The Sugar camp

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The Baldwin Library

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Tie SUGAR. €A MN P:



THE KITTY BOOKS.

KITTY’S VICTORY.

THE SUGAR CAMP.
KITTY’S ILLNESS,
KITTY’S JOURNEY.
KITTY AT THE SEASIDE.

Dopp & MEAD, Publishers,
NEW YORK,











THE SUGAR CAMP.



TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK:
DODD & MEAD, PUBLISHERS,

451 BROADWAY.



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by
DODD & MEAD,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.





THE SUGAR CAMP.

ARRIE SAYBROOK was standing at
the window watching for them; and
as soon as the five little girls came in sight
she ran to open the door, smiling and say-
ing, “ Oh, I am so glad you have come. I
have been waiting so long for you. Come
right in and warm yourselves.” °
“Oh, Carrie, we are as warm a@sytoast
now,” said Kitty. ‘Just feel my hands,”
and she pulled off her mittens and put her
fat little hands on Carrie’s cheeks: “ You
see we have been running and jumping so
that we are very warm.”
“ Well,” said Carrie, “ then just come in

and rest a little, and then we will go to the





6 THE SUGAR CAMP.



camp ;” and she opened the door of the
family sitting-room, where her mother was
sitting, with her work-basket beside her,
sewing. The little girls went up to Mrs.
Saybrook, and shook hands with her.

“Did you have a pleasant walk?” she
asked.

“Oh, yes, Mrs. Saybrook,” they all
replied; while Kitty added, “we did run
and jump a great deal.”

“Then I suppose that you feel quite
tired, and would like to rest before you go
to the camp?”

“Nota bit,” said Nancy quickly ; and
then, fearing that she had been rude, she
added, “just as you please,’ while the .
other girls looked longingly out of the
window.

Mrs. Saybrook smiled. “Then if you















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THE SUGAR CAMP. 9



are not at all tired you shall go out as soon
as Carrie puts on her things; and perhaps
you could spare time to eat an apple, for
Carrie is very anxious to have you taste
some russets that came off her own tree.”

The children thought that they could
find time for such an agreeable occupation,
and Carrie passed a great bowl of the ripe
golden-brown fruit to them.

Carrie’s grandmother, an old lady of
nearly eighty years, sat in an arm chair by
the fire, smiling at the little girls, and lis-
tening to all they said.

“Children, have you all thanked God
this morning for the bright day that he has
given you, and for your youth and health?”
said she.

The girls dropped their eyes, and looked
very sober; while Annie said, after a little

pause:





Io THE. SUGAR CAMP.

“T think we all felt very grateful, Mrs.
Saybrook.”

“Do you think you felt really thankful,
or did you only feel glad that the weather
was fine, so that you could have your good
time? There is a great difference between
being happy that you have something, and
being grateful to the kind friend who has
given it to you. But there comes the
sledge, and if you run you can have a ride;”’
and Carrie hastily put on the shawl which
she had been warming at the fire, and
the old lady, who had so nearly lived
her life, nodded and smiled at the five
young things who were just entering into
their life. They bade the two ladies a
hasty good-by, and dashed out of the
house.

_ The sledge was loaded with barrels, that





THE SUGAR CAMP. II

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were filled with sap forthe sugar camp, and
the four oxen that were hauling it seemed
to find it a heavy load as they plodded
along, their breath looking like smoke in
the clear frosty air. The children ran along,
shouting and laughing, until they reached
the sledge, and then they clambered on the
runners, holding on by the upright stakes
that supported the barrels.

’

“Nancy,” said Kitty, “I am so glad
that I asked you, for I know that I should
now be very remorseful if I hadn’t.”

“You better believe that I am glad,”
replied Nancy. “TI felt all trembling in my
heart for fear that you wouldn’t. But I
was afraid that you didn’t like me well
enough to invite me.”

“Well, you know my text made me

ask you, and now I like you much better,





12 THE SUGAR CAMP.



and I am glad that I did. You are a very ©
improved girl, Nancy.”

“Thank you, Kitty,” said Nancy humbly.
‘“Oh, Iam having the best time I ever did
have—excepting once,” she added reflec-
tively.

“When was that?” said Annie, who
was holding on by the same stake.

“Oh, that time when Humpty Dumpty
got on the roof.”

“Who was Humpty Dumpty ?”’ asked
Kitty, in a tone of great surprise.

“Why, my Maltese cat. He died just
before you came here to live. He was a
kitten then, and he went up into the attic
and got out of the window on the roof,
and when he was as far up as the ridge-
pole he was afraid to come down. Well, I

was playing in the yard and I heard the



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THE SUGAR CAMP. 15

poor thing crying and crying, and after
looking about for a long time, there I spied
my poor Humpty on the top of the house
close to the chimney.”

“Well,” said Kitty indignantly, “if you
call that having a better time than this, I
am ashamed of you. I should think it
would have been a most melancholy spec-
tacle, and I should have cried.”

“Oh, it was after that that I had the
good time. First I cried, and then I re-
solved to save my poor Humpty. I thought
about it for awhile, and then I remem-
bered a long ladder that was in the barn.
- I went and brought this out all myself, and
after working a long time and hurting my-
self a good deal, I put it up against the
side of the house, and then I went up my-
self until I got to the roof. The ladder



16 THE SUGAR CAMP.

shook ever so much,and it was such fun!
Then I climbed on my hands and knees
until I could reach Humpty Dumpty, and
slid down to the ladder. Oh, it was such
fun, though afterward it wasn’t quite so
funny, for when I was nearly down, the
ladder slipped, and fell on my ankle, and
hurt it so that I couldn’t step for a week,
and I had to stay in bed for two whole
days. Soon the whole I think this is the
most fun.”

“‘How brave you were, Nancy,” said
Kitty, admiringly.

“T thought I was, too, but mamma said
it wasn’t being brave, that it was only
being reckless. She was ill in bed, and I
screamed like everything when the ladder
fell on me, so that she jumped out of bed

and ran out into the yard and picked me



THE SUGAR CAMP. 17

up. She was so frightened that it made
her worse.”

“But didn’t she think it was very
brave for you to risk all that for the sake

of a poor suffering animal ?”

“ Why, you see,” said Nancy, with some
hesitation, ‘“‘ there was a window in the
roof close to kitty, and some stairs leading
to it. Betsy was cleaning the attic, and
she could have reached Humpty Dumpty
with her hand by standing on the top stair.

a thought of that, but it was so much fun
to clamber up by myself, that I wouldn’t
go and tell Betsy. So that was why
mamma said it was reckless, which she said
meant doing something that didn’t need to
be done, just because it was dangerous;
and she said to be brave was to do some-
thing that ought to be done, even if it were

dangerous.



18 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“There is the camp,’ shouted Julia
Burney. ‘Oh, look at the fire;’’ and she
pointed to a huge bonfire, over which was
hung an iron caldron. Two big girls were
standing by, tasting some of the contents
which a man was ladling out to them.

“Those are my cousins,” said Carrie.
“ They live near us, and came over to see
the fun.”

“There is another fire,’ said Nettie
Burney, “and there is still another. Three
big fires! Let’s get off the sledge, and run.”

In another moment, the six little girls
had jumped down, and were running over
the snow toward the fires, which were built
in a large space that had been cleared of
trees. There were several men working
about, and one of them was Carrie’s father,

who was looking on while some of the men



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THE SUGAR CAMP. 21

poured a barrel full of fresh sap into an
empty caldron, and then it was swung
over the fire. Carrie ran up to her father,
and the other children followed closely
behind her, for they felt a little afraid of
all the strange men and the bright glow-
ing fires that crackled and roared under
the pots.

As soon as Mr. Saybrook saw the little
group advancing toward him, he walked up
to meet them, and said:

“Oh, here you are, little people! What
do you think of our sugar-camp? Pretty
nice, isn’t it? Come over this way, and I'll
show you a cosey little place that I have all
ready for you,” and taking Kitty by the
hand, he led her along while the others
walked behind, until they came to a little

hut, or wigwam, as the children called it.



22 THE SUGAR CAMP.



It was built of green hemlock boughs at
the back and sides, but the front was all
open. The floor was spread with three
buffalo robes, one laid over the other, so
that no dampness could strike through.

