THE STORY OF THE THREE DOLLS WAYNESTATtUNIVERSITYUBRARY

THEEU31SERAMSEY-COLLECTION

The STORY OF The THREE DOLLS

branches were heavy with mellow golden harvest apples. page jp The STORY OF The THREE DOLLS

By • JOSEPHINE SCRIBNER GATES

Author of THE STORY OF LIVE DOLLS MORE ABOUT LIVE DOLLS THE STORY OF THE LOST DOLL

Illustrated ly VIRGINIA KEEP

INDIANAPOLIS THE BOBBS-MERRILL COMPANY PUBLISHERS C o p y r i g h t 1 9 0 5

T h e B o b b s-M e r r i l l C o m p a n y

N o v e m b e r Dedicated

The five little maids whose merry-makings furnished

,the thread fo r these stories

PREFACE

As I believe that truth usually enhances a book, I wish to say that most of these stories are founded on fact. “One Summer” is almost literally true; also much of “Manuella’s Bottle Doll.” Uncle Herbertdid give the children the doll house and engine, and Freddid cause the fire and put it out. The candy heartwas devoured, “lick by lick,” by two little girls. The great-grandmother’s gold beadswere lost, and found on the dog’s neck. The various anecdotes of the dogs, birds, horses and fish are absolutely true. Hoping that my little readers will not be disap­ pointed over the fact that the dolls that appear here are just ordinary every-day dolls, and not alive, and trusting that the time is not far distant when the chime of the silver bells, and the joyous notes of the Queen’s trumpet will once more echo and re-echo through your homes, I am, Always yours faithfully,

J o s e p h in e Sc r ib n e r G a t e s Toledo, Ohio

THE STORY OF THE THREE DOLLS

INCLUDING

PAGE The Story of the Three Dolls i

The Story of the Gold Beads 15

The Story of the Candy Heart 33

One Summer 47

The Candy Island 78

How Fred Saved the Doll House and the Doll 93

Borrowed Feathers 113

Manuella’s Bottle Doll 129

ILLUSTRATIONS

PAGE There were trees whose branches were heavy with mellow golden harvest apples—See page 59 Frontispiece

Ruth held her close, crying, “ Oh, you darling thing! ” 8

Baby May’s carriage headed the proces­ sion 2 2

“Just hear this bit of a pome that’s writ in gold letters on the beautiful lace p ap er” 34

Each little girl raised her umbrella over her head 70

How they shouted when they held the sugar eggs in their hands! 86. ILLUSTRATI ON S— Continued PAGE Horror-stricken, Ruth and Helen ran to rescue the beloved children 106

“ I’d like to be a blue jay and sit upon a tree” 122

Slyly watching the people coming and going 140 The STORY OFThe t h r e e d o l l s

The Story o f the Three Dolls

ITH a terrible clanging of bells and clatter of horses’ feet the fire-engine W flew by as if on wings. Three-year-old baby Ruth, who was peace­ fully picking dandelions, was for the moment filled with terror, and trotted into the house as fast as her little fat legs could carry her. THE STORY OF

In her fright she forgot that she had been strolling along slowly and was no longer in front of her own home, and as they were new-comers in the neighborhood, and lived in one of a block of houses that to all appear­ ances were just alike, it was no wonder that the child got into the wrong one. As it happened, no one was about. The second work was finished, and, as the day was an unusually busy one, the maids were both engaged in the kitchen. The mistress was out shopping, and, luck­ ily for the child, the door had accidentally been left ajar; so in she walked with the field to herself—and a very rich field it proved. She rah up stairs to find mama for a mo­ ment’s comfort, as her little heart was still beating very fast. A kiss and a loving pat would set her world right again, and she started into the room which at home corre- THE THREE DOLLS sponded to her nursery, but stopped in surprise, for, instead of finding mama sit­ ting where she always did with baby brother on her lap, she was confronted by a row of dolls on a sofa, and it suddenly dawned upon her that she was not in her own home. However, she was a sturdy little lass, and not at all daunted at this trifle, especially with such an inviting prospect as this row of dolls suggested. She was a loving mother to one doll, and, except in stores, had never seen such an array as this. It might have been embarrassing to some to have so many pairs of eyes staring at them, but to her it was unadulterated joy. They reminded her of an audience in a theater which she had once attended, and, anxious to gather this delightful brood under her wings, she tiptoed up to the sofa, hovering over them, now petting this one, now that,

3 THE STORY OF not quite sure which she had rather take to her heart first. For the time she forgot utterly that she was on forbidden ground, and had the real little mother been there she would have held up her hands in horror, for three of these dolls held a very dear place in her heart. Ruth could have played with any of the others, but the big doll, the middle-sized doll and the weenty doll had an invisible fence built around them, and, of course, after due deliberation Ruth decided to appropriate these very three, as they were the most attractive. She first picked up the rag doll, which is always dear to a child’s heart. She was very large, almost as large as Ruth, and she dragged her to the middle of the room, sat down and proceeded to examine her clothes and bonnet. The doll gazed placidly at her as she re-

4 ' THE THREE DOLLS moved its garments one by one. She had beautiful long hair hanging down her back, which, to the child’s horror, came off with the bonnet, — and how the doll looked with­ out it! Mercy! she must fix that at once; besides, the doll might take cold; so she found a large safety-pin with which she fast­ ened the wig on to the bald pate. She fondled her a while, then, eager for a change, threw her down and decided to try the middle-sized doll, who looked lovely in a brand new Peter- Thompson suit. She took her in her arms and wondered why she hadn’t taken her at first, as she was so m uch prettier. She trotted back to her place on the floor, and, after duly admiring her and play­ ing she was a “loidy born and bred,” she concluded to disrobe her. She found the lace-trimmed undergarments much soiled, which filled her with delight, for she promptly THE STORY OF decided that it was a lovely day for washing and at once explored the room for water, in which, when found, she dabbled to her heart’s content with no one to say her nay. When she deemed the clothes sufficiently clean she strung them about on the furniture to dry. In doing this she stumbled on to a dear little doll-carriage, which, of course, held the weenty doll. This was the one little pet of all, and she was a treasure indeed! With a chuckle of delight the child gazed at the baby in long dresses lying on her side. Her eyes were closed and she seemed really alive. A tiny milk-bottle lay close to her mouth as though she had just finished taking her dinner, and Ruth saw with a thrill of joy that it held real milk. A beautiful blue-and-white knitted blanket was carefully tucked about her, and Ruth

6 THE THREE DOLLS fairly held her breath for fear she might waken her. She watched her for a few moments, then leaned over and whispered, “Is you asleep, really and truly?” As the dolly did not move she reached in and raised her gently, saying, “Anyhow, it’s time you woke up. It makes babies cross to sleep too long.” She carried her over to her place on the floor and sat down beside the two discarded dolls, who stood no chance whatever now, for when she held up her new love and she opened her beautiful eyes and smiled up at her, Ruth held her close, crying, “Oh, you darling thing! I can never give you up! You are too sweet for anything!” Then followed some rapturous moments when she trotted the baby on her small knee, murmuring sweet nothings in her ears; taught

7 THE STORY OF her to patty-cake and to show how big the baby was. She tried to have her “tan lony,” but found she was too young for that. She was especially careful of the soft spot, and sighed because she couldn’t see how many teeth she had. Finally, with baby in her arms, she went on another exploring expedition and discovered a cunning cupboard. She opened the doors and found it not like Mother Hubbard’s, but well stocked with cookies, tarts and sandwiches, for to-day was party day and after kindergarten this room was to be the scene of a gay tea-party.' Perhaps I should say was to “have been,”—for woe be unto that tea-party now. Baby Ruth was hungry. It was her lunch­ time and her eyes sparkled at sight of these goodies, which she proceeded to devour. When she finally had enough she tried to feed the poor hungry dolls, but found only Ruth held her close, crying, “ Oh, you darling thing!”Page y

THE THREE DOLLS two available mouths with teeth broken, leav­ ing a space into which she could push any food at all. This she did until they apparently had enough, for they refused utterly to swallow another mouthful, and Ruth, tired after such an exciting morning, carefully picked up her wilted flowers, and, as she often did at home, found a corner that just suited her fanc'y, where, with one chubby arm clasping the baby doll close to her face, she lay down in peace to sleep. Presently the bell pealed sharply, and the maid who responded was met by a wild-eyed lady who asked in trembling tones if she had seen her baby—a little curly-headed child in a white dress. “ She is lost,” she cried, “ and I have been hunting for her for hours and hours! ” Of course the maid had not seen her and

9 THE STORY OF the poor mother turned away frantically to continue her search. Next came Alice, the little mother of the dolls, eager for the promised tea-party. She danced up the stairway and into the room, only to stop in dismay at the signs of dis­ order and evidence that some one had been there. “Who’s had my big dolly?” she wailed, for all the world like the big bear when he found that some one had been sleeping in his bed. She caught up the rag doll, examined her hastily, took out the safety-pin, kissing the place where it had pierced the skin, outraged that any one could do such a cruel thing; then, catching sight of her dear beautiful middle-sized doll lying naked on her best clothes, which had been donned for the occa­ sion, she wailed once more, “ Who had my THE THREE DOLLS

Rosabell?” She could break, and was it possible that that always-dreaded calamity had at last taken place? She raised her with fear and trembling and breathed a sigh of relief as she found no bones broken, and noticed that this mysterious somebody had refrained from brushing the beautiful hair. Then she ran to the carriage for the dear­ est treasure of all, and when she found it gone, the walls echoed with her cries of woe. Here was genuine grief for another lost baby, which was quickly pacified when she saw through eyes almost blinded with tears the guilty culprit, who looked anything but that, as she lay there sleeping peacefully with the doll-baby snuggled close to her little fat cheek. Then Alice exclaimed joyfully, just like the baby bear, “And here she is fast asleep!” THE STORY OF and forgave her on the spot, for she looked so sweet, lying in the corner, her little rosy face and rings of hair all stuck up with crumbs, her white dress crumpled and soiled, her dear darling little fat legs looking as though they would surely burst the blue stock- ings. Alice’s anxiety concerning her dear ones at rest, she now noticed the disturbance in the street, and, listening at the open window, soon learned the cause. Of course this was the lost baby, and to thinkshe that had found her! She darted down stairs and out the door crying, “I know where she is!” to the poor mother, who was by this time almost desperate, as she feared the little one had been stolen. She could hardly believe the good news, but eagerly followed the child and was in turn followed by a group of curious friends who THE THREE DOLLS had been eagerly but vainly assisting in the search. The little girl, filled with the excitement of the moment, explained as they climbed the stairs that it was just like the three bears. “ First I found some one had been playing with my big doll, and I couldn’t find out who it was. Then some one had had my middle-sized doll, and I couldn’t find out who that was, and then some one had taken my weenty tccnty baby-doll, for she was gone, and pretty soon I found theone that did it, and there she was, right there, fast asleep, just like Curly Locks!” O f course, all this commotion awakened baby Ruth, who was very m uch surprised when she opened her eyes on a room full of people. Still dazed over her dream of dolls, and hardly awake enough to know whether the

>3 THE THREE DOLLS room was peopled with grown-ups or children, she trotted over to Alice, pointed to the sofa and said very emphatically in her sweet baby voice, “ Dare’s dolls enough for all of ’oo! I w ant dis b ab y ! ”

>4 The Story o f the Gold Beads

NE bright morning in June three little O maids were huddled together at the extreme end of the long piazza where the sun and the breeze played hide-and-seek in their golden curls. Upon close inspection one might have seen that the spirit of mischief was abroad and had centered itself in the THE - STORY OF midst of this bunch of lassies, who, sad to re­ late, were cruelly torturing a dear little pet kitten. “I can fix it so it will mew a long time. Just squeeze its tailh a rd ” said Florence to her sister Marian; and as she proceeded to illustrate this startling announcement there followed a prolonged wail from poor kitty. e< You’ll be ’rested for cruelty to animals,” declared Charlotte, a little friend who lived next door. “ I heard papa reading about it.” Whereupon all three children scampered into the yard as though a policeman were already at their heels. They sat down on the grass beside a beau­ tiful pansy bed and proceeded to gather some of the velvety faces which gravely stared up at them . “ I don’t see how you have such large ones in your bed, Marian. Mine and Florence’s

