Virginia Bennett

“ Nothing was new in the old house, everything had been made years and years ago when there was no machinery, and chairs and furniture had to be turned by hand; for that reason people who made them took more pains than they do now, so that they would last a long time, and only the colours in the brocades had faded and the silk worn away in the cross-stitch work of the antimacassars. [14]
Laurie went from room to room with Aunt Laura, looking at everything. “Will you show me the cow-pitcher, Aunt Laura?” ”

“ High overhead, was the dove-cote [25] on the wagon house. “Do the pigeons fly far away, Uncle Sam? and what are they always doing?” asked Laurie when he had watched them for some time. “They fly ever so far away, Laurie,” answered Uncle Sam, “but always come back again. Some pigeons you know, the carrier pigeons, carry messages, but I do not think this kind is used for that purpose.” Meantime Aunt Laura had come out to scatter corn to the chickens, who, seeing her approach, hurried to meet her on all sides, until she stood surrounded by the pretty feathered creatures. ”

“ Ever so many children had been born there, and had grown up under its sheltering roof, loved, married and had gone out into the world; it was a very old house, and could have told wonderful stories if any one had listened to them ”

“ The pigeon led the way up the stair, at the top of which was a rough wooden door. “We must leave a message here,” said he, tapping on the door, and after waiting some time, Laurie thought he heard a gruff voice say, “To-who-to-who?” “Why doesn’t he come and see instead of asking?” thought Laurie, but just then the door opened, and an old owl put out his head.
[53]
CHAPTER V. The owl looked very sleepy, and blinked his eyes very hard. “He must have been asleep,” said Laurie to himself, “owls always do sleep in the day-time I suppose.” ”

“ Laurie thanked them very much and said [50] he would like to come again, which was very true indeed, and he said in his most “grown up way” that he had had a delightful time, and the squirrels seemed pleased and nodded again, and the same old squirrel, who must have been the door-keeper, for he kept jingling a great bunch of keys in his hands, now led the way down the winding stair again, until they reached what must have been the cellar part of the tree, where the squirrels kept their stores for the winter. ”

“ I beg your pardon,” said Laurie, feeling very much frightened indeed, “I didn’t mean to be rude, but all the birds and animals on the farm here [54] have such a curious way of knowing what I’m thinking.” The owl paid no attention to him, however, but opened the door wider for them to enter, and Laurie, keeping close behind the pigeon, stepped in. The owl was evidently a bachelor, for his room was very untidy ”

“ He was terribly hoarse, [59] too, from the damp weather, and it made his voice sound like a rusty hinge that needed oiling. “Cock-a-doodle-doo!” he said to Laurie, and Laurie bowed the best way he could, which was not very easy considering that he was standing on the top of the barn roof. “So you are the little boy who has come to visit at the farm-house; I saw you drive in. I see everything and everybody, people come and people go ”