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MOONfOLK.
and at the figure of Jonas Morton coming up the path
f
o the door, meeting her father, who was setting out for
Mrs. Merriam's. Then Rhoda, walking on rather soberly,
tried to remember how her mother looked, and wondered
whether she should know her if she should meet
her in the moon, or anywhere.
She was still wondering, as she slipped the loop of
the dory-line over the top of the great post, and stepped
into the little boat just as the sun disappeared in the
cloud-palace she had watched building for him. Using
one of the paddles, she pushed the dory away from the
wharf, and then seating herself upon the middle thwart,
she left the boat to drift gently up the ebbing tide.
Leaning her chin in her two hands, and her elbows upon
iier knees, she fixed her eyes upon the gorgeous west,
and began again to wonder about her mother and herself,
and the sun and the moon, and so many other
things,
had tried.
that she could not have named them all if she
In fact, Rhoda found a great deal in the world to
wonder at ;
and as she seldom talked about her thoughts,
the wonders were not explained, but still remained wonders,
waiting
until the time when Rhoda should be
grown up ; for then, of course, she would know everything,
like other grown-up people.
" Well, my dear, do you intend to go on dreaming
all night in that mooning fashion " ? asked the Chimney-
Elf's shrill voice.
" Although, why I should call it moon-