Eliza Lee Follen's Who Spoke Next is cataloged under subjects including cats, storytelling, and gifts, yet the excerpts show a narrative that centers on children's encounters with objects and the moral weight of their choices. The opening section, 'The Old Garret,' introduces a mother telling her sons the history of an old musket, which speaks with 'old republican pride' and disdain for 'palaver.' The musket's voice is abrupt and self-important, contrasting with the more playful tone of later episodes. The catalog subject 'cats' does not appear in the provided text, suggesting either a minor role or a later section not included. Instead, the excerpts emphasize a boy named Ned and his impulsive purchase of a rooster, leading to household chaos.

Objects with Attitudes

The musket's narration reveals a distinct personality: it boasts of its materials being 'perfect of their kind' and recalls being packed in a box to America. It mocks the curling tongs with 'thin straddle legs,' prompting a 'creak' of protest. This anthropomorphism extends to the rooster, described as a 'fancy feathered biped' whose crow is an 'indescribable screech.' Follen gives each object a voice that reflects its function and history, but the excerpts do not show a consistent frame—the musket's story is interrupted, and the rooster episode lacks an object narrator. The catalog subject 'storytelling' is evident in the mother's tale, but the objects themselves become storytellers, blurring the line between human and thing.

The Price of a Whim

Ned's purchase of the rooster for seventy-five cents, with a promise to pay the remaining quarter later, drives the central conflict. The shopman, a former peddler, manipulates Ned's desire: 'You have not looked at my fancy fowls,' he says, knowing Ned's vanity. The rooster's crow at dawn terrifies Ned's sick father, causing a household uproar. The narrative dwells on Ned's internal struggle—'the fire burned very hot in that little pocket of his'—and the shopman's pragmatic honesty: 'An exchange was no robbery.' This episode aligns with the catalog subject 'conduct of life,' but the moral is ambiguous: Ned's mistake is not greed but poor timing. The excerpts do not reveal whether he learns his lesson, leaving the outcome uncertain.

What the Catalog Omits

The catalog lists 'cats' as a subject, but no cat appears in the excerpts. The rooster, a 'fancy fowl,' takes the animal role, and the musket's story involves human conflict (the American Revolution) rather than animals. The subject 'gifts' is also tenuous: Ned buys the rooster with his own money, not a gift. The mother's story is a promised tale, a gift of narrative, but the excerpts focus on transactions and consequences. Follen's work may include a cat in a later section, but the provided text suggests the catalog subjects are imprecise. Readers should expect a collection of object tales with moral lessons, but the specific animal and gift themes may be less prominent than the catalog implies.

Voice and Structure

The excerpts show a shift from the musket's formal, historical tone to Ned's colloquial speech: 'he's a real buster.' The mother's narration is measured, while the shopman uses persuasive flattery. This variety in voice suggests Follen adapts her style to each episode. The structure is episodic, with each object or event introduced separately. The musket's story begins in medias res, and Ned's adventure is self-contained. The catalog subject 'short stories' fits this format, but the frame narrative linking them is only partially visible. The excerpts do not reveal how the episodes connect, leaving the overall structure ambiguous.

Readers approaching Who Spoke Next should set aside the catalog subjects as rough guides rather than accurate summaries. The excerpts reveal a work more concerned with impulsive decisions and their domestic fallout than with cats or gifts. Pay attention to how Follen voices each object and child, and note the moral ambiguity—Ned's error is not clearly punished. The incomplete frame suggests the full work may tie these episodes together, but the provided text stands as a series of vivid, standalone vignettes.