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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/15954-h.zip b/15954-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..939003f --- /dev/null +++ b/15954-h.zip diff --git a/15954-h/15954-h.htm b/15954-h/15954-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..f4bcb15 --- /dev/null +++ b/15954-h/15954-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,5582 @@ +<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> +<html> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1"> +<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of Mary Jane--Her Visit, by Clara Ingram Judson</title> +<STYLE TYPE="text/css"> +BODY { color: Black; + background: White; + margin-right: 10%; margin-left: 10%; + font-size: medium; font-family: "Times New Roman", serif; + text-align: justify } + +P {text-indent: 4% } + +P.noindent {text-indent: 0% } + +H4.contents {text-indent: 20% } + hr.full { width: 100%; + height: 5px; } + pre {font-size: 8pt;} + +</STYLE> +</head> +<body> +<h1 align="center">The Project Gutenberg eBook,<br> + Mary Jane--Her Visit,<br> + by Clara Ingram Judson,<br> + Illustrated by Frances White</h1> +<pre> +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at <a href = "https://www.gutenberg.org">www.gutenberg.org</a></pre> +<p>Title: Mary Jane--Her Visit</p> +<p>Author: Clara Ingram Judson</p> +<p>Release Date: May 31, 2005 [eBook #15954]</p> +<p>Language: English</p> +<p>Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1</p> +<p>***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE--HER VISIT***</p> +<br><br><center><h3>E-text prepared by Al Haines</h3></center><br><br> +<hr class="full" noshade> +<br> +<br> +<A NAME="img-front"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-front.jpg" ALT="Frontispiece" BORDER="2" WIDTH="398" HEIGHT="622"> +<H5> +[Frontispiece: "'Thirty minutes to Glenville!' the voice of the porter said."] +</H5> +</CENTER> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +MARY JANE—HER VISIT +</H1> + +<BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +BY +</H5> + +<H3 ALIGN="center"> +CLARA INGRAM JUDSON +</H3> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +AUTHOR OF +</H5> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +"MARY JANE—HER BOOK," "MARY JANE'S KINDERGARTEN," <BR> +"MARY JANE DOWN SOUTH," "MARY JANE'S CITY HOME," <BR> +"MARY JANE IN NEW ENGLAND," ETC. +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H4 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATED BY +<BR><BR> +FRANCES WHITE +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center"> +PUBLISHERS +<BR><BR> +BARSE & HOPKINS +<BR><BR> +NEW YORK, N. Y. NEWARK, N. J. +</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<H5 ALIGN="center">1918</H5> + +<BR><BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +CONTENTS +</H2> + +<H4> +<a href="#chap01">MARY JANE'S ARRIVAL</A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap02">EXPLORING THE FARM </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap03">THE HUNT FOR EGGS </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap04">THE MYSTERIOUS BUNDLES </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap05">GARDENING WITH GRANDFATHER </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap06">THE GARDEN THIEF </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap07">MARY JANE'S FAMILY </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap08">COUSIN JOHN'S VISIT </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap09">GRANDFATHER'S TREAT </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap10">LEARNING TO COOK </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap11">THE STRAWBERRY SOCIABLE </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap12">BURR HOUSES </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap13">EARNING MONEY </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap14">THE PICNIC AT FLATROCK </A> +<BR> +<a href="#chap15">HOME AGAIN </A> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +ILLUSTRATIONS +</H2> + +<H4> +<a href="#img-front"> +"'Thirty minutes to Glenville!' the voice of the porter said" . . . . . <I>Frontispiece</I> +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<a href="#img-066"> +"'We'll make a pattern and cut out our pieces—there's a lot to quilt-making'" +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<a href="#img-120"> +"There, before their eyes were the rabbits, five of them" +</A> +</H4> + +<H4> +<a href="#img-190"> +"There were the berry bushes—fairly loaded with shining black-berries" +</A> +</H4> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap01"></A> +<H1 ALIGN="center"> +MARY JANE—HER VISIT +</H1> + +<BR><BR> + +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +MARY JANE'S ARRIVAL +</H2> + +<P> +It seemed to Mary Jane that some magic must have been at work to change +the world during the night she slept on the train. All the country she +knew had hills and valleys and many creeks and woods of pine trees. +But when she waked up in the morning and peeped out of the window of +her berth, she saw great wide fields and woods that seemed always far +away. And the occasional creek that the train rumbled over was small +and could be seen a long way off, coming across the fields toward the +railroad. And the roads! How funny they were! They came straight and +white toward the train, each just exactly as smooth and as regular as +the one before. +</P> + +<P> +To be sure the country was pretty; yellow buttercups and bright blue +flowers bloomed along the track and the fields looked fresh and green +in the morning sun. +</P> + +<P> +"I think I'm going to like it anyway, even if the hills are all +smoothed out," said Mary Jane as she looked at it thoughtfully, "and +maybe I'd better put on my shoes and stockings." She rummaged in the +funny little hammock that hung over her window, found the shoes and +stockings and put them on, and was just wondering if it was time to +dress when she heard Dr. Smith's voice outside. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Sambo, I'm awake," he was saying, "and you may call the young +lady." +</P> + +<P> +Before Mary Jane had had time to wonder who the "young lady" might be, +there was a great shaking of her curtain and the voice of the porter +said, "Thirty minutes to Glenville!" +</P> + +<P> +Quick as a flash Mary Jane stuck her head out between the curtains and +replied, "That's where my great grandmother lives and I'm going to see +her!" +</P> + +<P> +The porter was vastly surprised ("I guess he thought I was going to +sleep all day!" thought Mary Jane scornfully), but before he had a +chance to reply anything, Dr. Smith called across, "Good morning, Mary +Jane! How did you sleep?" +</P> + +<P> +"All the night, just like I do at home," answered Mary Jane, "except +one time when they bumped something into my bed—what was it, do you +'spose?" +</P> + +<P> +"Most like they put on a new engine," said Dr. Smith. "Now, how long +will it take you to dress, my dear?" +</P> + +<P> +"Just a tinny while," said Mary Jane, "because I've got my shoes and +stockings on now. And when may I wash my face and you put on my hair +ribbon?" +</P> + +<P> +Dr. Smith stepped out from his berth and looked at Mary Jane in dismay. +</P> + +<P> +"You may wash your face any time you like, my dear," he said, "but I +can't tie your hair ribbon. I don't know how!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane laughed at the funny face he made and then she smiled in her +most motherly fashion. "Then it's a good thing I forgot and left it on +last night," she said, "and don't you worry, I can perk it up and make +it look real tidy." +</P> + +<P> +"You're a good little traveler," complimented Dr. Smith. "I'll take +you along again. Now let's see who's ready first." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane put on the rest of her clothes; then she took her little bag, +just as her mother had told her to, and went into the dressing room and +washed her face and made herself neat and tidy. She got back in time +to see the porter make up her bed and she was glad of that because +bed-unmaking on a train by daylight seemed even more wonderful and +interesting than bed-making the night before. +</P> + +<P> +She sat down on the seat across the aisle while he worked, so she could +see everything he did. +</P> + +<P> +"My mother and I don't make beds that way at home," she announced +suddenly. +</P> + +<P> +"Sure not," agreed the porter, and then by way of keeping up the +conversation, he added, "Like to ride on a train?" +</P> + +<P> +"'Deed I do," said Mary Jane happily, "and I like to go see my +grandmother—it's my Great-grandmother Hodges I'm going to see, you +know. And my mother isn't going and my daddah isn't going because he +works and my sister Alice isn't going because she's in school and +anybody isn't going but just my Dr. Smith and me 'cause I'm five and +that's a big girl." +</P> + +<P> +"Well!" exclaimed the porter, and he actually stopped making beds to +look at such a big little girl. Mary Jane liked him and started to +tell him about Doris and the birthday party and the pretty things in +her trunk, but Dr. Smith came back just then and there was no more time +for talk. +</P> + +<P> +"Got your coat?" he asked, "and your hat and your—everything?" +</P> + +<P> +"He put 'em there," said Mary Jane, pointing to the next seat where she +had seen the porter put her things, "and my gloves are in my pocket and +my bag's all shut." + +"That's good." said Dr. Smith. "You'd better put your things on now. +Here, I'll hold your coat." +</P> + +<P> +It was a good thing Mary Jane started putting on her gloves just when +she did. For before she had the last button safely tucked in its +button hole, the porter had slipped in to a white coat and had picked +up her bag and Dr. Smith's big grip and started for the door of the +car; the great long train was slowing up at a little station. +</P> + +<P> +They got off in such a hurry that Mary Jane hardly had time to say +good-by to the kind porter before the train hurried away and some one +picked her up and kissed her and exclaimed, "Well, well, well! Such a +<I>big</I> girl!" and she found herself kissing dear Grandfather Hodges—she +knew him well because he had visited her home and she had a nice, +comfortable, "belonging" feeling the minute she saw him. +</P> + +<P> +"Now you two stay right here by the car," said Grandfather, "while I +get the trunk." And Mary Jane had her first chance to look around. +</P> + +<P> +The station wasn't a bit like the station at her home—not a bit. It +was a funny little frame house with a platform, out in front. And +there wasn't any roof out over where the trains went or anything like +that; just the little house and the platform. And instead of the piles +of trunks on great trucks that she supposed were in every station, +there was only her own little trunk dumped forlornly on the platform. +And instead of the many men busy about various duties, there was not a +single man, at least not one that Mary Jane could see. Grandfather +took the check that Dr. Smith gave him and went into the little station +with it. In a second he was back and what do you suppose he did? He +picked up her trunk and set it in the back of his waiting automobile +just as easy as could be! Mary Jane was that surprised he could see it +and he laughed gayly and said, "That's the way we do our baggaging +here, Mary Jane. We'll not wait for any sleepy baggage men—not when +Grandmother and hot griddle cakes and honey are waiting for us, will +we?" +</P> + +<P> +And Mary Jane, who was getting hungry enough to find breakfast a most +interesting subject, settled down in the front seat beside her +grandfather and said, "No, we won't!" +</P> + +<P> +Dr. Smith climbed into the back seat beside the trunk and Grandfather +started the car and went spinning down the road. +</P> + +<P> +"Your roads all know where they're going, don't they?" Mary Jane asked +as they got under way. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," replied Grandfather in surprise; "don't yours?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not like yours do," said Mary Jane positively; "ours go this way." +And with her finger she made some big curves in the air. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" laughed Grandfather, "you mean that yours are curving because of +the hills and that ours are straight. Yes, our roads are pretty +straight but you'll like that when you get used to it, because then you +can't get lost. There's a road every mile and each road goes just the +way it by rights ought to go because there aren't any hills to get in +the way." And all the while Grandfather was talking, he was driving +the car along the straight road just as fast as could be. +</P> + +<P> +"And aren't there any hills before we get to your house?" asked Mary +Jane after a while. +</P> + +<P> +'"Well," said Grandfather smilingly, as he slowed the car down, "what +do you think about that yourself?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked before her, the way she could see Grandfather wanted +her to look, and, right there close, she saw a big, old-fashioned white +house. It had a flower bed, a great big round flower bed, in the yard +in front of it and a curving driveway along the side. And it had a +wide porch all across the front, a porch that had seats and a swing and +everything a little girl would like to see on a porch. A lot of +windows with green shutters were scattered over the house, and through +the windows Mary Jane could see ruffled white curtains at every window. +And on the porch of this house stood a pretty, white-haired +grandmother, just the sort of a grandmother that belongs to every white +house in the country. +</P> + +<P> +"I think there aren't any hills because here we are!" exclaimed Mary +Jane happily as Grandfather stopped the car by the side steps. +</P> + +<P> +Quick as a minute Dr. Smith jumped her out of the car and Grandmother +Hodges, for it really was she, just as Mary Jane had guessed, gave her +a hug and a dozen kisses and Mary Jane felt at home from that minute. +</P> + +<P> +"Now don't bother about that trunk," said Grandmother briskly. "It can +wait! I don't know what Dr. Smith promised we'd have for breakfast +this morning, but griddle cakes and honey are what I have ready. Come +right on in, Dr. Smith." +</P> + +<P> +She took off Mary Jane's coat and hat and laid them on the couch in the +living-room, and then they all went in to what Mary Jane thought was +the best breakfast she had ever eaten in all her five years. There +were bananas and cream, oh, such good cream; and eggs and bacon and +griddle cakes and honey. Mary Jane had never eaten honey on griddle +cakes before, and she liked it so well that they quite lost count of +the number she ate! +</P> + +<P> +"If you go on as you're beginning," laughed Dr. Smith, "you'll be so +big and fat by the time you go home that I'll have to go along with you +and tell them you're Mary Jane Merrill, that's what I will!" +</P> + +<P> +"I'll risk their knowing," said Grandmother; "that child was almost +starved! If you're in a hurry, don't wait for her. And Father" (she +turned to Grandfather Hodges), "you be sure to take Mary Jane's trunk +up to her room before you go to the barn. She'll want to open it right +away to get out her play dress." +</P> + +<P> +By the time Mary Jane was through her breakfast the trunk had been +carried upstairs and Grandfather Hodges was off to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +"You come out to see me whenever you're ready," he said as he left. +</P> + +<P> +"And I'll be running along too," said Dr. Smith, "though I must admit +I'd rather stay and help show Mary Jane the farm than to call on sick +folks this morning. I'll be by to see you this evening, little girl, +to hear what you think of all the new sights." And he started down the +road toward his home—it was such a little way that he preferred to +walk. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, Mary Jane," said Grandmother briskly, "what would you like to +play while I do the dishes?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'd like to do them too," said Mary Jane promptly. +</P> + +<P> +"A little girl five years old do dishes?" exclaimed Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"'Deed, yes, Grandmother," said Mary Jane, much pleased to think +Grandmother was so impressed. "I'm a little <I>past</I> five, you know, and +I can work a lot!" +</P> + +<P> +"Just think of that," exclaimed Grandmother approvingly. "Then we'll +be through in no time. I'll wash and you wipe, and I'll put away. Let +me tie this apron over your pretty traveling dress." +</P> + +<P> +While they did the work, Mary Jane answered all the questions about +Mother and Alice and Father that Grandmother could ask and then, as +soon as the last dish was put away the two went upstairs and unpacked +the trunk. Such fun as it was to put all her own ribbons and +handkerchiefs into the funny little bureau that stood in Mary Jane's +room! And to hang up her dresses, or watch Grandmother hang them, in +the queer little closet that had a latch like a front gate! Mary Jane +was to have a whole room and a whole closet and a bureau all to +herself, and she wouldn't feel a bit lonesome because Grandmother's +room was right next and the door stood open all the night long, +Grandmother said. +</P> + +<P> +When everything was in neat order, Mary Jane put on her dark blue +rompers and big blue sun hat, and they went downstairs. +</P> + +<P> +"There now," said Grandmother; "we're all fixed. And before I do +another thing, I'm going to take you all around and show you everything +you want to see." +</P> + +<P> +They started down the back walk toward the barn that looked so +interesting. But they hadn't gone half the way to it before the +telephone, back in the house, gave a long, loud ring. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap02"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +EXPLORING THE FARM +</H2> + +<P> +"There now!" exclaimed Mrs. Hodges impatiently, "that's the 'phone and +I'll have to answer and see what's wanted. You walk along slowly, Mary +Jane, right over to the barn and through the gate and I'll hurry and +catch up with you as quickly as I can." +</P> + +<P> +Left alone, Mary Jane walked past the wood shed; passed what seemed to +be a tool house because through the open door she saw tools of all +sorts and sizes; and on across the yard toward the barn yard gate. +</P> + +<P> +"She said 'through the gate,'" thought Mary Jane, "and this must be the +gate. I wonder if it opens?" She shook the gate as hard as she could +but it didn't open; it didn't even look as though it intended to open; +it looked shut for all day, and Mary Jane was almost discouraged about +getting into the barn yard till she happened to think of a gate at the +back of Doris's yard (her little playmate Doris who lived next door to +Mary Jane's own home) that looked surprisingly like this gate. To be +sure it was little, and this gate was big and wide, but both had boards +crosswise, just right for climbing. +</P> + +<P> +"We climbed on Doris's when it wouldn't open," she thought, "so I guess +this one will climb too." +</P> + +<P> +She put her foot carefully on the first bar—nothing happened; on the +second—everything seemed all right; on the third and in a minute she +was over and climbing proudly down on the other side. +</P> + +<P> +"Grandfather! Grandfather!" she called as she ran gayly toward the +barn; "I did it! The gate wouldn't open so I—Oh, dear! Oh! Oh! +It's coming! <I>Grandfather</I>!" she screamed breathlessly as she saw, +coming out of the barn—not Grandfather as she had expected—but a +great, fat, grunting <I>pig</I>! +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane shrank back toward the gate and how she did wish it was open +so she could slip through and shut it tightly behind her. She was +afraid to turn her back to the pig long enough to climb over the gate +as she had come; all the while she was trying her best to think of some +way to get away, that fat, grunting pig was coming closer and closer. +Now it was half the length of the barn yard away. Now it seemed to +have spied her and was coming straight for her—nose to the ground +sniffing and grunting louder than ever. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather, working in the barn, heard and came a-running as fast as +ever he could run; and Grandmother, 'way in the house, heard and +dropped the receiver and ran out so fast that she was breathless when +she reached the little girl. Grandfather was nearest so got to her +first. Really, he saw what the matter was as soon as he got outside +the barn and he shouted to the pig and flapped his arms in such a +comical fashion that Mary Jane hardly knew whether to be afraid of him +or to laugh. But the pig had no such doubts. She seemed to know that +he meant she should go away. She gave one final snort—almost at Mary +Jane's toes—and then turned and went back to the barn as fast as she +could waddle. The faster she waddled the more Grandfather flapped, +till first thing she knew Mary Jane was laughing and had forgotten all +about being afraid. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather reached down and picked her up, and Grandmother, who came +through the gate at that minute (she seemed to know how to open it, +Mary Jane noticed), patted her and gave her a kiss and a hug. +</P> + +<P> +"Did we frighten you first thing, Puss?" asked Grandfather tenderly. +"That old Mrs. Pig wouldn't hurt you for anything. She was just trying +to get acquainted." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes?" replied Mary Jane doubtfully, "but you see I'm not used to +getting acquainted that way. I 'spect she wouldn't hurt me, but she +didn't <I>act</I> like she wouldn't hurt me," she added. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather threw back his head and laughed at that. "No, she didn't; +you're right, Mary Jane! She acted pretty bad. But you shouldn't be +here alone before you get used to our family." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother explained about the 'phone calling her back. "And I left +the receiver hanging, I came so quickly," she added laughingly. "I +guess I'll go back now and hang it up." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I'll show Mary Jane around myself," said Grandfather firmly. +"She's more important than work, so there!" He set her down beside +him, took her hand snugly in his own (and it feels pretty good to have +somebody hold your hand when everything is strange, you know that +yourself), and they started off. +</P> + +<P> +First they went into the barn where they saw Mrs. Pig, grunting still, +but standing very meekly in her own corner; and eleven little pigs that +grunted such cunning, squeaky little grunts. Mary Jane wasn't afraid +of them for one minute. They weren't dirty as Mary Jane supposed pigs +always were, not a bit dirty; they were tidy and neat and their little +round sides shone like silk. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I like <I>them</I>, Grandfather!" she exclaimed. "Could I play with +them someday?" +</P> + +<P> +"I thought you didn't like pigs," teased Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, but these aren't <I>pigs</I>," corrected Mary Jane; "these are +<I>piggies</I>; nice piggies like in my painting book. I like <I>them</I>." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know about playing with them," laughed Grandfather; "we'll +have to see. But I'll tell you what you may do; when we're through +looking all over the place, you may come back here with me and feed +them. Would you like that?" +</P> + +<P> +Would she? Mary Jane clapped her hands and wanted to insist on feeding +them right that very minute; only, just in time, she remembered that +she wasn't to tease. So she slipped her hand back into Grandfather's +big one and they went on with their walk. +</P> + +<P> +Next they saw Brindle Bess, but Mary Jane didn't like her as well as +the little pigs. She switched her tail and looked around at Mary Jane +so pointedly that Mary Jane was really relieved when Grandfather +slipped around and opened the door and let her wander out to pasture. +</P> + +<P> +"She's an awful <I>big</I> cow, isn't she, Grandfather?" said Mary Jane, as +the cow ambled off. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I don't know about that," said Grandfather, not understanding. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, she's lots bigger than me when I'm five," said Mary Jane +positively. "I think I like little things best." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I've the very creature to show you," said Grandfather, "and we +might as well see him now because your grandmother will want to show +you the chickens when she comes out. We'll lock this door so Mrs. Pig +can't get out into the front barn yard again, and then we'll cross the +road and I'll show you something you'll like." +</P> + +<P> +"Will it be big?" asked Mary Jane as she skipped along beside him. +</P> + +<P> +"Middling big and middling little," answered Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Will it be brown or gray?" asked Mary Jane, thinking of the cow and +the pigs. +</P> + +<P> +"Neither," said Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +That puzzled Mary Jane, but she couldn't think of anything else to +guess so she kept her eyes carefully ahead as they went down the yard +and across the road, in hopes she Would see the surprise quicker that +way. +</P> + +<P> +Across the road from Grandfather's house was a strip of wooded land +which Grandfather had let grow wild. Grandmother loved the trees and +the wild flowers and liked to feel that they were near to her. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" exclaimed Mary Jane as they crossed the road, "see those trees! +Are those the surprise?" +</P> + +<P> +"My, no!" replied Grandfather; "those are only a couple of wild crab +trees—they do look pretty full of bloom as they are, don't they? But +the surprise is a real, live, running around surprise. Here, let me +boost you over the fence; that's more fun than a dozen gates." He set +Mary Jane over the fence and then came in the gate and locked it +carefully behind him. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you 'fraid it'll get away, is that why you lock the gate?" asked +Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, it's pretty little to run away," said Grandfather, "but you +never can tell, so I lock it to be sure." He took hold of Mary Jane's +hand again as he added, "now just behind these trees; and around these +bushes; and—" +</P> + +<P> +"I see it myself," exclaimed Mary Jane, "and I know what it is—it's a +little sheep!" She dropped his hand and ran a few steps toward the +lamb she saw grazing a few steps away. But just as she drew near, the +lamb spied her and started to meet her. Mary Jane ran quickly back +toward her grandfather; it was one thing to go to meet the lamb herself +and quite another to have the lamb come and meet her! "Will he grunt?" +she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Not a single grunt!" laughed Grandfather. "He's the friendliest +little creature you ever saw. See?" Grandfather took Mary Jane's hand +and laid it on the soft wool of the lamb's back. "He likes you already +and he'll like you even better when you bring him something good to +eat. Before very long you will learn to climb this fence all by +yourself; then you can come over here and play with him any time you +want to." +</P> + +<P> +"And pick flowers for my grandmother, too?" asked Mary Jane as she +looked at the lovely bluebells that grew around where they were +standing. +</P> + +<P> +"You're a girl after your grandmother's own heart!" exclaimed +Grandfather delightedly; "you can pick all the flowers you like. But +let's not stop now. Don't you want to see more of the farm?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane did, so they left the lamb with a promise to come again later +and went back across the road to the house. There they met Grandmother +who declared that she was through with the telephone long ago and +wanted to show Mary Jane the chickens herself. +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said Grandfather; "but don't you show her the garden." +</P> + +<P> +"I won't," replied Grandmother, and they both looked so mysterious that +Mary Jane was sure some surprise was in that garden. +</P> + +<P> +"Are you going to show it to me?" she asked her grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Some day," he replied, "but there's too much else to see this morning. +The garden can wait." +</P> + +<P> +So Mary Jane and her grandmother went to the chicken yard and +Grandfather started for the barn to finish his work. +</P> + +<P> +If you've ever seen about a hundred cunning, little, yellow and white +and gray chickens, so soft and fluffy they look as though they were +Easter trimmings; and dozens of motherly looking hens ambling around +and a few big, important-looking roosters crowing in the sunshine, you +know just what Mary Jane saw when they reached the chicken yard. For +her part, Mary Jane had never seen such a sight before, and she was so +surprised and pleased she could hardly believe her eyes. +</P> + +<P> +"Are they all <I>yours</I>, Grandmother?" she asked in amazement. +</P> + +<P> +"I should say they are," laughed Grandmother. "You stand right +here—no, that rooster won't come any closer," she added as one big +fellow crowed loudly near by. "You stay here till I get some feed and +you shall see a funny sight." +</P> + +<P> +She slipped into the chicken house and returned in a minute with a +small basket of grain. "Here, Mary Jane," she said, "you hold this +so—and throw the grain out on the ground so—" and she did just as she +wanted Mary Jane to do, "and watch them come!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane reached her hand into the basket of grain, took out a handful +and threw it far as she could; and then how she did laugh as she saw +the chickens scramble for it! +</P> + +<P> +"Can I do it again?" she asked delightedly. +</P> + +<P> +"All you like till the grain is gone," replied Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"There now," said Grandmother, after awhile, "we've stayed so long here +it's 'most dinner time. Are you hungry, Mary Jane?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane started to say no, because she was <I>sure</I> the morning hadn't +more than begun, but to her surprise she found she <I>was hungry</I>, oh, +awfully hungry. +</P> + +<P> +"I thought so," laughed Grandmother, who guessed what the little girl +was thinking, "and it's most eleven, so we'd better see what we're +going to have to eat. How about chicken and biscuits and apple +dumplings and cream?" +</P> + +<P> +"They're my favorites," said Mary Jane, with a little skip of pleasure. +"Every one's my favorite, all of 'em!" +</P> + +<P> +So she and Grandmother put away the grain basket and went into the +house. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap03"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +THE HUNT FOR EGGS +</H2> + +<P> +"Now then," said Grandmother when they got into the kitchen, "while I +get dinner, we'll talk." +</P> + +<P> +"But what's the matter?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Matter where?" questioned Grandmother. "I don't see anything the +matter!" +</P> + +<P> +"What's the matter out there?" said Mary Jane, pointing out the door to +the chicken yard where they had just been; "something's happened." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother stepped over to the door where Mary Jane was standing and +looked out. "Oh!" she exclaimed, for she saw in a minute what Mary +Jane meant, "that noise?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane nodded. +</P> + +<P> +"That noise means that an egg has been laid," explained Grandmother, +smiling, "and that Mrs. Hen is very proud of it and wants us to know +what she has done." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh!" cried Mary Jane happily, "and then you go out and get them in a +basket just like mother told me she used to do? May I go now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Better not start before dinner," suggested Grandmother, "because +sometimes egg-hunting takes quite a little time. Wait till you get +through dinner and then you may hunt all afternoon if you +like—egg-hunting is fun!" +</P> + +<P> +So the minute she was through with her apple dumplings, Mary Jane +asked, "And now, please, may I get the eggs?" +</P> + +<P> +"Got you hunting eggs already?" asked Grandfather. "Well, I wonder if +you'll like it as well as your mother used to. Have you your basket?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not yet," said Grandmother. "I mean to let her get it herself. +She'll feel more at home when she begins to find her way around alone. +If you locked the pigs in, she can go anywhere she likes all alone." +</P> + +<P> +"They're locked up fast," Grandfather assured her—much to Mary Jane's +relief. +</P> + +<P> +"Then, Mary Jane," continued Grandmother, "you go out to the barn and +up the little ladder you'll find in the middle of the barn. And in the +loft somewhere, I'm sure you'll see it easily, you'll find a little, +covered basket. It's the very one your mother and your Aunt Cornelia +used to carry egg-hunting. If it's too dusty, bring it here, and I'll +clean it for you. Now run along, Pet," added Grandmother with a kiss +for the up-turned face, "and don't be long. I'll miss my little girl." +</P> + +<P> +Just as Mary Jane opened the screen door to go out, a beautiful big +black and brown dog came running up to the door. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, Bob!" exclaimed Grandmother, "where have you been all morning? +I wanted Mary Jane to get acquainted with you right away and you +weren't anywhere around! Mary Jane, this is Bob, our good dog, and +he's the best creature friend a little girl can make." She stepped out +of the door with Mary Jane and they both sat down on the steps and +talked to Bob. Mary Jane liked him from the first. He had such a +pretty face and such friendly, kind eyes and he looked as though he +would be good to little girls. +</P> + +<P> +"May he go with me to the barn?