Page:The Story of Opal.djvu/282

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sheep. I think it must be nice to be a sheep—to be a mother sheep and have a little lamb. Children are such a blessing. When I did have my pail half full of berries, I did stop to pick out names for the twins I am going to have when I grow up. I did pick out sixteen names and then, being as I could not make decides between them, I did have decides to pick out names for them some other day. And I did begin at once to get that pail all full of elderberries.

When that was come to pass, I set the pail on a little stump. Brave Horatius stayed to guard it, and I did go the way that leads to the hill-top. I did have longings to dance. Most every day I do dance. I dance with the leaves and the grass. I feel thrills from my toes to my curls. I feel like a bird sometimes. Then I spread my arms for wings. And I go my way from stump to stump and on adown the hill. Sometimes I am a demoiselle

flitting near unto the water. Then I nod unto the willows and they nod unto me. They wave their arms and I wave mine. They wiggle their toes in the water a bit and I do so too. And every time we wiggle our toes we do drink into our souls the song of the brook—the glad song it is always singing. And the joy-song does sing on in our hearts. So did it to-day. And afterwards when I did go to get my pail of elderberries, they were gone. They were gone only a little way. Brave Horatius did have feelings those elderberries ought to be going to the