22 CAROLINE.

 

Caroline is pleased with it. Phonny folds up his letter.

 

came, but they could not put it out. It burnt the house
all down and one of the barns.

“My half-hour is not quite out, and so I will tell you,
beside, that the men saved the other barn with wet
blankets. We want you to come home as soon as you
can.

“ Your affectionate friend,
“ AtpHONZO HENRY.”

When Phonny had finished reading the letter, he
looked up to Caroline with a smile. Caroline said that
it was a very good letter indeed.

“ And now, Bronk,” said Caroline, “ you may fold up
your letter and seal it, and put Beechnut’s name on the
outside, and then you may come out to play. Eldoranda
and I will go out now and get the playthings ready.”

So Phonny proceeded to fold and address his letter,
while Caroline and Malleville went away. Phonny liked
to fold and seal letters, for Beechnut had taught him to
do it, and he could do it well.

Caroline and Malleville went out through the hall into
the yard, and from the yard they went into the garden.
They met Mr. Short there wheeling away weeds in a
wheel-barrow. He was a small man, and bowed down
by age.

“Uncle Ben,” said Caroline, “TI have a great mind to
go and take a ride this afternoon, with Phonny and
Mateville.”

“ Yes,” said Mr. Short, “it is a very pleasant after-
noon.”

There was a horse in Mr. Keep’s barn that Caroline
had the privilege of using whenever she wished to take