I was sitting by my window one day, when who should
drive up to the door but Aunt Patty Pry. I was not at
all surprised to see her, for Aunt Patty is forever visit-
ing about among her friends and relations. She had now
come but to make a short visit, however; in her hand
she held an old Green Satchel. “ What have you there,
Aunt Patty?” I asked. “ Papers, child, papers,” said
she; “you know I was always fond of scribbling, and
fond of visiting, too; and among all my travels and visits,
I have seen and heard a great many interesting things ;
and in my lonely hours at home, I have written them out.
There are rhymes among them, too, which I have picked
up here and there; I intended some day to put them into
print, but I am getting too old to take that trouble now,
and if you have a mind to take them and put them to-
gether,” &c. &e. &e. In short, Aunt Patty and I made
an arrangement satisfactory to both - parties, by which I
was to introduce the stories to the young folks, who will
find in the present volume a small number of the pieces
which I found in the old “Green Satchel.”

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