“ There, chicks,” said Mr. Saybrook, in
his loud, kind voice. ‘What do you think
of that snug little nest? You can sit there
when you are tired, and be kept perfectly
warm, and in no danger of being run over
when the sledge comes in and the men
unload the barrels.”’

“Oh, Mr. Saybrook, how kind you were
to take so much trouble for us,” said the
children with great glee, as they ran in and
took possession of their little house.

“ Let’s name it,” said Kitty. “Oh yes,
so we must,” said Carrie. ‘“ What shall we
call it?”



THE SUGAR CAMP. 23

“Little Green House,” suggested
Nancy.

“But it isn’t a house, for we could not
live in it,” said Annie. ‘We might call it
‘Cosey Retreat,’ for you know it is for us to
retreat to when we are tired, or in any
danger.”

“I think that we should name it after
Mr. Saybrook,” said Kitty. “It must have
been a great deal of trouble for him to
make it when he was so busy and had so
many thoughts to think about his sugar-
making. Let’s name it ‘Saybrook Wig-
wam’ or no—‘ Wigwam Saybrook.’ That
sounds very well I think, and it will always
be a reminder of our kind donor.”

The children assented, for they had a
great deal of confidence in Kitty’s judg-
ment, and her large words and rounded





24 THE SUGAR CAMP.

sentences impressed them very much. So
“Wigwam Saybrook”’ it was called,
though secretly they all thought ‘“Cosey
Retreat '’ a much prettier name.

They all sat down in a row on the soft
warm skins, looking out on the busy scene
before them. One of the fires was near
them, so that the heat from it kept them
quite warm. Three men, with red flannel
shirts on, were lifting the barrels from the
sledge. They had been around to all the
trees, pouring the contents of the brimming
pails into the barrels; and now they were
pouring the sap again into the caldron,
which was swung over the fire. At another
fire farther of, the sap was boiling and bub-
bling up, while a man stood stirring it with
a huge ladle. He looked as if he found it

rather warm work.





THE SUGAR CAMP. 25



‘Oh, loak there,” cried Kitty suddenly.

The children gazed eagerly in the direc-
tion to which she pointed. At the largest
fire of all stood Mr. Saybrook, with several
men. They were unhooking the caldron
from the huge iron hook by which it was
swung over the fire; then they carried it to
a large marble slab that was supported on
legs like a table, and poured the hissing
mass upon it.

“Oh, it will all run over and be
spoiled!” cried Julia Burney.

“No, Julia,” said Carrie, with a slight
touch of superiority in her tone. “No,
Julia, you see it doesn’t run over, for there’s
a rim all around the table.”

“Why, it is like a great marble slab,
isn’t it,” Julia replied ; “ but what do they
do so for?”

2



26 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“ Because that is for candy, and it is
poured there to cool. Here comes father,
and I am going to ask him to show you all
about it.”

Mr. Saybrook had seen the consterna-
tion in the little group as the boiling syrup
was poured on the cold marble, and he
came up to “ Wigwam Saybrook ”’ laughing
and saying:

“Did you think that we were going to
waste the syrup after all the trouble that
we had had with it?”

“Oh, I explained, father,” said Carrie,
“but won’t you please take the girls
around, and show them how it is all
done?”

“Yes indeed I will, and I will take them
now, for I have a little leisure and soon J

shall be busy again.”





THE SUGAR CAMP. 27

So the little party set off with their
kind leader to view all the states that the
sap passed through, from the clear fluid as
it came from the tree, that looked like
water, and tasted like water with a little
sugar in it, tothe marble slabs that were
covered with the cooling candy. He
poured a ladleful of the syrup upon some
fresh snow, when it hardened into strings
that the children ate and found delicious.

By the time that the children had seen
all the wonders, they began to feel hungry,
and asked Mr. Saybrook what time it was.

“ Just twelve,” he replied.

“Then we can have our lunch,” said
Kitty. “Let us go back to ‘ Wigwam Say-
brook,’ and arrange it.”

So they all trooped back in great glee,
to unpack their baskets. As each little





28 THE SUGAR CAMP.



girl opened hers she announced its con
tents to the others. :

Annie Carleton had brought some rolls
and some hard-boiled eggs—six of them, all
of different colors, blue, red, green, gray,
purple, brown, and pink. On the sides of
each egg was a white letter marking it.
Kitty’s was red, with a white K and B on
it. Julia Burney had a brown one witha
J, and Kathie had a green one witha K.
Nancy Blair’s was blue, with a white N, and
Annie’s was gray, while Carrie had a pretty
pink one.

“Oh, Annie, how perfectly lovely?”
they all cried admiringly. “ How did you
do them?”

Annie looked very much pleased at the
delight that her contribution had excited :
but she only said, very modestly: ;



THE SUGAR CAMP. 29

“JT hoped that you would think them
pretty.”

“They are beautiful, but how did you
make the white letters?”

“ Well, I will tell you, but you mustn’t
tell any one, for I want to make some for
the fair at Easter. I cut the letters out of
some thin rubber cloth that mamma gave
me,and then I pasted them on the eggs
before they were put into the colored
water to boil. Then after they were fin-
ished and quite dry, I sopped the letters
very carefully with hot water and pulled
them off, and of course it was all white
underneath in the shape of the letter.”

“Mine has two letters,” said Kitty,
turning it around in her hands.

“Yes,” said Annie. “You see that

Kitty invited us all, so I thought hers



30 THE SUGAR CAMP.

ought to be a little finer than the rest, and
then Kathie’s name begins with a K, too,
and that was another reason for putting on
two letters.”

Kitty rose from her seat on the buffalo
robes, went up to her friend, and in her
solemn little way kissed her and gave her
a hug; then, walking back to her place, she
laid her egg very carefully by her side
and said: :

“Tshall never eat this egg, but I shall
keep it as a souvenir.”

“ What does that mean?” asked Nancy
Blair. ‘“Su— su— How did you say it,
Kitty ?”

“ S-o-u-v-e-n-i-r, souvenir,” said Kitty.
“Tt is a French word, and it means to
remember things by. It is on a ring that

mamma has that belonged to grandmamma,



THE SUGAR CAMP. 31

and she told me what it meant. So I shall
always keep this beautiful egg to remem-
ber Annie and the sugar-camp by.”

“AndItoo! And I too!” said all the
others.

Then Kitty opened her basket, and
there on the top were six of Mary Ann’s
delicious apple-turnovers.

“ There,” said Kitty triumphantly; “I
told you so, Mary Ann! I knew that it
was apple-turnovers, and Mary Ann does
make such nice ones: and here is cold
chicken, and bread and butter too.”

‘““We have sandwiches made of beef,
and some milk biscuit,” said Julia Burney.

“And I have some made of ham, and
some pickles,” said Nancy Blair, putting
out of her basket a tumbler full of large

green pickles.



32 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“Why, Nancy,” said Kitty, with great
surprise, “does your mamma allow you to
eat those? My mamma says that they are
not good for little girls.”

“Oh, yes,” Nancy replied, “they are
good for me, I eat ’em all the time;” and
suiting the action to the word, she took up
one, and proceeded to munch it with great
satisfaction.

“Perhaps that is what makes your
hair red,” suggested Kitty. ‘My mamma
doesn’t allow me to eat them, and my hair
isn’t red, and Annie can’t eat them either,
and her hair is brown. I shouldn’t wonder
if—”

“My mamma’s hair is red, and I am
very glad that mine is, and I don’t think
you are very polite, Kitty Bourne.”

“T think your hair is a very nice color,”



——

THE SUGAR CAMP. 33

said Annie quickly; “and it is longer
and thicker than any girl’s in school. I
shouldn’t wonder if it would be down
to your feet when you are a young lady.”

Nancy smiled, and a pleased expression
took the place of the frown that Kitty’s
thoughtless words had called forth.

Just then Mr. Saybrook passed by the
wigwam. He stopped and looked in at the
happy little party. .

“Lunch time, is it? Don’t you want to
warm some of your eatables? There isa
clean flat stone in front of this fire that you
could put anything on, and it would soon
be as hot as you please.”

