"Through the farmyard, Lizzie; over the gate; never
mind the cows; they are quiet enough." "I don't mind 'em,"
said Miss Lizzie, boldly and' truly, and with a proud
affronted air, displeased at being thought to mind anything,
and showing by her attitude and manner some design of proving
her courage by an attack on the largest of the herd, in the
shape of a pull by the tail. "I don't mind 'em." "I know
you don't, Lizzie; but let them, alone and don't chase
the turkey-cock. Come to me, my dear!" and, for wonder,
Lizzie came.
In the meantime my other pet, Mayflower, had also gotten
into a scrape. She had driven about a huge unwieldy sow,
till the animal's grunting had disturbed the repose of a
still more enormous Newfoundland dog, the guardian of the
yard.
The beautiful white greyhound's mocking treatment of the
surly dog on the chain then follows, and other pretty
scenes and adventures, until after some mishaps and much
trouble the cowslip ball is at length completed.
What a concentration of fragrance and beauty it was!
Golden and sweet to satiety! rich in sight, and touch, and
smell! Lizzie was enchanted, and ran off with her prize,
hiding amongst the trees in the very coyness of ecstasy, as
if any human eye, even mine, would be a restraint on her
innocent raptures.
Here the very woman is revealed to us, her tender and lively
disposition, her impulsiveness and childlike love of fun
and delight in everything on earth.
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