Page:The Story of Opal.djvu/167

 CHAPTER XVII

Of Works to be Done; and how it Was that a Glad Light Came into the Eyes of the Man who Wears Gray Neckties and Is Kind to Mice. 

works is done—and some more already too. There is enough barks in for to-day and to-morrow. And many kindlings are now in on the floor by the big wood-box. I have had my dinner at the noontime and I went into the barn. There were little sad sounds in the stall. It was the moos of Mathilde Plantagenet. Now I have thinks her moos were moos for some dinner at noontime. She has breakfast at morningtime and supper she has at gray-light-time. But when noontime is come, Mathilde Plantagenet is here in the barn, and her mother, the most gentle Jersey cow, is away out in the pasture. I have thinks there is needs for me to take Mathilde Plantagenet from the barn to the pasture at noontimes so she may have her dinner. I go now to so do.

I did give the latch of the barn-door a slip back. Then I led Mathilde Plantagenet out by the little rope I did use to use to lead Elizabeth Barrett Browning out by when she was a little calf. We went our way to the pasture-bars. I did give to one a push, and it made a drop down. Then I gave two more pushes, and they went drop downs. We went