he addressed him in such forcible language that the german professor got out the door on the other side and came round on the sidewalk and took him by the collar certainly the german and french gentleman could not be put together and more crowd collected agamemnon however had happily studied up on the german word air and he applied it to the german inviting him by science to take a seat in the other carry-all the german considered to sit by the Turk as they neither of them could understand the other and at last they started mr peterkin with the Italian by his side and the french and russian teachers behind vociferating to each other in languages unknown to mr peterkin while he feared they were not perfectly in harmony so he drove home as fast as possible agamemnon had a silent party the spaniard by his side was a little moody while the Turk and the german behind did not utter a word at last they reached the house and were greeted by mrs peterkin and elizabeth eliza mrs peterkin with her lama lay shaw over her shoulders as a tribute to the spanish teacher mr peterkin was careful to take his party and first and deposit them in a distant part of the library far from the Turk or the german even putting the frenchman and russian apart solomon john found the italian dictionary and seated himself by his italian agamemnon put the german dictionary by the german the little boys took their copy of the arabian knights to the Turk mr peterkin attempted to explain to the russian that he had no russian dictionary as he hoped to learn Sanskrit of him while mrs peterkin was trying to inform her teacher she had no books in spanish she got over all fears of the inquisition he looked so sad and she tried to talk a little using english words but very slowly and altering the accents as far as she knew how the spaniard bowed looked gravely interested and was very polite elizabeth eliza however was trying her grammar phrases with the parisian she found it easier to talk french than to understand him but he understood perfectly her sentences she repeated one of her vocabularies and went on with he listened with great attention and replied slowly suddenly she started after making out one of his sentences and went to her mother to whisper they have just made the mistake you feared they think they are invited to lunch he has just been thanking me for our politeness and inviting them to deja-nay that means breakfast they have not had their breakfast exclaimed mrs peterkin looking at her spanish he does look hungry what shall we do elizabeth eliza was consulting her father what should they do how should they make them understand that they invited them to teach not lunch elizabeth eliza begged agamemnon to in the dictionary it must mean to teach alas they found it means both to teach and to learn what should they do the foreigners were now sitting silent in their different corners the spaniard grew more and more shallow what if he should faint the frenchman was rolling up each of his mustaches to a point as he gazed at the german what if the russian should fight the turk what if the german should be exasperated by the heirs of the parisian we must give them something to eat so mr peterkin in a low tone he would calm them if i only knew what they were used to eating said mrs peterkin salman john suggested that none of them knew what the others were used to eating and they might bring in anything mrs peterkin hastened out with hospitable intents amanda could make good coffee mr peterkin had suggested some american dish salman johnson a little boy for some olives it was not long before the coffee came in in a dish of baked beans net some olives and a loaf of bread and some boiled eggs and some bottles of beer the effect was astonishing every man spoke his own tongue and fluently mrs peterkin poured out coffee for the spaniard while he bowed to her they all liked beer they all liked olives the frenchman was fluent about les moir american elizabeth elizas supposedly alluded to them not having sat in the table the turk smiled the russian was voluble in the midst of the clang over the different languages just as mr peterkin was again repeating undercover of the noise of many tongues how shall we make them understand that we want them to teach at this very moment the door was long open and there came in the lady from philadelphia that day arrived her first call of the season she started back in terror at the tumult of so many different languages the family with joy rushed to meet her all together they called upon her to explain for them could she help them could she tell the foreigners they wanted to take lessons they had no sooner uttered the word than their guests all started up with faces beaming with joy it was the one english word they all knew they had come to boston to give lessons the russian traveler had hoped to learn english in this way the thought pleased them more than the dejeuner yes gladly they would give lessons the turk smiled at the idea the first step was taken the teachers knew they were expected to teach end of chapter 17 recording by melissa chapter 18 of the peterkin papers this is a libravox recording all libravox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit libravox.org reading by christin hughes the peterkin papers by lucricia p hail chapter 18 modern improvements at the peterkins agamemnon felt that it became necessary for him to choose a profession it was important on account of the little boys if he should make a trial of several different professions he could find out which would be the most likely to be successful and it would then be easy to bring up the little boys in the right direction elizabeth Eliza agreed with this she thought the family occasionally made mistakes and had come near disgracing themselves now was their chance to avoid this in future by giving the little boys a proper education solemn john was determined to become a doctor from earliest childhood he had practiced writing recipes on little slips of paper mrs peterkin to be sure was afraid of infection she could not bear the idea of his bringing one disease after the other into the family circle solemn john too did not like sick people he thought he might manage it if he should not have to see his patients while they were sick if he could only visit them while they were recovering and when the danger of infection was over he would really enjoy making calls he should have a comfortable doctor's chase and take one of the little boys to hold his horse while he went in and he thought he could get through the conversational part very well and feeling the pulse perhaps looking at the tongue he should take and read all the newspapers and so be thoroughly acquainted with the news of the day to