Books: Uncle Robert\'s Geography (Uncle Robert\'s Visit, V.3)
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Francis W. Parker and Nellie Lathrop Helm >> Uncle Robert\'s Geography (Uncle Robert\'s Visit, V.3)
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They drove slowly under the big cottonwood trees which shaded the
street.
"Isn't it nice that it takes such a long time to make a rain-gauge?"
said Susie. "Here we are at the hotel now, Uncle Robert. It's such a
little way."
From the hotel they strolled to the store, the center of life and
interest in the village.
[Illustration: The village street.]
One corner of the store was taken up by the post office. Back from that
ran long lines of shelves which reached to the ceiling. Beneath them
were bins for flour and sugar. On the lower shelves were canisters of
tea, coffee, and spices, and glass candy jars, which looked very inviting
to Susie. Some were filled with gay-striped sticks. There were also jars
of peppermint lozenges, star--and heart-shaped, with pink mottoes on
their white faces.
On the upper shelves were rows upon rows of cans covered with gay
pictures of fruits and vegetables.
Opposite the groceries were long shelves of dry goods. A glass case at
one end of the counter was filled with bright-colored ribbons.
In the darkness at the back of the store stood the barrels of vinegar,
molasses, and kerosene oil. Above them hung rows of well-cured hams and
sides of bacon. Near the barrels stood an old rusty stove which bore the
marks of long use.
Uncle Robert asked for the mail. Susie looked longingly at the glass
jars upon the shelf, trusting that Uncle Robert would understand her
even if she didn't say anything.
"We must have some candy," he said. "Tell Mr. Jenkins what you would
like, Susie, while I look at my letters."
Susie carefully picked out three sticks of peppermint, three sticks of
lemon, and three of cinnamon.
"If you please, I'd like some of the mottoes, too."
Mr. Jenkins handed down the jar, spread out a clean sheet of wrapping
paper, and turned out the candies.
Susie selected a dozen hearts, rounds, and stars, with different
mottoes, and then wondered if she ought to have lemon drops, too.
"Do you think I have enough, uncle?" she asked.
Uncle Robert knew pretty well what little girls like.
"No, Susie," he said, "you have forgotten the lemon drops, and, let me
see, nut candy--we must carry home enough for mother and the boys."
Just then a little girl in a pink sunbonnet, carrying an oil can in her
hand, came through the open door.
"How d' do, Susie," she said, with a shy glance at Uncle Robert.
"How d' do," said Susie. "Have some of my candy, Jennie?" holding it out
to her. "Uncle Robert bought it for me. There he is," in a loud whisper.
"Good morning, Jennie," said Uncle Robert, putting his letters in his
pocket. "You haven't been out to see Susie since I have been here."
"It's Jennie's mother who had the nasturtiums last year," said Susie.
"Have you any now Jennie?"
"Yes, but they don't grow well this year," answered Jennie.
"Perhaps you need new seeds," said Uncle Robert. "They are apt to do
better if they are raised on different soil."
"I have some nasturtiums this year, Jennie," said Susie. "They are just
beginning to blossom. I'll save you some seed if you want me to."
"Come out some day and see Susie's flowers, Jennie," said Uncle Robert
kindly, as they left the store.
"Good-by, Jennie," said Susie.
"Time for dinner," said Uncle Robert. "I'm hungry."
Susie's eyes danced.
They went into the dining-room and sat down at the long table. Through
the window they could see the hotel garden from which the flowers on the
table had been gathered.
"What shall we do now?" asked Uncle Robert as, after dinner, they stood
upon the porch, looking up and down the street.
No sound was heard but the sleepy noonday song of the grasshopper and
the occasional rattle of a wagon going down to the store.
"Let's go to the mill," said Susie.
"The mill wasn't running when we passed there this morning," said Uncle
Robert. "Suppose we wait until some time when the boys are with us. Then
we can go all through it, and see just how wheat is changed into flour."
"Oh, yes," said Susie, "that will be the nicest."
"We might go to the station and see the train come in," suggested Uncle
Robert, looking at his watch.
"Oh, that's fun! Come on, uncle," cried Susie, running down the steps.
"See, they are all going down now!"
"All right," said Uncle Robert, "but don't hurry; there's plenty of
time."
As they looked down the track they could see the steel rails gleaming in
the hot sunshine. The two shining lines stretched away until they seemed
to meet in the distance.
In the other direction a faint line of smoke appeared over the trees. It
grew more and more distinct, until at last an engine rounded the curve
and came puffing heavily up the track, pulling a long line of cars
behind it.