“There comes mother!” cried Carrie ;
and she ran to meet Mrs. Saybrook, who
was coming toward them with a basket on
her arm. She smiled as she saw the happy

2*





34 THE SUGAR CAMP.

little group, and when she reached the wig-
wam, she said:

“Well, children, I think I need not ask
you if you are having a good time. I am
sure I never saw a happier looking party.”

“ Oh, Mrs. Saybrook, we are having such
a beautiful time,” they all shouted, their
fresh young voices ringing out into the air.

“T hope that we are not troubling
Mr. Saybrook,” said Annie Carleton, who
was always thinking of the convenience
of others.

“Oh no, my dear! Mr. Saybrook is
always glad to have visitors to his camp,
and we are both very glad to have Carrie’s
friends come to see her. The poor child
has missed her school sadly, but I hope in
a day or two to let her go again. The

sugar-making is nearly over now, and I



THE SUGAR CAMP. 35

shall not need her any longer. You willbe
glad to go back to your studies and your
playmates, won’t you, dear?” and Mrs.
Saybrook kissed her child’s rosy cheek.

“Yes, mamma, as soon as you can get
on without me,” said Carrie.

“And now let me open my basket, and
see if there isn’t something in it to add to
your lunch.” So saying, she took out a
bottle of milk and some apples, which she
gave the children to roast on the stone
before the fire.

“You had better put them down right
away,” she said, “for it will take them
some time to be thoroughly cooked.”

What fun the children had in arranging
their feast! The napkins from all the
baskets were collected and spread on the

buffalo skins, to form a table-cloth.



36 THE SUGAR CAMP.



“Tf it were only summer,” said Kitty,
““we could have leaves for plates.”

“T know what will be just as nice as
leaves,” said Carrie; and off she ran out of
sight, but in another moment had returned
with a large piece of clean birch-bark. This
the girls cut into plates with the aid of
Mrs. Saybrook’s scissors that she always
wore hanging by her side, the points cov-
ered with a leather sheath.

As they were cutting out the plates
they looked across the fields, and saw Car-
rie’s grandmamma walking slowly along,
leaning on Phoebe, Mrs. Saybrook’s little
“maid.

“How I wish grandma could see our
wigwam !”’ said Carrie.

“It would be too long a walk for her,”

her mother replied. “She can only go a











































































THE SUGAR CAMP. 39



very short distance over the snow without
being tired.”

After the dishes were finished to their
satisfaction, they placed them upon the
table-cloth, and then they proceeded to
arrange all the different eatables upon
them. Annie’s eggs, after being duly ad-
. mired by Mrs. Saybrook, occupied the
place of honor in the middle of the cloth,
and around it were arranged all the other
good things. Mrs. Saybrook disapproved
of the pickles for the children as much as
Kitty had, but Mr. Saybrook, who looked
in upon the merry little party, accept-
ed some without any hesitation, and he
and Nancy finished the tumbler between
them, and appeared to enjoy them very
much.

By the time that they had finished the





40 THE SUGAR CAMP.





substantials, the apples were roasted, and
they and the apple turn-overs were pro-
nounced delicious.

“ And now,” said Mrs. Saybrook, “it is
after one o’clock, and you: had better be
getting ready to go back to the house, for
I want you to rest there, before you start
for your walk home.”

So the children put the napkins into
their respective baskets, and then went on .
to say good-by to Mr. Saybrook, who had
gone away to superintend some work. As
they walked along to meet him, they met
the sledge that they had ridden upon when
they came over to the camp. They asked
the man who drove it, if he were going back
the same way, but he said fe had to go in
another direction; so, after shaking hands

with Carrie’s father, and thanking him for













THE SUGAR CAMP. 43

his kindness, they walked back to the farm-
house.

When they reached the pleasant sitting-
room, Mrs. Saybrook made them take off
their hats, and coats, and rubbers, and then
she felt of their feet to see that they were
perfectly dry; then, after they had all
washed their faces and hands, they sat
down and were quite astonished to find
that they were a little tired after all. Car-
rie had a new book that her father had
given her on her birth-day, and while the
little girls rested, Mrs. Saybrook read to
them.

After half an hour spent in this way,
the children began to make themselves
ready for their walk home. Carrie had a
little sister about three years old, who
was full of fun and mischief. While the



44 THE SUGAR CAMP.

reading had been in progress, May, for that
was her name, had crept softly out of
the room and had gone into the kitchen.
There she spied on a shelf, quite above her
reach, a brightly painted mug that she
thought would make a charming plaything ;
but how to reach it was a puzzling ques-
tion. There was a chair standing near, and
after a good deal of trouble, May suc-
ceeded in dragging it up to the wall; then
she mounted it, and standing on the tips
of her little toes she stretched her chubby
arm up as far as she could reach, in the
vain endeavor to unhook the coveted prize.
Just then Mrs. Saybrook looked about the
room for her baby, and not seeing her'‘she
told Carrie to run into the kitchen, and see
if she were there.

Carrie opened thewdoor, and saw hei













THE SUGAR CAMP. 47

looking so pretty in her mischief, that she
beckoned to her mother to come and see
her, and they all crept softly to the door
and peeped in. Mrs. Saybrook smiled and
said, “ My pretty pet,’ and then, fearing
the child might fall, she went quietly in,
and lifted her down from her perilous
position.

. Little May seemed very much aston-
ished when she found herself in her
mother’s arms, and looked wistfully at the
mug for a moment; then, with great phi-
losophy, she laid her curly head down on
her shoulder and said:

“Dat’s not pitty! May not want it at
all. No!”

The children all laughed, and went back
to the sitting-room to put on their over-

shoes and mittens; then, bidding their kind



48 THE SUGAR CAMP.

hostess and Carrie good-by, they started
on their homeward walk.

It had grown cold, and the clouds had
gathered while they had been in the house,
and before they had gone more than a few
yards a snow-flake fell on Kitty’s nose, as
she was looking up at the sky, and then
one came on Nancy Blair’s forehead, and
in another moment the air was quite thick
with them. Then they heard some one call-
ing, “ Girls, girls! Mother says come back.”

They all turned around, and there was
Carrie running toward them, a shawl over
her head. As soon as she reached the
children she said:

“Mother says that you must come
back, for it is going to snow, and father
will send you home in the sleigh.”

“Oh, the snow won’t hurt us,” said





THE SUGAR CAMP. 49
Nancy. “I think it will be all the more

fun to walk home.”

“But the sleigh ride will be fun too,”
said Julia Burney.

“And if Mrs. Saybrook says that we
must not walk, we must do as she says,”
said Kitty. So they all ran back to the
house, while the snow-flakes fell thick and
fast around them.

They found May in her high chair, gaz-
ing at the snow with great interest. She
looked at them as they came trooping
in, and after regarding them in silence for
a moment she said, with a great deal of
earnestness,

“ Little dirls, do home.”

“Why May,” said Carrie, “you don’t
want them to go home in the snow and get
wet, and then perhaps they would be sick?”

3





50 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“Es. Little dirls did say dood-by, and
they must do home to their mammas.”

“They are going home in a few minutes,
my pet,” said Mrs. Saybrook. “Papa will
harness the horses to the sleigh, and then
he will drive the little girls home to their
mammas, so that they won’t take any cold.”

“Do you think I might go too, mam-
ma?” Carrie asked.

“Oh please, please, Mrs. Saybrook,”
they all cried.

“Yes, dear, I think you may. You must
wrap up warmly.”

So Carrie flew off to put on her things
before the sleigh should come.

“May, can’t you show the little girls
your pussy-cat?”’

“Oh es,” said May, clambering down

from her chair. “Tome, little dirls, and



THE SUGAR CAMP. 51

I'll show you my pussy cat;” and she
opened the door into the kitchen.

There, on the floor, in the middle of the
room, sat Mrs. Cat, a beautiful soft creature
with thick striped fur. She had founda
spool of thread, which she had been playing
with, and it was unwound from the spool
and entangled in her paws.

“Oh, you dear pussy,” cried Annie
Carleton, and she stooped down and took
herupinherarms. Kitty struggled a little
for a moment, and then as Annie sat down
she settled herself in her lap and began to
purr very contentedly.

“What is her name?” asked Nancy.

