Alice and Rosie visit Farmer Shedd’s Donkeys. Page 253.
The walk home didn’t prove a pleasant one, for, in an unlucky moment, Charlotte had dressed Rosie in a scarlet flannel sack, because the morning air was fresh and chill, and this very gay sack attracted a Turkey Gobbler’s eye, as he strutted through Farmer Shedd’s yard, and immediately he gobbled out a warning to Rosie to leave the premises, and then started off in hot pursuit. Alice saw his Lordship’s meaning, and began to run, pulling Rosie so hard to get her off the Gobbler’s grounds, that roly-poly Rosie tripped her foot over a pan of chicken’s food and fell upon the ground, screaming with terror.
Then shy Tommy Shedd showed what stuff he was made of, for, catching up an old broom, he gave the wrathful turkey such a chase, that he flew on the high branch of a cherry tree, and there gobbled out to his children’s children the tale of his rights and wrongs, whilst Alice picked Rosie up and ran with her to the shelter of the home nest for comfort and cleansing.
Two hours later, the Psyche gracefully glides out of its little harbor at the foot of the lawn, and spreads her trim sails to coax the strong breeze to help her bear her merry party fairly out to the beautiful Narragansett Bay.
Yacht decks do not afford much space for young people to run about; but the boys found a great deal to interest them in watching the steersman managing the sails and rudder, as a rider his gay steed’s motions, whilst the good-natured sailor spun many a yarn to while away the time. Artie thought it great fun to hail the passing boats and receive salutes in return; but the crowning bliss was when, gliding along in a steamer’s wake, the spray showered them well, and drove them, screaming with laughter, to the little cabin, whence they were driven out again by their sisters, who were dressing their dolls for a wedding at sea; for Daisy and May had agreed that, as they were so soon to be parted, “it would be a comfort to know their dolls were relations to one another, and even if the bride left for New York the next day, letters could be written, and perhaps an occasional visit made, if either pined for the other.”
Jem was presently “whispered” down to perform the ceremony, for the girls all were agreed if Kit, Ned, or Artie got an inkling of what was going on, they were sure to turn everything into fun, and Gracie and May had an instinctive idea that, somehow, getting married was not a joke, but a very, very serious thing. Daisy had herself been with Mamma at a church-wedding in New York, where some of the bridal guests shed tears, so she thought that was the proper thing, and instructed the girls to do the same, taking upon herself the duty of wiping Jack’s and Charlie Leonard’s eyes, who, as privileged guests, were allowed to be present, but were sure Daisy said, “to have no pocket-handkerchiefs.”