"That's a freight train," said Uncle Robert.
"It stops here to let the passenger go by," said the station master, who
stood near. "Expecting some one to-day, sir? The train isn't due for ten
minutes."
"Not to-day," replied Uncle Robert. "Do many trains stop here?"
"Not many," said the station master as he hurried away to the switch.
[Illustration: A freight train.]
The great engine, drawing its heavy load after it, turned into the side
track. When the small caboose at the end had passed the switch a man,
who was running upon the tops of the cars, waved his arms and the long
line stood still.
"The engine breathes hard--just like Barri after a long run," said
Susie. "I wonder what is in all these cars, uncle."
"Here is one marked 'Furniture,' from a large factory in Grand Rapids,"
said Uncle Robert, reading the white card that was tacked on the side.
"It is going to a town in Nebraska."
"What funny cars these open ones are!" said Susie; "the ones with the
shelves in. What are they for? They're empty, too. I shouldn't think
they'd want to drag empty cars about."
"These are the cars poultry is shipped in," explained Uncle Robert.
"Perhaps they have been to Chicago with chickens for the market, and are
on the way back to the place they came from for more."
"How many of these big yellow cars there are!" said Susie. "They all
have re-frig-re-frig--"
"Refrigerator," prompted Uncle Robert.
"Oh, I know what a refrigerator is," said Susie. "It's an ice box. Are
these cars ice boxes, uncle?"
"Yes; the great packing houses at the stock yards in Chicago ship beef
all over the country in them. The fruit from California comes in
refrigerator cars, too."
"There's the train!" cried Susie, "and here comes Mr. Jenkins with the
mail."
The train came rushing on. Susie thought it was not going to stop. But
suddenly it slowed up. The conductor leaped upon the platform. The train
stood still. Heads were thrust out of the windows. A few passengers
alighted. Brakemen ran along the platform.
"All aboard!" shouted the conductor, waving his hand to the engineer,
who was leaning out of the cab window watching for the signal.
"Ding-dong, ding-dong, puff, puff, toot, toot," and the train was off.
"Now we'll go and see if there is any mail for us," said Uncle Robert.
"Then we'll go to the tinsmith's."
[Illustration: Rain-gauge.]
The rain-gauge was just finished. So Susie waited in the shop while
Uncle Robert went to the stable for Nell, who pricked up her ears when
she saw him. She was beginning to think she had been forgotten.
It was late in the afternoon when they reached home. Mrs. Leonard and
the boys were looking for them when they drove in at the gate.
It took some time to choose just the right place for the rain-gauge, but
at last they decided upon a little rise of ground that lay between the
house and the orchard.
There was first the funnel-shaped receiver, one and one-half inches deep
and eight inches in diameter. Below this was a tube two and five-tenths
inches in diameter and twenty inches long. At the top of this tube,
close to the receiver, there was a small hole.
"What is that hole for?" asked Donald.
"So if it rains more than enough to fill this tube," explained Susie,
who knew all about it, "it can run out of the hole."
"Then it will be lost," said Donald.
"No," replied Uncle Robert, "it is to be set inside of this cylinder,
which is twenty-three and one-half inches long, but only six inches in
diameter, and so is smaller than the top of the receiver.
"The water that runs from that hole falls into this. By measuring it in
the small tube, and adding it to what the tube held before, we can know
how much there is in all. One inch in the tube would be one-tenth of an
inch in the receiver."
"Then twenty inches, or the tube full, would be two inches in the
receiver," said Frank.
"Yes," said his uncle; "but how shall we make this stand up?"
"We might pile stones around it," suggested Donald.
"That will be a good way," said Uncle Robert.
There were some stones in a pile near the orchard fence. Frank and
Donald picked them up and placed them about the rain-gauge until it
stood firm.
"Well, these stones are of some use after all," said Frank.
"I'm glad of it," said Donald. "It seemed as though we should never get
them all picked up. I believe stones grow."
"These stones tell a wonderful story," said Uncle Robert, smiling.
"Oh, uncle, when are you going to tell it to us? To-night?" asked Susie.
"Not to-night, my dear. You have had stories enough for one day," and
Uncle Robert took her by the hand and started for the house.
"We have a regular weather bureau of our own now," said Donald. "I hope
it will rain all day long to-morrow."
CHAPTER XII.
A DAY ON THE RIVER.
"Father, can't we have a picnic on the river?" asked Susie.
"Please, do let us have a picnic," said Donald.
"I think you may," said Mr. Leonard. "You might have it to-morrow. I
won't need the boys."