16 THE GOLD BEADS

are such wizzly things — whatdo you do to get them so lovely?” “ Oh!” replied Marian, as though impart­ ing a very unusual bit of information, “ I’ll tell you how I do it. I just let the rain rain on them and the sun shine on them, and they just get that way! ” “ Well,” said Charlotte contemptuously, “you don’t s’pose we go out and hold an umbrella over ours to keep the sun and rain off, do you?” and she danced away to meet mama and baby May. “Watch her carefully, children, for I am going down town,” said mama, as she left her treasure with them. They welcomed the three-year-old baby with delight, for she was such a darling they considered it a privilege to be allowed to care for her. “ How sweet she looks in her spandy clean

l 7 THE STORY OF dress, and how tight she holds her dolly! I’ll tell you what let’s do, girls,” cried Florence, “ let’s trim her up like they do in flower carnivals. There’s stacks of pansies and they are our own! ” As all agreed to this inspiring proposal, they fell to picking flowers, and soon had a large heap with good long stems. “ Pitty f’owers, me have turn,” chirped the baby. “ Yes,” chorused the three, “ you shall have them all. We will trim your bonnie and your dress, and mama will think you are growing. It will be such fun.” “Such fun!” echoed the baby, as she al­ lowed them to make a model of her, and thoroughly entered into the sport with them. “Make dear tunnin’ dolly f’ower baby, too,” she lisped presently, as she watched the trio working busily, thrusting the long stems into the holes of the embroidery in bonnet THE GOLD BEADS and gown. When this was accomplished to their satisfaction they tied on the bonnet, and behold! she was a veritable little pansy blos­ som, with a row of the posies all around the edge of the bonnet forming a frame for the sweet face. The yoke of her dress was a mass of them, and there was even a rosette of them tucked into each slipper. They stood off to admire and exclaim over the winsome picture and longed to hug her, but, of course, that must not be done now, so they had to be content with planting a kiss on the little rosebud mouth. “ Now, trim dolly,” she cried again, and dolly was therefore transformed into a flower baby also. “ Now let’s get her carriage and trim that. They did that in Paris when mama was there. They trimmed the spokes and wheels with ivy and the carriage was just covered with

!9 THE STORY OF flowers. We can use the snowballs and it will be all white and green,”—and Florence ran to the porch for the cab, which, under their skilful fingers, was soon a mass of green and bloom, and, of course, a thing of beauty. “ If you’ll let me wear your gold beads I’ll let you wheel her,” said Charlotte to Marian. A frightened look passed over Marian’s face for an instant as she replied: “My! I forgot ’em! Mama didn’t say I could wear ’em out; she let me put them on just a min­ ute and then I forgot. They were my great­ grandmother’s and if you lost ’em it would be awful! ” “ I won’t lose ’em,” said Charlotte, as she clasped the beads about her neck, “and I thinkwe ought to be dressed up. Mama’s down town and she won’t care. I’ll see what I can find.” She darted away and soon returned with

20 THE GOLD BEADS her arms full of old-fashioned things,— a dress for each, with most gorgeous bonnets and shawls. They were soon clothed in this fantastic array and pranced about like a lot of pea­ cocks. Baby May was placed on her throne with dolly perched on her lap. “ Don’t she look like a truly princess?” cried Florence, dancing about her enthusias­ tically; “ let’s go up the street a ways and let the people see us! ” Baby May’s carriage headed the procession, and the kitten, who had finally recovered from the effects of the badly-treated tail, fol­ lowed in the rear. They passed gaily along in all their splendid toggery till Charlotte, glancing back, discov­ ered pussy, and, bemoaning the fact they hadn’t even put a ribbon on her, slyly u n ­ clasped the beads from her neck and twined THE STORY OF them about the cat’s, consoling herself, as she looked at the unobserving owner, with the thought that she would take them off in a few minutes. But alas, for the great-grandmother’s beads! A bad, bad dog suddenly spied poor kitty and gave chase. Kitty ran like the wind and suddenly darted up a tree, leaving the beads, which weren’t fastened very securely, dangling on a small branch through which she was obliged to scramble to get out of harm’s way. The procession proceeded up the street all unconscious of this exciting, and for the beads, disastrous episode. Presently Charlotte, turning around, dis­ covered that the kitten was missing and cried in dismay, “Why! Where is kitty?” and started off to find her. “What do you care for the kitty? Come

11 Baby May’s carriage headed the procession.Page

THE GOLD BEADS on, we’re going up this other street,” cried tire girls, cheered on by the admiring and amused glances of the passers-by. But Char­ lotte was already running about like a wild thing, crying “ Kitty, kitty, kitty!” and she soon spied her peeping out from under the porch, whither she had sped after the dog’s departure. Charlotte hailed her appearance with joy, but a heartrending cry brought her compan­ ions to the spot in the greatest haste. “Where are the beads, kitty?” wailed Charlotte, as the procession appeared. Marian heard and ran across the lawn with wide-open frightened eyes, crying, “What beads, Charlotte? You didn’t lose mine, did you ? ” “No, kitty did. I put them on her neck ’cause she wasn’t dressed up. I wasn’t going to leave them on but a minute and she’s lost

23 THE STORY OF

them!”—and poor kitty was cuffed unmer­ cifully,—why, she did not know. Such a mournful little procession as it was that went back to look for the beads,—their bonnets all awry and tears streaming down two faces, at least. Poor baby May, full of sympathy, cried, “ I don’t like this f’ower party. I wants to be glad like before.” “ Never mind, dearie, we will be glad when we find the beads,” sobbed Charlotte as they peered here and there, but all to no purpose. They even paused under the big tree, where above their heads dangled the missing necklace, but no one dreamed of looking so high, and they w ent their way in sorrow and finally came back and sat down on the porch to await the dreaded home-coming of Charlotte’s mama. The poor little kitten sat some distance away, feeling that for some reason she was in disgrace and dared not join the sorry group.

24 THE GOLD BEADS

“ Here, Don,” called Florence, as their be­ loved great dog appeared on the scene, “catch kitty, she’s naughty, sick her!” and again the poor persecuted kitten darted across the lawn and up her favorite tree. This time the beads were dislodged and fell down into the dirt. Don, who was of an inquiring nature, saw something fall and went to investigate. He, of course, found the beads and pawed them about a while, then caught them in his mouth and raced up the street into a crowd of boys, who greeted him with delight and got down on the grass for a frolic with him, as he was well-known and a great favorite. “ What’s he got in his mouth?” cried one. “ Give it to us, old fellow,”—and Don obedi­ ently dropped the necklace in the boy’s hand. “ It’s nothing but some old brass beads,” said the boy. “ Here, Don, let’s put them on

2 5 THE STORY OF for a collar!”—and in a jiffy the beads en­ circled the dog’s neck, and as they were rather a close fit, were buried out of sight in his long fur. The dog bounded away and was soon back facing the tearful quartet on the porch. He looked at them wistfully, divining the fact that something was wrong, as he missed the usual joyful welcome. Marian laid her head close to his for com­ fort, crying, “ Don, dear, we’ve lost the beads; do you think you could find them ? ” Don solemnly pondered as though he thought he could if they would give him half a chance. Suddenly Florence jumped up and ap­ peared to have solved the problem as she cried joyfully: “ I know! Let’s put him on the scent, the way they do when slaves are lost. Dogs can always find things. Why didn’t we think of that before?”

26 THE GOLD BEADS

Her cheerfulness was infectious, and all be­ gan to feel that the beads were already in sight. - “ How do you do it?” asked Marian. a Oh, you just give ’em something to smell that belonged to the person that’s lost. I heard papa tell about it. They give ’em an old hat or a shoe, or something.” “Yes, but that’s when it’s a person that’s lost—what can we do when it’s beads?” queried Marian anxiously. “ Why,” scornfully replied the wise one, “that’s easy, can’t you see? The beads be­ longed to our great-grandmother, and all we’ve got to do is to show him something that was hers and let him smell it and he’ll go straight and find the beads.” Marian pondered a moment and then flashed up the steps, into the house, and soon reappeared with an old calash, which is a in THE STORY OF queer old-fashioned bonnet. She handed it to Florence, who seemed to be initiated into the mysteries of this unusual performance, and she held it out to Don. “ Smell it,” she commanded, “smellit, sir!” Don wonderingly sniffed, but it was rather musty and he did not like it. He turned his head away, then looked inquiringly at her. “ Sm?ll it,” she cried again, “ and then find the beads.” Don did not offer to move, as he was tired and hungry and it was near dinner-time. “ I’ll tell you what,” said Florence, “ they always make the dog take the shoe or hat, so he won’t lose the scent. We’ll tie on the bonnet and then you will see him fly!” And she firmly tied the bonnet on the pa­ tient creature’s head. He looked so funny they all set up a shout, baby May joining in the chorus in great glee.

28 THE GOLD BEADS

“Now, Don, listen,” said Florence. “ Our great-grandmother is dead.” Here Don in­ terrupted with a mournful howl, as the boys had taught him to do when he played dead, and waited expectantly. Florence proceeded impatiently. “She didn’t just die,—it was hundreds of years ago and her beads are lost and this is her bonnet that you smelled, and now you must go and find the beads.” Don listened with the gravest attention, and when they all criedgo, he walked away a short distance, then returned, only to repeat the performance at the cries of, “Naughty D on, go! ” The poor bewildered animal finally wearied of this strange new game and lay down to rest. Marian threw herself beside him, sob­ bing, “He don’t know how! Oh, what will we do?” Baby May, tired of her long confinement

29 THE STORY OF in the carriage, now begged to ride the Bow-wow with the funny bonnet. So poor Don had to rise and Charlotte and Florence placed the baby on his back, holding her on either side. This was a favorite pastime of Don’s and he trotted along, proud to carry the little flower princess, who trustingly put her chubby arms about his neck, crying, “ Det ap, det ap ! ” Baby May was a wise little tot, and as she hugged the dog, burying her fat fingers in his thick fur, her face suddenly beamed, and she cried joyously: “ Bow-wowdid find the beads.” They paid little attention to her prattle, but as the steed neared the prostrate weeping Marian, the baby cried: “Marian, ’top cryin’, Bow-wow did find beads.” Marian sprang to her feet and they all

3 ° THE GOLD BEADS

cried, “ How do you know? Where arc they, dearie?” And as her little fat fingers dis­ closed the missing treasure a glad shout rent the air. Baby was taken down and hugged and kissed, while Don ran to and fro, barking joyfully, assured beyond the slightest doubt that something unusual had occurred and that in some way not plain to him he was re­ sponsible for it. Marian unclasped the beads from his neck just as Charlotte’s mama appeared on the scene, and she was greeted with an unusually warm welcome. She supposed it was on ac­ count of the funny dress parade, but was soon undeceived, as they clung to her, laugh­ ing and prattling hysterically, while her cars were filled with confused cries of, “ Mama, the beads were lost;” “ I didn’t mean to ;” “ The kitty did it.” 3 1 THE GOLD BEADS

Then with Baby May in her arms she heard the story and chid and comforted them all while she stroked the wilted flower princess, who in turn claspedher dear “tun- nin’ ” dolly to her little bosom and laid her own drowsy head close to mother’s heart.

32 The Story o f the Candy Heart

SN’T it beautiful?” cried little Gertie I and Belle, as Bridget proudly held it up before their admiring eyes. “ Beautiful!” echoed Biddy scornfully. “ Beautiful is no name for it. It’s the most illigant thing of the koind you iver saw. Pat gave it to me on my birthday, and I’m going

33 THE STORY OF to kape it for iver and iver. Just hear this bit of a pome that’s writ in gold letters on the beautiful lace paper,”—and Biddy struck an attitude and read in a loud voice: “ ‘T h e rose is red, The violet’s blue, Sugar is sweet, A nd so are you.’ “Did you iver hear anything like that?” —and Biddy laid it gently in its case, which she placed in the center of her table with her other treasures,—an ivory crucifix, a picture of the Virgin and a string of beads, over which she prayed faithfully each day. The children lingered a moment, gazing wistfully at the closed box, which they so longed to possess. “Can’t we just hold it for a minute?” Belle cried, as Biddy started for the kitchen. “Just a minute, but don’t drop it, and be

34 “ Just hear this bit of a pome that’s writ in gold letters on the beautiful lace paper.” Page34

THE CANDY HEART sure to put it back, so the flies can’t get at it,” replied generous Biddy, who hated to deny them anything, for she loved them both dearly. With bated breath they opened the precious box and gazed rapturously at its contents. They read again and again the sweet message; and after they had feasted their eyes upon it for some moments Gertie suggested that they smell it; as the delicious odor of peppermint pervaded their nostrils, Gertie decided that sniffing was not enough, and as it was so very near her mouth, she slyly put out the tip of her tongue and boldly touched it. “Why, Gertie, you tasted it,” cried timid Belle, horrified at such a proceeding. “ I know it, and it’s lovely. Just let it slip past your tongue a second; it won’t hurt it a bit.” Thus Eve tempted Adam, and Belle also tasted.

