Calico Illustrated Classics: Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farms
1 The Journey to Riverboro The old stagecoach rumbled along the dusty road that ran from Maplewood to Riverboro Although it was only the middle of May it was as warm as summer Mr Jeremiah Cobb carried the mail in the coach along with one passenger She was a small dark-haired girl in a calico dress The child might have been ten or eleven years old perhaps but whatever her age she looked small She was so slender and so stiffl y starched that she slid from space to space on the leather cushions Though she braced herself against the middle seat with her feet and hands she bounced through the air as the coach bumped along 4
When Mr Cobb was about to leave the post offi ce in Maplewood that morning the girl’s mother had said She needs to go to Riverboro She helped her daughter clutching a suitcase into the stagecoach Take this bouquet of lilacs too Do you know Miranda and Jane Sawyer she asked Mr Cobb They live in the brick house in Riverboro Miranda and Jane He knew them well They’re expecting her Will you keep an eye on her please Good-bye Rebecca Sit quiet so you’ll look neat when you arrive Don’t be any trouble to Mr Cobb Good-bye Mother shouted Rebecca Don’t worry It isn’t as if I hadn’t traveled before The woman rolled her eyes It was traveling Mother said the child eagerly I left the farm for a whole day The woman waved to her daughter Your aunts will be the making of you 5
Rebecca clapped her hands Her journey to Riverboro had started About a mile in Mr Cobb heard a small noise He turned his head over his shoulder He saw a small shape hanging as far out of the window as safety allowed A long black braid swung with the motion of the coach Please let me speak Rebecca called Does it cost more to ride up there with you The stage is too big for me The windows are so small I can only see pieces of things Mr Cobb smiled You can come up if you want to There ain’t no extra charge He helped boost her up to the front seat Rebecca sat down carefully Oh This is better I’m a real passenger now I hope we have a long way to go Mr Cobb nodded It’s about two hours Only two hours she sighed She looked forward to a long journey one full of new sights and smells She breathed in deeply It’s a good growing day isn’t it 6