"Hurrah!" cried Donald, and Susie skipped and danced for joy.
"We'll have to have a nice lunch," said Frank.
"What shall it be?" asked Mrs. Leonard.
"Oh, we can take some ham sandwiches--"
"And some cake and jelly," put in Susie.
"And some cold chicken and boiled eggs," added Donald.
"Oh," cried Susie, "let us take our eggs along all fresh and boil them!
We can take a little pail and--"
"I'll tell you what we'll do," interrupted Frank. "We'll take some salt
pork, and catch some fish, and have a fry."
Frank looked at the barometer and said it was going to be a nice day.
The sun was setting clear and bright. The children went to bed happy and
dreamed of the fun to-morrow.
In the morning Susie rushed out to see if it was good weather. The sun
was shining brightly, and she turned and looked at her long shadow that
reached clear over the barn. The direction of the shadow was southwest.
Donald took a tin can and went out into one corner of the garden, where
the soil was dark, rich, and damp, and with a shovel dug up great mud
worms, and almost filled his can.
Frank got out two cane poles, rigged the lines and hooks, and put on the
sinkers.
"I want to catch a fish," said Susie.
"All right," said Frank; "we'll cut a pole for you when we get on the
island. We shall not fish till we get there."
Uncle Robert watched the enthusiasm of the children with a pleasant
smile. Mrs. Leonard and Susie put up the lunch.
"Put in a paper of salt for the fish, please," called Frank.
"Don't believe you will catch many fish," said Mr. Leonard. "You know
the last time you went you didn't catch any."
"It is not a good day for fish," said Uncle Robert; "it is too bright."
"We'll get some sunfish, anyway," said Donald, "and perhaps we shall
catch a perch or two and a catfish."
At last all was ready Frank took the oars from the beams of the shed,
Uncle Robert carried the big basket, Donald followed with the fish poles
and the can of worms, while Susie brought up the rear with a small tin
bucket.
Away they went, down the slope and over the bottom land to the mouth of
the creek, where the boat was moored. Soon they glided out from the
shore under Frank's steady stroke.
"We will go up on this side, where it is easier to row," he said. "The
current is on the other side next to the bank."
"Why do you suppose the current is over there?" asked Uncle Robert.
"I don't know," said Frank. "Last spring we had a big flood, and the
current was so strong that it took away a lot of earth from that bank.
The earth fell down into the river and was carried away. Mr. Davis lost
a good deal of land."
"Tell me about the flood, Frank," said Uncle Robert.
"Last March the ice broke up in the river and went tearing downstream in
great blocks," began Frank. "Just below the dam, between the island and
that shore," pointing to the woods, "it piled up until there was a big
ice jam. You could cross over to the island on foot. Then the water began
to rise until it was nearly even with the top of the dam. At first it
went round close to the ridge. You see the land is lower there. The part
of our cornfield next to the river was an island. Then the water rose
higher, and spread all over the bottom land. It made the mouth of the
creek close to the slope, and the water came up around the trunks of the
trees.
"On the other side, where the current is, it didn't get over the bank,
but it tore away lots of earth. Three big trees fell into the water and
were carried down the river. Ever so many trees came down. Peter and I
caught a lot and piled them up for firewood."
"Don't you remember, Frank," said Susie, "two or three sheds came down,
too?"
"The miller thought it would carry away the mill," said Donald.
"The water looks pretty clear now. How did it look then?" asked Uncle
Robert.
"At first it was clear," said Frank. "Then it got just like coffee."
"That was the dirt in the water," said Donald.
"When the water went down," continued Frank, "the bottom land was all
covered with the stuff the river left. Father says the dirt it brought
makes the land better."
"What do you suppose made the freshet?" asked Uncle Robert.
"Oh, they said it was the snow melting, away up the river," answered
Donald. "The snow was gone here, but we had lots of rain."
"Where is the deepest part of the river?" asked Uncle Robert.
"It is quite deep on the other side," said Frank, "but it is shallow
over here. Farther down it is deeper in the middle."
"Where is the current down there?" asked Uncle Robert.
"In the middle of the river," said Frank.
"When we go in swimming we can wade out here a long ways before we go
over our heads," said Donald.
"I wish I could swim," said Susie.
"You should learn," said Uncle Robert. "The boys could easily teach
you."
They rowed steadily up the river. At last they reached the island and
landed. It was long and narrow, covered with trees and green grass. Here
and there low bushes grew down to the water's edge, while at the upper
end there were many boulders, stones, pebbles, and clean white sand.
[Illustration: A string of fish.]
They brought up the basket and put it in a cool place under a tree.