talk of but he should not like to be waked up at night to visit mr peterkin thought that would not be necessary he had seen signs on doors of night doctor and certainly it would be as convenient to have a sign of not a night doctor solemn john thought he might write his advice to those of his patients who were dangerously ill from whom there was a danger of infection and then elizabeth Eliza agreed that his prescriptions would probably be so satisfactory that they would keep his patients well not too well to do without a doctor but needing his recipes egg of memnon was delayed however in his choice of a profession by a desire he had to become a famous inventor if he could only invent something important and get out a patent he would make himself known all over the country if he could get out a patent he would be set up for life or at least as long as the patent lasted and it would be well to be sure to arrange it to last through his natural life indeed he had gone so far as to make his invention it had been suggested by their trouble with a key in their late moving to their new house he had studied the matter over a great deal he looked it up in the encyclopedia and had spent a day or two in the public library in reading about chubb's lock and other patent locks but his plan was more simple it was this that all keys should be made alike he wondered it had not been thought of before but so it was solemn john said with all inventions with christopher columbus and everybody nobody knew the invention till it was invented and then it looked very simple with egg memnon's plan you need have but one key that should fit everything it should be a medium sized key not too large to carry it ought to answer for a house door but you might open a portmanteau with it how much less danger there would be of losing one's keys if there were only one to lose mrs. peterkin thought it would be inconvenient if their father were out and she wanted to open the jam closet for the little boys but egg memnon explained that he did not mean there should be but one key in the family or in a town you might have as many as you pleased only they should all be alike elizabeth Eliza felt it would be a great convenience they could keep the front door always locked yet she could open it with the key of her upper drawer that she was sure to have with her and mrs peterkin felt it might be a convenience if they had one on each story so that they need not go up and down for it mr peterkin studied all the papers and advertisements to decide about the lawyer whom they should consult and at last one morning they went into town to visit a patent agent elizabeth Eliza took the occasion to make a call upon the lady from philadelphia but she came back hurriedly to her mother i have had a delightful call she said but perhaps i was wrong i could not help in conversation speaking of egg memnon's proposed patent i ought not to have mentioned it as such things are kept profound secrets they say women always do tell things i suppose that is the reason but where is the harm ask mrs peterkin i'm sure you can trust the lady from philadelphia elizabeth Eliza then explained that the lady from philadelphia had questioned the plan a little when it was told her and had suggested that if everybody had the same key there would be no particular use in a lock did you explain to her said mrs peterkin that we were not all to have the same keys i couldn't quite understand her said elizabeth Eliza but she seemed to think that burglars and other people might come in if the keys were the same egg memnon would not sell his patent to burglars said mrs peterkin indignantly but about other people said elizabeth Eliza there is my upper drawer the little boys might open it at christmas time and their presence in it and i'm not sure that i could trust amanda said mrs peterkin considering both she and elizabeth Eliza felt that mr peterkin ought to know what the lady from philadelphia had suggested elizabeth Eliza then proposed going into town but it would take so long she might not reach them in time a telegram would be better and she ventured to suggest using the telegraph alarm for unmoving to their new house they had discovered it was provided with all the modern improvements this had been a disappointment to mrs peterkin for she was afraid of them since their experience the last winter when the water pipes were frozen up she had been originally attracted to the house by an old pump at the side which had led her to believe there were no modern improvements it had pleased the little boys too they liked to pump the handle up and down and agreed to pump all the water needed and bring it into the house there was an old well with a picturesque well sweep in a corner by the barn mrs peterkin was frightened by this at first she was afraid the little boys would be falling in every day and they showed great fondness for pulling the bucket up and down it proved however that the well was dry there was no water in it so she had some moss thrown down and an old feather bed for safety and the old well was a favorite place of amusement the house it had proved was well furnished with bathrooms and set waters everywhere water pipes and gas pipes all over the house and a hack telegraph and fire alarm with a little knob for each mrs peterkin was very anxious she feared the little boys would be summoning somebody all the time and it was decided to conceal from them the use of the knobs and the card of directions at the side was destroyed agamemnon had made one of his first inventions to help this he had arranged a number of similar knobs to be put in rows in different parts of the house to appears if they were intended for ornament and had added some to the original knobs mrs peterkin felt more secure and agamemnon thought of taking out a patent for this invention it was therefore with some doubt that elizabeth Eliza proposed sending a telegram to her father mrs peterkin however was pleased with the idea solemn john was out and the little boys were at school and she herself would touch the knob while elizabeth Eliza should write the telegram i think it is the fourth knob from the beginning she said looking at one of the rows of knobs elizabeth Eliza was sure of this agamemnon she believed had put three extra knobs at each end but which is the end and which is the beginning the top or the bottom mrs peterkin asked hopelessly still she bravely selected a knob and elizabeth Eliza hastened with her to look out for the messenger how soon should they see the telegraph boy they seemed to have scarcely reached the window when a terrible noise was heard and down the shady street the white horses of the fire brigade were seen rushing at a fatal speed it was a terrific