A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales

Beneath the porch of the country-seat called Tang-lewood, one fine autumnal morning, was assembled a merry party of little folks, with a tall youth in the midst of them. They had planned a nutting expedition, and were impatiently waiting for the mists to roll up the hill-slopes, and for the sun to pour the warmth of the Indian summer over the fields and pastures, and into the nooks of the many-colored woods. There was a prospect of as fine a day as ever gladdened the aspect of this beautiful and comfortable world. As yet, however, the morning mist fil-led up the whole length and breadth of the valley, above which, on a gently sloping eminence, the mansion stood.