35 THE STORY OF

“ ’Tis good,” said she, “ but I don’t s’pose we ought to.” “Oh, you fraid-cat! come on, let’s each take one good lick, and then put it away.” No sooner said than done. Each passed her tongue over the toothsome morsel, then placed it in the box, and stole hastily out of the room, with guilt stamped on every feature. They ran out of doors and picked flowers very busily for a few moments. The silence was broken at last by Belle, who said regretfully: “I wish we hadn’t done it. Do you think she ever will know?” “ Course she won’t,” replied her sister; “how can she tell?”—and Gertie danced away after the butterflies, not at all troubled over her share in the performance. Dear little Belle was greatly worried over it, but finally concluded that, since Gertie said so perhaps it was all right after all.

36 THE CANDY HEART

That night, on the way to bed, they called to Biddy in the kitchen, and asked if they could look at the candy heart once more. “ Bless your little souls, of course you may! But be very careful of it.” So again the heart was taken out, and ad­ mired, and sniffed at, and, as before, they ended by licking its back. Each night, as bed-time drew nearer, the temptation recurred again and again, and the little consciences were overwhelmed by an ever-increasing desire for another lick of the sweet morsel; and the crime becam e less hideous as time rolled on. Biddy also took a peep at her treasure oc­ casionally, and finding it apparently in perfect condition, she soon left it to the care of the Virgin, which in this ease was unfortunate, for alter the heart had been slyly fondled by the hungry tongues of the little criminals for

37 THE STORY OF some weeks, it decided to rebel, and one night, as Gertie took her “ first” she made a wry face and cried, “ Ugh, horrid! what is the matter with it?” and handed it to Belle, who also screwed her face, as she said that it tasted like glue. Upon examination they found to their horror that the candy heart had disap­ peared utterly, and they had reached the layer of glue which fastened it to the paper. “ It’s all gone!” Belle wailed. “ The candy’s all gone. We didn’t do it, did we?” and her tears overflowed and chased one another down her cheeks. Saucy Gertie tossed her head, as she replied, “’Course not; what you crying for? we couldn’t have done it in a year. Just taking two licks a night. It evaporated; that’s all.” “What’s that? Can it evaporate back again?” asked Belle. “ Oh no, it can’t evaporate back, things THE CANDY HEART

only evaporate away; it means it’s gone; went itself, without anybody making it go,— just as the little kettle over the grate gets empty with nobody touching it. Come on to bed.” Forced to accept this explanation, Belle gently placed the lacey paper, with its sticky message, back into its box. Everything seemed to her to be going wrong, something which had never happened before. They stole away to bed, but sleep refused to come to either. “ Let’s tell mama,” said Belle, after rest­ lessly tossing about for some time. “ She will tell us what to do.” Mama was her refuge always in time of trouble, and she felt sure that she could solve this difficult problem. “ No, I won’t tell mama,” replied naughty Gertie, “ and you are an old tattle-tale if you

39 THE STORY OF do. I’ll tell you what,—you take the pen­ nies you’ve been saving for mama’s Christmas present, and I’ll take mine, and we’ll buy another heart and put it in the box, and Biddy will never know the difference.” “ But I’ve got twenty-five and you’ve only got ten. It took me so long to save them, and I hate to take them,” sobbed Belle. “ Well, you must; ’cause if Biddy finds it out she’ll be furious and kill us!” With this cheerful prophecy Gertie turned over and they were' soon in the land of dreams, where poor little Belle had terrible visions of angry Biddy chopping off her head with the ax and as the head rolled away it turned into a mammoth heart, while her fluffy curls vanished, and in their place danced ruffles of lace paper. On the face was printed in words of fire: “ Be good and you will be happy,” and Belle awakened with the firm resolve to

40 THE CANDY HEART tell mama, anyhow, some time before that night. After breakfast they departed with their pennies tightly tied in their little handker­ chiefs. Arrived at the village store they stood on their tiptoes, and, as a little old lady stepped forward, inquired in trembling tones if she had any candy hearts. She brought forth a large tray of them, and there, to their delight, they beheld one exactly like the one they had destroyed. “ We’ll take that,” Gertie cried triumph­ antly, and she eagerly caught it up in her hands as though she feared it might vanish before her eyes. The lady wrapped it up, as the children laid their pennies all in a row on the counter. “ Oh, but my dears,” she exclaimed, “it costs fifty cents, and you have only thirty-five. I can’t let you have it for that.” At this

41 THE STORY OF terrible news Belle burst into tears, and stony­ hearted Gertie cried: “We will take it, any­ how. We have to have it now, and we will pay the rest some other time.” But Belle sobbed out, “ Oh no, we can’t do that; mama wouldn’t let us go in debt, and what will Biddy say?” Seeing their distress, the lady asked what the trouble was, and Gertie poured forth the sad story, to the accompaniment of Belle’s wails and dropping tears. The sympathetic old lady, after hearing the tale, decided to let them have the heart, but begged them never, never to do such a dreadful thing again. “Why, it is nothing more than stealing!” she said. They hastened home, and finding Biddy busy baking cookies, tiptoed quietly up stairs and stowed the heart away in its place of honor.

42 THE CANDY HEART

“What shall we do with the paper? ” Belle asked, as she held up the now soiled bit of lace, with the gold letters staring at them like so m any eyes. G ertie took it and crum pled it up in her hands, as they wended their way to the kitchen. “ What a nice hot fire you have, Biddy,” she cried, as she dropped the paper in at the little front door, where it was licked up by the flames more eagerly than it had ever been by the two little tongues. “What ye a-burnin’ there?” cried Biddy. “ Oh, nothing but a piece of paper. May we have a cooky?” She consented and they departed, eating the plummy bun. Neither seemed quite happy, and finally, after wandering restlessly about, Belle cried in despair, “ Let’s go tell mama all about it.” For a wonder, Gertie welcomed this plan

43 THE STORY OF

w ith delight, and, dancing about gaily, echoed, “ Yes, let’s do.” She had been feeling very uncomfortable, and had about concluded that, for the sake of her peace of mind, she must confess this hideous sin; but she hated to be the one to make the suggestion. A little later mama was confronted by two little culprits, who meekly and tearfully told their tale of woe. When they had finished she reproached and comforted them, in turn; but decided that they must go to Biddy and make a clean breast of it. Belle carried the new heart, and mama thought they looked like chief mourners at a funeral, as they entered the kitchen with their little hearts beating furiously. “ The saints protect us!” cried Biddy, as the sorrowful trio entered. “What’s the matter with the children?” And when amid

44 THE CANDY HEART tears and sobs they had repeated the story to her, she felt almost as sad over their grief as over the loss of the heart. She kissed and freely forgave them; then bade them run along and not be botherin’ their little souls any more, at all at all. At breakfast the next morning, under each little plate, was found a tiny candy heart, with a ribbon tied through a hole in the top. They were from generous Biddy, and on each one was inscribed the words, “ When this you see, remember me.” These children are “ grown-ups” now, and those two little hearts still hang on the wall in the little room at the old home, waiting for some little girls to come and eat them; and, indeed, the time was near at hand re­ cently when the two mamas took wee Gertie and Belle to visit grandma; and one day, on suddenly entering this little room, they found

45 THE CANDY HEART these two babies standing on tiptoe trying in vain to reach these same hearts. Mama Gertie, as saucy as ever, in spite of her years, caught up the babies and cried to the hearts as the three danced out of the room : “‘The gobble-uns’ll git you E f you dont w atch o u t!’” One Summer

UCH a jolly crew as this you never saw! SThey were seated in a railroad station one summer day, first a pair of twinnies, a good one and a bad one, and you never could find out which was which, for if you asked either if she were the naughty one, the invariable reply was, “ Oh no, that’s my sister.” They

47 ONE SUMMER were named. Ruby and Pearl, and were the veritable jewels which their names indicated, and at this time were five years old. Next to them sat their sister Anna, aged nine; then came two little friends, Betty, aged six, and D orothy, nine. Beyond them sat two tired-faced mothers, who, with their little brood, satchels and lunch-baskets, were awaiting the train which was to take them to a haven of rest far away from fractious maids, perpetually-ringing door-bells and telephones, and various other cares. The three youngest children had their large rag dolls pressed close to each individual bosom. T h e dolls were nearly as large as the children, and their flat faces placidly re­ flected the beaming countenances of their little mamas and grandmamas, for they were all joyously anticipating a whole day’s jour- 48 ONE SUMMER ney on the train, after which would come glorious times in the country for these five little girls, three large dolls and two mamas. When the train finally arrived there was the usual scramble for seats, but they were soon settled, the children and dolls having seats to themselves. They sped on their way, rejoicing in the fact that there was ample room in the car, but their joy was short-lived, for the train soon stopped at a station which seemed literally alive with children, who rushed in and excitedly raced through the car, crowding into the seats in the greatest haste. Some of the boys rudely caught up the unoffending dolls, crying “ Here, you! I want that seat,” and were about to throw them on the floor, when the mothers came to the rescue and seated the five little girls in two opposite seats w ith one doll to take turns in the five laps. They took the two other

49 ONE SUMMER dolls and held them in their own laps, where they looked very life-like, with their curls bobbing about just outside their bonnets and their gingham gowns freshly starched for the occasion. Suddenly, as the train started, a crash of glass was heard and all looked back to see that one little boy, in his excitement, had thrust his head through the window, thinking it was open. Fortunately he was not injured, and the train continued on its way with its merry load of children and teachers who were to hold a Sunday-school picnic at some lake resort near by. The conductor came through shouting, “ Have your tickets ready,” and there was a general hunt for these bits of pasteboard, which were duly punched as he passed on. When he reached our little party he stopped and, taking the seven tickets, he counted the children indicated; then, think-

50 ONE SUMMER ing the dolls were children, he scowled at them and said, “ Ladies, the rates for this Sun­ day-school picnic are very low and we have to charge for each child, no matter what its age; so please pay me for these children on your laps.” The mothers smiled as they turned the dolls so they faced the conductor, and one replied, “ If you will notice the tickets, sir, you will see we are going farther and do not belong to the picnic; but if we did, would you really charge for such innocent little creatures as these?” The conductor gave them a sharp glance, smiled, punched the tickets and passed on, while a general titter followed him to the door of the car. The merry picnickers were plentifully sup­ plied with the inevitable popcorn, candy and peanuts, which they gaily crunched, and were jolly enough for a while, but soon began to ONE SUMMER

feel uncomfortably crowded and warm, and it became evident that ill-nature was de­ veloping. As that is very contagious, one sweet-faced teacher decided to nip it in the bud. She attracted the attention of all by asking if any had candy, popcorn and peanuts which they did not care for. Each child waved aloft a bag partly full and cried heartily, “ Yes, lots of it.” “ Well,” she continued, “let’s play we are missionaries and are traveling through the country, feeding the starving heathen. When I give the signal, those in the rear seats may throw what they have. The next time, those in the next seats may do the same, and so on.” And what fun it was! The first signal was called forth by a poor little colored girl seated on a doorstep look­ ing disconsolately at the train, and when she

52 ONE SUMM ER saw the paper missiles flying at her, she jum ped up and ran to investigate, and the last they could see of her she was seated on the ground devouring the goodies. The next was a little lame boy, who pain­ fully hopped along with the aid of a crutch, and looked as though he feared it was a joke, but was reassured as one bag was torn and the contents poured out on the grass. The children sat eagerly awaiting the next victim, when the teacher called excitedly, as the train slowed up around a curve, “ Here’s a fine lot, five little ragged ones, all standing close to the track. They look so poor, throw out at least six or eight.” And as these dropped almost on their heads, the general rejoicing among them was a delight to hear. Merry shouts filled the car as the bonbons were showered from time to time on the surprised “ heathen.”

