Page 15 (2/2)

Then one day Pa said that spring was co

In the Big Woods the snoas beginning to thaw Bits of it dropped from the branches of the trees andsnowbanks below At noon all the big icicles along the eaves of the little house quivered and sparkled in the sunshine, and drops of water hung tre at their tips

Pa said he o to town to trade the furs of the wild ani hebundle of thehtly and tied together theyas Pa

Very early onePa strapped the bundle of furs on his shoulders, and started to walk to town There were so un

Ma orried, but Pa said that by starting before sun-up and walking very fast all day he could get hoain before dark

The nearest toas far away Laura and Mary had never seen a town They had never seen a store They had never seen even two houses standing together But they knew that in a town there were many houses, and a store full of candy and calico and other wonderful things—powder, and shot, and salt, and store sugar

They knew that Pa would trade his furs to the storekeeper for beautiful things fro the presents he would bring them When the sun sank low above the treetops and no an to watch eagerly for Pa

The sun sank out of sight, the woods grew dark, and he did not come Ma started supper and set the table, but he did not come It was time to do the chores, and still he had not come

Ma said that Laura ht come with her while she milked the cow Laura could carry the lantern

So Laura put on her coat and Ma buttoned it up And Laura put her hands into her redaround her neck, while Ma lighted the candle in the lantern

Laura was proud to be helping Ma with the , and she carried the lantern very carefully Its sides were of tin, with places cut in theh

When Laura walked behind Ma on the path to the barn, the little bits of candle-light froht was not yet quite dark The woods were dark, but there was a gray light on the snowy path, and in the sky there were a few faint stars The stars did not look as warhts that came from the lantern

Laura was surprised to see the dark shape of Sukey, the bro, standing at the barnyard gate Ma was surprised, too

It was too early in the spring for Sukey to be let out in the Big Woods to eat grass She lived in the barn But sometimes on warm days Pa left the door of her stall open so she could come into the barnyard Now Ma and Laura saw her behind the bars, waiting for them

Ma went up to the gate, and pushed against it to open it But it did not open very far, because there was Sukey, standing against it Ma said, “Sukey, get over!” She reached across the gate and slapped Sukey’s shoulder