Horatio Alger and Thomas Chandler Haliburton - Nothing to Eat

NOTHING TO EAT.
Not by the Author of “Nothing to Wear.”







The Argument
   THOUGH famine prevails not at all in the city;
   Though none of starvation have died in the street;
   Yet many there are now exciting our pity,
   Who're daily complaining of nothing to eat.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER XII. Alice’s Evidence

CHAPTER XII - Alice’s Evidence

‘Here!’ cried Alice, quite forgetting in the flurry of the moment how large she had grown in the last few minutes, and she jumped up in such a hurry that she tipped over the jury-box with the edge of her skirt, upsetting all the jurymen on to the heads of the crowd below, and there they lay sprawling about, reminding her very much of a globe of goldfish she had accidentally upset the week before.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER XI. Who Stole the Tarts?

CHAPTER XI - Who Stole the Tarts?

The King and Queen of Hearts were seated on their throne when they arrived, with a great crowd assembled about them—all sorts of little birds and beasts, as well as the whole pack of cards: the Knave was standing before them, in chains, with a soldier on each side to guard him; and near the King was the White Rabbit, with a trumpet in one hand, and a scroll of parchment in the other. In the very middle of the court was a table, with a large dish of tarts upon it: they looked so good, that it made Alice quite hungry to look at them—‘I wish they’d get the trial done,’ she thought, ‘and hand round the refreshments!’ But there seemed to be no chance of this, so she began looking at everything about her, to pass away the time.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER X. The Lobster Quadrille

CHAPTER X - The Lobster Quadrille

The Mock Turtle sighed deeply, and drew the back of one flapper across his eyes. He looked at Alice, and tried to speak, but for a minute or two sobs choked his voice. ‘Same as if he had a bone in his throat,’ said the Gryphon: and it set to work shaking him and punching him in the back. At last the Mock Turtle recovered his voice, and, with tears running down his cheeks, he went on again:—

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER IX. The Mock Turtle’s Story

CHAPTER IX - The Mock Turtle’s Story

‘You can’t think how glad I am to see you again, you dear old thing!’ said the Duchess, as she tucked her arm affectionately into Alice’s, and they walked off together.

Alice was very glad to find her in such a pleasant temper, and thought to herself that perhaps it was only the pepper that had made her so savage when they met in the kitchen.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER VIII. The Queen’s Croquet-Ground

CHAPTER VIII - The Queen’s Croquet-Ground

A large rose-tree stood near the entrance of the garden: the roses growing on it were white, but there were three gardeners at it, busily painting them red. Alice thought this a very curious thing, and she went nearer to watch them, and just as she came up to them she heard one of them say, ‘Look out now, Five! Don’t go splashing paint over me like that!’

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER VII. A Mad Tea-Party

CHAPTER VII - A Mad Tea-Party

There was a table set out under a tree in front of the house, and the March Hare and the Hatter were having tea at it: a Dormouse was sitting between them, fast asleep, and the other two were using it as a cushion, resting their elbows on it, and talking over its head. ‘Very uncomfortable for the Dormouse,’ thought Alice; ‘only, as it’s asleep, I suppose it doesn’t mind.’

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER VI. Pig and Pepper

CHAPTER VI - Pig and Pepper

For a minute or two she stood looking at the house, and wondering what to do next, when suddenly a footman in livery came running out of the wood—(she considered him to be a footman because he was in livery: otherwise, judging by his face only, she would have called him a fish)—and rapped loudly at the door with his knuckles. It was opened by another footman in livery, with a round face, and large eyes like a frog; and both footmen, Alice noticed, had powdered hair that curled all over their heads. She felt very curious to know what it was all about, and crept a little way out of the wood to listen.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER V. Advice from a Caterpillar

CHAPTER V - Advice from a Caterpillar

The Caterpillar and Alice looked at each other for some time in silence: at last the Caterpillar took the hookah out of its mouth, and addressed her in a languid, sleepy voice.

‘Who are you?’ said the Caterpillar.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER IV. The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

CHAPTER IV - The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill

It was the White Rabbit, trotting slowly back again, and looking anxiously about as it went, as if it had lost something; and she heard it muttering to itself ‘The Duchess! The Duchess! Oh my dear paws! Oh my fur and whiskers! She’ll get me executed, as sure as ferrets are ferrets! Where can I have dropped them, I wonder?’ Alice guessed in a moment that it was looking for the fan and the pair of white kid gloves, and she very good-naturedly began hunting about for them, but they were nowhere to be seen—everything seemed to have changed since her swim in the pool, and the great hall, with the glass table and the little door, had vanished completely.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER III. A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale

CHAPTER III - A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale

They were indeed a queer-looking party that assembled on the bank—the birds with draggled feathers, the animals with their fur clinging close to them, and all dripping wet, cross, and uncomfortable.