53 ONE SUMMER

Very soon they stopped to water the train, and there stood a darling little golden-haired girl, poorly but neatly clad. She looked up at them so wistfully that the teacher told her to hold out her apron, which was soon filled, one child joyfully dropping into it a small doll which she had been tightly clutching. As the train passed on the little girl was look­ ing wonderingly into her apron, and prob­ ably deciding that Santa Claus was aboard that train. This game was a perfect success, and all too soon the picnic party reached its destina­ tion, and our little people, who had been greatly amused, were left to themselves in the car strewn with paper bags, corn and shells. They reached the end of their journey about five in the afternoon, and found the farmer with his horses and wagon awaiting them .

54 ONE SUMMER

The ride through the cool evening air was very refreshing, and when they finally reached the home that was to be theirs for some weeks, their joy knew no bounds. It was such a dear little cottage situated on a hill­ side that bordered a beautiful lake. T he w ater, as clear and blue as the sky, was framed by a sandy beach, which would delight any one child, not to speak of five children, who were to enjoy it together. They went into the cottage and found it very unusual. It wasn’t even plastered or painted. There was no furniture except cots, a table, a wash-stand and a few chairs. It was so odd and different from anything they had ever been used to that they decided it meant great fun, and after bathing hands and faces in the tin wash-basins, they went across the lawn to the farm-house for supper. And such a supper! Cream potatoes, daintiest slices of

55 ONE SUMMER cold boiled ham, warm biscuits and honey, wild strawberries and tender sponge cake. The food disappeared as if by magic; all were very hungry, and decided they never had tasted such a good supper. As they were quite weary they soon went to bed and, although it was so new and strange, they slept like a lot of kittens all snuggled up together. The house nestled in among the trees which were full of birds, and, of course, their happy morning songs awakened our party bright and early. Have you ever been in the country away from the city noises, and been awakened by the birds? Then you know how you hear first a little gentle cheep from the baby birds who want their breakfast. The mother bird responds with a solo, then the father chimes in and the pair warble a duet; then follows

56 ONE SUMMER a trio, and finally the families in the various trees jo in in, and there bursts forth one grand chorus which echoes and reechoes through the trees. This dies away presently and then you hear the roosters crow, and the bossy-cow’s bell tinkling as she comes to be milked. The children drowsily listened a while to these unusual sounds, then opened their eyes and looked about. Over their heads on the beams the spiders were weaving their webs and an old daddy- long-legs was running about; occasionally a mousy peeped out and twinkled his bright eyes at them. Suddenly they heard a noise at the door as though some one were fumbling with the knob. They waited to hear a knock, but as the queer noise continued, Betty’s mama con­ cluded to see who was there and opened the door, but closed it quickly and laughed

57 ONE SUMMER heartily as she exclaimed, “ Who do you think our first caller was? A beautiful brown pony! He thrust his face right into mine and was coming in, but I think he is rather bold to call before we are even out of bed. Come, chicks, get up, and after breakfast we will send out cards to all the animals, saying that we are at home only on rainy days. We might have a reception some lovely, gloomy day, and the animals can come in two by two, as they did into the a rk ! ” The walls rang with the merry laughter that followed this suggestion, and they had a lovely time dressing in their one large room, which was partitioned by curtains. At breakfast they told the farmer about the caller. He laughed and told them they must expect that every morning, only there would usually be two. When he was build­ ing the cottage, he said, they often walked in,

£8 ONE SUMMER for they were great pets, and of course they could not see why they should not still be made welcome. Sure enough, each day they appeared, and when the door was opened they looked in with such an appealing ex­ pression that mama would say, “ Not to-day, ponies; you can’t come in here. You couldn’t wash in our tin basins, or sit in our chairs, and I am sure you wouldn’t care to sleep in our cots,—so go aw ay!” The ponies turned away, but were promptly on hand each morning, and the children paci­ fied them with sugar-lumps and love-pats. The days were full and overflowing. In the first place, there were cherry trees loaded with red and white fruit; then there were trees whose branches were heavy with mellow golden harvest apples. As there were ladders underneath, it did not take the children long, after obtaining permission to climb up into

59 ONE SUMMER

them. And what fun it was to eat the ripe fruit off the branches, instead of buying it at a store! They were like a lot of chirping robins, and when they had eaten all they could hold, they stowed away a goodly quantity in their blouses, and looked about for more 'worlds to conquer. They found the beach a most fascinating place and each morning donned their bath- ing-suits and had great sport paddling about in the water. The first morning they were like a flock of ducks. They ran about splash­ ing the water at one another until all looked as though fresh from a shower-bath. Sud­ denly Ruby fell down and ran weeping to the cottage crying, “ Mama, I fell down and got all wet.” Mama laughed heartily, much amused at the child’s fear of wetting her bathing-suit, and advised her to go back and get wet some more.

60 ONE SUMMER

After the bath came dinner, then they hunted eggs, fed the chickens and played with the kitties. Some days they spent out in the pasture picking berries, and one day on their return when they came proudly into the cottage to display their full pails they found a surprise awaiting them in the shape of two papas, who were glad, indeed, to kiss the upturned stained faces and to perceive the great im­ provement which ruddy cheeks and bright eyes indicated. And then began better times than ever, for these papas had come to fish, and each day found them out in boats with poles, lines and baited hooks. This was a new experi­ ence, and the first day the children were much excited as they anchored in deep water and threw in their lines. Their eyes were as big as saucers, and suddenly one little twin on

61 ONE SU MMER one side of the boat cried: “ Oh, mama, I’ve got a bite!” and at the same instant the other little twin on the other side of the boat cried: “ Oh, mama, I’ve got a bite!” and they giggled and danced their little feet, and were very happy. Mama helped them pull in their lines; they pulled and they pulled, and at last found that their lines were tangled together underneath the boat and they hadn’t any fish at all. They felt very sad for a few moments, as all the other little girls were catching fish, but pretty soon they did have a bite, and each caught a really truly fish. They baited their hooks with a shiny silvery minnow, and what do you think? One of the fish that one little twin caught had been so greedy he had swallowed four minnows. She squeezed him and he opened his mouth and out flopped a tiny tail. She pulled out that weeny fish and squeezed him again and

62 ONE SUMMER again until she had all four. You see it does not pay to be greedy. Something horrid al­ ways happens to you. Well, they had a great time fishing. The fish wriggled and twisted, and one little twin said, “ Never mind, fishy, you won’t get cated. Don't be ’(raid.” Once, as she threw back a fish that was too small to save, she said, “ T h ere, baby fishv, go find your little muvver." By and by they heard the big dinner-bell ring, so they “oared back.” The fish were cleaned and fried nice and brown for supper, and I believe they did get “ catcd.” When the time came for the papas to leave them there, they felt a little lonely, but this feeling soon passed away, they found so much to keep them busy. They began each day by helping their mamas to make the beds and put the cottage in order. After that the time was their own for pleasure. O ONE SUMMER

One thing they dearly loved, and that was what they called the “water ride.” The farmer drew all the water used on the farm in barrels from the lake. Being fond of the children he was very indulgent with them and usually allowed them to accompany him on these novel excursions. A feeling of mingled pleasure and fear thrilled them with ecstatic delight as they drove out into the water and saw the wheels sink down, down, and they wondered each time if they might be swallowed up by some unknown hole, and drew a long breath of relief as they found themselves once more on land. Now I shall tell you a true story about some birds. Long before these people came to their little house a papa bird and a mama bird concluded to go to housekeeping. So they looked around for a good place to build and found the eaves of this same little cottage 64 ONE SUMMER an ideal one. There were no children about, and, as it seemed quiet and peaceful, they went to work gathering sticks and leaves. They worked very hard and at last the nest was finished. The mama bird laid five lovely blue eggs in it; then she spread her wings over them to keep them warm, for she knew that by and by five little baby birds would come peeping out. And sure enough they did, and what dear birds they were. They were brown with beautiful white breasts; and such cunning heads and twinkley beady eyes! Papa brought them worms and bits of cher­ ries, and their mouths seemed like great caverns as he dropped in the food. They grew and grew until finally mama thought they were large enough to fly. She knew they could if they would, so she chattered and scolded at them, telling them must they learn to fly; but they were afraid they would

65 ONE SUM MER fall, and wouldn’t even try. Each day she scolded harder. Did you ever hear how they chatter and what a noise they make when the mama says “You must,” and the baby bird says, “ I can’t ” ? It was just at this time that our little peo­ ple appeared. How frightened the birds were when they found some one was coming to the little cottage! They anxiously watched them as they came up the hill with their satchels, and mama bird peeped, “ Oh, papa, are there any boys?” Papa looked and counted one, two, three, four, five girls. “ No, dearie, no boys,” and how glad they were! The baby birds said, “What are boys, mama, and why don’t you want them?” “ Oh, some boys are dreadful,” said the mother bird. “ They steal the nests and kill the baby birds.” They were all pretty quiet for some time after that, but as no one bothered them, they

66 ONE SUMMER soon began their chattering again. One day the children had put their mamas to bed for a nap while they went to the woods to have a picnic with their dollies. That day mama bird decided that the babiesmust fly, and she scolded and chattered at them, and they cried and twittered so hard they annoyed the mamas on the bed trying to sleep. Of course these mamas did not know this long story of the birdies. They thought some birds were making a racket in the eaves and keep­ ing them awake, so one mama took her umbrella and poked it through a knot-hole by the nest to make them go away. She pulled it out and lay down again, and the birdies, like the parrot, said “ Come ini” for they thought some one was knocking at the door of their little house. As no one came they thought they would peep out and see what was happening. The first thing the

67 ONE SUMMER mamas saw was a cunning little bird perched on the edge of a beam, looking down at them; just behind him was another, and he was in such a hurry to see, that he pushed the first birdy off and he simply had to fly down. Then came another and pushed the second birdy down, and so on until all five had flown from the beam. It seemed as though the room was full of birds, and they chirped and peeped so piti­ fully the two mamas carried them out and placed them on the grass. Mama bird came down and coaxed them to fly back into the tree, which they did, and right glad they were to find that they really could fly after all. One night these five little girlies were snuggled in their beds with their dollies and mamas, all were sleeping quietly, the mousies were racing about holding high car­ nival, when suddenly there came a terrible

68 ONE SUMMER thunder-clap. The mousies scudded back to their holes and the mamas jumped up, won­ dering what had happened; then it began to rain. Oh, how hard it rained! and the five little girlies and the two mamas jumped up and all said at once to the others, “ Oh, it’s raining on our beds!” The mousies and spiders thought it sounded like a school when they all recite together. Then they said, “ Oh, what shall we do?” One little girl began to clap her hands and shouted, “ Oh, mama, let us have our new umbrellas.” Mama brightened up and said, “ That is a good idea,—we will,” and the two mamas got a big umbrella and went about in their nighties looking for the small um­ brellas and rubber coats. How they all laughed, for each looked like a ghost in her white night-dress, with her lighted candle in one hand and her umbrella in the other.

69 ONE SUMMER

They spread the rubber coats over the beds and gave the children their umbrellas, which were of different colors. Each little girl raised her own over her head, and the mamas put up their big black umbrellas and settled down and listened to the rain pattering down on them . At last they went to sleep, and in the morning when the spiders and daddy-long­ legs and the mousies came out they thought the people in the little house had gone crazy. One little mouse called another to come quick and see, and they all came out and they giggled so hard they nearly fell down on the beds, and the sun laughed, too, when he saw the red, green and blue umbrellas, and two big black ones over the heads on the beds. Suddenly Miss Blue Umbrella awakened, and for a moment wondered what had happened. Then she remembered about

70 Each little girl raised her umbrella over her head.Page 70

ONE SUMMER the rain, and wished it would rain every night, ’cause she had always wanted to take her new umbrella to bed and mama wouldn’t let her. . She peeped out from under it and began to giggle to herself, and in a moment Miss Green Umbrella peeped out, then the Reds were peeping their curly heads out. They all laughed quietly so they wouldn’t waken the big black umbrellas, but it wasn’t long before they, too, began to wabble, and out peeped the two mamas. And then what a shout arose from all of those umbrellas! Did you ever know before that umbrellas can laugh? They seemed to this time, and they giggled so hard they finally went flop­ ping out on the floor. The wind blew into the windows and the umbrellas began to blow about, and when the mamas called, “Take partners for a quad­ rille!” they really seemed to be dancing ONE SUMMER as they went hopping over the floor. My! What a gay time they all had! Then the children got up and dressed, and folded their little tents like the Arabs and laid them away. They gave each little tent a good hug and said, “You dear things, you kept us all nice and dry, and we will wear you to bed again some day, if it will only be good and rain.” One morning they awakened to a dull gloomy day, which soon developed into a rainy one. They all felt cross, but mama sang brightly, “ Can’t we make sunshine in the house when there is none without?” Then she announced that when they went to breakfast they would buy some syrup and make some maple wax. The frowning brows cleared at that de­ lightful news, but after a moment they looked sober again as one said, “ But how can we cook it when we haven’t any fire?”