"Now for the fishing!" said Frank.
Up the river they could see the dam, and on the left of the dam the
flour mill.
"There is a nice big pond up above the dam," said Susie. "We ought to go
up there some day."
"I think it is better fishing there," said Frank, "but we would have to
drag the boat around the dam."
Uncle Robert stretched himself under the shade of an elm tree. Susie
rolled up her sack and put it under his head. The boys went off to try
their luck at fishing. They cut a pole for Susie, but she soon tired of
sitting still, and came back to pick up sticks for the fire so that
everything would be ready to fry the fish.
When the boys came back they brought three little sunfish, two perch,
and one funny-looking fish with horns, which Frank said was a catfish.
Frank and Uncle Robert dressed the fish, while Donald rowed across the
river to a place where he knew there was a spring, and soon returned
with a pail of clear, sparkling water.
Susie spread the cloth in a nice shady place, and unpacked the basket.
The eggs were boiled in the tin bucket over the fire. Frank fried the
fish, and at last dinner was ready.
"Oh, isn't this fun!" said Susie.
"Grand!" said Frank.
"I'd like to be an Indian and live in the woods all the time," said
Donald.
"We could make a fort," said Frank, "on that bank of the island and
mount cannon, and not allow any ships to come up the river."
"Oho!" laughed Donald. "Ships don't come up this river. The water isn't
deep enough."
"That doesn't matter," said Susie; "we could play they do."
After the luncheon was over and the basket packed again they sat about
under the trees.
"What a good view of the dam there is from here!" said Uncle Robert.
"I know why they built the dam there," said Frank. "Just above the dam
the water was quite swift."
"What makes the water swift?" asked Donald.
"Because the bed of the river slopes more there than down here," said
Uncle Robert; "and in places on rivers where there are rapids they build
dams in order to use the water for the mills."
"Oh, yes, I know how they use the water," said Donald. "They have a
sluice, and they lift the gate, and the water comes through, and that
turns the mill wheels."
"In some rivers there are ponds larger than that pond up there, where
there are no dams," said Uncle Robert.
"Yes," said Frank, "there is a little lake down the river. We will go
there some day. It is good fishing. How much better our corn looks than
the corn on that hill over there! I tell you, it takes bottom land like
ours to raise good corn."
"What makes the corn such a beautiful green?" asked Susie.
"That is quite a question," said Uncle Robert. "We will try and find out
some day. But I want to know what makes the bottom land richer than the
land up on the prairie?"
"Well," said Frank slowly, "I suppose that the dirt brought down by the
river and spread out over it makes it richer."
"Where does that dirt come from?"
"Way up the river."
"If I should call the bottom land a flood-plain," said Uncle Robert,
"would you know why?"
"Oh, I know," said Donald. "Because the water covers it when there is a
flood."
"Now what made that flood-plain?"
"Wasn't it always there?"
"No," said Uncle Robert. "The river made it."
"How could the river make the flood-plain?" asked Susie.
"Why, you told me a moment ago that the river brought down great
quantities of dirt and left it all along the shores," said Uncle Robert.
"But it wouldn't bring down enough to make all that field, would it?"
asked Donald.
"The river is a great worker," said Uncle Robert. "It is at work now,
and has been working for many, many long years. It has not only made
this flood-plain, but many others. Sometimes the river carries this dirt
clear out into the sea, and sometimes it piles it up at its mouth so
that a delta is formed."
"Oh, yes," said Donald, "we studied about that in geography when we had
school, but I didn't know a delta was made that way."
"Are there any deltas in this part of the river?" asked Susie.
"There may be," replied Uncle Robert, "wherever one stream flows into
another."
[Illustration: The mill and dam.]
"Is there one at the mouth of our creek?" asked Frank.
"We will look when we go back," replied Uncle Robert. "Shall we take a
walk now?"
When they reached the upper end of the island they sat down on some
large boulders that formed part of the tiny beach. Just above them was
the flood of water pouring over the dam. The bright sunshine made the
foam look white and glistening, lighted here and there with colors of
the rainbow.
The water rumbled and roared as it rushed out of the mill pond. To the
left were the flour mill and the village. They could hear the mill wheel
turning. They could see a little white church half hidden among the
trees.
A kingfisher swept by them with a voice like a watchman's rattle.
"He knows how to catch fish better than we do," said Donald.
Susie picked up some pebbles and put them in her apron. She tried to get
a number of colors. Some were nearly red, some were blue, and some were
white.
"Can you find one that is exactly round?" asked Uncle Robert.
