A Blackberry Tea in the Woods.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXV, Issue IX, 1 September 1900, Page 423

A Blackberry Tea in the Woods.

A STORY THAT WILL MAKE Y(H? FORGET THAT WINTER ISN'T OVER YET. "Just think!” And Claude rushed, hand in hand, into the schoolroom. "The blackberries are ripe!” And he held out a very hot hand, with four very black and very squashed berries in it. There was a shout of delight from the other children, who crowded round to see such a wonderful sight. “Oh, let us go and get some!" And Evelyn turned towards the door as if she would start all in a moment. “My dear Evelyn, in your slippers and no hat?” And Miss Maynail, the governess, and the rest of the children all began to laugh. “But really, may we go and get some? Just think what fun it will be. and it's a half-holiday, and we have all been so very, very good!” And Evelyn stole a little coaxing arm round the governess' neck, while Marjorie kissed her, and Claude and Horace stood close beside her and begged very hard. “Well, if you promise to be very good ami bring back enough blackberries for tea you shall go.” But such a cry went up at this. “But mayn’t we have tea out in the woods? We will carry the kettle and all the baskets, and you sha'n’t have any bother. Do. please, dear Miss Maynail." “Very well, if you carry everything you shall go; and if Claude likes to take his camera, we will all take photographs.” How everyone rushed about after this, and cook was nearly distracted by being asked for cake, milk, bread and butter. Horace took six of his bantams' eggs, while Winnie had a box of chocolates, saved from her birthday last week, that was to grace the feast. Five white baskets went as well, and everyone had a crooked stick to push down the vines with. Bounce, the collie, begged to come with them, while Tommy, the fox-ter-rier. never waited to be asked, but started off well ahead of them. “Please, let me earrv the kettle." Claude had asked; so he and the kettle went first with Miss Maynall. while Horace had his camera and the teathings, while the two trirls shared the cakes and the cream between them.

Through the garden, past the rosebushes. and info the shady lane and across the meadows to the wood they all went laughing and running races until the tea-cups danced about, ami a nice brown cake jumped right out from its basket into the dusty path, when Bruce gobbled it up with one big gulp. So after that everyone walked

more slowly, and no more provisions got spilt. “Put the baskets heie in the shade, and Bruce shall lie near ami look after them with me; while you go in two parties and pick for an hour and ahalf. and the ones whose baskets are fullest will get prizes. And when you hear my whistle come back to tea." Ami in a minute more Miss Maynall and Bruce and the baskets were left all alone under the oak tree, and the others had run off to the sunny glade, where the blackberries grew the thickest.

“We will pick on the right, and you on the left, and if we poach we will lose the prize.” 111. Well, this is a swindle! No robins, no canaries—nothing but grown-up ducks and turkeys and geese! And the sort of things they like for supper instead of what I like! So Horace and Winnie were soon busy with the brambles that grew up the side of an old gravel pit, while the others rushed to the low ones that trailed all over the little glade on the other side, and Tommy ran about and barked at the rabbits.

“Ours are as big as gooseberries!" shouted Winnie from her bank, where, with black fingers and torn pinafore, she was picking berries as if she had to work for her living.

"What a pity they aren't bigger! Ours are like plums!” was shouted back scornfully from the other side, where you could see nothing of Marjorie except a big white sun-bonnet above the green leaves. Suddenly Claude heard a faint mew. ns if a. eat had goit lost in the woods. "I am sure that's a eat! I must go and see; it sounds so very ssul.” "You will lose the prize if you go." pleaded Marjorie. "Wait till we hear the whistle for tea.” "But that won't be for hours yet, and it may die before then.” And Claude laid down his basket and ran towards the sound . "Kitty! Kitty!" he called. And suddenly, almost at his feet, he heard it again, and there, caught in a trap, was a poor white kitten that could not move because its leg was held so tight. She just, held up the other paw as Claude came near, and never moved till he had opened the trap and set her free. It took so long that when he took her up in his arms he heard the whistle and had to go to tea. So he and Marjorie didn't win the prize, which was a box of candied fruit; but Marjorie didn't mind, l>eeause Claude gave her the kitten, that travelled home in the empty cakebasket. And all the blackberries they didn't eat t.hev took back for breakfast. (The End.)