72 ONE SUMMER

Mama produced a little square box and a bottle of alcohol and said: “ Here is the nicest kind of a fire.” And she placed the little stove in the basin where it could be used with perfect safety. When they left the breakfast-table the farmer’s wife gave them, besides the syrup, a tin pail all packed for a tea-party, for she knew a rainy day would be hard to pass away, and they returned to the cottage a jolly crowd after all. The fire was lighted and the contents of the pan were soon boiling merrily. All five little girls stood on their tippie-toes to see the bubbles, and when it seemed to be cooked enough they dropped some of it into cold water and all had a taste. It was just right and mama poured it into a pan to cool. While they waited they set the table for the tea-party. The pail was opened and their eyes glistened as they drew forth a, blueberry

73 ONE SUMMER turnover for each, some cookies and small gingerbreads. They were about ready to sit down when in walked Bob, the pug dog, which belonged to the farmer. He went over to the table and sat down before it in an expectant atti­ tude that provoked shouts of laughter. “ Let him stay and eat with us,” they all cried. “ Yes, but let’s dress him up first,” cried mis­ chief-loving Ruby; and in a jiffy one of the large doll’s dresses was over his head and fastened. It was a mother-hubbard with a wide ruffle around the neck. They then pinned a napkin about him, and he made a droll picture, indeed, as he sat on his haunches and gravely waited to be served. He smacked his lips over the goodies and begged for more. The children giggled over this performance, but the crowning act came in with the candy course. If you have eaten

74 ONE SUMMER maple wax when it is of a certain consistency you know about what happened to Bob when he planted his teeth in the too generous ball given him. He began to howl and dance about the room in the greatest misery. His jaws were apparently locked for good. He looked so funny racing round with the dress on, dragging the napkin under him, that the children were convulsed. Mama came to the rescue and forced his jaws apart and re­ moved the candy, after which, the dog, with dropped ears, prepared to depart, evidently feeling that he was in disgrace. As he reached the door, one of the children cried, “ For shame, Bob! Why don’t you thank the lady for getting out the candy?” ' He paused and really seemed to ponder for a moment, then turned, trotted over to his rescuer, sat up before her and gravely held out his paw.

75 ONE SUMMER

This unusual act was greeted with shouts of laughter, and mama courteously shook the paw and patted his head, then removed the napkin and gown and he trotted away. They now discovered that the sun had appeared on the scene, and ran out for a romp, deciding that rainy days were great fun. The time came all too soon for this jolly crew to go home, but they packed their trunks with glad hearts. The children’s cheeks were red as roses, and their little bodies were as plum p as the robins’. T h e m others’ faces had lost the tired lines which care engraves on so many countenances, and they felt as though years had dropped from their shoulders. Though they were sorry to leave this lovely place, they all felt that their own dear homes would warmly welcome them. So they said good-by to the beach and the lake, the birds5 the horses and the cottage, and away they

7 6 went; and that night, as the children’s naked feet pressed a soft carpet, and dainty wall­ paper and pictures beamed down upon them as they were tucked in their little soft white beds, they echoed the cry of the baby owl that went abroad to see the world, and came back after many weary days of wandering. “ There’s no place like home, after all,” she said, as she tucked her head under her mother’s wing. The Candy Island

NOW! Snow! Snow! Would it neverstop? S Poor little Alice flattened her nose against the window-pane, and the little face th at the snowbirds saw from the outside looked very cross and unhappy. And no wonder, for it had stormed for three days and the wind was blowing fiercely, piling the snow into great 78 THE CANDY ISLAND white drifts in which Alice dearly loved to play. She went out once in the greatest glee, but the wind tossed her about as it would toss a feather and the sleet stung her face so that she was glad to come in again. She went into the play-room where her dolls Claribel and Clorinda sat placidly beaming on her. She picked them both up and set them down hard for smiling when she was so unhappy; as she did so a wee note went fluttering down from Clorinda’s hand. She picked it up and saw that it was ad­ dressed to the dollies. She opened it and shouted with joy; for it was from dear grandma, asking the dollies to bring their mama and come to her room at three that afternoon. Alice caught up both dollies and hugged and kissed them, beg­ ging them to forgive her for being so cross.

79 THE CANDY ISLAND

“ You did have something to be glad about and I didn’t know it. It will be perfectly lovely, I can tell you that.” If there was one thing more than another she dearly loved to do, it was to spend an afternoon in grandma’s room. It was such a beautiful room papa had added to the house, when, after grandpa’s death, grandma had consented to come and spend her last days with them. There were all the old-fash­ ioned things she loved, and as she was rather feeble she liked to be alone except on cer­ tain good days, when she generally planned some delightful surprise for her grand­ daughter. Alice flew about getting the dolls ready. Then she ate her luncheon and had her nap. When she awakened it was nearly three, and she put on the dolls’ coats, hoods and mit­ tens; also her own wraps, for she was pre-

80 THE CANDY ISLAND tending that they had a long distance to travel through the snow, and she brought out the tiny sleigh which Santa Claus had brought her, tucked the dolls in all snug and warm, then walked down the long hall that led to grandma’s room. She drew the sleigh carefully over the car­ pet, for the drifts were deep and they might tip it over. Finally, with a great stamping and brush­ ing of imaginary flakes from her coat, she knocked at the door of the charmed room. Grandma opened it promptly, crying, “Well! Well! Have you come through this great storm to visit your old grandma? How glad I am to see you!” and led her up to the crackling wood fire which gave her a warm welcome as it went roaring up the chim ney. “ Pretty cold cornin’, wan’t it? Set right THE CANDY ISLAND down here and warm your foots. I know they are cold and I will undo these babies, poor little things! I’m afraid their feet are frosted; you ought to have had a hot brick in the bottom of the sleigh,—-that’s the way we used to do when I was a little girl goin’ to a party.” Alice’s eyes sparkled as she asked, “ Why, grandm a, is this a p arty ?” “ ’Course it is,” said grandma, “and an old- fashioned one, too. I felt so well to-day I just wanted to do something nice, and so I planned this party for you. I been workin’ all mornin’ for it. Take off your things and put the children on the little chairs by the fire and let’s get to work.” Delighted at the idea of a party, Alice, watched the old lady bustling about and helped all she could. Grandma brought out a little kettle, which she filled with maple

82 THE CANDY ISLAND sugar and hung on a hook over the flames. Then she brought a pan of corn, which Alice eagerly asked permission to shell. And she brought out some beautiful large red apples, tied a string to the stem of each one and hung them in front of the fire. Then she sat down by Alice, saying, “ Now won’t we have fun? It can snow and hail and blow all it wants to, but this party can’t blow; away.” Then, as she noticed a wistful look in Alice’s eyes, “What is it, deary? You look as though there was something lacking.” Alice threw her arms around grandma’s neck, crying, “ Oh,it’s lovely, and I think you are so good, but I was wishing Helen could come. It would be so lovely, and I know how lonesome she is this stormy day.” Grandma’s eyes twinkled and her dear old face beamed as she said mysteriously, “ Hark! did I hear a little mouse squealing?”

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Alice listened and, sure enough! she did hear a funny little squeak, which suddenly resolved itself into a joyous giggle. And then from behind a screen popped lonely little Helen, where she had been hiding, waiting for the proper moment to appear. They pranced around the room embracing each other, while they talked of the lovely time in store for them; then Alice cried, “Grandma, you are just a dear! How did you happen to think of having Helen?” “Why, honey,” said grandma, “ do you s’pose I didn’t know you would want your little mate? I sent John over and he brought her on his back. And now let us pop the corn,”—and she poured it into the popper which she held over the flames, and the corn was soon dancing about as gaily as the children. The syrup in the kettle was bubbling mer- 84 THE CANDY ISLAND rily, and the apples were sizzling and sputter­ ing as they went spinning around. What a picture for a stormy day! The children caught up the dolls and danced over to the kettle, sniffing its deli­ cious odor. “Let’s play we are out in a sugar-camp and this is the fire where we boil the sap,” said grandma. “We used to make sugar when the snow was deep and there was a sudden thaw. What fun it was! I will bring in a pan of snow and you can cool the syrup in it, just as I used to do out in the woods.” “Oh, what fun!” cried Helen as she clasped Clorinda’s dress and held her over the kettle that she too might sniff, but, alas for Clorinda! Suddenly, as she was held aloft, her dress parted company from her body and down she fell into the seething mass.

85 THE CANDY ISLAND

Alice shrieked and Helen shrieked, while poor Clorinda sank to the bottom with a splash, then bobbed up serenely where she was tossed about in the golden waves. “ Lucky she’s the kind that can float,” said grandma, as she hastened to rescue poor Clor­ inda from her sugary grave. With a long spoon she fished her out and held her over the kettle, where she cheer­ fully dripped and smiled placidly at the children, almost as though she liked hot- candy baths. Seeing tears in both pairs of eyes grandma feared the tragedy might spoil the party and exclaimed joyfully, “Just the thing! Let’s play this is Candy Island and Clorinda came over here in a boat and got lost. The ground is made of chocolate and the trees are full of lem on-sticks and molasses-kisses. The bushes are hanging thick with marshmal-

86

THE CANDY ISLAND lows.” Here she brought forth a packet of bonbons, which she strewed about on the floor. Immediately the tears vanished and the children eagerly scrambled for the un­ usual fruit, while grandma continued her delightful tale. “This little kettle is a lake of butter-scotch, where Clorinda tried to slide and the ice broke and she fell in, and we came along and rescued her. And now I will wash out her dress and put it to dry, while you put her in the bath-tub, which we will play is lemonade pool.” She filled the tub, added some slices of lemon to make it more real, and Alice placed Clorinda in the water. “ Now, let’s see if the candy is done while Clorinda soaks. She is a greedy dolly, and I think her punishment is much better than she deserves.” As grandma talked, she dipped her spoon into Butter-scotch Lake and

87 THE CANDY ISLAND dropped some of the contents into the pan of snow, which she set on the floor where the children could get at it easily. The hot liquid sank almost out of sight, forming delicious little snaky rivers in the icy bed, which the children dug out and devoured, smacking their lips for more. Then grandma brought forth some eggs from which she had blown the inside, leav­ ing the shell perfect except a tiny hole in each end. “W hat you going to do?” the children asked, full of curiosity over this strange per­ form ance. “You watch and see,” said grandma. Needless to say, they did watch with breathless interest as grandma filled the shells with the hot syrup and then buried them in the cold grave. Then she brought out two blue bowls

88 THE CANDY ISLAND which she filled with the hot syrup and sank part way in the snow. “ Now,” she said, “ we have reached the most interesting stage of the sugaring-ofi'. You must take these spoons and drop part o f the syrup in the snow as I have done,— that forms maple wax. That left in the bowl you must stir and stir till suddenly it will become a creamy mass of sugar.” They joyfully obeyed, and soon had a per­ fect net-work of the sweet amber rivers; the contents of the bowl had hardened, ready for its tragic fate. Then came the delightful task of resur­ recting the eggs and pealing off the shells,— and how they shouted when they finally held the firm sugar eggs in their hands! “ And now,” said grandma, “ I think there must be a gingerbread bush and a tree of sandwiches on this Island, for just see what

89 THE CANDY ISLAND

I have found!”—and she held out a plate piled high with bread and butter and another filled with spicy cake. Then she walked about saying, “ Let us explore this place fur­ ther and see if we can’t find some more hidden treasures.” So they walked through the room, peer­ ing here and there. Alice peeped behind the sofa, and saw a small object covered with an old shawl which she raised, and there—Oh, what do you think? Alice knew in a moment what it was and shouted, “I have found something, grandma, come quick!” Grandma and Helen came to see, and the old lady cried excitedly, “ Why, so you have! This is Ice-Cream Glen and right in the center is a well, filled with ice-cream. What fun this Island is! And now let’s set the table with my tea-set that I used to have when I was a w eenty girl.”