"Here's a white one that's almost round," and Susie held up a quartz
pebble.
"Where do you suppose this little white pebble came from?" asked Uncle
Robert.
"Did it come from away up the river--a long way?" said Donald.
"I think so. One day this pebble was a part of some rock or quarry. How
it was broken off, how it came down, how it was made round, is well worth
studying."
"Oh, tell us about it, please," begged Susie.
"We'll read about it together," said Uncle Robert, "in the Big Book."
"What book?" asked Donald.
"The book that lies all around us, which was written by the Creator of
the world," said Uncle Robert. "We are reading a page of it now."
"Just under the current out there," said Frank, "the bed of the river is
covered with all kinds of stones. Some of them are as big as these
boulders. I suppose the river brought them down."
"What do you think makes the pebbles round?" asked Uncle Robert.
"Maybe the river wears off the rough edges," suggested Frank,
thoughtfully.
"Yes," said Uncle Robert, "the current of the river rolls them over and
over on the river bed, and they rub and grind against each other."
"What becomes of the stuff that is worn off from them?" asked Frank.
"Don't you see it--there?" said Uncle Robert, pointing to the beach.
"Oh, you mean the sand," said Donald, taking up a handful and examining
it.
"Is that the way the nice white sand is made?" asked Susie.
"That's what you meant when you said the river worked," said Frank. "Did
these boulders come down the river too?"
"The story of the boulders," said Uncle Robert, "is different from the
story of the pebbles. The water helped grind the pebbles, but it took
ice to make the boulders."
"Ice!" the children all exclaimed.
"Yes, ice. A long, long while ago this land was covered by a great
river, or sea of ice, and that was the time these boulders were made,"
said Uncle Robert.
"Can we read about that in the Big Book?" asked Donald.
"Some of it," said Uncle Robert. "There are many wonderful stories in
this beautiful world--stories more wonderful than any fairy tale. But we
must go home now, children; it's getting late."
The setting sun threw long shadows of the trees over the river as they
rowed home, and the happy day was done.
CHAPTER XIII.
A RAINY DAY.
It was raining, but no one was surprised. They had expected it.
The day before had been one of those warm, midsummer days, beginning
with a clear sky and a strong south wind. By noon heavy white clouds
that looked like heaps of down floated slowly overhead.
[Illustration: The weather vane.]
The weather vane, which in the morning had pointed to the south, turned
from side to side, as though uncertain which direction it liked best.
Toward afternoon it seemed to settle the question in favor of the east.
The clouds did not rise higher and become thinner and more scattered, as
such clouds do if the weather is fair. They kept their white, billowy
edges, and rested heavily on straight bands of dull gray.
When the sun set, the scroll--like edges of the clouds were tinged with
gold and rose color, but under the glittering fringe remained the solid
banks of gray and misty purple.
The thermometer had been high all day, for it was very warm. The
barometer had slowly but surely fallen.
Then, too, the Weather Report, just received, told of a storm that had
started in the southwestern part of the country and was moving
northeast. Uncle Robert had said, at the rate it was traveling, it might
reach them some time the next day.
And now it was raining in a quiet, steady way. The clouds had lost their
billowy whiteness. They were one dull, heavy, unbroken mass of gray. The
wind blew steadily from the southeast.
A rainy day was before them.
"The very thing we need," said Mr. Leonard. "The corn is just ready for
it, and the pastures are beginning to look pretty dry."
"Let's go fishing, Don," said Frank. "I'll go and dig some worms while
you get the lines ready."
"Say we do," said Donald, starting off at once.
"Do you want some company, boys?" asked Uncle Robert, smiling.
"You bet-ter believe!" said Donald, catching himself just in time.
"Hurrah for the rainy day!" cried Frank as he pulled on his rubber boots
and coat and went out to dig the worms.
"Shall we take the boat?" asked Uncle Robert.
"Oh, yes," said Donald. "I'll get the oars."
"We'll have fish for dinner to-day, mother," said Frank.
"Be sure you come back in time, then," said Mrs. Leonard, smiling.
"I wish I was a boy and could go fishing in the rain," said Susie as she
watched them start off.
Down the hill they went, and Susie, watching them from the front porch,
saw them push the boat from the landing and throw out their lines as
they drifted down the stream. Then the trees hid them from sight.
It was dinner time when they returned.
"I told you we'd have fish to-day," said Frank triumphantly, holding up
a string of bass and perch.
"You boys will have to clean them," said Mrs. Leonard. "Jane is ready to
cook them now."
"Come on, Don," called Frank. "My, won't they be good!"
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