moment i have touched the fire alarm mrs peterkin exclaimed both rushed to open the front door in agony by this time the fire engines were approaching do not be alarmed said the chief engineer the furniture shall be carefully covered and we will move all that is necessary move again exclaimed mrs peterkin in agony elizabeth Eliza strove to explain that she was only sending a telegram to her father who was in boston it is not important said the head engineer the fire will all be out before it could reach him and he ran upstairs for the engines were beginning to play upon the roof mrs peterkin rushed the knobs again hurriedly there was more necessity for summoning mr peterkin home write a telegram to your father she said to elizabeth Eliza to come home directly that will take but three words said elizabeth Eliza with presence of mind and we need ten i was just trying to make them out what has come now exclaimed mrs peterkin and they hurried again to the window to see a row of carriages coming down the street i must have touched the carriage knob cried mrs peterkin and i pushed it half a dozen times i felt so anxious six hacks stood before the door all the village boys were assembling even their own little boys had returned from school and were showing the fireman the way to the well again mrs peterkin rushed to the knobs and a fearful sound rose she had touched the burglar alarm the former owner of the house who had a great fear of burglars had invented a machine of his own which he had connected with a knob a wire attached to the knob moved a spring that could put in motion a number of watchman's rattles hidden under the eaves of the piazza all these were now set a going and their terrible din roused those of the neighborhood who had not before assembled around the house at this moment elizabeth Eliza met the chief engineer you need not send for more help he said we have all the engines in town here and have stirred up all the towns in the neighborhood there's no use bringing any more alarms i can't find the fire yet but we have water pouring all over the house elizabeth Eliza waved her telegram in the air we are only trying to send a telegram to my father and brother who are in town she endeavored to explain if it is necessary said the chief engineer you might send it down in one of the hackney carriages i see a number standing before the door we'd better begin to move the heavier furniture and some of you women might fill the carriages with smaller things mrs peterkin was ready to fall into hysterics she controlled herself with a supreme power and hastened to touch another knob elizabeth Eliza corrected her telegram and decided to take the advice of the chief engineer and went to the door to give her message to one of the hack men when she saw a telegraph boy appear her mother had touched the right knob it was the fourth from the beginning but the beginning was at the other end she went out to meet the boy went to her joy she saw behind him her father and egg memnon she clutched her telegram and hurried toward them mr peterkin was bewildered was the house on fire if so where were the flames he saw the row of carriages was there a funeral or a wedding who was dead who was to be married he seized the telegram that elizabeth Eliza reached to him and read it out loud come to us directly the house is not on fire the chief engineer was standing on the steps the house is not on fire he exclaimed what are we all summoned for it is a mistake cried elizabeth Eliza ringing her hands we touched the wrong knob we wanted the telegraph boy we touched all the wrong knobs exclaimed mrs peterkin from the house the chief engineer turned directly to give counter directions with a few exclamations of disgust as the bells of distant fire engines were heard approaching Solomon john appeared at this moment and proposed taking one of the carriages and going for a doctor for his mother for she was now nearly ready to fall into hysterics and egg memnon thought to send a telegram down by the boy for the evening papers to announce that the peterkin's house had not been on fire the crisis of the commotion had reached its height the beds of flowers bordered with dark colored leaves were trodden down by the feet of the crowd that it assembled the chief engineer grew more and more indignant as he sent his men to order back the fire engines from the neighboring towns the collection of boys followed the procession as it went away the fire brigade hastily removed covers from some of the furniture restored the rest to their places and took away their ladders many neighbors remained but mr peterkin hastened into the house to attend to mrs peterkin elizabeth Eliza took an opportunity to question her father before he went in as to the success of their visit to town we saw all the patent agents said mr peterkin in a hollow whisper not one of them will touch the patent or have anything to do with it elizabeth Eliza looked at egg memnon as he walked silently into the house she would not now speak to him of the patent but she recalled some words of solemn john when they were discussing the patent he had said that many an inventor had grown gray before his discovery was acknowledged by the public others might reap the harvest but it came perhaps only when he was going to his grave elizabeth Eliza looked at egg memnon reverently and followed him silently into the house end of chapter 18 chapter 19 of the peterkin papers this is a liber vox recording all liber vox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit liber vox.org recording by lisa tabias the peterkin papers by lucrecia p. hail chapter 19 agamemnon's career there had apparently been some mistake in agamemnon's education he had been to a number of colleges indeed but he had never completed his course in any one he had continually fallen into some difficulty with the authorities it was singular for he was of an inquiring mind and had always tried to find out what would be expected of him but had never quite hit upon the right thing solemn john thought the trouble might be in what they called the elective system where you were to choose what study you might take this had always bewildered agamemnon a good deal and how was a feller to tell solemn john had asked whether he wanted to study a thing before he tried it it might turn out awful hard agamemnon had always been fond of reading from his childhood up he was at his book all day long mrs peterkin had imagined he would come out a great scholar because she could never get him away from his books and so it was in his college he was always to be found in the library reading and reading but they were always the wrong books for instance the class were required to prepare themselves on the spartan