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As Helen and Grandma placed the quaint china, Alice took pity on Clorinda and fished her out of Lemonade Lake and tenderly dried and dressed her, then set her up to the table, where she seem ed as good as new. Claribel was placed on the other side, and Helen and Alice sat opposite each other. What a jolly lunch they had, with the apples done to a turn, the bread and butter, ginger­ bread and ice-cream! The pop-corn, candy and sugar eggs were packed into boxes to be carried home, and all too soon the time came to go. When they were all hooded and coated ready for the journey, the children looked wistfully at the cheery room where they had had such a happy time, and reluct­ antly bade grandma good-by, thanking her heartily again and again for the lovely party they had had. “ Good-by, dearies,” she said, “ another day

9 1 THE CANDY ISLAND

I will try and think of something even nicer than Candy Island.” The little girls departed, rejoicing in the thought that there was to be a next time, wondering what it would be and when. Let us hope it will be soon and that we shall be invited. How Fred Saved the Doll House and the Doll

E sure and bring us. something nice!” B called two sweet voices down the street, and papa and mama, satchel in hand, looked back and nodded and waved as they passed out of sight. It was rather a forlorn couple that turned

93 THE DOLL HOUSE away after watching them. Papa was obliged to go out of the city on business, and mama, for a wonder, decided to accompany him. A dear aunty had come to stay with the children, so they were in good hands,no but one is quite like mother, and at first they were at a loss as to just how they would better employ their time. “We must do something new,” said Ruth dolefully, “or I never can stand it,”—and she turned away to hide a tear that would roll down in spite of her brave efforts to wink it back. “ Here comes Helen,” said Fred. “She looks as though she knew something nice.” And sure enough she did. Her eyes were shining and her face was full of excitement as she ran toward them from her house next door, crying, “ I know something fine to do. My mama says we may, and it will be lots of

94 AND THE DOLL fun. Two little girls did it that she read about to me. We will stretch a string from your doll-house to mine, and tie another string to a basket, and fix it so the basket can be pulled back and forth, and then we will send things to each other!” This novel plan appealed to all concerned and met with instant approval, and they ran in to find some stout twine and get Aunty Beth to assist them . Armed with hammer and hooks, she soon had the hard part accomplished. The only deep basket to be found had no handle, and she manufactured one of rope which really served the purpose better than the original, and as the whole thing worked like a charm she left them to develop their plans. “ How will we know when we want each other to pull the string?” asked Ruth.

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“Oh, we must tie a bell on each end; we’ll play we live in the country miles and miles apart and the weather is terrible, drifts six feet high! Our dolls are our children. Of course, as it’s so stormy, we have to stay in and we can write notes and send things. It will be even better than a telephone on that account.” And joyfully anticipating the good time, they each ran home to stock up for the enforced imprisonment that was about to befall them. Their doll-houses were situated under the trees in the back of the adjoining yards. Ruth’s was a palatial residence which had been built and furnished by a wealthy uncle. It was a two-story affair, and, besides every­ thing else which all well-regulated doll-houses have, there was a bath-room with a dear little tub, and when the shiny faucets were turned the water came spurting out just as

96 AND THE DOLL it should do in any bath-room. And not only that,—the house was wired for electricity and in the evening myriads of electric bulbs and gleaming chandeliers filled the rooms with a blaze of glory. Helen’s house was no such place. It had been in its day a wheel-house and was a very plain affair; but a doll-house is a doll-house for all that, and she spent many happy hours here with her brood of dolls. When both appeared with arms full they were much dismayed at the sight that met their eyes. None of them had reckoned on the fact that the string crossed the driveway, and here was the butcher’s horse gaily cavort­ ing right into that precious line, which, of course, snapped, and down went the basket. “ How horrid!” cried Ruth, “he did it on purpose, and now what shall we do?” They deposited their burdens and with

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Fred’s help spliced the broken place, then sat down to ponder and invent some scheme by which this serious obstacle could be banished. They could not run the risk of having this happen again, and as Fred was unusually skilful in overcoming difficulties, he soon announced that that was easy, and the girls watched while he laboriously printed on a card

STOP HEARE and then fastened the card to a stick which he stuck in the ground just at the entrance to the drive. This was really very amusing, as the sign was so small no driver could possibly find it unless he searched for it with a magnifying glass. Flowever, they were in blissful ignorance

98 AND THE DOLL of this fact and sought the seclusion of their respective houses, assured that no more beasts could invade these sacred premises. Ruth’s door was hardly closed when it flew open and she called: “ Helen, what shall we do first?” Receiving no response, she was about to run across when the bell jingled and she, with Fred, waited impatiently while the basket came slowly toward them. They opened the little window as it reached them, and eagerly drew it in. To their delight it contained a note which read as follows: “ What do you want You musn’t call that way I can’t hear you so many miles away, and its snowin terble hard. Im going to clean house five of my children have been down with scarlet feaver” To this Ruth immediately responded: “ All right—nine of mine have meesels,

99 THE DOLL HOUSE and one more will have whoopin coff to­ morrow. A man here will make you a sine when he makes mine. He’s up on sines he ses.” After despatching this cheerful news she went to work while Fred began on the signs. When all was in order the nine dolls were stretched out on the beds, where those who could went to sleep, and the others stared straight up to heaven, smiling as though “ meesels” was a great joke. And now the bell jingled once more, and the basket appeared with the following jolly m essage, “ Hannah’s makin doughnuts. I smell ’em tell Fred to go get some.” “I think she’s asking a good deal when she asks me to go through these great drifts,” said Fred, with a comical grimace, for never was seen a more beautiful day. It wasn’t guilty of snowing anything worse than apple AND THE DOLL blossoms, and the air was filled with the flying petals and the sweet fragrance. He soon returned with a plentiful supply of the crispy doughnuts and a saucer pie, and after devouring his share he announced that he was tired of this girls’ play and disappeared only to reappear soon, hitched to his fire- engine, which was also a gift from the wealthy uncle, and was, in its way, as complete as the doll-house. He dashed madly about the yard, pawing, puffing and tooting, playing the double part of horse and engine to perfec­ tion, while the girls, oblivious of all that was going on outside, continued their play and used the basket for most startling pur­ poses. Ruth received this characteristic note, —“ Im spectin compny and as I have no bath-tub will you please lend me yours? You might fill it with breakfast as we havn’t a thing to eat in the house.” THE DOLL HOUSE

To which Ruth replied by sending a wee tub which just fitted her little floating doll. In it she placed the doll with a piece of bologna stuck over its head, and she looked very funny staring over the edge. She piled a lot of sea-shells around her, and in her hand she carried this message: “Here is poor Belinda who is stranded on a desert isle. If she doesn’t gobble up her necklace on the way you can have sausage on the half-shell for breakfast. It couldn’t be oysters cause this isn’t an R month. Please send me your biggest and best doll by return basket. Lucinda misses Belinda so much and must have some one to play with.” It was some time before the reply came to this request, and Ruth saw Helen run into the house and back again carrying a long box and said to herself, “ She’s going to put her in that, so she won’t break. I’ll play AND THE DOLL my dear Uncle Herbert sent her to me,”— and when the box appeared she took it in with the greatest care, removed the lid and found layer after layer of paper, and finally, down in one corner, almost lost in such a large space, was a tiny penny darky doll, who smiled up at her as though she thoroughly enjoyed the joke. A note was tied to her foot, and Ruth read, “ My biggest and best doll is sick. She stole Belinda’s neck chain and it didn’t agree with her. Won’t you please let Lucinda come over for a little while ? I have sent an escort, which is colored, to protect her from the hold uppers which I hear is a ro und.” Ruth took her beloved Lucinda and tied her in the basket very securely, which was fortunate, indeed, for Lucinda, as later developments will show. She tied the “cullud pusson” around the doll’s neck and placed

103 THE DOLL HOUSE a doughnut on each wrist for a bracelet. She then stuck a paper between her teeth, on which was written these words: “ I’m the wise lady who went a visiting in a basket. I hope I’ll have better luck than my brothers did who went to sea in a boat.” Ruth jingled the bell and gleefully watched the basket /wending its way slowly across. She giggled to herself as she thought what fun Helen would have when the odd load reached its destination. When the basket had traversed about one- half of the distance, both children were startled by Fred’s voice calling to them, and then ran out to find the prancing charger full of excitement, crying: “ Oh, girls, Hannah put some coals in my engine, and I’ve got the hose in the water-barrel, and just see the fine stream of water it throws!” The girls clasped their hands in rapture

104 AND THE DOLL over this engaging spectacle, and Ruth cried, “ Don’t you wish something would catch fire so you could put it out? Wouldn’t it be fun to have a real fire? I never saw one!” And she looked wistfully at the wasted stream shooting into the air. Fred’s eyes plainly showed that mischief was brewing in his little brain, and suddenly he cried, “Wait a m inute! I’ll show you some fun. I’ll set the doll- house on fire.” And before the girls could utter a word of protest he had the little shovel filled with live coals and had tossed them aloft, and in an instant the roof of Ruth’s house was blazing merrily. Fred dashed back and seized the hose, crying, “ Fire, fire!” For a few moments the greatest excitement prevailed. In his rubber coat, hat and boots Fred looked like a “truly” fireman as he skilfully turned the stream on the flames.

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Horror-stricken, Ruth and Helen ran to rescue the beloved children. They caught up their aprons and swept the dolls and other valuables into them, then ran out to find Fred winding up the hose and the little engine panting like a live thing. “ Fire’s out!” he cried in a most business­ like way, and just at that moment they all heard a strange sound and turned to view a still more thrilling scene than the fire had furnished. Really I can hardly bear to picture this, for poor Lucinda is about to undergo a most shocking experience. From her lofty position where she was placidly sniffing the apple blossoms while she waited, she was suddenly called upon to view her own home in flames, while she was powerless to do anything- and then, before she had one instant to recover her breath

106 Horror-stricken, Ruth and Helen ; the beloved children.

AND THE DOLL after this excitement, here came a great animal toward her in the shape of the grocery boy’s horse. Now this horse had already been through rather a trying ordeal that morning, for his master, finding the hot weather had really arrived, concluded to furnish him with a hat to shield his head from the sun’s rays. He had taken the greatest pains to provide the very latest thing. It was Salvation Army shape, adorned with bright yellow roses and tied under his chin with a broad ribbon of the same hue. However, in spite of the fact that no expense had been spared for this novelty, the horse resented it, for he was assured in his own mind that yellow was not becoming to his style of beauty, and he had been growing crosser and more nervous as the morning advanced. As grocery boys are not, as a rule, pro-

107 THE DOLL HOUSE vided with opera-glasses, the carefully-planted warning was not observed, and it would have been a mammoth obstruction indeed that would have taken his attention just then, for he, too, was engrossed in the fire scene at that moment being enacted in the back yard. Therefore the horse was driven straight at this strange cage poised in front of his face, and, hoping to rid himself of the hat, he thrust his head viciously straight at the basket. This act was neatly done, for his head went easily through the rope handle, and the weight of his body, of course, broke the twine upon which the basket was hung, and so, instead of losing his head-gear, here he was burdened with a medallion on his neck, and poor Lucinda’s face was close to his and his hot breath blew her beautiful curls into his mouth, tickling his nose and filling him with rage. Everything seemed to combine against

108 AND THE DOLL him, and he felt that he had reached the limit of his endurance and started off at a m ad pace. The driver, brought to himself by the piercing shrieks of the children and the sud­ den jolt, tried in vain to hold him in. The poor horse presented an odd picture with his hat over one ear, the basket under his chin and the doll peeping coquettishly up into his face. If it had been any other little girl’s doll, perhaps the children could have laughed, but they wept and wailed, and, like Rachel, would not be comforted. “ I wish mama was here,—she’d know what to do,” sobbed Ruth. Aunty Beth, who had been attracted to the scene when the fire was kindled, tried in vain to pacify her, and Fred ran to the mid­ dle of the street to see which way the horse went. He suddenly came racing back, his

109 THE DOLL HOUSE eyes wild with excitement, crying: “ He’s turned round and is coming this way and I’m going to stop him!” And in a jiffy he had the hose in the barrel and ran the still pant­ ing engine out near the curb. On came the poor heated creature, who really was pretty well tired out, and was ready to stop at the least shadow of an ex­ cuse, having discovered that the basket and contents were harmless and really rather inviting, as he inhaled the delicious odor of doughnuts, of which he was rather fond. When he reached the point where Fred was stationed, and felt the cool stream thrown on to his body, he stopped short, and, positively, those who saw himsa y that he smiled,—and no wonder, for the water was very refreshing as it caressed his heaving sides. The fright­ ened driver climbed down, removed the “ locket and chain” from the horse’s neck,

