The New McGuffey Fifth Reader Author:William Holmes McGuffey Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: FIFTH READER. THE COUNTRY VISITOR. By Louisa May Alcott. "It's time to go to the station, Tom." " Come on, then." " Oh, I'm not going ; it's too wet... more »." " You don't expect me to go and bring home a strange girl, do you ? " And Tom looked as much alarmed as if his sister had proposed to him to escort the wild woman of Australia. " Of course I do. It's your place to go." " Well, I call that mean ! I suppose I must go, if you have arranged it so ; but catch me bothering about your friends another time ! Never!'' And Tom rose from the sofa with an air of indignant resolution. " Now, don't be cross, Tom," said Fanny, softly, hoping to soothe his ruffled feelings. " How long is she going to stay ? " " A month or two, maybe. She's a very nice little lady, and I shall keep her as long as she's happy." " She won't stay long, then, if I can help it," muttered Tom, who regarded girls as a very unnecessary portion ofcreation. " But how am I going to know her at the station? I never saw her, and she never saw me." " You'll find her easy enough; she'll probably be standing around looking for us. I dare say she'll know you, because I've described you to her." " I guess she won't then ; " and Tom gave a hasty smooth to his curly pate and a glance at the mirror, feeling sure that his sister had not done him justice. Sisters never do, as " we boys" know too well. The train was just in when Tom reached the station, panting like a race-horse, and as red as a lobster with the wind and the run. " How in the world shall I know her ? It was too bad of Fannie to make me come all alone," thought Tom, as he stood watching the crowd stream through the depot, and feeling rather daunted at the array of young ladies who passed. He presently caught sight of a girl in g...« less