war this turned agamemnon's attention to the fenians and to study the subject he read up on charles o'Malley and harry lorakor and some later novels of that sort which did not help him on the subject required yet took up all his time so that he found himself unfitted for anything else when the examinations came in consequence he was requested to leave agamemnon always missed in his recitations for the same reason that elizabeth Eliza did not get on in school because he was always asked the questions he did not know it seemed provoking if the professors had only asked something else but they always hid upon the very thing he had not studied up mrs peterkin felt this was encouraging for agamemnon knew the things they did not know in colleges in colleges they were willing to take for students only those who already knew certain things she thought agamemnon might be a professor in a college for those students who didn't know those things i suppose these professors could not have known a great deal she added or they would not have asked you so many questions they would have told you something agamemnon had left another college on account of a mistake he had made with some of his classmates they had taken a great deal of trouble to bring some wood from a distant wood pile to make a bonfire with under one of the professor's windows agamemnon had felt it would be a compliment to the professor it was with bonfires that heroes had been greeted on their return from successful wars in this way beacon lights had been kindled upon lofty heights that had inspired mariners seeking their homes after distant adventures as he plotted back and forward he imagined himself some hero of antiquity he was reading plusherts lives with deep interest this had been recommended at a former college and he was now taking it up in the midst of his french course he fancied even that some future blood arch was growing up in lin perhaps who would write of this night of suffering and glorify its heroes for himself he took a severe cold and suffered from chillblanes in consequence of going back and forward through the snow carrying the wood but the flames of the bonfire caught the blinds of the professor's room and set fire to the building and came near burning up the whole institution agamemnon regretted the result as much as his predecessor who gave him his name must have regretted that other bonfire on the shores of alice that deprived him of a daughter the result for agamemnon was that he was requested to leave after having been in the institution but a few months he left another college in consequence of a misunderstanding about the hour for morning prayers he went every day regularly at ten o'clock but found afterward that he should have gone at half past six this hour seemed to him and to mrs. peterkin unseasonable at a time of year when the sun was not up and he would have been obliged to go to the expense of candles agamemnon was always willing to try another college wherever he could be admitted he wanted to attain knowledge however it might be found but after going to five and leaving each before the year was out he gave it up he determined to lay out the money that would have been expended in a collegiate education in buying an encyclopedia the most complete that he could find and to spend his life studying it systematically he would not content himself with merely reading it but he would study into each subject as it came up and perfect himself in that subject by the time then that he had finished the encyclopedia he should have embraced all knowledge and have experienced much of it the family were much interested in this plan of making practice of every subject that came up he did not of course get on very fast in this way in the second column of the very first page he met with a as a note in music this led him to the study of music he bought a flute and took some lessons and attempted to accompany Elizabeth Eliza on the piano this of course distracted him from his work on the encyclopedia but he did not wish to return to a until he felt perfect in music this required a long time then in this same paragraph a reference was made in it he was requested to see keys it was necessary then to turn to keys this was about the time the family were moving which we have mentioned when the difficult subject of keys came up that suggested to him his own simple invention and the hope of getting a patent for it this led him astray as inventions before have done with masterminds so that he was drawn aside from his regular study the family however were perfectly satisfied with the career Agamemnon had chosen it would help them all in any path of life if he should master the encyclopedia in a thorough way Mr. Peterkin agreed it would in the end be not as expensive as a college course even if Agamemnon should buy all the different encyclopedias that appeared there would be no spreads involved no expense of receiving friends at entertainments in college he could live at home so that it would not be necessary to fit up another room as at college at all the times of his leaving he had sold out favorably to other occupants Solomon John's destiny was more uncertain he was looking forward to being a doctor sometime but he had not decided whether to be allopathic or homeopathic or whether he could not better invent his own pills and he could not understand how to obtain his doctor's degree for a few weeks he acted as clerk in a drugstore but he could serve only in the toothbrush and soap department because it was found he was not familiar enough with the latin language to compound the drugs he agreed to spend his evenings in studying the latin grammar but his course was interrupted by his being dismissed for treating the little boys too frequently to soda the little boys were going through the schools regularly the family had been much exercised with regard to their education Elizabeth Eliza felt that everything should be expected from them they ought to take advantage from the family mistakes every new method that came up was tried upon the little boys they had been taught spelling by all the different systems and were just able to read when Mr. Peterkin learned that it was now considered best that children should not be taught to read till they were ten years old mrs. Peterkin was in despair perhaps if their books were taken from them even then they might forget what they had learned but no the evil was done the brain had received certain impressions that could not be blurred over this was long ago however the little boys had since entered the public schools they went also to a gymnasium and a whittling school and joined a class in music and another in dancing they went to some afternoon lectures for