I IO AND THE DOLL placed it carefully in Helen’s hands, and then went his way rejoicing that the incident had not resulted seriously. Lucinda was found to be generously show­ ered with mud spatters, but was otherwise unharmed, and smiled on as usual,—for she always made the best of everything. As they turned to enter the yard Fred said enthusiastically, “ I’ll tell you what, Aunty Beth, I never knew that engines could stop runaways, did you ? ” Aunty Beth ignored his remark and led them all to the scene of the disaster, where she talked very seriously to the boy about his share in the mischief. A frightened look crept into his clear eyes as she impressed upon him the fact that, right at that moment, if it were known by the authorities that he had set fire to a house, he could be put in prison; but loyal Ruth, who felt that Fred THE DOLL HOUSE deserved some praise as well as censure, cried emphatically: “ No matter if they did put him in prison for that, the judge would let him out quick when he found out how he stopped the horse and saved my doll!” And I think so, too, don’t you? Borrowed Feathers

mammy! deys goin’ to be a zami- nation to-morrow and we’re all goin’ to be dressed up and speak pieces, and de teacher said to tell our parents to come, and you will, won’t you?” Thus Betty Black burst into the kitchen where her mother was placidly ironing, and BORROWED FEATHERS as Betty paused to breathe, she replied: “ Can’t do it nohow, honey; look at all de washin’ and ironin’ I got to do yit ’fore Sunday.” “ But, mammy, please do, it won’t take long, and all the girls’ parents is cornin’ and I don’t want to be the only one that ain’t got no parent a-settin’ in them cheers watchin’ me while I speak^ueen o’ the May. Please, mammy dear, won’t you come?” “What you all goin’ to wear to dis yer zamination? Y’ain’t got nothin’ but yer old pink calico.” “ Oh, dat’s all right, mammy; if you’ll only come, I don’t care what I wear. You will, w on’t you ? ” “ Well, I’ll see,” said mammy, and as Betty knew the point was gained, she danced joy­ fully out into the sunshine and sat on the step dangling her feet.

114 BORROWED FEATHERS

Suddenly she spied her bosom friend com­ ing slowly down the street. As she drew near Betty saw that she was weeping, and ran to meet her, crying sympathetically, “ What’s de matter, Pearl; can’t yer mammy come? M ine’s cornin’.” “Yes,” sobbed Pearl. “ Then what you cryin’ fur?” asked Betty, who could see no reason whatever for tears if their mammies were coming to hear them speak. Pearl stifled her sobs as she replied, “W hat’s the use o’ goin’ to a zamination when all the girls will be dressed up and I ain’t got nothin’ to wear but a faded old ragged dress? What you goin’ to wear, Betty?” “ My pink calico,” said Betty, and it sud­ denly dawned upon her that it was faded also and would look very shabby by the side of the other girls’ dresses. BORROWED FEATHERS

They sat in silence, thinking of the disad­ vantages of being poor at such important times, till they were interrupted by Mammy Black, who appeared with a basket of clothes. “Now, honey, I’se goin’ to tote dese yer clo’es home, and you stay right yer, ’kase the bars is full o’ things and I don’t want ’em to be stole by none ob dis yer black trash round yer! ” Betty promised, and mammy went her way. As Betty sniffed fresh gingerbread they went inside to drown their woes and pacify the keen pangs of hunger, which seem to be chronic with most children. They paused to admire the pretty things on the bars, which were freshly ironed, and were so crisp and glossy any one would have rejoiced over them. Such dainty gowns were they with their lace and embroidery trim­ mings !

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“Whose are dey?” asked Pearl. “ Oh, dey b’long to dem white chilluns what libs in dat big stone house down on Chestnut Street. Mammy always washes for ’em, and dey do have such pretty clo’es!” Pearl put out her little fat black hand and gently caressed an exquisite blue dress. “I wish I had one like dat,” she sighed; “ I could wear it to the zamination.” “ I rather have de pink one,” said Betty, and they walked round the bars exclaiming at each new garment that caught their eyes. Three petticoats, glistening in all their stiff white purity, were especially awe-inspiring. “I wonder how it feels, Betty, to be dressed up like dat,” said Pearl. “I don’t never have nothin’ ’cept wored-out things dat people give mammy when dey can’t use ’em ,~^no more. I don’t see why dey always send old stuff! ”

117 BORROWED FEATHERS

“I don’t neither,” said Betty. “If I was rich, do you know what I’d do? I’d go out in my kerridge and I’d get all de poor little girls I could find and I’d take ’em to de store and wouldn’t I buy ’em purty things! Par’sols, fans, and ribbons, dresses—silk ones —and I’d get ’em to fit, too.” “ Par’sols, and fans don’t have to fit,—but say, Betty, does dem chilluns go to our school?” Pearl asked suddenly. “ No,” said Betty, “ why?” “Oh, I thought mebbe we could wear dese clo’es and let yer mammy iron ’em over. We’d be real keerful, and wouldn’t de girls open deir eyes when dey seen us? When does your mammy have to take ’em home?” As this astounding bomb burst at Betty’s feet, she jumped as though it were a real one, and cried, “Why Pearl Johnsing, you awful girl! I wouldn’t be seen doin’ such a thing. BORROWED FEATHERS

Ain’t you ’shamed! Mammy would never let me, but she don’t have to take ’em home till Saturday night.” “ We don’t need to ask her,” said naughty Pearl. “If she don’t know we did it till afterward she can only scold. Scoldin’s don’t hurt and whippin’s don’t last long. Just see how lovely I look in this blue one,”—and she took it down and held it up before her; then, as she perceived that Betty was still wavering, she deftly removed the pink one, held it aloft and exclaimed: “ Did you ever see anything ’s sweet as that? And, Betty, I’ll let you wear two white skirts and I’ll only take one, and your’n ’11 stand out lots better’n mine,”—and she replaced the dress and grasped Betty around the waist, waltzing her about the kitchen, singing “You’re to be Queen of the May, Betty, you’re to be Queen of the May.” n 9 BORROWED FEATHERS

Then they sat down to talk it over while they ate the gingerbread. For some time Betty objected, but the two petticoats finally won the day. Fortune sometimes favors the sinner, and the next morning mammy announced that she had a half-day’s work out, and would not come home, but would meet Betty at school. “ Wear your pink calico, honey; it looks real nice since I done it up.” “Yes, mammy, I’ll be sure to wear the pink one, it’s lots prettier,” said Betty absent- m indedly. “ Purtier dan what?” demanded mammy. “Oh, I mean purtier dan it was before you washed it, o’ korse,” said scared Betty. Mammy went her way murmuring to herself, “ Purtier’n it was afore I washed it! What a foolish chile she be!” Betty hastened to announce to Pearl the

120 BORROWED FEATHERS good news of mammy’s absence, and, after a hasty dinner, Pearl asked and received per­ mission to go and help Betty dress. With the field to themselves, they began their elaborate toilet. Their ebony faces shin­ ing with delight and soap, they proceeded to clothe themselves in the dainty finery; and as the children to whom the clothes belonged were of about their size, the new clothes fitted very well. They buttoned each other up and then stood off to admire. They paraded up and down the kitchen like two small peacocks, and finally Betty was convulsed with laugh­ ter as Pearl, in perfect imitation of Miss Green, their teacher, exclaimed, “We will now listen to Miss Pearl Johnson recite Curfew must ?iot rifig to-night.” Then she climbed up on a chair, made a stiff little bow, and piped out: BORROWED FEATHERS

“ I’d like to be a blue jay And sit upon a tree, How joyfully I’d sing my lay And gossip with the bee!”

Then she hopped down like a veritable bluebird and announced that Miss Betty Black would now favor them with a selection, £$ueen o f the M ay. “ Now go on, Betty, and say something funny, too!” Giggling, Betty climbed up on the chair and repeated in a sing-song tone: “ I’d like to see a little dog And pat him on the head, How prettily he’d wag his tail, Whenever he was fed.” As she climbed down, the walls rang with their merry laughter, and when they could finally speak, Pearl gasped: “ I dare you to!”

122 I’d like to be a blue jay And sit upon a tree.”

BORROWED FEATHERS

“ Dare me to what?” queried Betty. “ To say that instead of your piece, and I’ll say the bluebird one. I made it up my­ self.” This audacious proposal almost swept Betty’s breath away, but it sounded so tempt­ ing she finally said, “ Well, we are so bad we can’t be much badder,” and promised, “deed’n double cross my heart,” and then went to school, rejoicing over the sensation they were about to create in more ways than one. As they neared the school-house they were joined by other children who gazed curiously at their dresses, but there was no time for any remarks, for which they were truly thankful. They took their seats with beating hearts, and suddenly Betty began to realize the enormity of her sin when she saw her poor BORROWED FEATHERS old mammy staring at her in open-mouthed w onder. The poor old soul had earned her living for many years at the wash-tub, and when any one came seeking her for other work she proudly held up her head and announced dramatically, “ I does washin’ and dat’s all I does!” She prided herself on her honesty, and when she realized that the children had worn clothes that were intrusted to her care, she was horrified. As the different children were speaking she was trying to decide what punishment was bad enough to inflict upon them, when she heard the teacher say, “ Miss Betty Black will now speak£>ueen o f the M ay.” Poor little Betty had been stealing glances at her “parient” and recognized the signs of a storm brewing, but with her head held high, she marched to the platform , and after an

124 BORROWED FEATHERS elaborate bow, true to her promise, recited the impromptu poem of the little dog. Mammy’s heart was filled with pride as Betty sailed up the aisle in all her glory. It was the first time she had ever seen the child well-dressed, and she relented somewhat as she thought what a temptation the pretty clothes must have been to her; but when, instead of the fine poem, she heard her reciting about a lit­ tle dog, her heart hardened. That was the last straw, for she knew it was from pure naughtiness. How mortified she felt, and what must the teacher think! As Betty finished, the teacher, who was in a towering rage, said: “You may remain where you are and recite the piece prepared for this afternoon.” Alas, for Betty! She was a pathetic little figure, indeed; and before she had finished, her voice grew very tremulous, for she realized BORROWED FEATHERS

that her teacher and her beloved mammy were very angry, and she dreaded the interview that must follow. You may imagine that after Betty’s experi­ ence the blue jay’s feathers were drooping, and she was not so anxious as she had been in the old kitchen to sit upon a tree and sing her joyous lay, but she, too, was loyal to her promise and when Miss Green announced that Miss Pearl Johnson would now recite Curfew must not ring to-night, she preened her feathers, marched to the platform, and in a high shrill voice repeated her original poem. At the end, to the astonishment of Betty, she went right on in these words, “I know you all are wonderin’ where Betty and me got dese yer clothes. It’s my fault. I told Betty to take ’em off ’n de bars, and mammy cu’d iron ’em over. We didn’t have anything to wear ’cept old ragged things dat

126 BORROWED FEATHERS people give our mammies. In Sunday-school de teacher said de poor are always with you, and if dey are, I don’t see why dey can’t have purty things sometimes. I’m awful sorry we done it and I s’pose we bof’ got to take a lickin’,”—and with eyes blinded with tears, she stumbled to her seat. To add to the excitement caused by this touching appeal, Betty darted up, crying, “ ’Tain’t all her fault. I said I would if she’d let me wear two petticoats, and she was awful good, ’coz dey was only three, and mine sticked out lots more’n hern!”—and Betty laid her head on the desk and joined in the weeping chorus of two. The teacher took the poor little sobbing figures to the hall, beckoning the mothers to follow. There she soothed the children and begged the mothers not to punish them. They reluctantly consented, and all took

/ 27 BORROWED FEATHERS their way homeward. Arriving there the children discarded their borrowed plumes, and both decided that their own shabby gar­ ments felt lots better. As they went out to play mammy called to them, “Just ’member, chilluns, dat fine fedders don’t nebber make fine birds, and dat people alwers gits a fall jus’ when dey t’inks dey are sot up in de worl’!”

