Jean Webster

“ The carriage had turned into the Willowbrook grounds, and was decorously rolling along between the smooth green lawns bordered by coloured foliage, the two ladies reclining against the cushions in placid contemplation of the summer noonday, when suddenly an ebullition of shouting and crying burst out across the shrubbery in the direction of the stables. It was not the mere joyous effervescence of animal spirits that had been gladdening Willowbrook for the past two weeks. There was an unmistakable note of alarm, a hoarser undertone, as of men joining in the tocsin. ”

“ Bobby waved his arms and set up a howl. An expression of terror was plainly visible struggling through the war-paint.
"Pete, Billy, Patrick! Quick! Quick! We can't untie him and he's burning! We did n't mean to burn him," he added quickly. "It's an accident."
"Burn what?" cried Mrs. Carter.
"Augustus," Bobby sobbed. ”

“ Brainard, running forward with outstretched arms, as the smoke again closed around him.
Peter caught her. "Stand back, ma'am. For heaven's sake, stand back! Ye 'll ketch yer dress. He ain't hurt none; the fire ain't reached him. I 'll save him," and whipping out his knife, Peter dashed into the smoke. He returned three minutes later, a mass of stripes and mingled grease kicking in his arms.
Mrs. Brainard, who had closed her eyes preparing to faint, opened them again and looked at Augustus. ”

“ It is such a relief to get them into the country, where they can have plenty of room to play and I can be sure they are not in mischief. They are so exuberant, that when we are stopping in a summer hotel I am always uneasy for fear they may disturb the guests. ”

“ Carter, in a sudden access of helplessness. "Peter, William, stop them! Thank them and send them home." She accosted the hook and ladder chief. "Tell them it's all over. Tell them that you yourself have already done everything that's necessary."
"Sorry, Mrs. Carter, but it's impossible. There has n't been a fire in this town for the last three months, and then it was only a false alarm. They 're sore enough as it is because we got here first. A little water won't hurt anything; we 're in need of rain. You go in the house, Mrs. Carter, and trust to me. ”

“ Yes, we got three visitin' kids; with Master Bobby it makes four, and I ain't drawed an easy breath since the mornin' they arrived. They keep up such an everlastin' racket that the people in the house can't stand them, an' we 've had them in the stables most o' the time. ”

“ What they needs is intilligent direction. Ye should try,' she says, 'to enter into the spirit o' their innocint divarsions; an' when ye see them doin' somethin' dangerous, gintly turn their thoughts into another channel. ”

“ But them's only the minor divarsions that occupy their leisure; they 're nothin' to the things they think of when they really get down to business. The first thing they done was to pretend the victoria was a pirate ship ”