THE PETERKINS' SUMMER JOURNEY

The Peterkins were planning to take a summer journey. In fact, it was their last summer's journey, for it had been planned then; but there had been so many difficulties that it had been delayed.

The first trouble had been about trunks. The family did not own a trunk suitable for traveling.

Agamemnon had his valise, that he had used when he stayed a week at a time at the academy; and a trunk had been bought for Elizabeth Eliza when she went to the seminary. Solomon John and Mr. Peterkin, each had his patent-leather handbag. But all these were too small for the family. And the little boys wanted to carry their kite.

Mrs. Peterkin suggested her grandmother's trunk. This was a hair trunk, very large and roomy. It would hold everything they would want to carry except what would go in Elizabeth Eliza's trunk, or the bags. Everybody was delighted at this idea. It was agreed that the next day the things should be brought into Mrs. Peterkin's room for her to see if they could all be packed.

"If we can get along," said Elizabeth Eliza, "without having to ask advice, I shall be glad!"

"Yes," said Mr. Peterkin, "it is time now for people to be coming to ask advice of us."

The next morning Mrs. Peterkin began by taking

out the things that were already in the trunk. Here were last year's winter things, and not only these, but old clothes that had been put away, Mrs. Peterkin's wedding dress and the skirts the little boys used to wear before they put on jackets and trousers.

All day Mrs. Peterkin worked over the trunk, putting away the old things, putting in the new. She packed up all the clothes she could think of, both summer and winter ones, because you never can tell what sort of weather you will have.

Agamemnon fetched his books, and Solomon John his spyglass. There were her own and Elizabeth Eliza's best bonnets in a bandbox; also Solomon John's hats, for he had an old one and a new one. He bought a new hat for fishing, with a very wide brim and deep crown, all of heavy straw.

Agamemnon brought down a large, heavy dictionary, and an atlas still larger. This contained maps of all the countries in the world.

"I have never had a chance to look at them," he said; "but when one travels then is the time to study geography."

Mr. Peterkin wanted to take his turning lathe. So Mrs. Peterkin packed his tool chest. It gave her some trouble, for it came to her just as she had packed her summer dresses. At first she thought it would help to smooth the dresses, and placed it on top; but she was forced to take all out, and set it at the bottom. This

was not so much matter, as she had not yet the right dresses to put in. Both Mrs. Peterkin and Elizabeth Eliza would need new dresses for the journey. The little boys' hoops went in; so did their India rubber

boots, in case it should not rain when they started. They each had a hoe and a shovel, and some baskets that were packed.

Mrs. Peterkin called in all the family on the evening of the second day to see how she had succeeded. Everything was packed, even the little boys' kite lay smoothly on the top.

"I like to see a thing so nicely done," said Mr. Peterkin.

The next thing was to cord up the trunk, and Mr. Peterkin tried to move it. But neither he, nor Agamemnon nor Solomon John could lift it alone, or all together.

Here was a serious difficulty. Solomon John tried to make light of it.

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Expressmen could lift it. Expressmen are used to such things."

"But we did not plan expressing it," said Mrs. Peterkin, in a discouraged tone.

"We can take a carriage," said Solomon John.

"I am afraid the trunk would not go on the back of a carriage," said Mrs. Peterkin.

"The hackman could not lift it either," said Mr. Peterkin.

"People do travel with a great deal of baggage," said Elizabeth Eliza.

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"But how to get it there?" Mr. Peterkin asked. "This is our first obstacle," said Agamemnon; we must do our best to conquer it."

"What is an obstacle?" asked the little boys.

"It is the trunk," said Solomon John.

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Suppose we look up the word in the dictionary," said Agamemnon, taking the large volume from the

trunk. Ah, here it is." And he read:

That is a worse word than the other," said one of the little boys.

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"But listen to this," and Agamemnon continued: Impediment is something that entangles the feet; obstacle, something that stands in the way; obstruction, something that blocks up the passage; hinderance, something that holds back."

"The trunk is all these," said Mr. Peterkin, gloomily.

"It does not entangle the feet," said Solomon John, "for it cannot move."

"I wish it could," said the little boys together.

Mrs. Peterkin spent a day or two taking the things out of the trunk and putting them away.

"At least," she said, "this has given me some experience in packing."

And the little boys felt as if they had been on quite a journey.

But the family did not like to give up their plan. It was suggested that they might take the things out of the trunk and pack it at the station; the little boys could go and come with the things. But Elizabeth Eliza thought the place would be too public.

Gradually the old contents of the great trunk went back into it again.

At length a friend unexpectedly offered to lend Mr. Peterkin a good-sized family trunk. But it was late in the season, and so the journey was put off for that summer.

But now the trunk had been sent round to the house,