Mr. Peterkin had set out to find a
copy of the "Declaration." Agamemnon had disappeared. She had
not a moment to decide about her headache.
She asked Ann Maria if she were not anxious about the fireworks,
and if rockets were not dangerous. They went up, but you were
never sure where they came down.
And then came a fresh tumult! All the fire-engines in town rushed
toward them, clanging with bells, men and boys yelling! They
were out for a practice and for a Fourth-of-July show.
Mrs. Peterkin thought the house was on fire, and so did some of
the guests.
There was great rushing hither and thither. Some thought they
would better go home; some thought they would better stay. Mrs.
Peterkin hastened into the house to save herself, or see what she
could save. Elizabeth Eliza followed her, first proceeding to
collect all the pokers and tongs she could find, because they could
be thrown out of the window without breaking. She had read of
people who had flung looking-glasses out of the window by
mistake, in the excitement of the house being on fire, and had
carried the pokers and tongs carefully into the garden. There was
nothing like being prepared. She had always determined to do the
reverse. So with calmness she told Solomon John to take down the
looking-glasses. But she met with a difficulty,there were no
pokers and tongs, as they did not use them. They had no open
fires; Mrs.
Pages:
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85