Part 5 (1/2)
BUSY DAYS
The Brettons' silkworms hatched as successfully as Josef had foretold they would, and soon Madairl had all they wished to do Not that the as taxing at first For a while it was a si mulberry leaves and keep the juvenile caterpillars amply supplied with food Even the litter of stems and waste material that had to be cleared aith proh the perforations in the tin shelves and could be readily removed Now and then, of course, so with this waste matter and had to be rescued; for the h
”I do not see that it is hard work to raise silkworms,” announced Pierre at the end of the first few days ”Why, a six-year-old child could feed thehed
”Just you wait, Pierre Bretton!” was his retort ”Some day in the near future I'll remind you of those words The first three weeks are not arduous, I'll agree The next twelve or fourteen days are harder, though; there are ather And as for the last part of the time--it demands all the care and labor that you ish to expend”
But Pierre only shrugged his shoulders sceptically
In the meantime the silkworms continued to thrive The weather arular conditions broke in upon the work until one afternoon Josef announced in a warning tone:
”There'll be rain to-ather double your supply ofthe trees will be dripping wet, so we cannot find food for our caterpillars”
It was a timely forecast, for the old servant's prediction proved a true one, and thanks to his thoughtfulness, the crop of the youthful sericulturists escaped famine After that the silk-raisers kept their eyes out for the possibility of showers or stormy weather Never for an hour did they run out of food to supply the busy little creatures that were to earn for the Bretton family a livelihood Tirelessly they fed the caterpillars; tirelessly cleared away the litter that it ht not ferht and render theorous and alert, with plenty of fresh food and fresh air that they would develop the heartiest appetite, grow the fastest, and spin the largest cocoons
All these points were too important to be overlooked Whenever the litter accu of the shelves the caterpillars were gently removed on a cluster of fresh mulberry leaves to another spot, and the place made clean and tidy
Then ca and instead paused idly, with heads upraised
”They are ready for their first ht clothing Watch and see if I areat transformation took place even as the old servant had said it would Off cairl were delighted
After the poor, fatigued, wrinkled caterpillars had wriggled thear creatures indeed! But with a little rest they roused the had happened Day by day their appetites increased, and to keep pace with theain they shed their skins, and again were back eating as ravenously as before
”The wrinkles surely do not have a chance to stay long in their coats,”
reer coats, too”
Full-sized leaves with asilkworive their little charges old or tough leaves
”There is a big difference between full grown vegetation, and old passe stuff,” he explained ”You kno tired your jaws get chewing tough food Well, theirs do, too Rehts as well as other tith, for they will need every bit of it before they finish their work I knew of some silkworiven food that was too tough for the”
As the caterpillars continued to eat without cessation the odd little sound of the cutting of crisp leaves pervaded the silk-house It was no such easy task to keep them supplied with food now! Day after day it was a race to pick the necessary quantity of leaves and re litter Every one in the house worked, and even a boy or tas hired to help in the gathering
”It is not so easy now, eh?” suggested Josef to Pierre ”Getting tired?”
”A little,” ad ju away the litter is stupid, tedious work; and then there is the double supply of leaves to last through the night!”
He sighed
”You're right It is a hard job,” the old servant agreed kindly ”But have courage When you get your first crop of fine cocoons you will say it orth it all, and you will forget that you ever were tired”
”I hope so,”and hearing the more work for us”