Lavender-Green Magic Read Online Free PDF

away brown and just right. Grandmaset them out along with a big glass bottle which had a slender handle to one side and a top cut to sparkle as if it were a diamond.
    â€œThat’s real maple syrup,” she told them. “No store-bought stuff with just a smidgen of flavorin’ added to fool you. We get it straight from th’ Hawkins’s sugar bush. Luther goes over to give him a hand with the all-night boilin’ down.”
    There was no cereal or orange juice such as Holly always had—but bacon, and the pancakes, and a big glass of milk. Even with the thought of Mom’s going nagging at her, she ate.
    â€œNo sense in your goin’ off to school till Monday. Two days at the week’s end won’t hurt you to miss,” Grandma continued. “Th’ bus’ll pick you up at the end of the lane Monday mornin’. Luther saw as how Jim Backus—he drives the bus—was told you would be here. But Luther, he’s got a job in town today when he takes your mom in, an’ you can ride along an’ maybe give him a hand. They had a sale at th’ Elkins’ place last Saturday. My, seems like all the older families are a-goin’ fast. Them Elkinses, they helped to found this town, along with the Dimsdales an’ the Pigots, the Noyeses an’ the Oakeses. It’s a mercy they ain’t gonna tear down the house. Folks from outside bought it—gonna fix it up like it used to be. They got it listed as part of our history now.
    â€œAnyway what they didn’t want to keep in the way of furnishin’ they sold, an’ Luther, he’s got the word to go up an’ take the leavin’s, so he can just do that today.”
    She was beaming at them as if this was a treat. Holly wanted to scowl but didn’t quite dare. In spite of allGrandma had said last night about making things over and like that—this was a dump, a junkyard. And Grandpa rode around in an old beat-up truck to pick up stuff people threw out, like a garbageman back home. Now they were going to have to ride along with him—help out. And kids from school might see them. Holly squirmed, looking down at her syruppuddled plate. She wished she hadn’t eaten all that, now she felt a little sick.
    â€œThat’s super!” Crock swallowed a last bite and then raised his voice to agree heartily that Grandma had good ideas about how to spend time.
    Judy caught at Mom’s sleeve. “I don’t want you to go!” Her voice sounded shaky, just the way Holly was beginning to feel. Mom sat down on her chair again and put her arm about Judy, hugging her close.
    â€œNow—a week goes awfully fast. Before you know it, I’ll be back. I’ll have a lot to tell you, and you’ll have ever so much to tell me. Remember, you write it down in your diary and then you won’t forget a single thing! And you can write letters, and I’ll answer them. You can use my red pen and that paper Lucy gave you for your birthday—that with the kitten on it.”
    â€œSpeakin’ of kittens now—” Grandpa had gone out, now he stood in the doorway again. In his hand was a half-grown cat, its fur standing in wet points as if it had been in the rain for a long time. It lay limply in his hold, its eyes half closed. But as he brought it closer to the fire, it gave a small weak sound which was not quite a mew.
    â€œThey done it agin!” Grandpa handled the cat so gently, asif he were searching for some wound or a broken bone. The animal was shivering but it did not try to scratch him.
    â€œI’ll get th’ basket, Luther. You hold him right there a mite to dry him off a little. I don’t get my dander up much—most people have a reason to make ’em mean. But meanness to critters, that I can’t abide, neither can Luther.”
    She had gone rummaging in the stall which held the shelves of broken china to bring out a large basket from which