“Patience, said Carrie. “ May was
always carrying her in her arms when she
was a kitten, and half the time her head

was hanging down and her tail was in the



52 THE SUGAR CAMP.

air: and she used to pull the poor thing’s
fur and hurt her a good deal without mean-
ing to. But pussy was always so good,
and though she gave a little mew now
and then, when May htrt her, yet she
never scratched her, and so mamma said
that her name ought to be Patience.”

“Come and see how soft her fur is,
Kitty,” said Annie.

“T don’t like cats much,” said Kitty,
shrinking away a little.

Oh, but just come and stroke her back.
You won’t hurt her, will you, pussy ?”

“ Are you afraid of cats,’ asked Mrs.
Saybrook.

“She ought not to be, when her own
name is Kitty,” laughed Nancy, who was
afraid of nothing.

“TI am not exactly afraid,” said Kitty,



=





























THE SUGAR CAMP. 5s



“but they make me shiver. Mamma says
that I have a natural aversion to them, but
that I ought to try to overcome it, and lam
trying ;”’ and the child went to Annie’s side
and put out her hand timidly to touch
Patience.

Annie took the little hand and laid it
softly on pussy’s back, and Kitty stroked
her gently until Mrs. Saybrook, who saw
what an effort she was making, said :

“ There, Kitty, I think you have tried
enough for one day. I am sure that if
you strive as earnestly to overcome all
your faults as I see you are trying to over-
come this weakness, you will grow into a
strong and good woman. You must re-
member, children, that you can’t stand still
in your moral growth, any more than in

your physical. That is pretty hard to un-





56 THE SUGAR CAMP.



derstand, isn’t it? Well, 1 will try to make
it plainer.

“You know that as years go on, your
arms and legs and bodies must grow larger
and larger; and even when you have at-
tained to what people call your growth,
your flesh keeps changing, your muscles
grow harder, and your bones more and
more firmly knit. Now, if you eat good
nourishing food, and take plenty of exercise
and live in a healthy way, your bodies will
grow stronger and more healthy each day;
but if you eat things that perhaps taste
good, but that will not make good flesh
and blood—”’

“ Pickles?” said Kitty, looking archly
at Nancy.

“Yes,” said Mrs. Saybrook, smiling,

“too many pickles and candy, instead





THE SUGAR CAMP. 57



of good beef and bread, and your bodies,
which must grow in some way, for that
is God’s law, will grow sickly and feeble.
Now our souls need good food, and
plenty of exercise to make them grow
strong and healthy, only the food for souls
is holy and loving thoughts, and the exer-
cise that souls need is kind and brave
deeds. If you let your souls feed on un-
kind thoughts, and never make them
strong by resisting temptation, they will
never be able to ‘ fight the good fight’. that
we must all fight, if we want to gain the
crown of life. But,dearme! Thereis the
sleigh, and I have preached quite aser-
mon. Good-by, my pets! You must come
again as soon as your mammas can spare
you;”’ and with another kiss and hug all

around, they were soon tucked warmly

2k





58 THE SUGAR CAMP.



into the sleigh. Just as they were start-
ing off, Phoebe threw open the window,
and calling toa boy who was shovelling
away some snow, handed him some money,
which he brought to Mr. Saybrook in the
sleigh.

“Mrs. Saybrook wants to know if you
will please leave this at Mrs. Carter’s cot-
tage. It is to pay for some sewing that
she has done for Mrs. Saybrook.”

“ Allright,” said the farmer, and touch-
ing up the horses off they drove through
the fast falling snow, the children cuddling
down among the buffalo robes and enjoy-
ing to the utmost the swift, exhilarat-
ing motion. They were going along very
smoothly, when the runners struck against
something hidden in the snow, and in an

instant over went the sleigh, throwing















































































































aaa





THE SUGAR CAMP. 61

them all out into a drift. The horses, who
were perfectly gentle, stood as quietly as
if they had been tied, and the whole party
laughed merrily at their tumble.

“ Anybody hurt?” asked Mr. Say-
brook, picking up the children and brushing
the light snow from their clothes.

“Oh no!” they all cried, and scrambled
back into the sleigh, which had righted
itself.

Then Mr. Saybrook looked about to
see what had caused the disaster, and found
that a log of wood had done the mischief.
It had evidently fallen from a wagon load
that had passed by, and the snow had cov-
ered it over, so that it looked very harm-
less. He lifted it up and carried it to the

side of the road and leaned it against a





62 THE SUGAR CAMP,





tree, where it could do no more harm, and
then mounting his seat drove on again.
Just as they came to the bridge where
they had stopped in the morning, they
saw a large double sleigh with four horses
coming toward them. Mr. Saybrook
turned to the side of the road to let them
pass, and the merry party dashed by.
Meanwhile Mrs. Bourne was anxiously
watching the snow-storm. She had had
one of her poor days, and had been suffer-
ing much from neuralgia. She was sitting
before the fire now, with a thick cap on to
keep her aching head warm, and with a
soft shawl about her shoulders. Just as
she was wishing that she were strong
enough to walk to the window to see if the
storm was very bad, Tommy came in.

“Oh, Tommy,” said his mamma eagerly,











































THE SUGAR CAMP. 65

“has much snow fallen? Iam so anxious
about Kitty.”

“Oh no, mamma; the flakes are big
and make a good deal of fuss about it, but
the top of the gate-post that was bare this

’

morning has only so much on it now;” and
Tommy measured about a quarter of an
inch on his fore-finger. ‘ Yousee, mamma,
Kit couldn’t possibly come to grief in such
a little snow-flurry as that. Besides I’m
sure that they hadn’t left Mr. Saybrook’s
before it came on. Girls chatter so that
you can’t ever get ’em started,and Iexpect .
Mr. Saybrook will bring them all home in
his sleigh. Ill go out and watch by the
gate, and let you know the minute they
come in sight.”

“That is my own good boy,” said Mrs.

Bourne.. “ You are growing every day more



66 THE SUGAR CAMP.



and more of a comfort to your mamma,
Tommy.”

“TI wouldn’t be much of a chap if I
didn’t try to be a comfort to such a ‘ dar-
ling poor suffering mamma,’ as Kit calls
you.” So saying, and whistling in a very
manly fashion, the sturdy little fellow
trudged out to take up his post of watch-
man.

Before many minutes had passed, in he
rushed, shouting:

“Iwas right! I was right! Here they
come in Mr. Saybrook’s sleigh, as jolly as
can be!”

“Oh, I am so glad!” said Mrs. Bourne.
“Tommy, won’t you go to your papa’s
study, and ask him to go to the sleigh and
bring Kitty in.” |

“All right,” and off he rushed like a











THE SUGAR CAMP. 69

young whirlwind into his father’s study,
and in another moment with a whoop and
halloo was out-of-doors.

“What is that you want me to do, my
dear?” asked Mr. Bourne, coming in from
his study, his pen in his hand and his hair
in a great frowzle. “Tommy just rushed in
to ask me to do something, but he was in
such a state of excitement that I could
make nothing out of what he said.”

“ Mr. Saybrook has brought Kitty home
in his sleigh, and I wanted you to go out
and bring the child in. I am afraid she
may get her feet wet in the snow.”

“Oh yes, certainly,” and putting on his
hat and over-coat, Mr. Bourne hastened out
to the sleigh, and taking Kitty in his arms,
brought her in, after thanking Mr. Saybrook

for his kindness in bringing her home.



7O THE SUGAR CAMP.

“Oh, that is nothing,” said Mr. Say-
brook. “Do you think Mrs. Bourne could
find room in her pantry for this?” and he
lifted a great stone jug out of the bottom
of the sleigh. “Mrs. Saybrook thought
she might like to taste some of our syrup,
and so I brought along two or three gal-
lons of it for her.”

“ Thank you very much indeed, Mr.
Saybrook. I should think from the size of
the jug that there was enough in it for a
good many tastes. Please tell your wife
that Mrs. Bourne will be very much pleased,
and we shall all enjoy her kind present.”

Then Kitty said good-by to them all,
and her father carried her in his arms
through the snow to the house.

Thus ended Kitty’s visit to the sugar-

camp.





















ALAND St
Se

FACHAPMAN DEL














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The Baldwin Library

Rae



Tie SUGAR. €A MN P:
THE KITTY BOOKS.

KITTY’S VICTORY.

