November 1920 School Magazine

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November,

1920.

BRISBANE GIRLS' GRAMMAR SCHOOL MAGAZINE.

escaped over the fence. They are shown the ladder leading to the barn loft, and in a few minutes they are rolling in the sweet-smelling hay. They are suddenly disturbed by loud bellowing, and Jack proudly informs them that it is the bull who got special prize at the last :'how. They go down to the fields and ride up on a waggon of freshly-cut hay. In this way the days pass. Sometimes they go for a raspberry hunt up the creek, and on another day they go for a picnic, while one datiy they lished in the dam for crayfish. In a short time the holidays are over and the children make preparations to return. They had come up eager for a holiday and were going back full of pleasant memories of the days that were spent at the farm. V. C., II. A. they have passed the rising ground, anmi evi- dently intend to go no furtheri. l,'or here there is ,a tiny blrooklet running under the road. They climb, carefully down the L,.nk and over Uie stones at tie edge :andtl, stooping over the shallow water, begin th> hunt. W\'hat are they hunting? Why, tadpoles, of course! I'p one side of the brook and down the other; rushing to places where the water appears quite black with the "tadlies" wriggling hap- pily among the reeds; little squeals as one of the children slips ankle-deep in the cold water; a triunmphant "I've got such a beauty!" or a timid little cry. "Jack, hold Ie, I'rn slip- ping!" All this tells something of the excite- ment of the tilny hunt'nien. Of course, it is not long before they are wet through, but I defy any water, most r t :ill water with tad- poles in it, to damp suc h ardour. Tired with their hunt. they decide to sit down and enjoy their little hampers. which they had so care- fully carried with them, before sta.rting for home. It is already dusk when two weary. dirty, and very wet child ren gather up their belongings includinlg two Jars full of tadpoles andl trudge hoie to slihow their spolls to an admiring (? family And the tadpoles are so happy, for haven't they corks in the jar to sit on when they get tired, and beautiful new bread for supper! ). H., VI.

After breakfast they visit the poultry yard and, although they are frightened by the fero- cious aspect of the turkey gobbler, they enjoy watching the ducklings ind chickens feed- ing, while they are much amused at the plain- tive cry of the guinea fowl, "Come back! Come back!" They chase the ducks to the pond and are gathering the eggs from the bantam's yar.! when a call comes to Jack to bring them to see the horses. There are many ponies and' horses, and in a separate stable there ate two valuable racehorses. They have several pInie-i saddled and the children are given their first riding lesson. After their lesson they go to, see the sheep and goats. In a st'na'aie pena is a ram who is noted for tossing young peo- ple, and Jack can remember the time he just Two children, brother and sister, are hurry- ing along a path through a flnower nursery. Now, from sheer excess of animal spirits, they chase each other at full speed; now they pause to look at a particularly gay flower, not in- frequently they quarrel Itut one of them h:c- caught sight of the gate which oplen.s into to.' road and, with a lefiant "Heat you to the' gate!" soon outdistances her brother. Then for five minutes they struggle with the stub- born gate, clanmberlng up on its rungs before they can reach the- clasp. At last it is open and the two chillren hurry on to the white road. On each side there is a stretch of grass; to the left, a wide expense of heath with a few desolate evergreen trees scattered here and there; to the right, the nursery bor- ders the road for a little way, t.nd then a green field Is separated from the road by a steep bank where a few spring flowers are already nestling among the grass. Behind, the road turns sharply and is soon lost to sight; in front, it glitters in the bright spring sun for a considerable distance, rising over a tiny hil- lock and then turn turning aside to lose itself once again. It is a lonely, country place. and the passers-by are few, but the children take it in turn to ask the time of everyone they meet -- ust to see if their watches are right! And great*I their delight when some- one informs them it is half an hour earlier than the last person had told them. But

"A-Hunting We Will Go."

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