Mr. Peterkin began as usual by helping the
children first, according to their age. Now Agamemnon, who liked
lean, got a fat slice; and Elizabeth Eliza, who preferred fat, had a
lean slice. Solomon John, who could eat nothing but lean, was
helped to fat, and so on. Nobody had what he could eat.
It was a rule of the Peterkin family, that no one should eat any of
the vegetables without some of the meat; so now, although the
children saw upon their plates apple-sauce and squash and tomato
and sweet potato and sour potato, not one of them could eat a
mouthful, because not one was satisfied with the meat. Mr. and
Mrs. Peterkin, however, liked both fat and lean, and were making
a very good meal, when they looked up and saw the children all
sitting eating nothing, and looking dissatisfied into their plates.
"What is the matter now?" said Mr. Peterkin.
But the children were taught not to speak at table. Agamemnon,
however, made a sign of disgust at his fat, and Elizabeth Eliza at
her lean, and so on, and they presently discovered what was the
difficulty.
"What shall be done now?" said Mrs. Peterkin.
They all sat and thought for a little while.
At last said Mrs. Peterkin, rather uncertainly, "Suppose we ask the
lady from Philadelphia what is best to be done."
But Mr. Peterkin said he didn't like to go to her for everything; let
the children try and eat their dinner as it was.
Pages:
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37