“They make them by machinery, too,” said the child.
“Yes, and I shouldn’t wonder and they didn’t come to hatch chickens by masonry some of these days! Well a day! No masonry stockings can eekill my knitted stockings, and that the storekeeper knows, and allus takes ’em from me and pays me well in tea and sugar, and whatever I may want. As to the quilt-piecing, lass, I’ll teach ’ee with good will. ’Ee’s a plenty of leisure, I’ll warrant, and ’ee’s well spend it that way in saving the scraps and turning ’em to account as in another,” concluded the canny old dame, as she folded her prize quilt, replaced it, and closed the drawer.
“Oh, I think it is such pretty and curious work, and it is so—economical!” said the little child-woman. “I shall be so glad to learn!”
“She likes to learn everything she sees going on,” added David, who, with his hands in his pockets, stood a smiling spectator of the scene.
“That’s right. Larn all ’ee can, little lass. Now come wi’ me, and I’ll show ’ee the young ducks that were hatched yesterday.”
“Oh!” cried the child, jumping up in glee. “I never saw young ducks in all my life! What a nice place this is!”
“What! Don’t they show ’ee the young things up by, at the house?” inquired the dame.
“No, ma’am; they never thought of it, I reckon; no more did I,” answered the child, as she followed her conductress out into the poultry-yard.
She saw the young ducklings that were just out; then she saw the little chickens that were a week old, and seemed to know as much about life as she herself did. Then she was taken through the garden, and she saw the strawberry bed and the one cherry tree, with its bright red fruit hiding in its green leaves, and the crooked apple tree that bore the green sweetings which would soon be ripe, and the currant bushes along the walk, with the small beds of peas and cabbage and corn between them, and then the bee hive and the two white pigs, and Winny, the little black and white cow, in her shed.
Then they went in.