THE SUGAR CAMP.
KITTY’S ILLNESS,
KITTY’S JOURNEY.
KITTY AT THE SEASIDE.

Dopp & MEAD, Publishers,
NEW YORK,


THE SUGAR CAMP.



TWELVE ILLUSTRATIONS

NEW YORK:
DODD & MEAD, PUBLISHERS,

451 BROADWAY.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1875, by
DODD & MEAD,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.


THE SUGAR CAMP.

ARRIE SAYBROOK was standing at
the window watching for them; and
as soon as the five little girls came in sight
she ran to open the door, smiling and say-
ing, “ Oh, I am so glad you have come. I
have been waiting so long for you. Come
right in and warm yourselves.” °
“Oh, Carrie, we are as warm a@sytoast
now,” said Kitty. ‘Just feel my hands,”
and she pulled off her mittens and put her
fat little hands on Carrie’s cheeks: “ You
see we have been running and jumping so
that we are very warm.”
“ Well,” said Carrie, “ then just come in

and rest a little, and then we will go to the


6 THE SUGAR CAMP.



camp ;” and she opened the door of the
family sitting-room, where her mother was
sitting, with her work-basket beside her,
sewing. The little girls went up to Mrs.
Saybrook, and shook hands with her.

“Did you have a pleasant walk?” she
asked.

“Oh, yes, Mrs. Saybrook,” they all
replied; while Kitty added, “we did run
and jump a great deal.”

“Then I suppose that you feel quite
tired, and would like to rest before you go
to the camp?”

“Nota bit,” said Nancy quickly ; and
then, fearing that she had been rude, she
added, “just as you please,’ while the .
other girls looked longingly out of the
window.

Mrs. Saybrook smiled. “Then if you












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.



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Cs ae 838.

“Shits:
io Hevonsss «

Bae pe
TRUS


THE SUGAR CAMP. 9



are not at all tired you shall go out as soon
as Carrie puts on her things; and perhaps
you could spare time to eat an apple, for
Carrie is very anxious to have you taste
some russets that came off her own tree.”

The children thought that they could
find time for such an agreeable occupation,
and Carrie passed a great bowl of the ripe
golden-brown fruit to them.

Carrie’s grandmother, an old lady of
nearly eighty years, sat in an arm chair by
the fire, smiling at the little girls, and lis-
tening to all they said.

“Children, have you all thanked God
this morning for the bright day that he has
given you, and for your youth and health?”
said she.

The girls dropped their eyes, and looked
very sober; while Annie said, after a little

pause:


Io THE. SUGAR CAMP.

“T think we all felt very grateful, Mrs.
Saybrook.”

“Do you think you felt really thankful,
or did you only feel glad that the weather
was fine, so that you could have your good
time? There is a great difference between
being happy that you have something, and
being grateful to the kind friend who has
given it to you. But there comes the
sledge, and if you run you can have a ride;”’
and Carrie hastily put on the shawl which
she had been warming at the fire, and
the old lady, who had so nearly lived
her life, nodded and smiled at the five
young things who were just entering into
their life. They bade the two ladies a
hasty good-by, and dashed out of the
house.

_ The sledge was loaded with barrels, that


THE SUGAR CAMP. II

ee Ua EEE EEE EEE NSE ERRERR

were filled with sap forthe sugar camp, and
the four oxen that were hauling it seemed
to find it a heavy load as they plodded
along, their breath looking like smoke in
the clear frosty air. The children ran along,
shouting and laughing, until they reached
the sledge, and then they clambered on the
runners, holding on by the upright stakes
that supported the barrels.

’

“Nancy,” said Kitty, “I am so glad
that I asked you, for I know that I should
now be very remorseful if I hadn’t.”

“You better believe that I am glad,”
replied Nancy. “TI felt all trembling in my
heart for fear that you wouldn’t. But I
was afraid that you didn’t like me well
enough to invite me.”

“Well, you know my text made me

ask you, and now I like you much better,


12 THE SUGAR CAMP.



and I am glad that I did. You are a very ©
improved girl, Nancy.”

“Thank you, Kitty,” said Nancy humbly.
‘“Oh, Iam having the best time I ever did
have—excepting once,” she added reflec-
tively.

“When was that?” said Annie, who
was holding on by the same stake.

“Oh, that time when Humpty Dumpty
got on the roof.”

“Who was Humpty Dumpty ?”’ asked
Kitty, in a tone of great surprise.

“Why, my Maltese cat. He died just
before you came here to live. He was a
kitten then, and he went up into the attic
and got out of the window on the roof,
and when he was as far up as the ridge-
pole he was afraid to come down. Well, I

was playing in the yard and I heard the
Sw













THE SUGAR CAMP. 15

poor thing crying and crying, and after
looking about for a long time, there I spied
my poor Humpty on the top of the house
close to the chimney.”

“Well,” said Kitty indignantly, “if you
call that having a better time than this, I
am ashamed of you. I should think it
would have been a most melancholy spec-
tacle, and I should have cried.”

“Oh, it was after that that I had the
good time. First I cried, and then I re-
solved to save my poor Humpty. I thought
about it for awhile, and then I remem-
bered a long ladder that was in the barn.
- I went and brought this out all myself, and
after working a long time and hurting my-
self a good deal, I put it up against the
side of the house, and then I went up my-
self until I got to the roof. The ladder
16 THE SUGAR CAMP.

shook ever so much,and it was such fun!
Then I climbed on my hands and knees
until I could reach Humpty Dumpty, and
slid down to the ladder. Oh, it was such
fun, though afterward it wasn’t quite so
funny, for when I was nearly down, the
ladder slipped, and fell on my ankle, and
hurt it so that I couldn’t step for a week,
and I had to stay in bed for two whole
days. Soon the whole I think this is the
most fun.”

“‘How brave you were, Nancy,” said
Kitty, admiringly.

“T thought I was, too, but mamma said
it wasn’t being brave, that it was only
being reckless. She was ill in bed, and I
screamed like everything when the ladder
fell on me, so that she jumped out of bed

and ran out into the yard and picked me
THE SUGAR CAMP. 17

up. She was so frightened that it made
her worse.”

“But didn’t she think it was very
brave for you to risk all that for the sake

of a poor suffering animal ?”

“ Why, you see,” said Nancy, with some
hesitation, ‘“‘ there was a window in the
roof close to kitty, and some stairs leading
to it. Betsy was cleaning the attic, and
she could have reached Humpty Dumpty
with her hand by standing on the top stair.

a thought of that, but it was so much fun
to clamber up by myself, that I wouldn’t
go and tell Betsy. So that was why
mamma said it was reckless, which she said
meant doing something that didn’t need to
be done, just because it was dangerous;
and she said to be brave was to do some-
thing that ought to be done, even if it were

dangerous.
18 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“There is the camp,’ shouted Julia
Burney. ‘Oh, look at the fire;’’ and she
pointed to a huge bonfire, over which was
hung an iron caldron. Two big girls were
standing by, tasting some of the contents
which a man was ladling out to them.

“Those are my cousins,” said Carrie.
“ They live near us, and came over to see
the fun.”

“There is another fire,’ said Nettie
Burney, “and there is still another. Three
big fires! Let’s get off the sledge, and run.”

In another moment, the six little girls
had jumped down, and were running over
the snow toward the fires, which were built
in a large space that had been cleared of
trees. There were several men working
about, and one of them was Carrie’s father,

who was looking on while some of the men
yim

ih
TE y
te


ncaa nati Serta in iat le ntetn aw rtrennncmaatat arent irncatna spain

We Ott:

gegete”
PR

ie aS che
!

aia od ert


THE SUGAR CAMP. 21

poured a barrel full of fresh sap into an
empty caldron, and then it was swung
over the fire. Carrie ran up to her father,
and the other children followed closely
behind her, for they felt a little afraid of
all the strange men and the bright glow-
ing fires that crackled and roared under
the pots.

As soon as Mr. Saybrook saw the little
group advancing toward him, he walked up
to meet them, and said:

“Oh, here you are, little people! What
do you think of our sugar-camp? Pretty
nice, isn’t it? Come over this way, and I'll
show you a cosey little place that I have all
ready for you,” and taking Kitty by the
hand, he led her along while the others
walked behind, until they came to a little

hut, or wigwam, as the children called it.
22 THE SUGAR CAMP.