128 Manuellas Bottle Doll

ARLY one morning, away down in E Mexico, little M anuella sat under a clump of bushes crooning softly to her dolly, which was well wrapped in serape a , for it was always cool in the shade, and she was very tender of this, her only child. If you little American readers had seen it

129 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL you would have wondered at her love for such a doll, for what do you think it was made of? An old catsup bottle thrown from a dining-car! It had a white cloth tied about the top, upon which rude stitches formed the features; a piece of black cloth was sewed on to the upper part for hair, a dab of red paint lent a glow of health to her cheeks, and some very ragged rags answered for a gown. A bit torn from an oldserape , which is the M exican shawl, completed the costume, and when her mother fashioned this rude toy and placed it in her arms she was blissfully happy,—probably much hap­ pier than any little American girl with her pink and white beauty crowned with golden curls, for it was her only plaything. The old adage, “ Blessed be nothing,” was pathetically true in her case, for her home was a straw hut, where with the family she slept on the floor on a straw mat which was

130 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL their only furniture, and which was rolled up in the corner in the day-time. Her food was of the coarsest kind, a bowl of bean soup, which, for lack of a spoon, she dipped up with a pancake folded as we some­ times fold a large leaf when we want a drink and have no cup, and it also answered for dessert. Sometimes she had nothing all day long but a stick of sugar-cane; but for all that she was much more contented than many children, especially since she became possessor of her beloved doll. Just now she was waiting for the train to go by, which was the only excitement she ever had, and was a great event, especially when it stopped, as it occasionally did, and the ladies came out and talked to her and often threw her bits of candy and food,— queer stuff such as she had never seen and which she eagerly devoured.

J 3 1 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

She had not long to wait, for soon she heard the whistle and saw the smoke, and in a moment it was there with its rush and roar. Although this happened every day, the child was wild with excitement each time, and now, laying her dolly dow n, she ran o u t and wistfully watched to see if it would stop; but no, it passed on, leaving her with a disappointed face and nothing to look' forward to but to­ morrow’s train. “ Never m ind,” she said brightly to her dolly in her musical Spanish,“ it couldn’t stop to-day and it hasn’t for a long time, but maybe it will to-m orrow . A nyhow , to-day is wash-day, and I must wash your clothes and then let the madre have my dress, and we will both be nice and clean for to-morrow,” and she ran back of the hut to a stream where the family washing was done and which at the same time served for a bath-tub.

132 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

This warm- stream stretched through the country for miles, and it was interesting to follow its course and see the natives bathing in different places. Finding her mother already in the water, rubbing the clothes on a stone which was their wash-board, the child disrobed the doll and, after washing its little gown, hung it on the bushes to dry, then slipped out of her own dress, gave it to her mother, stepped into the clear water which was naturally warm, and was soon splashing about. She dearly loved this event, and clutched her dolly and soused about with her until the clothes were washed and hung on the bushes to dry. Then the mother came to Manuella and, with a piece of soap and a wash-cloth consisting of some small fibers of the root of the maguey plant, she proceeded to bathe the child’s body. She lathered her hair well, and when the water

133 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL about them began to foam they moved to a clear place to rinse off the suds. Such a handy bath-tub was this 1 She must stay in the water till her clothes dried, as she had no others, and this was soon accomplished in the hot sun. When, she was dressed and her hair neatly arranged, she returned to her nook under the bushes, where she proceeded to cuddle her dolly and watch the procession of natives on their way to the city market. It was a common sight to her, but would have been full of interest to us, for there were all sorts of venders, besides the ever-present beggar seek­ ingcentavos , and children carrying children, in many instances larger than themselves. As the last of these weary and footsore travelers disappeared, Manuella heard the whistle blow and saw the smoke of an approaching train. She clasped her hands in rapture and sur­ prise. Now something unusual was going to

i3 4 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL happen, for here was an extra train which was without doubt an excursion train— and they always stopped. With a thrill of joy she sprang forward, glad in the thought that she was clean and well-prepared to meet her guests; but she seemed doomed to disappointment once more, for the train whizzed past, leaving her with only a fleeting glimpse of faces at the windows. Tears filled her eyes, but as she listened she suddenly heard the train slow up, then stop, and, as she looked far down the track, saw the people swarm out like bees and walk away. Then she knew that they were going to the tram cars which would take them to the steamer, and that they would spend the day on the water. She had once walked up to the dock with her father, but it was six miles away, and the

i3S MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL road was filled with stones which cut her little bare feet cruelly, and she never cared to repeat the experience. Soon she heard the engine puffing and saw the train backing, backing, till at last, to her great joy, it halted in front of her own home, and she was assured of the fact that this won­ derful thing was to remain there the whole day. She talked excitedly to her doll as she walked about and watched the various porters shaking out blankets, tying up linen, and sweeping and dusting their respective cars. She eagerly searched the rubbish thrown out, hoping to find something of value, but porters have keen eyes and nothing escapes them, as she soon found to her sorrow. The cars finally in order, the shades were pulled down, and Manuella was about to turn away, when she saw one shade fly up— and what was that in the window?

136 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

One of the porters had noticed the little wistful face watching him and that she was unusually neat and clean for a Mexican child. As he had a long day before him, with nothing to do and no sharp voices to order him about, he concluded to give the child and him self a treat. He had a little girl in his car and of course the usual accompaniment— a doll, and a large and beautiful one it was too—a lady of fashion who had a most elaborate wardrobe stored away in a wee trunk in the baggage car: astonishing gowns, Peter Thompson suits, crisp, glossy summer dresses, coats, hats, slippers, and everything needed in a well- regulated doll’s trousseau. Just now she wore a jaunty sailor suit, and a cap to match was perched on her head, and when the curtain went up on the first act of the porter’s treat,

>37 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL there stood this exquisite creature with her face against the window, and one hand seemed to beckon the child. W ith eyes as blue as th e skies and cheeks as pink as the oleander blossoms in the garden, the doll was indeed a fascinating picture. She looked straight into Manuella’s eyes and smiled and beamed in such an entrancing manner that the little girl clapped her hands with delight and pranced and danced about, calling to her mother to come quick and see the wonderful doll. Her mother admired it for a time, but soon returned to her work, leaving Manuella as happy as a queen. She had seen these dolls in the city stores, and whenever it had been her privilege to go with her mother to pray to the Blessed Virgin, she had ventured to breathe very gently a petition for just such a doll. MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

Her prayer had not yet been answered, but she was not discouraged and firmly believed that the time would come when she would be the proud owner of just such a beauty as she now beheld. And what a joyous time she had with this glorious dolly which she could not even touch! She promptly named her Julietta and begged her to tell her of her travels. If Julietta could have replied, she would have told her that she had been all over the world, for her little mama was the daughter of excursionists and she always went with her parents on these trips, and wherever she went her beloved dolly was beside her. As she could not tell these things she continued to smile and, finally, when the porter thought it was time for another act, he invited the child. Obtaining her mother’s permission, she followed him with bated breath, gazing on

i3 9 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL the wonders of the inside of a compartment car, which seemed a palace to her. Many times before she had stood barefoot outside just such a handsome car as this, shyly watching the people coming and going, occasionally catching glimpses of soft, rich velvet chairs and gleaming mirrors. The position she liked best was near the dining-car, where, through the windows, she beheld the snowy tables set with dainty china, sparkling glass, and glistening silver. And what excitement prevailed when the car filled with the gaily-dressed throngs, and the white- coated waiters danced to and fro, bearing trays of strange American food! And now here she was really inside of one of these beautiful cars, her brown feet silently pressing the soft carpet, and hastening toward the room where the beautiful doll reigned suprem e.

140 Shyly watching the people coming and going.Page 140

MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

When she finally reached this room and was actually in the presence of Julietta, the child was wild with joy and held out her arms with a beseeching glance, but the porter dared not take this liberty and gravely shook his head as he turned the doll around and seated her opposite Manuella. He showed her the wee hammock where her ladyship slept and then, seeking something else to amuse the child, he took a tiny telescope from under the seat. As he was an old and trusted employee and knew that little Alice would be glad to have him show her treasures, he opened it, disclosing a small doll with short curls bobbing about her head and the brightest of brown eyes. Her pearly teeth peeped out from betw een her parted lips, and as he turned her head this way and that, she reminded the child of a bird with its saucy air. She w ore a w hite n ig h t-d re ss, and, as he

141 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL laid her down, to Manuella’s astonishment, the doll closed her eyes. Then he showed her the little garments with which the tele­ scope was filled. There were short dresses and long ones, so that the doll could be a little girl or a wee baby. The child was in raptures as the porter in his awkward way tried the various costumes on the doll. He showed her a small umbrella with a tassel dangling from its carved ivory handle. A dainty box contained a fan that glistened with spangles. Another had a tiny, queer-looking bag made of rubber. She looked inquiringly at him, and he took a tiny cork from the top of the little bag, filled it with hot water from the faucet, opened his mouth, pointed to his tooth, making a wry face as though in pain, and then gently laid the little hot-water bag (for that is what it was) against the doll’s face. Manuella laughed aloud, for she well under- MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL stood him, having had many a toothache which her mother tried to soothe with a hot stone. This part of the play was all pantomime, as the child spoke only Spanish, of which the porter knew little. He finally dressed the doll in a bright red gown, with hat and shoes to match, and placed her in M anuella’s arms. Then motioning her to sit still and not touch Julietta, he disappeared fora moment. Great was the child’s delight at being left in charge of two such beauties, and she had hardly begun to realize the honor when he reap­ peared with a shiny board, which he fastened in some way to the side of the window and, behold, in a twinkling it was a table, on which he placed a white cloth, and then proceeded to set it with dainties left over from break­ fast,—part of a cold broiled chicken, beautiful white bread and butter, some crispy things which we would recognize as Saratoga chips,

H3 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL and which she thoroughly enjoyed, for they crackled so gaily as she ate them; last, some­ thing in a small glass cup which was delicious but so cold, served with dulces or macaroons. With her bottle-doll on one side of her and the bright little creature on the other, and opposite her the still smiling Julietta, was ever child so happy? Such a meal she had never even seen, and she sighed pathetically when she could eat no m ore. The porter removed the remains of the feast and the table, then, putting the wee dolly in her night-dress, he packed the little telescope, placing the doll on the top, where she immediately went to sleep as though weary from these festivities. He then strapped it and placed it under the seat, and now Manuella knew that she must leave this charmed room.

144 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

The porter, seeing her longing glances at Julietta, held the doll up that she might give her a farewell caress, then as he led her out she politely nodded her head, saying over and over,“ Muchos gracias, actios” (many thanks, good-by). She went outside and was taking one last look at the beloved face when she heard the buzz of voices and saw the people returning to the car. She crept back behind the bushes to watch for Julietta’s mama, and soon saw her skipping along. As she neared the car she caught sight of the doll in the window, and cried, “Oh, mama, see Rosabell watching for me. The dear thing! I s’pose she’s been awful lone­ some all day.” Then she spied Manuella, and with her mama went to her. “What has she under her shawl, Alice? It looks like a doll,” said mama,

H 5 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL and she motioned the Mexican child to show them her treasure. Manuella shyly held it out for their inspection. Alice took it and exclaimed, “ Why, mama, it’s made out of a bottle,—-just see how it’s dressed!” As she handed it to her mother, in some way it slipped and fell and was dashed to pieces on the stones. Poor little Manuella ran to the bushes, sobbing and saying to herself, “All I had—and she has two.” Alice’s eyes filled with tears as she tried to comfort her. To think of her breaking the child’s doll, andsuch a doll! How would she feel if it were her own dear Rosabell? Of course, it was the only doll this child had, while she had seventeen at home, but then in all the world there was only one Rosabell. She decided to get a bottle and try to make the doll as it was before, but on the way to

146 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL the dining-car she was seized with an inspiration. The conductor was about to call “All aboard,” when she cried to him, “ Oh, don’t go yet, just wait one moment,” and darted into the car, into the little room} snatched the telescope from under the seat, ran out and placed it by the side of poor Manuella, who was lying under the bushes, sobbing as though her little heart was broken. One magical moment and she understood. Her wails were turned into rejoicing. She seized Alice’s hands, covering them with kisses, crying once more,A dios “ , S enorita, muchos graciasd And to herself she mur­ m ured joyously, “ T h e Blessed Virgindid hear my prayer.” Alice was helped aboard, the conductor gave the signal, and as the train steamed away she stood on the back platform waving her

i4 7 MANUELLA’S BOTTLE DOLL

kerchief and throwing kisses as long as she could see her little five-minutes’ friend. Then she brushed away a tear, turned to her mother and said bravely, for it really was a sacrifice she had made, “ I concluded to give Betty to her, mama,—you know she was shut in the telescope with all her clothes. Won’t she be s’prised when she sees her Mexican mama? Do you s’pose she will think she’s been kidnapped?”