Will's Wonder Book. Louisa May Alcott

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      I.

      "I JUST wish I had another story as good as that," exclaimed Will, as he turned the last page of 'Gulliver's Travels.'

      " I dare say I can find you something as interesting, and more profitable, perhaps," said grandma, looking down at the young gentleman lying in the grass at her feet. " I know what you'll advise, — ' Sandford and Merton,' ' Harry and Lucy,' or the ' Sequel to Frank.' I'm tired to death of 'em all, 'specially that prig of a Harry, with his everlasting barometer. I like 'Robinson Crusoe,' 'Swiss Family,' and 'Gulliver,' — all about queer places, and people, and the way they live," answered Will, with his boots higher than his head.

      " I could tell you about places, and creatures as curious and interesting as the Lilliputians, whom you like so much, if you cared to hear of them," replied grandma, placidly.

      " Can you? Where are they? " asked Will, surprised.

      " You are lying on one of them; and there is another just behind Polly."

      " Hullo! " cried Will, rolling over to look, while Polly stared about her, with a wild expression.

      " Yes; there are two wonderful cities, full of busy, brave, and accomplished little people, about whom you know nothing; though you see them every day," added grandma, nodding wisely.

      " I know what she means! I see 'em!", cried Polly, who " sat on a tuffit, like Miss Muffit," — not eating curds and whey, but making a pepelum for her doll Seraphina.

      " An ant-hill and the beehive are all I see," said Will, following Polly's quick eyes. "We know about them, of course."

      " Do you? Tell me how much?"

      "Well, ants live in the ground, and get in sugar-buckets, and bite; and bees make wax and honey, and buzz, and sting like fury," replied Will, briskly.

      " And how do they make their houses, and live, and work, and raise their little ones? " asked grandma.

      " Oh, they — that is, I believe — well — really, I don't know," was Will's rather unsatisfactory answer.

      " Shall I tell you? "

      " If you please, grandma, " and, feeling somewhat abashed by his failure, Will. meekly composed himself to listen, chewing grass meantime, like a ruminating calf.

      " Tell about the bees first. I found out quickest; and I always liked bees, ever since I was a mite of a girl, and used to say about the ' Little biddy bee,' and ' How skittly she builds her cell,' said Polly, — sewing away like a matron of forty with a large family to provide for, instead of a ten-year-older, with only one doll, a cat, and canary, dependent upon her.

      " We'll try a bit, and see how you like it; " so, settling her knitting, grandma began. " If we could enter that little door, we should find a city full of busy inhabitants, — a kingdom which has been prettily described by a certain famous William, who knew more about them than our Will, though he uses the word 'king,' instead of queen, to suit the character who speaks: —