It was built of green hemlock boughs at
the back and sides, but the front was all
open. The floor was spread with three
buffalo robes, one laid over the other, so
that no dampness could strike through.

“ There, chicks,” said Mr. Saybrook, in
his loud, kind voice. ‘What do you think
of that snug little nest? You can sit there
when you are tired, and be kept perfectly
warm, and in no danger of being run over
when the sledge comes in and the men
unload the barrels.”’

“Oh, Mr. Saybrook, how kind you were
to take so much trouble for us,” said the
children with great glee, as they ran in and
took possession of their little house.

“ Let’s name it,” said Kitty. “Oh yes,
so we must,” said Carrie. ‘“ What shall we
call it?”
THE SUGAR CAMP. 23

“Little Green House,” suggested
Nancy.

“But it isn’t a house, for we could not
live in it,” said Annie. ‘We might call it
‘Cosey Retreat,’ for you know it is for us to
retreat to when we are tired, or in any
danger.”

“I think that we should name it after
Mr. Saybrook,” said Kitty. “It must have
been a great deal of trouble for him to
make it when he was so busy and had so
many thoughts to think about his sugar-
making. Let’s name it ‘Saybrook Wig-
wam’ or no—‘ Wigwam Saybrook.’ That
sounds very well I think, and it will always
be a reminder of our kind donor.”

The children assented, for they had a
great deal of confidence in Kitty’s judg-
ment, and her large words and rounded


24 THE SUGAR CAMP.

sentences impressed them very much. So
“Wigwam Saybrook”’ it was called,
though secretly they all thought ‘“Cosey
Retreat '’ a much prettier name.

They all sat down in a row on the soft
warm skins, looking out on the busy scene
before them. One of the fires was near
them, so that the heat from it kept them
quite warm. Three men, with red flannel
shirts on, were lifting the barrels from the
sledge. They had been around to all the
trees, pouring the contents of the brimming
pails into the barrels; and now they were
pouring the sap again into the caldron,
which was swung over the fire. At another
fire farther of, the sap was boiling and bub-
bling up, while a man stood stirring it with
a huge ladle. He looked as if he found it

rather warm work.


THE SUGAR CAMP. 25



‘Oh, loak there,” cried Kitty suddenly.

The children gazed eagerly in the direc-
tion to which she pointed. At the largest
fire of all stood Mr. Saybrook, with several
men. They were unhooking the caldron
from the huge iron hook by which it was
swung over the fire; then they carried it to
a large marble slab that was supported on
legs like a table, and poured the hissing
mass upon it.

“Oh, it will all run over and be
spoiled!” cried Julia Burney.

“No, Julia,” said Carrie, with a slight
touch of superiority in her tone. “No,
Julia, you see it doesn’t run over, for there’s
a rim all around the table.”

“Why, it is like a great marble slab,
isn’t it,” Julia replied ; “ but what do they
do so for?”

2
26 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“ Because that is for candy, and it is
poured there to cool. Here comes father,
and I am going to ask him to show you all
about it.”

Mr. Saybrook had seen the consterna-
tion in the little group as the boiling syrup
was poured on the cold marble, and he
came up to “ Wigwam Saybrook ”’ laughing
and saying:

“Did you think that we were going to
waste the syrup after all the trouble that
we had had with it?”

“Oh, I explained, father,” said Carrie,
“but won’t you please take the girls
around, and show them how it is all
done?”

“Yes indeed I will, and I will take them
now, for I have a little leisure and soon J

shall be busy again.”


THE SUGAR CAMP. 27

So the little party set off with their
kind leader to view all the states that the
sap passed through, from the clear fluid as
it came from the tree, that looked like
water, and tasted like water with a little
sugar in it, tothe marble slabs that were
covered with the cooling candy. He
poured a ladleful of the syrup upon some
fresh snow, when it hardened into strings
that the children ate and found delicious.

By the time that the children had seen
all the wonders, they began to feel hungry,
and asked Mr. Saybrook what time it was.

“ Just twelve,” he replied.

“Then we can have our lunch,” said
Kitty. “Let us go back to ‘ Wigwam Say-
brook,’ and arrange it.”

So they all trooped back in great glee,
to unpack their baskets. As each little


28 THE SUGAR CAMP.



girl opened hers she announced its con
tents to the others. :

Annie Carleton had brought some rolls
and some hard-boiled eggs—six of them, all
of different colors, blue, red, green, gray,
purple, brown, and pink. On the sides of
each egg was a white letter marking it.
Kitty’s was red, with a white K and B on
it. Julia Burney had a brown one witha
J, and Kathie had a green one witha K.
Nancy Blair’s was blue, with a white N, and
Annie’s was gray, while Carrie had a pretty
pink one.

“Oh, Annie, how perfectly lovely?”
they all cried admiringly. “ How did you
do them?”

Annie looked very much pleased at the
delight that her contribution had excited :
but she only said, very modestly: ;
THE SUGAR CAMP. 29

“JT hoped that you would think them
pretty.”

“They are beautiful, but how did you
make the white letters?”

“ Well, I will tell you, but you mustn’t
tell any one, for I want to make some for
the fair at Easter. I cut the letters out of
some thin rubber cloth that mamma gave
me,and then I pasted them on the eggs
before they were put into the colored
water to boil. Then after they were fin-
ished and quite dry, I sopped the letters
very carefully with hot water and pulled
them off, and of course it was all white
underneath in the shape of the letter.”

“Mine has two letters,” said Kitty,
turning it around in her hands.

“Yes,” said Annie. “You see that

Kitty invited us all, so I thought hers
30 THE SUGAR CAMP.

ought to be a little finer than the rest, and
then Kathie’s name begins with a K, too,
and that was another reason for putting on
two letters.”

Kitty rose from her seat on the buffalo
robes, went up to her friend, and in her
solemn little way kissed her and gave her
a hug; then, walking back to her place, she
laid her egg very carefully by her side
and said: :

“Tshall never eat this egg, but I shall
keep it as a souvenir.”

“ What does that mean?” asked Nancy
Blair. ‘“Su— su— How did you say it,
Kitty ?”

“ S-o-u-v-e-n-i-r, souvenir,” said Kitty.
“Tt is a French word, and it means to
remember things by. It is on a ring that

mamma has that belonged to grandmamma,
THE SUGAR CAMP. 31

and she told me what it meant. So I shall
always keep this beautiful egg to remem-
ber Annie and the sugar-camp by.”

“AndItoo! And I too!” said all the
others.

Then Kitty opened her basket, and
there on the top were six of Mary Ann’s
delicious apple-turnovers.

“ There,” said Kitty triumphantly; “I
told you so, Mary Ann! I knew that it
was apple-turnovers, and Mary Ann does
make such nice ones: and here is cold
chicken, and bread and butter too.”

‘““We have sandwiches made of beef,
and some milk biscuit,” said Julia Burney.

“And I have some made of ham, and
some pickles,” said Nancy Blair, putting
out of her basket a tumbler full of large

green pickles.
32 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“Why, Nancy,” said Kitty, with great
surprise, “does your mamma allow you to
eat those? My mamma says that they are
not good for little girls.”

“Oh, yes,” Nancy replied, “they are
good for me, I eat ’em all the time;” and
suiting the action to the word, she took up
one, and proceeded to munch it with great
satisfaction.

“Perhaps that is what makes your
hair red,” suggested Kitty. ‘My mamma
doesn’t allow me to eat them, and my hair
isn’t red, and Annie can’t eat them either,
and her hair is brown. I shouldn’t wonder
if—”

“My mamma’s hair is red, and I am
very glad that mine is, and I don’t think
you are very polite, Kitty Bourne.”

“T think your hair is a very nice color,”
——

THE SUGAR CAMP. 33

said Annie quickly; “and it is longer
and thicker than any girl’s in school. I
shouldn’t wonder if it would be down
to your feet when you are a young lady.”

Nancy smiled, and a pleased expression
took the place of the frown that Kitty’s
thoughtless words had called forth.

Just then Mr. Saybrook passed by the
wigwam. He stopped and looked in at the
happy little party. .

“Lunch time, is it? Don’t you want to
warm some of your eatables? There isa
clean flat stone in front of this fire that you
could put anything on, and it would soon
be as hot as you please.”

