your betters, and fiddle while Leafland
is burning!" cried one.

"And pray, Miss Wiseacre," asked another, "how came _you_ to know so
much more than any one else? Who told _you_ that nothing was the
matter?"

"Oh! if women would only mind the house, and not meddle with what does
not belong to them!" exclaimed a third.

All very unjust as you see, for surely the destruction of Leafland
concerned the women as much as the men, and poor "Miss Wiseacre" had not
so much as made an assertion,--only asked a question. However, the
Leaflanders must be excused, because they were quite beside themselves
with terror, and, moreover, a question is sometimes more exasperating
than fire and sword.

But the old Oakwichian was more reasonable, and, ever glad, even in the
article of death, to disseminate useful knowledge, interposed. "I will
tell you what the matter is," he said. "Well I remember in the far-away
past, in the sunny summer-days that will return, alas! no more,"--here a
burst of sorrow prevented speech, but he presently recovered
himself,--"how a little maid used to walk in Netherworld, and rest under
the shadow of our greatness, toying with the light. She was a favorite
with every one hereabouts. Gold was her hair like a spun sunbeam, blue
her eyes like our own June sky, and her voice might sing the lowest
lullaby of the Red Mavis, or his song to his love in her nest. Sometimes
the little maiden looked up wistfully to us, her eyes all a-gleam with
her glowing fancies. Then we pelted her with sunshine, and caressed her
with shade, and then she was happiest of all. But sometimes she brought
with her hateful things, tasks and tools, useless, awkward, bungling,
sharp weapons, that hurt her tender fingers, long cords that she pulled
aimlessly back and forth, huge books with harsh names, that blurred her
dear eyes and gloomed her bright face. First we tried to shame and then
to woo her away from them, but some invisible old dragon stood over her,
and forced her on; and so we learned at length to watch and wait till
the hated task was over. Thereby we learned many strange and wonderful
things; but this alone is to the purpose, that I surely recall how for
many days she kept reading about the Red-coats, and I peeped down over
her shoulder, as we swayed in the dance one afternoon, and saw pictures
of these same Red-coats, a great destroying army, fierce and fell, who
burn villages, and talk piously, and slay men, women, and chil