Tilly tied on her mother 's bunch of keys , rolled up the sleeves of her homespun gown , and began to order about the younger girls . They soon forgot poor Granny , and found it great fun to keep house all alone , for Mother seldom left home , but ruled her family in the good old-fashioned way . There were no servants , for the little daughters were Mrs. Bassett 's only maids , and the stout boys helped their father , all working happily together with no wages but love ; learning in the best manner the use of the heads and hands with which they were to make their own way in the world . The few flakes that caused the farmer to predict bad weather soon increased to a regular snow-storm , with gusts of wind , for up among the hills winter came early and lingered long . But the children were busy , gay , and warm in-doors , and never minded the rising gale nor the whirling white storm outside . Tilly got them a good dinner , and when it was over the two elder girls went to their spinning , for in the kitchen stood the big and little wheels , and baskets of wool-rolls , ready to be twisted into yarn for the winter 's knitting , and each day brought its stint of work to the daughters , who hoped to be as thrifty as their mother . Eph kept up a glorious fire , and superintended the small boys , who popped corn and whittled boats on the hearth ; while Roxy and Rhody dressed corn-cob dolls in the settle corner , and Bose , the brindled mastiff , lay on the braided mat , luxuriously warming his old legs . Thus employed , they made a pretty picture , these rosy boys and girls , in their homespun suits , with the rustic toys or tasks which most children nowadays would find very poor or tiresome . Tilly and Prue sang , as they stepped to and fro , drawing out the smoothly twisted threads to the musical hum of the great spinning-wheels . The little girls chattered like magpies over their dolls and the new bed-spread they were planning to make , all white dimity stars on a blue calico ground , as a Christmas present to Ma . The boys roared at Eph 's jokes , and had rough and tumble games over Bose , who did n't mind them in the least ; and so the afternoon wore pleasantly away . At sunset the boys went out to feed the cattle , bring in heaps of wood , and lock up for the night , as the lonely farm-house seldom had visitors after dark . The girls got the simple supper of brown bread and milk , baked apples , and a doughnut all ` round as a treat . Then they sat before the fire , the sisters knitting , the brothers with books or games , for Eph loved reading , and Sol and Seth never failed to play a few games of Morris with barley corns , on the little board they had made themselves at one corner of the dresser . `` Read out a piece , '' said Tilly , from Mother 's chair , where she sat in state , finishing off the sixth woolen sock she had knit that month . `` It 's the old history book , but here 's a bit you may like , since it 's about our folks , '' answered Eph , turning the yellow page to look at a picture of two quaintly dressed children in some ancient castle . `` Yes , read that . I always like to hear about the Lady Matildy I was named for , and Lord Bassett , Pa 's great-great-great-grandpa . He 's only a farmer now , but it 's nice to know that we were somebody two or three hundred years ago , '' said Tilly , bridling and tossing her curly head as she fancied the Lady Matilda might have done . `` Do n't read the queer words , 'cause we do n't understand 'em .
Tell it , '' commanded Roxy , from the cradle , where she was drowsily cuddled with XXXXX .
Eph Matilda Rhody Tilly day fire great-great-great-grandpa snow-storm storm wool-rolls