“There comes mother!” cried Carrie ;
and she ran to meet Mrs. Saybrook, who
was coming toward them with a basket on
her arm. She smiled as she saw the happy

2*


34 THE SUGAR CAMP.

little group, and when she reached the wig-
wam, she said:

“Well, children, I think I need not ask
you if you are having a good time. I am
sure I never saw a happier looking party.”

“ Oh, Mrs. Saybrook, we are having such
a beautiful time,” they all shouted, their
fresh young voices ringing out into the air.

“T hope that we are not troubling
Mr. Saybrook,” said Annie Carleton, who
was always thinking of the convenience
of others.

“Oh no, my dear! Mr. Saybrook is
always glad to have visitors to his camp,
and we are both very glad to have Carrie’s
friends come to see her. The poor child
has missed her school sadly, but I hope in
a day or two to let her go again. The

sugar-making is nearly over now, and I
THE SUGAR CAMP. 35

shall not need her any longer. You willbe
glad to go back to your studies and your
playmates, won’t you, dear?” and Mrs.
Saybrook kissed her child’s rosy cheek.

“Yes, mamma, as soon as you can get
on without me,” said Carrie.

“And now let me open my basket, and
see if there isn’t something in it to add to
your lunch.” So saying, she took out a
bottle of milk and some apples, which she
gave the children to roast on the stone
before the fire.

“You had better put them down right
away,” she said, “for it will take them
some time to be thoroughly cooked.”

What fun the children had in arranging
their feast! The napkins from all the
baskets were collected and spread on the

buffalo skins, to form a table-cloth.
36 THE SUGAR CAMP.



“Tf it were only summer,” said Kitty,
““we could have leaves for plates.”

“T know what will be just as nice as
leaves,” said Carrie; and off she ran out of
sight, but in another moment had returned
with a large piece of clean birch-bark. This
the girls cut into plates with the aid of
Mrs. Saybrook’s scissors that she always
wore hanging by her side, the points cov-
ered with a leather sheath.

As they were cutting out the plates
they looked across the fields, and saw Car-
rie’s grandmamma walking slowly along,
leaning on Phoebe, Mrs. Saybrook’s little
“maid.

“How I wish grandma could see our
wigwam !”’ said Carrie.

“It would be too long a walk for her,”

her mother replied. “She can only go a


































































THE SUGAR CAMP. 39



very short distance over the snow without
being tired.”

After the dishes were finished to their
satisfaction, they placed them upon the
table-cloth, and then they proceeded to
arrange all the different eatables upon
them. Annie’s eggs, after being duly ad-
. mired by Mrs. Saybrook, occupied the
place of honor in the middle of the cloth,
and around it were arranged all the other
good things. Mrs. Saybrook disapproved
of the pickles for the children as much as
Kitty had, but Mr. Saybrook, who looked
in upon the merry little party, accept-
ed some without any hesitation, and he
and Nancy finished the tumbler between
them, and appeared to enjoy them very
much.

By the time that they had finished the


40 THE SUGAR CAMP.





substantials, the apples were roasted, and
they and the apple turn-overs were pro-
nounced delicious.

“ And now,” said Mrs. Saybrook, “it is
after one o’clock, and you: had better be
getting ready to go back to the house, for
I want you to rest there, before you start
for your walk home.”

So the children put the napkins into
their respective baskets, and then went on .
to say good-by to Mr. Saybrook, who had
gone away to superintend some work. As
they walked along to meet him, they met
the sledge that they had ridden upon when
they came over to the camp. They asked
the man who drove it, if he were going back
the same way, but he said fe had to go in
another direction; so, after shaking hands

with Carrie’s father, and thanking him for




THE SUGAR CAMP. 43

his kindness, they walked back to the farm-
house.

When they reached the pleasant sitting-
room, Mrs. Saybrook made them take off
their hats, and coats, and rubbers, and then
she felt of their feet to see that they were
perfectly dry; then, after they had all
washed their faces and hands, they sat
down and were quite astonished to find
that they were a little tired after all. Car-
rie had a new book that her father had
given her on her birth-day, and while the
little girls rested, Mrs. Saybrook read to
them.

After half an hour spent in this way,
the children began to make themselves
ready for their walk home. Carrie had a
little sister about three years old, who
was full of fun and mischief. While the
44 THE SUGAR CAMP.

reading had been in progress, May, for that
was her name, had crept softly out of
the room and had gone into the kitchen.
There she spied on a shelf, quite above her
reach, a brightly painted mug that she
thought would make a charming plaything ;
but how to reach it was a puzzling ques-
tion. There was a chair standing near, and
after a good deal of trouble, May suc-
ceeded in dragging it up to the wall; then
she mounted it, and standing on the tips
of her little toes she stretched her chubby
arm up as far as she could reach, in the
vain endeavor to unhook the coveted prize.
Just then Mrs. Saybrook looked about the
room for her baby, and not seeing her'‘she
told Carrie to run into the kitchen, and see
if she were there.

Carrie opened thewdoor, and saw hei




THE SUGAR CAMP. 47

looking so pretty in her mischief, that she
beckoned to her mother to come and see
her, and they all crept softly to the door
and peeped in. Mrs. Saybrook smiled and
said, “ My pretty pet,’ and then, fearing
the child might fall, she went quietly in,
and lifted her down from her perilous
position.

. Little May seemed very much aston-
ished when she found herself in her
mother’s arms, and looked wistfully at the
mug for a moment; then, with great phi-
losophy, she laid her curly head down on
her shoulder and said:

“Dat’s not pitty! May not want it at
all. No!”

The children all laughed, and went back
to the sitting-room to put on their over-

shoes and mittens; then, bidding their kind
48 THE SUGAR CAMP.

hostess and Carrie good-by, they started
on their homeward walk.

It had grown cold, and the clouds had
gathered while they had been in the house,
and before they had gone more than a few
yards a snow-flake fell on Kitty’s nose, as
she was looking up at the sky, and then
one came on Nancy Blair’s forehead, and
in another moment the air was quite thick
with them. Then they heard some one call-
ing, “ Girls, girls! Mother says come back.”

They all turned around, and there was
Carrie running toward them, a shawl over
her head. As soon as she reached the
children she said:

“Mother says that you must come
back, for it is going to snow, and father
will send you home in the sleigh.”

“Oh, the snow won’t hurt us,” said


THE SUGAR CAMP. 49
Nancy. “I think it will be all the more

fun to walk home.”

“But the sleigh ride will be fun too,”
said Julia Burney.

“And if Mrs. Saybrook says that we
must not walk, we must do as she says,”
said Kitty. So they all ran back to the
house, while the snow-flakes fell thick and
fast around them.

They found May in her high chair, gaz-
ing at the snow with great interest. She
looked at them as they came trooping
in, and after regarding them in silence for
a moment she said, with a great deal of
earnestness,

“ Little dirls, do home.”

“Why May,” said Carrie, “you don’t
want them to go home in the snow and get
wet, and then perhaps they would be sick?”

3


50 THE SUGAR CAMP.

“Es. Little dirls did say dood-by, and
they must do home to their mammas.”

“They are going home in a few minutes,
my pet,” said Mrs. Saybrook. “Papa will
harness the horses to the sleigh, and then
he will drive the little girls home to their
mammas, so that they won’t take any cold.”

“Do you think I might go too, mam-
ma?” Carrie asked.

“Oh please, please, Mrs. Saybrook,”
they all cried.

“Yes, dear, I think you may. You must
wrap up warmly.”

So Carrie flew off to put on her things
before the sleigh should come.

“May, can’t you show the little girls
your pussy-cat?”’

“Oh es,” said May, clambering down

from her chair. “Tome, little dirls, and
THE SUGAR CAMP. 51

I'll show you my pussy cat;” and she
opened the door into the kitchen.

There, on the floor, in the middle of the
room, sat Mrs. Cat, a beautiful soft creature
with thick striped fur. She had founda
spool of thread, which she had been playing
with, and it was unwound from the spool
and entangled in her paws.

“Oh, you dear pussy,” cried Annie
Carleton, and she stooped down and took
herupinherarms. Kitty struggled a little
for a moment, and then as Annie sat down
she settled herself in her lap and began to
purr very contentedly.

