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222
A New England Girlhood, Outlined from Memory (Beverly, MA)
·
Lucy Larcom
68
The
marvel
was
not
lessened
when
I
began
to
study
geography,
and
comprehended
that
the
world
is
round.
Could
it
really
be
that
we
had
that
endless
"Atlantic
Ocean"
to
look
at
from
our
window,
to
dance
along
the
edge
of,
to
wade
into
or
bathe
in,
if
we
chose?
The
map
of
the
world
became
more
interesting
to
me
than
any
of
the
story-books.
In
my
fanciful
explorations
I
out-traveled
Captain
Cook,
the
only
voyager
around
the
world
with
whose
name
my
childhood
was
familiar.
The
field-paths
were
safe,
and
I
was
allowed
to
wander
off
alone
through
them.
I
greatly
enjoyed
the
freedom
of
a
solitary
explorer
among
the
seashells
and
wild
flowers.
There
were
wonders
everywhere.
One
day
I
picked
up
a
star-fish
on
the
beach
(we
called
it
a
"five-finger"),
and
hung
him
on
a
tree
to
dry,
not
thinking
of
him
as
a
living
creature.
When
I
went
some
time
after
to
take
him
down
he
had
clasped
with
two
or
three
of
his
fingers
the
bough
where
I
laid
him,
so
that
he
could
not
be
removed
without
breaking
his
hardened
shell.
My
conscience
smote
me
when
I
saw
what
an
unhappy
looking
skeleton
I
had
made
of
him.
I
overtook
the
horse-shoe
crab
on
the
sands,
but
I
did
not
like
to
turn
him
over
and
make
him
"say
his
prayers,"
as
some
of
the
children
did.
I
thought
it
must
be
wicked.
And
then
he
looked
so
uncomfortable,
imploringly
wriggling
his
claws
while
he
lay
upon
his
back!
I
believe
I
did,
however,
make
a
small
collection
of
the
shells
of
stranded
horseshoe
crabs
deserted
by
their
tenants.
Marker
Marker
Fine marker
White-out
Fine white-out
Circle
Paint
Unmarker
Hand
Scalpel
Dice
Sieve
Purify
Undo
Redo
Start over
