Every few days I followed the lane as far back as
the Big Gate. This stood where four fields cornered, and opened
into the road leading to the woods. Beyond it, I had walked on
Sunday afternoons with father while he taught me all the flowers,
vines, and bushes he knew, only he didn't know some of the prettiest
ones; I had to have books for them, and I was studying to learn
enough that I could find out. Or I had ridden on the wagon with
Laddie and Leon when they went to bring wood for the cookstove,
outoven, and big fireplace. But to walk! To go all alone! Not
that I didn't walk by myself over every other foot of the acres
and acres of beautiful land my father owned; but plowed fields,
grassy meadows, wood pasture, and the orchard were different.
I played in them without a thought of fear.
The only things to be careful about were a little,
shiny, slender snake, with a head as bright as mother's copper
kettle, and a big thick one with patterns on its back like those
in Laddie's geometry books, and a whole rattlebox on its tail;
not to eat any berry or fruit I didn't know without first asking
father; and always to be sure to measure how deep the water was
before I waded in alone. (Laddie 8)
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