“What is her name?” asked Nancy.

“Patience, said Carrie. “ May was
always carrying her in her arms when she
was a kitten, and half the time her head

was hanging down and her tail was in the
52 THE SUGAR CAMP.

air: and she used to pull the poor thing’s
fur and hurt her a good deal without mean-
ing to. But pussy was always so good,
and though she gave a little mew now
and then, when May htrt her, yet she
never scratched her, and so mamma said
that her name ought to be Patience.”

“Come and see how soft her fur is,
Kitty,” said Annie.

“T don’t like cats much,” said Kitty,
shrinking away a little.

Oh, but just come and stroke her back.
You won’t hurt her, will you, pussy ?”

“ Are you afraid of cats,’ asked Mrs.
Saybrook.

“She ought not to be, when her own
name is Kitty,” laughed Nancy, who was
afraid of nothing.

“TI am not exactly afraid,” said Kitty,
=























THE SUGAR CAMP. 5s



“but they make me shiver. Mamma says
that I have a natural aversion to them, but
that I ought to try to overcome it, and lam
trying ;”’ and the child went to Annie’s side
and put out her hand timidly to touch
Patience.

Annie took the little hand and laid it
softly on pussy’s back, and Kitty stroked
her gently until Mrs. Saybrook, who saw
what an effort she was making, said :

“ There, Kitty, I think you have tried
enough for one day. I am sure that if
you strive as earnestly to overcome all
your faults as I see you are trying to over-
come this weakness, you will grow into a
strong and good woman. You must re-
member, children, that you can’t stand still
in your moral growth, any more than in

your physical. That is pretty hard to un-


56 THE SUGAR CAMP.



derstand, isn’t it? Well, 1 will try to make
it plainer.

“You know that as years go on, your
arms and legs and bodies must grow larger
and larger; and even when you have at-
tained to what people call your growth,
your flesh keeps changing, your muscles
grow harder, and your bones more and
more firmly knit. Now, if you eat good
nourishing food, and take plenty of exercise
and live in a healthy way, your bodies will
grow stronger and more healthy each day;
but if you eat things that perhaps taste
good, but that will not make good flesh
and blood—”’

“ Pickles?” said Kitty, looking archly
at Nancy.

“Yes,” said Mrs. Saybrook, smiling,

“too many pickles and candy, instead


THE SUGAR CAMP. 57



of good beef and bread, and your bodies,
which must grow in some way, for that
is God’s law, will grow sickly and feeble.
Now our souls need good food, and
plenty of exercise to make them grow
strong and healthy, only the food for souls
is holy and loving thoughts, and the exer-
cise that souls need is kind and brave
deeds. If you let your souls feed on un-
kind thoughts, and never make them
strong by resisting temptation, they will
never be able to ‘ fight the good fight’. that
we must all fight, if we want to gain the
crown of life. But,dearme! Thereis the
sleigh, and I have preached quite aser-
mon. Good-by, my pets! You must come
again as soon as your mammas can spare
you;”’ and with another kiss and hug all

around, they were soon tucked warmly

2k


58 THE SUGAR CAMP.



into the sleigh. Just as they were start-
ing off, Phoebe threw open the window,
and calling toa boy who was shovelling
away some snow, handed him some money,
which he brought to Mr. Saybrook in the
sleigh.

“Mrs. Saybrook wants to know if you
will please leave this at Mrs. Carter’s cot-
tage. It is to pay for some sewing that
she has done for Mrs. Saybrook.”

“ Allright,” said the farmer, and touch-
ing up the horses off they drove through
the fast falling snow, the children cuddling
down among the buffalo robes and enjoy-
ing to the utmost the swift, exhilarat-
ing motion. They were going along very
smoothly, when the runners struck against
something hidden in the snow, and in an

instant over went the sleigh, throwing









































































































aaa


THE SUGAR CAMP. 61

them all out into a drift. The horses, who
were perfectly gentle, stood as quietly as
if they had been tied, and the whole party
laughed merrily at their tumble.

“ Anybody hurt?” asked Mr. Say-
brook, picking up the children and brushing
the light snow from their clothes.

“Oh no!” they all cried, and scrambled
back into the sleigh, which had righted
itself.

Then Mr. Saybrook looked about to
see what had caused the disaster, and found
that a log of wood had done the mischief.
It had evidently fallen from a wagon load
that had passed by, and the snow had cov-
ered it over, so that it looked very harm-
less. He lifted it up and carried it to the

side of the road and leaned it against a


62 THE SUGAR CAMP,





tree, where it could do no more harm, and
then mounting his seat drove on again.
Just as they came to the bridge where
they had stopped in the morning, they
saw a large double sleigh with four horses
coming toward them. Mr. Saybrook
turned to the side of the road to let them
pass, and the merry party dashed by.
Meanwhile Mrs. Bourne was anxiously
watching the snow-storm. She had had
one of her poor days, and had been suffer-
ing much from neuralgia. She was sitting
before the fire now, with a thick cap on to
keep her aching head warm, and with a
soft shawl about her shoulders. Just as
she was wishing that she were strong
enough to walk to the window to see if the
storm was very bad, Tommy came in.

“Oh, Tommy,” said his mamma eagerly,


































THE SUGAR CAMP. 65

“has much snow fallen? Iam so anxious
about Kitty.”

“Oh no, mamma; the flakes are big
and make a good deal of fuss about it, but
the top of the gate-post that was bare this

’

morning has only so much on it now;” and
Tommy measured about a quarter of an
inch on his fore-finger. ‘ Yousee, mamma,
Kit couldn’t possibly come to grief in such
a little snow-flurry as that. Besides I’m
sure that they hadn’t left Mr. Saybrook’s
before it came on. Girls chatter so that
you can’t ever get ’em started,and Iexpect .
Mr. Saybrook will bring them all home in
his sleigh. Ill go out and watch by the
gate, and let you know the minute they
come in sight.”

“That is my own good boy,” said Mrs.

Bourne.. “ You are growing every day more
66 THE SUGAR CAMP.



and more of a comfort to your mamma,
Tommy.”

“TI wouldn’t be much of a chap if I
didn’t try to be a comfort to such a ‘ dar-
ling poor suffering mamma,’ as Kit calls
you.” So saying, and whistling in a very
manly fashion, the sturdy little fellow
trudged out to take up his post of watch-
man.

Before many minutes had passed, in he
rushed, shouting:

“Iwas right! I was right! Here they
come in Mr. Saybrook’s sleigh, as jolly as
can be!”

“Oh, I am so glad!” said Mrs. Bourne.
“Tommy, won’t you go to your papa’s
study, and ask him to go to the sleigh and
bring Kitty in.” |

“All right,” and off he rushed like a


THE SUGAR CAMP. 69

young whirlwind into his father’s study,
and in another moment with a whoop and
halloo was out-of-doors.

“What is that you want me to do, my
dear?” asked Mr. Bourne, coming in from
his study, his pen in his hand and his hair
in a great frowzle. “Tommy just rushed in
to ask me to do something, but he was in
such a state of excitement that I could
make nothing out of what he said.”

“ Mr. Saybrook has brought Kitty home
in his sleigh, and I wanted you to go out
and bring the child in. I am afraid she
may get her feet wet in the snow.”

“Oh yes, certainly,” and putting on his
hat and over-coat, Mr. Bourne hastened out
to the sleigh, and taking Kitty in his arms,
brought her in, after thanking Mr. Saybrook

for his kindness in bringing her home.
7O THE SUGAR CAMP.

“Oh, that is nothing,” said Mr. Say-
brook. “Do you think Mrs. Bourne could
find room in her pantry for this?” and he
lifted a great stone jug out of the bottom
of the sleigh. “Mrs. Saybrook thought
she might like to taste some of our syrup,
and so I brought along two or three gal-
lons of it for her.”

“ Thank you very much indeed, Mr.
Saybrook. I should think from the size of
the jug that there was enough in it for a
good many tastes. Please tell your wife
that Mrs. Bourne will be very much pleased,
and we shall all enjoy her kind present.”

Then Kitty said good-by to them all,
and her father carried her in his arms
through the snow to the house.

Thus ended Kitty’s visit to the sugar-

camp.


















ALAND St
Se

FACHAPMAN DEL