The Peterkin Papers   By: Lucretia P. (Lucretia Peabody) Hale (1820-1900)

THE

PETERKIN PAPERS

BY

LUCRETIA P. HALE

With Illustrations

SEVENTH EDITION.

BOSTON AND NEW YORK

HOUGHTON, MIFFLIN AND COMPANY

The Riverside Press, Cambridge.

1893

Copyright, 1880

By JAMES R. OSGOOD & COMPANY

and 1886

By TICKNOR & COMPANY

THE PETERKIN PAPERS

Dedicated

TO MEGGIE

(THE DAUGHTER OF THE LADY FROM PHILADELPHIA)

TO WHOM THESE STORIES WERE FIRST TOLD

PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION OF THE PETERKIN PAPERS.

The first of these stories was accepted by Mr. Howard M. Ticknor for the "Young Folks." They were afterwards continued in numbers of the "St. Nicholas."

A second edition is now printed, containing a new paper, which has never before been published, "The Peterkins at the Farm."

It may be remembered that the Peterkins originally hesitated about publishing their Family Papers, and were decided by referring the matter to the lady from Philadelphia. A little uncertain whether she might happen to be at Philadelphia, they determined to write and ask her.

Solomon John suggested a postal card. Everybody reads a postal, and everybody would read it as it came along, and see its importance, and help it on. If the lady from Philadelphia were away, her family and all her servants would read it, and send it after her, for answer.

Elizabeth Eliza thought the postal a bright idea. It would not take so long to write as a letter, and would not be so expensive. But could they get the whole subject on a postal?

Mr. Peterkin believed there could be no difficulty, there was but one question:

Shall the adventures of the Peterkin family be published?

This was decided upon, and there was room for each of the family to sign, the little boys contenting themselves with rough sketches of their india rubber boots.

Mr. Peterkin, Agamemnon, and Solomon John took the postal card to the post office early one morning, and by the afternoon of that very day, and all the next day, and for many days, came streaming in answers on postals and in letters. Their card had been addressed to the lady from Philadelphia, with the number of her street. But it must have been read by their neighbors in their own town post office before leaving; it must have been read along its way: for by each mail came piles of postals and letters from town after town, in answer to the question, and all in the same tone: "Yes, yes; publish the adventures of the Peterkin family."

"Publish them, of course."

And in time came the answer of the lady from Philadelphia:

"Yes, of course; publish them."

This is why they were published.

CONTENTS.

THE LADY WHO PUT SALT IN HER COFFEE

ABOUT ELIZABETH ELIZA'S PIANO

THE PETERKINS TRY TO BECOME WISE

MRS. PETERKIN WISHES TO GO TO DRIVE

THE PETERKINS AT HOME

WHY THE PETERKINS HAD A LATE DINNER

THE PETERKINS' SUMMER JOURNEY

THE PETERKINS SNOWED UP

THE PETERKINS DECIDE TO KEEP A COW

THE PETERKINS' CHRISTMAS TREE

MRS. PETERKIN'S TEA PARTY

THE PETERKINS TOO LATE FOR THE EXHIBITION

THE PETERKINS CELEBRATE THE "FOURTH"

THE PETERKINS' PICNIC

THE PETERKINS' CHARADES

THE PETERKINS ARE OBLIGED TO MOVE

THE PETERKINS DECIDE TO LEARN THE LANGUAGES

MODERN IMPROVEMENTS AT THE PETERKINS'

AGAMEMNON'S CAREER

THE EDUCATIONAL BREAKFAST

THE PETERKINS AT THE "CARNIVAL OF AUTHORS" IN BOSTON

THE PETERKINS AT THE FARM

THE PETERKIN PAPERS.

THE LADY WHO PUT SALT IN HER COFFEE.