children when there was no other school and belonged to a walking club still mr. Peterkin was dissatisfied by the slowness of their progress he visited the schools himself and found that they did not lead their classes it seemed to him a great deal of time was spent in things that were not instructive such as putting on and taking off their india rubber boots Elizabeth Eliza proposed that they should be taken from school and taught by Agamemnon from the encyclopedia the rest of the family might help in the education at all hours of the day Solomon John could take up the latin grammar and she could give lessons in french the little boys were enchanted with the plan only they did not want to have the study hours all the time mr. Peterkin however had a magnificent idea that they should make their life one grand object lesson they should begin at breakfast and study everything put upon the table the material of which it was made and where it came from in the study of the letter a Agamemnon had embraced the study of music and from one meal they might gain instruction enough for a day we shall have the assistance said mr. Peterkin of Agamemnon with his encyclopedia Agamemnon modestly suggested that he had not yet got out of a and in their first breakfast everything would therefore have to begin with a that would not be impossible said mr. Peterkin there is Amanda who will wait on table to start with we could have am and eggs suggested Solomon John mr. Peterkin was distressed it was hard enough to think of anything for breakfast and impossible if it all had to begin with one letter Elizabeth Eliza thought it would not be necessary all they were to do was to ask questions as in an examination papers and find their answers as they could they could still apply to the encyclopedia even if it were not an Agamemnon's alphabetical course mr. Peterkin suggested a great variety one day they would study the botany of the breakfast table another day it's natural history the study of butter would include that of the cow even that of the butter dish would bring in geology the little boys were charmed at the idea of learning pottery from the cream jug and they were promised a potter's wheel directly you see my dear said mr. Peterkin to his wife before many weeks we shall be drinking our milk from jugs made by our children Elizabeth Eliza hoped for a thorough study yes said mr. Peterkin we might begin with botany that would be near to Agamemnon's alphabetically we ought to find out the botany of butter on what does the cow feed the little boys were eager to go out and see if she eats clover said mr. Peterkin we shall expect the botany of clover the little boys insisted that they were to begin the next day that very evening they should go out and study the cow mrs. Peterkin sighed and decided she would order a simple breakfast the little boys took their notebooks and pencils and clambered upon the fence where they seated themselves in a row for there were three little boys so it was now supposed they were always coming in or going out and it had been difficult to count them and nobody was very sure how many there were there they sat however on the fence looking at the cow she looked at them with large eyes she won't eat they cried while we're looking at her so they turned about and pretended to look into the street and seated themselves that way turning their heads back from time to time to see the cow now she's nibbling a clover no that's a bit of sorrel it's a whole handful of grass what kind of grass they exclaimed it was very hard sitting with their backs to the cow and pretending to the cow that they were looking into the street and yet to be looking at the cow all the time and finding out what she was eating and the upper rail of the fence was narrow and a little sharp it was very high too for some additional rails had been put on to prevent the cow from jumping into the garden or street suddenly looking out into the hazy twilight Elizabeth Eliza saw six legs and six india rubber boots in the air and the little boys disappeared they are tossed by the cow the little boys are tossed by the cow Mrs. Peterkin rushed for the window but fainted on the way Solomon John and Elizabeth Eliza were hurrying to the door but stopped not knowing what to do next Mrs. Peterkin recovered herself with a supreme effort and sent them out to the rescue but what could they do the fence had been made so high to keep the cow out that nobody could get in the boy that did the milking had gone off with the key of the outer gate and perhaps with the key of the shed door even if that were not locked before Agamemnon could get round by the wood shed and cow shed the little boys might be gored through and through Elizabeth Eliza ran to the neighbors Solomon John to the drugists for plasters while Agamemnon made his way through the dining room to the wood shed and outer shed door Mr. Peterkin mounted the outside of the fence while Mrs. Peterkin begged him not to put himself in danger he climbed high enough to view the scene he held to the corner post and reported what he saw they were not gored the cow was at the other end of the lot one of the little boys were lying in a bunch of dark leaves he was moving the cow glared but did not stir another little boy was pulling his India rubber boots out of the mud the cow still looked at him another was feeling the top of his head the cow began to crop the grass still looking at him Agamemnon had reached and opened the shed door the little boys were next seen running toward it a crowd of neighbors with pitchforks had returned meanwhile with Elizabeth Eliza Solomon John had brought four drugists but by the time they had reached the house the three little boys were safe in the arms of their mother this is too dangerous a form of education she cried I had rather they went to school no they bravely cried they were still willing to try the other way end of chapter 19 recording by Lisa Tobias Fort Worth Texas hypersensitive.podbean.com recorded December 2007 chapter 20 of the Peterkin papers this is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain for more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org this reading by Kara Schellenberg the Peterkin papers by Lucretia P. Hale chapter 20 the educational breakfast Mrs. Peterkin's nerves were so shaken by the excitement of the fall of the three little boys into the enclosure where the cow was kept that the educational breakfast was long postponed the little boys continued at school as before and the conversation dwelt as little as possible upon the subject of education Mrs. Peterkin's spirits however gradually recovered the little boys were allowed to watch the cow at her feed a series of strings were arranged by