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER II. The Pool of Tears

CHAPTER II - The Pool of Tears

‘Curiouser and curiouser!’ cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English); ‘now I’m opening out like the largest telescope that ever was! Good-bye, feet!’ (for when she looked down at her feet, they seemed to be almost out of sight, they were getting so far off). ‘Oh, my poor little feet, I wonder who will put on your shoes and stockings for you now, dears? I’m sure I shan’t be able! I shall be a great deal too far off to trouble myself about you: you must manage the best way you can;—but I must be kind to them,’ thought Alice, ‘or perhaps they won’t walk the way I want to go! Let me see: I’ll give them a new pair of boots every Christmas.’

Lewis Carroll - ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND - CHAPTER I Down the Rabbit-Hole

CHAPTER I

Down the Rabbit-Hole

Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do: once or twice she had peeped into the book her sister was reading, but it had no pictures or conversations in it, ‘and what is the use of a book,’ thought Alice ‘without pictures or conversations?’

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXVII - IN THE GARDEN

CHAPTER XXVII


 IN THE GARDEN

In each century since the beginning of the world wonderful things have
been discovered. In the last century more amazing things were found out
than in any century before. In this new century hundreds of things
still more astounding will be brought to light.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXVI - “IT’S MOTHER!”

CHAPTER XXVI


 “IT’S MOTHER!”

Their belief in the Magic was an abiding thing. After the morning’s
incantations Colin sometimes gave them Magic lectures.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXV - THE CURTAIN

CHAPTER XXV


 THE CURTAIN

And the secret garden bloomed and bloomed and every morning revealed
new miracles. In the robin’s nest there were Eggs and the robin’s mate
sat upon them keeping them warm with her feathery little breast and
careful wings. At first she was very nervous and the robin himself was
indignantly watchful.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXIV - “LET THEM LAUGH”

CHAPTER XXIV


 “LET THEM LAUGH”

The secret garden was not the only one Dickon worked in. Round the
cottage on the moor there was a piece of ground enclosed by a low wall
of rough stones. Early in the morning and late in the fading twilight
and on all the days Colin and Mary did not see him, Dickon worked there
planting or tending potatoes and cabbages, turnips and carrots and
herbs for his mother. In the company of his “creatures” he did wonders
there and was never tired of doing them, it seemed.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXIII - MAGIC

CHAPTER XXIII


 MAGIC

Dr. Craven had been waiting some time at the house when they returned
to it. He had indeed begun to wonder if it might not be wise to send
someone out to explore the garden paths. When Colin was brought back to
his room the poor man looked him over seriously.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXII - WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN

CHAPTER XXII


 WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN

When his head was out of sight Colin turned to Mary.

“Go and meet him,” he said; and Mary flew across the grass to the door
under the ivy.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XXI - BEN WEATHERSTAFF

CHAPTER XXI


 BEN WEATHERSTAFF

One of the strange things about living in the world is that it is only
now and then one is quite sure one is going to live forever and ever
and ever.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XX - “I SHALL LIVE FOREVER—AND EVER—AND EVER!”

CHAPTER XX


 “I SHALL LIVE FOREVER—AND EVER—AND EVER!”

But they were obliged to wait more than a week because first there came
some very windy days and then Colin was threatened with a cold, which
two things happening one after the other would no doubt have thrown him
into a rage but that there was so much careful and mysterious planning
to do and almost every day Dickon came in, if only for a few minutes,
to talk about what was happening on the moor and in the lanes and
hedges and on the borders of streams.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XIX - “IT HAS COME!”

CHAPTER XIX


 “IT HAS COME!”

Of course Dr. Craven had been sent for the morning after Colin had had
his tantrum. He was always sent for at once when such a thing occurred
and he always found, when he arrived, a white shaken boy lying on his
bed, sulky and still so hysterical that he was ready to break into
fresh sobbing at the least word. In fact, Dr. Craven dreaded and
detested the difficulties of these visits. On this occasion he was away
from Misselthwaite Manor until afternoon.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XVIII - “THA’ MUNNOT WASTE NO TIME”

CHAPTER XVIII


 “THA’ MUNNOT WASTE NO TIME”

Of course Mary did not waken early the next morning. She slept late
because she was tired, and when Martha brought her breakfast she told
her that though Colin was quite quiet he was ill and feverish as he
always was after he had worn himself out with a fit of crying. Mary ate
her breakfast slowly as she listened.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XVII - A TANTRUM

CHAPTER XVII


 A TANTRUM

She had got up very early in the morning and had worked hard in the
garden and she was tired and sleepy, so as soon as Martha had brought
her supper and she had eaten it, she was glad to go to bed. As she laid
her head on the pillow she murmured to herself:

