A GREAT EYE. ISI

ever will the farmer say—scattering them all over the field like
that!”

Nelly looked rather serious.

“ But if the farmer stings himself?” she began. ‘‘ Mother
rubs a dock-leaf on my hand when I do, and it cures me. I am
sure Farmer Stubbs will be glad of some dock-leaves; I saw
him cutting the hedge, and it was full of nettles, and I said
‘Mind you don’t sting yourself, Mr Stubbs.’ But he only
laughed.”

“T don’t think he will thank you to be sowing weeds
among his corn, miss. And—bless us!—how you do run
about! Can’t you walk by my side and hold my hand?”

But Nelly couldn't. She let Nurse hold her hand for
about half a minute, and then off she darted again—first to
see if she could not keep pace with a swallow, and next to race
a great black and yellow bee; that she might see which would
get to the flower first. Her bright eyes caught sight of the
waving scarlet tuft of poppies among the wheat just by the
lark’s nest.

“Oh! Nurse! I haven’t got one of those! I know mother
would like them. Please, please, please, dear Nurse—only this
- once. I won't want to go in again !—look, there is a little path
between two rows of corn. I am sure there’s room for me if
I squeeze my petticoats tight with both hands,” said Nelly,
almost tearful, she wanted the poppies so much.

“T’ll get them for you, missie,” said a voice behind. It
was Farmer Stubbs, with whom little Nelly was a great
favourite, as, indeed, she was with most people. ‘That sprack
little maid,” he called her, by which a Wiltshire farmer means
“that lively little girl,’ and he says “maid” so as to rhyme
with “ hide.”

Farmer Stubbs’s red face looked very pleasant when he