ROBERT’S CLEARING. 71

*Q, no, Lucy,” said Ellen; “ you'll only cut
your fingers. It is harder to pare apples, than it
is to milk.”

The farmer’s wife then said that she had better
not attempt to pare any apples, but that she
might have some to eat; and she gave Lucy
two. Just then, Eben came in, out of a back
room, with the lantern in his hand. This re
minded Lucy of her errand, and so she told her
mother what Robert was going to do; and she
asked her if she had any objection to her going to
se@ him.

“Why, this is a serious question,” said her
mother. “Iam afraid it would not be quite safe.”

“ Why, Eben says,” replied Lucy, “ that they
often make fires in the wood, and they never get
burnt.”

«But you’d be in more danger than Eben,”
said her mother.

‘Why, mother?” asked Lucy.

“ Because,” said her mother, “ in the first place,
you are not so accustomed to fires in the woods,
and wouldn’t know so well where the danger
would lie. Besides, your clothes are of cotton,
and, if they should take fire, they would burn very
fast; but Eben’s are woollen.”

Lucy looked at her clothes, and at Eben’s.