Agamemnon and Solomon John by which the little boys could be pulled up if they should again fall down into the enclosure these were planned something like curtain cords and Solomon John frequently amused himself by pulling one of the little boys up or letting him down some conversation did again fall upon the old difficulty of questions Elizabeth Eliza declared that it was not always necessary to answer that many who could did not answer questions the conductors of the railroads for instance who probably knew the names of all the stations on a road but were seldom able to tell them yes said Agamemnon one might be a conductor without even knowing the names of the stations because you can't understand them when they do tell them I never know said Elizabeth Eliza whether it is ignorance in them or unwillingness that prevents them from telling you how soon one station is coming or how long you are to stop even if one asks ever so many times it would be useful if they would tell Mrs. Peterkin thought this was carried too far in the horse cars in Boston the conductors had always left you as far as possible from the place where you wanted to stop but it seemed a little too much to have the aldermen take it up and put a notice in the cars ordering the conductors to stop at the farthest crossing Mrs. Peterkin was indeed recovering her spirits she had been carrying on a brisk correspondence with Philadelphia that she had imparted to no one and at last she announced as its result that she was ready for a breakfast on educational principles a breakfast indeed when it appeared Mrs. Peterkin had mistaken the alphabetical suggestion and had grasped the idea that the whole alphabet must be represented in one breakfast this therefore was the bill of fare applesauce bread butter coffee cream donuts eggs fish balls griddles ham ice on butter jam kraut sour lamb chops morning newspapers oatmeal pepper quince marmalade rolls salt tea urn veal pie waffles yeast biscuit Mr. Peterkin was proud and astonished excellent he cried every letter represented except z Mrs. Peterkin drew from her pocket a letter from the lady from philadelphia she thought you would call it excellent for x and she tells us she read that if you come with a zest you will bring the z mr. Peterkin was enchanted he only felt that he ought to invite the children in the primary schools to such a breakfast what a zest indeed it would give to the study of their letters it was decided to begin with applesauce how happy exclaimed mr. Peterkin that this should come first of all a child might be brought up on applesauce till he had mastered the first letter of the alphabet and could go on to the more involved subjects hidden in bread butter baked beans etc agamemnon thought his father hardly knew how much was hidden in the apple there was all the story of william tell and the swiss independence the little boys were wild to act william tell but mrs. Peterkin was afraid of the arrows mrs. Peterkin proposed they should begin by eating the applesauce then discussing it first botanically next historically or perhaps first historically beginning with adam and eve and the first apple mrs. Peterkin feared the coffee would be getting cold and the griddles were waiting for herself she declared she felt more at home on the marmalade because the quinces came from grandfathers and she had seen them planted she remembered all about it and now the bush came up to the sitting room window she seemed to have heard him tell that the town of quincy where the granite came from was named from them and she never quite recollected why except they were so hard as hard as stone and it took you almost the whole day to stew them and then you might as well set them on again mr. Peterkin was glad to be reminded of the old place at grandfather's in order to know thoroughly about apples they ought to understand the making of cider now they might sometime drive up to grandfather's scarcely 12 miles away and see the cider made why indeed should not the family go this very day up to grandfather's and continue the education of the breakfast why not indeed exclaimed the little boys a day at grandfather's would give them the whole process of the apple from the orchard to the cider mill in this way they could widen the field of study even to follow in time the cup of coffee to java it was suggested too that at grandfather's they might study the processes of maple syrup as involved in the griddle cakes agamemnon pointed out the connection between the two subjects they were both the products of trees the apple tree and the maple mr. Peterkin proposed that the lesson for the day should be considered the study of trees and on the way they could look at other trees why not indeed go this very day there was no time like the present their breakfast had been so copious they would scarcely be in a hurry for dinner and would therefore have the whole day before them mrs. Peterkin could put up the remains of the breakfast for luncheon but how should they go the carry-all in spite of its name could hardly take the whole family though they might squeeze in six as the little boys did not take up much room elizabeth eliza suggested that she could spend the night at grandfather's indeed she had been planning a visit there and would not object to staying some days this would make it easier about coming home but it did not settle a difficulty in getting there why not ride and tie the little boys were fond of walking so was mr. Peterkin and agamemnon and solemn and john did not object to their turn mrs. Peterkin could sit in the carriage when it was waiting for the pedestrians to come up or she said she did not object to a little turn of walking mr. Peterkin would start with solemn and john and the little boys before the rest and agamemnon should drive his mother and elizabeth eliza to the first stopping place then came up another question of elizabeth eliza's trunk if she stayed a few days she would need to carry something it might be hot and it might be cold just as soon as she carried her thin things she would need her heaviest wraps you never could depend upon the weather even probabilities got you no farther than today in an inspired moment elizabeth eliza bethought herself of the express man she would send her trunk by the express and she left the table directly to go and pack it mrs. Peterkin busied herself with amanda over the remains of the breakfast mr. Peterkin and agamemnon went to order the horse and the express man and solemn and john and the little boys prepared themselves for a pedestrian excursion elizabeth eliza found it difficult to pack in a hurry there were so many things she might want and then again she might not she must put up her music because her grandfather