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XVI - “I WON’T!” SAID MARY

CHAPTER XVI


 “I WON’T!” SAID MARY

They found a great deal to do that morning and Mary was late in
returning to the house and was also in such a hurry to get back to her
work that she quite forgot Colin until the last moment.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XV - NEST BUILDING

CHAPTER XV


 NEST BUILDING

After another week of rain the high arch of blue sky appeared again and
the sun which poured down was quite hot. Though there had been no
chance to see either the secret garden or Dickon, Mistress Mary had
enjoyed herself very much.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XIV - A YOUNG RAJAH

CHAPTER XIV


 A YOUNG RAJAH

The moor was hidden in mist when the morning came, and the rain had not
stopped pouring down. There could be no going out of doors. Martha was
so busy that Mary had no opportunity of talking to her, but in the
afternoon she asked her to come and sit with her in the nursery. She
came bringing the stocking she was always knitting when she was doing
nothing else.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XIII - “I AM COLIN”

CHAPTER XIII


 “I AM COLIN”

Mary took the picture back to the house when she went to her supper and
she showed it to Martha.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XII - “MIGHT I HAVE A BIT OF EARTH?”

CHAPTER XII


“MIGHT I HAVE A BIT OF EARTH?”

Mary ran so fast that she was rather out of breath when she reached her
room. Her hair was ruffled on her forehead and her cheeks were bright
pink. Her dinner was waiting on the table, and Martha was waiting near
it.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter XI - THE NEST OF THE MISSEL THRUSH

CHAPTER XI


 THE NEST OF THE MISSEL THRUSH

For two or three minutes he stood looking round him, while Mary watched
him, and then he began to walk about softly, even more lightly than
Mary had walked the first time she had found herself inside the four
walls.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter X - DICKON

CHAPTER X


 DICKON

The sun shone down for nearly a week on the secret garden. The Secret
Garden was what Mary called it when she was thinking of it. She liked
the name, and she liked still more the feeling that when its beautiful
old walls shut her in no one knew where she was.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter IX - THE STRANGEST HOUSE ANYONE EVER LIVED IN

CHAPTER IX


 THE STRANGEST HOUSE ANYONE EVER LIVED IN

It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place anyone could
imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless
stems of climbing roses which were so thick that they were matted
together. Mary Lennox knew they were roses because she had seen a great
many roses in India.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter VIII - THE ROBIN WHO SHOWED THE WAY

CHAPTER VIII


 THE ROBIN WHO SHOWED THE WAY

She looked at the key quite a long time. She turned it over and over,
and thought about it. As I have said before, she was not a child who
had been trained to ask permission or consult her elders about things.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter VII - THE KEY TO THE GARDEN

CHAPTER VII


 THE KEY TO THE GARDEN

Two days after this, when Mary opened her eyes she sat upright in bed
immediately, and called to Martha.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter VI - “THERE WAS SOMEONE CRYING—THERE WAS!”

 “THERE WAS SOMEONE CRYING—THERE WAS!”

The next day the rain poured down in torrents again, and when Mary
looked out of her window the moor was almost hidden by gray mist and
cloud. There could be no going out today.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter V - THE CRY IN THE CORRIDOR

 THE CRY IN THE CORRIDOR

At first each day which passed by for Mary Lennox was exactly like the
others. Every morning she awoke in her tapestried room and found Martha
kneeling upon the hearth building her fire; every morning she ate her
breakfast in the nursery which had nothing amusing in it; 

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter IV - Martha

When she opened her eyes in the morning it was because a young housemaid had come into her room to light the fire and was kneeling on the hearth-rug raking out the cinders noisily. Mary lay and watched her for a few moments and then began to look about the room. She had never seen a room at all like it and thought it curious and gloomy.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter III - Across the moor

She slept a long time, and when she awakened Mrs. Medlock had bought a lunchbasket at one of the stations and they had some chicken and cold beef and bread and butter and some hot tea. The rain seemed to be streaming down more heavily than ever and everybody in the station wore wet and glistening waterproofs. The guard lighted the lamps in the carriage, and Mrs.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter II - Mistress Mary quite contrary

CHAPTER II
MISTRESS MARY QUITE CONTRARY

Mary had liked to look at her mother from a distance and she had thought her very pretty, but as she knew very little of her she could scarcely have been expected to love her or to miss her very much when she was gone. She did not miss her at all, in fact, and as she was a self-absorbed child she gave her entire thought to herself, as she had always done.

Frances Hodgson Burnett - The Secret Garden - Chapter I - There is no one left

When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. It was true, too. She had a little thin face and a little thin body, thin light hair and a sour expression.