had a piano and then she be thought herself of agamemnon's flute and decided to pick out a volume or two of the encyclopedia but it was hard to decide all by herself whether to take g for griddle cakes or m for maple syrup or t for tree she would take as many as she could make room for she put up her work box and two extra work baskets and she must take some french books she had never yet found time to read this involved taking her french dictionary as she doubted if her grandfather had one she ought to put in a botany if they were to study trees but she could not tell which so she would take all there were she might as well take all her dresses and it was no harm if one had too many raps when she had her trunk packed she found it over full it was difficult to shut it she had heard solemn and john set out from the front door with his father and the little boys and agamemnon was busy holding the horse at the side door so there was no use in calling for help she got upon the trunk she jumped upon it she sat down upon it and leaning over found she could lock it yes it was really locked but when getting down from the trunk she found her dress had been caught in the lid she could not move away from it what was worse she was so fastened to the trunk that she could not lean forward far enough to turn the key back to unlock the trunk and release herself the lock had slipped easily but she could not now get hold of the key in the right way to turn it back she tried to pull her dress away no it was caught too firmly she called for help to her mother or amanda to come and open the trunk but her door was shut nobody near enough to hear she tried to pull the trunk toward the door to open it and make herself heard but it was so heavy that in her constrained position she could not stir it in her agony she would have been willing to have torn her dress but it was her traveling dress and too stout to tear she might cut it carefully alas she had packed her scissors and her knife she had lent to the little boys the day before she called again what silence there was in the house her voice seemed to echo through the room at length as she listened she heard the sound of wheels was it the carriage rolling away from the side door did she hear the front door shut she remembered then that amanda was to have the day but she elizabeth eliza was to have spoken to amanda to explain to her to wait for the expressman she was to have told her as she went downstairs but she had not been able to go downstairs and amanda must have supposed that all the family had left and she too must have gone knowing of the expressman yes she heard the wheels she heard the front door shut but could they have gone without her then she recalled that she had proposed walking on a little way with solemn john and her father to be picked up by mrs peterkin if she should have finished her packing in time her mother must have supposed that she had done so that she had spoken to amanda and started with the rest well she would soon discover her mistake she would overtake the walking party and not finding elizabeth eliza would return for her patience only was needed she had looked around for something to read but she had packed up all her books she had packed her knitting how quiet and still it was she tried to imagine where her mother would meet the rest of the family they were good walkers and they might have reached the two-mile bridge but suppose they should stop for water beneath the arch of the bridge as they often did and the cariol pass over it without seeing them her mother would not know but she was with them and suppose her mother should decide to leave the horse at the place proposed for stopping and waiting for the first pedestrian party and herself walk on no one would be left to tell the rest when they should come up to the cariol they might go on so through the whole journey without meeting and she might not be missed till they should reach her grandfathers horrible thought she would be left here alone all day the expressman would come but the expressman would go for he would not be able to get into the house she thought of the terrible story of jenevra of the bride who was shut up in her trunk and forever she was shut up on hers and knew not when she should be released she had acted once in the ballad of the mistletoe bow she had been one of the guests who had sung oh the mistletoe bow and had looked up at it and she had seen at the side scenes how the bride had laughingly stepped into the trunk but the trunk then was only a make-believe of some boards in front of a sofa and this was a stern reality it would be late now before her family would reach her grandfathers perhaps they would decide to spend the night perhaps they would fancy she was coming by express she gave another tremendous effort to move the trunk toward the door in vain all was still meanwhile mrs. peterkin sat sometime at the door wondering why elizabeth eliza did not come down mr. peterkin had started on with solomon john and all the little boys agamemnon had packed the things into the carriage a basket of lunch a change of shoes for mr. peterkin some extra wraps everything mrs. peterkin could think of for the family comfort still elizabeth eliza did not come i think she must have walked on with your father she said at last you had better get in agamemnon now got in i should think she would have mentioned it she continued but we may as well start on and pick her up they started off i hope elizabeth eliza thought to speak to amanda but we must ask her when we come up with her but they did not come up with elizabeth eliza at the turn beyond the village they found an envelope struck up in an inviting manner against the tree in this way they had agreed to leave missives for each other as they passed on this note informed them that the walking party was going to take the shortcut across the meadows and would still be in front of them they saw the party at last just beyond the shortcut but mr. peterkin was explaining the character of the oak tree to his children as they stood around a large specimen i suppose he is telling them that it is some kind of a quercus said agamemnon thoughtfully mrs. peterkin thought mr. peterkin would scarcely use such an expression but she could see nothing of elizabeth eliza some of the party however were behind the tree some were in front and elizabeth eliza might be behind the tree they were too far off to be shouted at mrs. peterkin was calm and went on to the stopping place agreed upon which they reached before long this had been appointed near farmer gordon's barn that there might be somebody at hand whom they knew in case there should be any difficulty in untying the horse the plan had been that mrs. peterkin should always sit in the carriage while the others should take turns for walking and agamemnon tied the horse to a fence and left her comfortably arranged with her knitting indeed she had risen so early to prepare for the alphabetical breakfast and had since been so tired with preparations that she was quite sleepy and would not object to a nap in the shade by the soothing sound of the buzzing of the flies but she called agamemnon back as he started off for his solitary walk with a perplexing question suppose the rest all should arrive how could they now be accommodated in the carry-all it would be too much for the horse why had elizabeth eliza gone with the rest without counting up of course they must have expected that she mrs. peterkin would walk on to the next stopping place she decided there was no way but for her to walk on when the rest passed her they might make a change so she put up knitting cheerfully it was a little juggly in the carriage she had already found for the horse was restless from the flies and she did not like being left alone she walked on then with agamemnon it was very pleasant at first but the sun became hot and it was not long before she was fatigued when they reached a hay field she proposed going into rest upon one of the hay cocks the largest and most shady was at the other end of the field and they were seated there when the carry-all passed them in the road mrs. peterkin waved her parasol and hat and the party in the carry-all returned their greetings but they were too far apart to hear each other mrs. peterkin and agamemnon slowly resumed their walk well we shall find elizabeth eliza in the carry-all she said and that will explain all but it took them an hour or two to reach the carry-all with frequent stoppings for rest and when they reached it no one was in it a note was pinned up in the vehicle to say they had all walked on it was prime fun in this way the parties continued to dodge each other for mrs. peterkin felt that she must walk on from the next station and the carry-all missed her again while she and agamemnon stopped in a house to rest and for a glass of water she reached the carry-all to find again that no one was in it the party had passed on for the last station where it had been decided all should meet at the foot of grandfather's hill that they might all arrive at the house together mrs. peterkin and agamemnon looked out eagerly for the party all the way as elizabeth eliza must be tired by this time but mrs. peterkin's last walk had been so slow that the other party was far in advance and reached the stopping place before them the little boys were all rode out on the stone fence awaiting them full of delight at having reached grandfather's mr. peterkin came forward to meet them and at the same moment with mrs. peterkin exclaimed where is elizabeth eliza each party looked eagerly at the other no elizabeth eliza was to be seen where was she what was to be done was she left behind mrs. peterkin was convinced she must have somehow got to grandfather's they hurried up the hill grandfather and all the family came out to greet them for they had been seen approaching there was great questioning but no elizabeth eliza it was sunset the view was wide and fine mr. and mrs. peterkin stood and looked out from the north to the south was it too late to send back for elizabeth eliza where was she meanwhile the little boys had been informing the family of the object of their visit and while mr. and mrs. peterkin were looking up and down the road and agamemnon and solemn and john were explaining to each other the details of their journeys they had discovered some facts we shall have to go back they exclaimed we are too late the maple syrup was all made last spring we are too early we shall have to stay two or three months the cider is not made till october the expedition was a failure they could study the making of neither maple syrup nor cider and elizabeth eliza was lost perhaps forever the sun went down and mr. and mrs. peterkin still stood to look up and down the road elizabeth eliza meanwhile had sat upon her trunk as it seemed for ages she recalled all the terrible stories of prisoners how they had watched the growth of flowers through cracks in the pavement she wondered how long she could live without eating how thankful she was for her abundant breakfast at length she heard the doorbell but who could go to the door to answer it in vain did she make another effort to escape it was impossible how singular there were footsteps someone was going to the door someone had opened it they must be burglars well perhaps that was a better fate to be gagged by burglars and the neighbors informed than to be forever locked on her trunk the steps approached the door it opened and amanda ushered in the expressman amanda had not gone she had gathered while waiting at the breakfast table that there was to be an expressman whom she must receive elizabeth eliza explained the situation the expressman turned the key of her trunk and she was released what should she do next so long a time had he lapsed she had given up all hope of her family returning for her but how could she reach them she hastily prevailed upon the expressman to take her along until she should come up with some of the family at least she would fall in with either the walking party or the carry-all or she would meet them if they were on their return she mounted the seat with the expressman and slowly they took their way stopping for occasional parcels as they left the village but much to elizabeth eliza's dismay they turned off from the main road on leaving the village she remonstrated but the driver insisted he must go round by millicons to leave a bedstead they went round by millicons and then had further turns to make elizabeth eliza explained that in this way it would be impossible for her to find her parents and family and at last he proposed to take her all the way with her trunk she remembered with a shutter that when she had first asked about her trunk he had promised it should certainly be delivered the next morning suppose they should have to be out all night where did express carts spend the night she thought of herself in a lone wood in an express wagon she could hardly bring herself to ask before ascending when he should arrive he guessed he could bring up before night and so it happened that as mr and mrs peter kin in the late sunset were looking down the hill wondering what they should do about the lost elizabeth eliza they saw an express wagon approaching a female form sat upon the front seat she has decided to come by express said mrs peter kin it is it is elizabeth eliza end of chapter 20 read by carah shallenberg www.kray.org in san diego california