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"Indeed, yes," replied Grandmother. "You just start along and watch +him follow you! He'll go wherever you go from now on. You won't even +have to call him!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane jumped up and, just as Grandmother said, Bob jumped up from +the steps too and together they started off to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +"Can you climb up a ladder?" asked Mary Jane gayly, as she skipped +along by Bob. "I can climb a ladder all by myself! I did it one day +when Mother hung curtains." +</P> + +<P> +But dear me! When Mary Jane saw the steep ladder that went up to the +barn loft she wasn't so sure she could climb a ladder after, all! She +had been thinking of a nice little step-ladder such as her mother had +and this was a steep, narrow ladder made of funny little pieces of wood +nailed on to narrow strips that were fastened to the barn. Not a bit +like any ladder Mary Jane had ever seen before. +</P> + +<P> +"But the basket's up there, Bob," said Mary Jane, glad of some one to +think aloud to, "and my grandmother she wouldn't tell me to go up if I +couldn't, so I guess I'll try." +</P> + +<P> +She put one foot on the ladder and then the other. "Why, it's just +like climbing a gate only it isn't a gate," she announced proudly, "and +I'm way up a'ready!" +</P> + +<P> +It was easy to step from the ladder to the loft because the sides of +the ladder went on up high and she simply held tight to them and +stepped off onto the floor Of the loft. +</P> + +<P> +And <I>that</I> was the funniest place Mary Jane had ever seen! Hay +everywhere, and a pleasant, fragrant smell that pleased Mary Jane even +though she hadn't an idea why. She looked around a minute and then +hunted for the basket. +</P> + +<P> +Over in the corner, under a funny little, cobwebby window she found it, +half hidden by the tossed up hay. +</P> + +<P> +She recognized it at once because of the curious little cover +Grandmother had spoken of. But, dear me, Grandmother would surely have +to clean it before it was used for cobwebs and scraps of hay were all +over the top! +</P> + +<P> +"I wonder if the cover comes off, or just opens like a door," thought +Mary Jane as she bent over it. "I guess I'd better see." +</P> + +<P> +She moved the cover the tiniest bit and found it was fastened to one +side. "It's like a box," she said aloud, "and it opens easy, I know!" +</P> + +<P> +She opened it out and what <I>do</I> you suppose she saw down in the bottom +of that basket? You'd never guess! +</P> + +<P> +Four of the cunningest little gray mice! All snuggled down together +into a little ball of fur—Mary Jane would never have guessed there +were four, they were so tiny, only she saw the four little black noses +and four pairs of beady black eyes. +</P> + +<P> +"You darlingest!" she exclaimed happily, and sat right down in the hay +beside the basket to watch them. She reached her finger in and touched +their silky little backs; she watched them snuggle down tight and +tighter together and she altogether forgot about Bob and egg-hunting +and Grandmother and everything, she was so delighted. But Bob didn't +forget about her, not he. +</P> + +<P> +For a while he waited patiently at the bottom of the ladder. He seemed +to know that she might have to hunt a while for the basket. But as the +minutes went by and she didn't come and didn't come, he grew more and +more restless. He whined, and he walked around the barn and he looked +out the door. Then he came back to the foot of the ladder and put his +front feet on the highest step he could reach. +</P> + +<P> +But still there was no sign of Mary Jane coming down. And for her +part, the little girl was so interested in her mice that she wouldn't +have noticed had he barked out loud. +</P> + +<P> +Finally he could stand it no longer. With a sudden turn, as though he +had quickly made up his mind something must be done, he ran out of the +barn and up to the kitchen door. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother Hodges saw him and supposed Mary Jane was with him so she +called kindly, "Did you find the basket, dear?" +</P> + +<P> +No answer. +</P> + +<P> +"Bring it in here for me to dust it off, Mary Jane," she added. +</P> + +<P> +No answer. +</P> + +<P> +"That's funny," she exclaimed; "what ails the child?" And she stepped +to the door to see why Mary Jane didn't answer. +</P> + +<P> +That was exactly what Bob wanted her to do. The minute he saw she was +coming to the door he bounded off in the direction of the barn. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother understood at once, as Bob had known she would, and without +even stopping to drop the tea towel she had in her hand she followed +him out to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +Bob ran ahead, turning two or three times to make sure she was coming, +till he reached the foot of the ladder. There he danced around as +though he was trying to say, "Now I've brought you here, do see what's +the matter!" +</P> + +<P> +"Is she up there yet, Bob?" asked Grandmother wonderingly. Then she +called, "Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Mary Jane!" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Grandmother!" replied the little girl, hearing for the first time, +"they're the cunningest! Do come see!" +</P> + +<P> +"Whatever has the child found!" she exclaimed, but she went up the +ladder just the same to make sure Mary Jane was happy. +</P> + +<P> +It wasn't more than a minute before Grandmother, too, was down in the +hay, admiring the little mice till even Mary Jane was satisfied. +"You're a good one," she said, "to find such a nice family right away. +This old basket's been here for years, but that looks like a brand new +nest and a brand new family. You'll have something to tell your sister +about when she comes now, won't you?" +</P> + +<P> +"And may I take them down to the house?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Look behind you and see if you want to," answered Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane turned and looked as she was told and she saw, peeping out +from behind the hay, the distressed face of mother mouse. Poor thing! +She was <I>so</I> afraid something terrible was happening to her babies! +</P> + +<P> +"No, I don't want to," said Mary Jane promptly. "I want to keep them +right here and come up and see them whenever I want to." +</P> + +<P> +"That's best," agreed Grandmother. "You come with me and I'll find you +another basket and then you and Bob and I will hunt eggs." +</P> + +<P> +So that is the way Mary Jane happened to have a pretty, brand new, pink +basket for hunting eggs: and that's why they were so late getting the +eggs that it was almost supper time before they were through. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap04"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +THE MYSTERIOUS BUNDLES +</H2> + +<P> +For three days after Mary Jane came to visit her grandparents, the sun +shone bright and warm and the little girl spent all the time out of +doors. She raced around the yard with Bob; she played with the lamb in +the wood across the road; she watched her grandfather feed the little +pigs; she fed the chickens and hunted eggs. And, the most fun of all, +she watched the baby mice in the dusky, sweet-smelling hay loft. Till, +really, by the time she had had her supper of bread and milk, Mary Jane +was ready to tumble into bed and sleep straight through the night +without ever a thought of being homesick. +</P> + +<P> +But the minute she awakened on the morning of the fourth day, Mary Jane +knew that something was different. The sun wasn't shining across her +coverlet as it had before; and from the window came the sound of +dripping, dripping, dripping rain. The kind of rain that you love if +everybody's indoors and can stay in and the fire's going brightly and +Mother's near to talk to. And also the kind of rain that makes you +feel very queer if you know Mother's hundreds of miles away and you +aren't going to see her for a good many weeks. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane felt a queer feeling in her throat. Suddenly she tossed the +covers back, picked up her clothes so quickly she didn't even stop to +see if she had both stockings, and ran into her grandmother's room. +"I'm <I>not</I> going to cry, so there!" she said to herself hastily. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, good morning," said Grandmother cheerfully. "That's nice to +dress in here! I was just wishing I had company." +</P> + +<P> +"Does rain make you feel like you wanted somebody right close?" asked +Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Every time," agreed Grandmother. "And sometimes, when your +grandfather's working out in the barn, and Bob's out there with him, +and I'm all alone in the house, I just wish and wish I had a little +girl about your size here to talk to. I'm so glad you're come, Mary +Jane, you're such good company!" +</P> + +<P> +And immediately, would you believe it? Mary Jane forgot all about +being homesick and maybe going to cry, and began wondering what she +could do for her grandmother! +</P> + +<P> +"What are we going to do to-day, Grandmother?" she asked as they went +down the stairs together. +</P> + +<P> +"Let me see," said Grandmother thoughtfully, looking at the little +girl. "First, of course, we'll get breakfast—wouldn't you like fresh +corn bread and maple syrup?" Mary Jane nodded happily, for she liked +Grandmother's corn bread. "Then we'll do the dishes and make the +beds—but that won't take long with you helping me. Then we'll peel +the potatoes and start the meat cooking for dinner. Then we'll—by the +way, Mary Jane," she asked suddenly, "what have you in those two +packages in your trunk?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane stared at her grandmother a minute and tried to think +whatever she might mean. Then she remembered. "Those two bundles +wrapped up in brown paper and tied and everything?" +</P> + +<P> +"Those are the ones," nodded Grandmother. "I saw them the other +morning when I unpacked your trunk but we were in a hurry to get-out +doors then so I didn't ask about them. What are they?" +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know," said Mary Jane. "Mother put them in and she said you'd +understand. She said just let you see and you'd know what she meant." +</P> + +<P> +"Then I guess I know," said Grandmother, laughing. "We have to look at +them!" +</P> + +<P> +"Let's go now," said Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, my no," replied Grandmother, "before breakfast? I should say not! +We'll do all the things we planned to do, right straight through the +plan. Then we'll get those bundles and see if I can guess what your +mother meant." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane liked the good breakfast Grandmother prepared and she loved +helping set the table and clear it off and help with the work like a +grown-up person, but she was glad when at last everything was done and +she and Grandmother went up the stairs to look at those mysterious +bundles. +</P> + +<P> +"You get the bundles out of your trunk, Mary Jane," said Grandmother, +"and I'll get my glasses." +</P> + +<P> +"Then shall we go down' to the sitting-room?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"No, we'll stay right up here," said Grandmother, smiling, "because +unless I miss my guess, we'll want to be up here before we're through +anyway." +</P> + +<P> +That puzzled Mary Jane more than ever because, in all the three days +she had been there. Grandmother had never sat upstairs, but always in +her big rocker at the bay window in the room they called the +sitting-room. She hurried to her room, raised the cover of her little +trunk and turned it way back so it wouldn't fall on her. Then she +reached in and got out the two bundles, and hurried back to +Grandmother's room. +</P> + +<P> +"There's some writing on them," she announced. +</P> + +<P> +"Then I expect that will help us guess what we are to do with them," +said Grandmother, and she adjusted her glasses. "Let's see what it +says." She read off the first one, "'This is the way Mary Jane learns +to sew.' Shall we open this first, Mary Jane?" she asked, "or shall we +read what the other one says?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I know, I know! I know!" cried Mary Jane, clapping her hands. "I +know what that is, Grandmother, only I came away in such a hurry that I +forgot all about it! It's a present for you—I made it all myself! +Let's open it first." +</P> + +<P> +"A present for me?" asked Grandmother. "I guess we will open it +first." And she carefully undid the string, opened out the paper and +looked inside. "A picture card! My dear little girl!" she exclaimed, +"and you did it all yourself?" +</P> + +<P> +"All myself," said Mary Jane proudly, and she leaned up against her +grandmother and pointed out the perfections. "See? It's a picture of +a little girl, that's me, and she's raking her garden. And here," she +picked up another one, "this is a picture of a butterfly that flies +over the garden. I did one of a little girl, that's me, with a pink +sunbonnet and one with a sunflower and I sent those to my Aunt Effie. +And these are for you." +</P> + +<P> +"I certainly am pleased," said Grandmother heartily and she kissed Mary +Jane once for each card. "And what else have we here?" +</P> + +<P> +"That's my sewing things," said Mary Jane as she opened out the rest of +the package; "that's my needle case and my thread and my cards to sew." +</P> + +<P> +"Then let's have a sewing day," suggested Grandmother, "and you sew +your cards and I'll do my mending." +</P> + +<P> +"But first let's open the other bundle," suggested Mary Jane, who, like +Grandmother, had forgotten it for the minute. "I don't know what it's +got inside." +</P> + +<P> +"We'll see," said Grandmother, and she read on the outside, "'I wish I +had more.'" +</P> + +<P> +"That's funny," said Mary Jane, "more what?" +</P> + +<P> +"Wait and see," replied Grandmother, and Mary Jane noticed that her +eyes twinkled. "She needn't have worried, I have plenty." And she +undid the bundle. +</P> + +<P> +"Why! Why—how funny!" exclaimed Mary Jane when she saw what the +bundle contained. "That isn't anything! Why did Mother send those? +They're just scraps." +</P> + +<P> +"Not scraps, dear," said Grandmother, and, much to Mary Jane's +surprise, she seemed very pleased, "pieces. They're pieces for a +quilt. Your mother always was crazy about my quilts." +</P> + +<P> +"But those aren't quilts," insisted Mary Jane. "Those are just rolls +out of the scrap bag—I've seen them there. That's a piece of my +rompers," she added, pointing to a roll of blue, "and that's my best +pink gingham, and that's Alice's new school dress." +</P> + +<P> +"So much the better," laughed Grandmother. "When you know what things +are from, your quilt is more interesting. Let's put these on the bed +while you come with me to the linen room and see what a quilt is." +</P> + +<P> +They went down the hall to a queer little room that had shelves from +the floor to the ceiling and on every shelf was bedding of some sort. +Grandmother took down a quilt from the middle shelf and spread it out +on the floor. "There, Mary Jane," she said, "look at that! There's a +piece of your mother's first short dress and a piece of her mother's +graduating dress—that pink sprigged scrap; and that's your Uncle Tom's +shirt waist; and—well, don't you see? There they are; all the +'scraps' as you call them cut into pieces and made into a quilt. I've +always promised that your mother should have this some day. I think +I'll have to send it to her now if she's raising a girl who don't know +what a quilt is!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane got down on her hands and knees and looked at each piece. +"Oh, I know now!" she suddenly exclaimed, "I remember! Mother made one +for her doll bed when she was a little girl and it had a piece like +this with a red horse shoe in it." +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure," said Grandmother much pleased. "Did she show it to you?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, only I disremembered for a while," said Mary Jane solemnly. "She +showed it to me the day we sewed. She made it when she was a little +girl about as old as me, maybe, because they didn't have nice sewing +cards then." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, she made it when she was visiting me, one summer, just as you are +here now," said Grandmother thoughtfully. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Grandmother," cried Mary Jane suddenly, and she was so excited she +sat up straight and tall, "I'll tell you what let's do to-day!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Grandmother, kindly. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's me make a quilt." +</P> + +<P> +"Fine!" said Grandmother, "only you know you can't make it all in one +day—it takes a long time to make a quilt, a good quilt." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's begin it then," said Mary Jane, "and let's make it all pretty +like this." +</P> + +<P> +"I'll put this away," replied Grandmother, "and then I'll get my piece +bag and see what I have that goes well with what your mother sent. +Then we'll make a pattern and cut our pieces—you see, there's a lot to +quilt-making before the sewing begins." +</P> + +<A NAME="img-066"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-066.jpg" ALT="We'll make a pattern and cut out our pieces" BORDER="2" WIDTH="356" HEIGHT="553"> +<H5> +[Illustration: "We'll make a pattern and cut out our pieces—there's a lot to quilt-making."] +</H5> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"Goody!" cried Mary Jane happily, "I know I'm going to like it all!" +</P> + +<P> +And she did. +</P> + +<P> +She liked the hunting out pretty pieces and cutting them out (yes, she +did some of that herself, cutting carefully by the little pattern +Grandmother made for her) and counting them and pinning them together: +four blues with five pink, or four figured with five plain; everything +was four and five. +</P> + +<P> +Then, when material was ready for seven blocks, Grandmother said they +had done enough cutting for one day. So they gathered up the pinned +together blocks and went downstairs to the cozy sitting-room and sewed +the rest of the morning. And while they sewed Grandmother told stories +about when Mary Jane's mother was a little girl and came to visit. +</P> + +<P> +Right in the middle of a fine story, Grandfather came into the room and +asked, "Isn't there going to be any dinner to-day?" And sure enough it +was five minutes to twelve o'clock! +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother jumped up and hurried to the kitchen and Grandfather said, +"Well, isn't it too bad it's a rainy day?" +</P> + +<P> +"Rainy?" exclaimed Mary Jane, for she'd forgotten all about the rain +and her lonesomeness of the early morning. "Rainy? Why, Grandfather! +Rainy days are the best days of all when they're days at Grandmother's +house!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap05"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +GARDENING WITH GRANDFATHER +</H2> + +<P> +"This sewing business and feeding chickens and watching mice is all +very well," said Grandfather one day, "but I'd like to know where I +come in? If it wasn't for having good company at meal time and for +about ten minutes after supper in the evening, I'd never guess I had a +little granddaughter visiting me—I wouldn't, indeed!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked very serious. She wasn't quite certain sure whether +Grandfather was really disappointed in her or whether he was only +teasing. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother saw she was puzzled and helped her out by saying, "Very +well, Mr. Hodges, then you should find something your little great +granddaughter likes to do!" And from the way Grandmother's eyes +twinkled, Mary Jane knew that she understood Grandfather was only +teasing. And, oh, dear, but she was relieved! It's fine to go +visiting; but it's dreadful to be visiting and disappoint folks; and +Mary Jane was glad to know she hadn't. +</P> + +<P> +"That's exactly what I'm doing, my dear," laughed Grandfather. "I'm +finding something." +</P> + +<P> +"Are you really, Grandfather," cried Mary Jane happily. "Let's go do +it now! I'm all through my dessert; may I please be excused, +Grandmother?" and Mary Jane prepared to slip down from her chair. +</P> + +<P> +"No use," said Grandfather with a shake of his head. "It isn't ready +yet." +</P> + +<P> +"Not ready?" echoed Mary Jane. "Does it have to be ready before we do +it?" +</P> + +<P> +"It surely does," laughed Grandfather, "That's the reason we haven't +done it before." +</P> + +<P> +"But I think I'll like it without being ready," suggested Mary Jane as +she went around to his chair. "Let's see if I wouldn't." +</P> + +<P> +"No, sir, you can't tease me that way, Pussy," laughed Grandfather. +"You'll have to wait." +</P> + +<P> +"Is it alive?" asked Mary Jane, who by this time was fairly bubbling +over with curiosity. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, yes," replied Grandfather and he chuckled to himself in high +glee. +</P> + +<P> +"Is it big as me?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"One way 'tis and another way 'tisn't," said Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, dear!" sighed Mary Jane, "that's the kind I never can guess!" +Then she thought carefully for a real good question. "Is it brown or +gray?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather leaned back and laughed. When he finally could answer he +said, "It's partly grayish brown and some day it may be all brown for +a' I know." +</P> + +<P> +"Then it isn't a mouse and it isn't a lamb," said Mary Jane positively, +"and that's all I can think of now." +</P> + +<P> +"That's a good thing," said Grandmother, "for there's the postman and I +surely expect a letter from your mother to-day." +</P> + +<P> +One of the things that Mary Jane most loved to do was to run out front +when the rural mail carrier came along in his little wagon and watch +him put the mail in the box out in front of her grandfather's house. +Usually they spied him way down the road just about the time they were +through dinner and Mary Jane would run out and watch him. The first +time he saw her he handed the mail out to her and that disappointed her +greatly. She had wanted to see him put the mail in the box as +Grandfather had told her he would. So on the second day, Grandfather +went out with her and explained to the carrier that little girls from +the city liked mail that came in boxes better than mail that was just +handed in city fashion. And after that, the carrier smiled and nodded +to her each time and then tucked the mail as carefully into the box as +though he didn't know she would take it out the first minute he was out +of sight. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll go down with you," said Grandfather, rising quickly from the +table, "because I'm expecting a letter too." +</P> + +<P> +Sure enough! There was a letter for Grandmother that looked very much +as though it came from Mary Jane's mother; and a letter for Grandfather +that looked to be exactly the same letter! There wasn't a mite of +difference so far as Mary Jane could see, except in the one Grandfather +said was his, the first word was shorter. And there was a letter for +Mary Jane too, the first letter she ever received from her mother. +</P> + +<P> +They all three sat down on the front steps to read. First Mary Jane +opened hers and Grandmother helped her read it. "I'm going to learn to +read myself," declared Mary Jane, "'cause folks that get letters ought +to know how to read them." +</P> + +<P> +"You're right they should," agreed Grandmother, "and I shouldn't wonder +a bit but what a certain little girl I know would go to school this +fall." +</P> + +<P> +"And that little girl's me?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"That little girl's you," said Grandmother. "Now listen while I read +my letter." +</P> + +<P> +So Mary Jane sat real still and heard Grandmother's letter. +</P> + +<P> +"Now then, Father," said Grandmother as she folded hers up and put it +back in the envelope, "we'll hear yours, Grandfather." +</P> + +<P> +"Not right now," said Grandfather, rising suddenly and starting for the +barn. "I'm too busy to stop any more." And that was the last they saw +of him all afternoon. +</P> + +<P> +"I do think that's the queerest," said Grandmother as she looked after +her husband. "He's always so anxious to hear letters and I know he +isn't as busy as he makes out. But if he don't want to tell he won't, +Mary Jane, so I guess we'd better stop thinking about it." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane ran up to her room to put her precious letter away for +safe-keeping. Then she and Grandmother tidied up the dinner work and +dressed for afternoon. Grandmother didn't have lots of hard work to +do, as some farm folks have, for she and Grandfather had long ago +stopped doing the hardest work on the farm. They rented out most of +their land and kept for themselves only enough garden and chicken yard +and pasture to make them feel comfortably busy. So Grandmother had +plenty of time for pleasant walks and rides with Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather seemed to be tired at supper that evening so nothing was +said about secrets or letters or anything like that, and he went off to +bed about as soon as Mary Jane did. +</P> + +<P> +But the next morning he seemed rested and jolly as ever. +</P> + +<P> +"Do you happen to know any little girl around here who wants to work +with me today?" he asked at the breakfast table. +</P> + +<P> +"That's what Daddah says when he wants me to work in my garden," said +Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"You don't tell me!" exclaimed Grandfather in great surprise. That was +one of his favorite expressions, and Mary Jane had to always stop and +think before she could realize that what he meant was, "You do tell +me!" "And what do you say to him when he asks you that?" +</P> + +<P> +"I say, 'I know one little girl and that's me,'" replied Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"And what do you say to me?" continued Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"I say, 'I know one little girl, and she's right here,'" laughed Mary +Jane and she jumped down from the table and gave her grandfather a big +bear hug. "What is it we're going to do?" +</P> + +<P> +"Wait and see," said Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Then it's the secret!" exclaimed Mary Jane, dancing around. "It's the +secret! I know it is! Grandmother! Let's hurry quick and do our work +so we can go." +</P> + +<P> +"You put on your sun hat and go this very minute," exclaimed +Grandmother. "You've been such a good little helper—I guess I can get +along alone one day." +</P> + +<P> +So in about one minute Mary Jane had her sun hat from upstairs and was +going out the back door with her grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +They went out past the tool house and past the chicken yard and up to +the garden. +</P> + +<P> +"No, Bob," said Grandfather as Bob tried to push in through the garden +gate with them, "we don't need you here. G'on back to the house!" And +Bob turned obediently and ran back. +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't he the nicest dog!" explained Mary Jane, as they went along. +And then she stopped right short and couldn't say another word. For +right there in front of her, just as plain as day as though it had been +growing a whole spring, was her own garden! Yes, her <I>very own</I> +garden! With the nasturtiums in front and the marigolds next and the +young lettuce in the back. Mary Jane could hardly believe her eyes! +</P> + +<P> +"Why—but—how—I thought gardens stayed in one town!" she finally +exclaimed. +</P> + +<P> +"They do usually," said Grandfather and his eyes twinkled with pleasure +over her surprise, "usually they do." +</P> + +<P> +"But my garden didn't," stammered Mary Jane. "Did it come on a train +like I did?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," laughed Grandfather; "guess again." +</P> + +<P> +"It couldn't come any other way," insisted Mary Jane, "'cause I was out +here last week with Grandmother to see her lettuce and this wasn't here +then and you can't come 'way from my house in one day unless you ride +on a train—it's too far." +</P> + +<P> +"That's good thinking for Miss Five-year-old," said Grandfather +proudly, "so I guess I'll have to explain. You see, I wrote to your +mother and asked her how your garden was at home. And she told me, +exactly; she even drew a little picture so I would know just how things +were planted. After I got that letter, it was easy to take nasturtiums +and marigolds and lettuce from your grandmother's garden and make one +for you. She was glad to give you some." +</P> + +<P> +"So that's the reason you wouldn't read Mother's letter yesterday," +said Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"That's it," agreed Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"And that's the reason you were so tired last night," continued Mary +Jane. "You'd been working so hard to 'sprise me." +</P> + +<P> +"Well," admitted Grandfather, "that may have had something to do with +it." +</P> + +<P> +"I think I've got the <I>bestest</I> grandfather!" exclaimed Mary Jane +suddenly, and she threw her arms around him so hard, oh, ever so hard. +"And now do we work here?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not to-day," said Grandfather, "because you couldn't work with my big +tools. Tomorrow morning I'll drive into the village and get you a +little set of tools just your size like you have at home. This +afternoon we'll look around and see if everything's all right in my +garden. Then to-morrow we can go to work, as soon as we come home." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane took hold of his hand and together they went back into his +nice big garden. +</P> + +<P> +"Um-m-m," said Grandfather suddenly as he bent over his carrot bed. "I +was afraid so, I was afraid so!" +</P> + +<P> +"What's the matter?" asked Mary Jane who couldn't see that much was +wrong. +</P> + +<P> +"See those nibbled off carrots?" asked Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked closely and saw the broken tips. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll have to catch that thief," said Grandfather. "I guess we need +Bob after all." Grandfather stuck his finger to his mouth and made a +loud whistle. Then he called, "Here Bob! Here Bob! Here Bob!" +</P> + +<P> +Bob came bounding down the garden path, wagging his tail and eager to +be of use. +</P> + +<P> +"See that?" demanded Grandfather, pointing to the broken tips. +</P> + +<P> +Bob sniffed and sniffed. He twisted his ears backward and forward and +sniffed again. Then he started briskly over to the back of the garden. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll find him!" exclaimed Grandfather. "Come on, Mary Jane! Bob's +not much of a hunter but I'll guess that he'll find him and we'll scare +him off!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane, who didn't in the least understand who "him" was or what was +going to be found or done, trotted along behind her grandfather and Bob +eager to see something new. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap06"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +THE GARDEN THIEF +</H2> + +<P> +"What are we doing, Grandfather?" asked Mary Jane as she trotted along +behind her grandfather and Bob. "What are we doing and where are we +going and who's the thief?" +</P> + +<P> +"No time to talk," called Grandfather over his shoulder. "You'll see! +Come along and take hold of my hand." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane ran as fast as ever she could till she caught up with her +grandfather and got a firm hold of his hand. Then she felt better: for +when a little girl doesn't know what <I>is</I> going on, she wants to have +hold of <I>something</I>—you know how that is yourself. Bob led them out +of the corner of the garden; across the small cornfield back of the +barn; across the pasture and into the woods beyond. There he stopped +and sniffed in the bushes and through the dead leaves in what Mary Jane +thought was the most curious way she had ever seen a dog act. +</P> + +<P> +"Well!" exclaimed Grandfather disgustedly, "if you can't find him any +better than that—I'll hunt myself!" And to Mary Jane's amazement, he +too, began hunting in the piles of dead leaves where Bob was diligently +sniffing. +</P> + +<P> +Suddenly he cried, "Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Come here this minute!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane, who had been standing by a stump where her grandfather left +her when he followed Bob into the woods, eagerly ran over to where he +stood. He waited quietly till she was clear up to him and then he +reached down and lifted up a pile of dead leaves and rubbish. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Grandfather!" exclaimed the little girl, "what are they?" +</P> + +<P> +"What do you think they are?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't think," replied Mary Jane, "'cause I never saw them before. +But they look like the Easter things at the store." +</P> + +<P> +"Right you are!" exclaimed Grandfather much pleased. "They're baby +rabbits—and in one of the prettiest little nests I ever found. I'm +glad you were along to see." +</P> + +<P> +"Were they what you were hunting, Grandfather?" asked Mary Jane as she +half timidly bent over the little bundle of gray and white fur. "They +wouldn't steal your garden, would they?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, not those pretty little things," replied Grandfather, "but their +father would. Can't say as I blame him though," continued Grandfather, +laughing, "with such a family to feed he'd naturally have to get +whatever he could. Usually the rabbits don't bother my garden. Well, +Pussy, what shall we do with them?" +</P> + +<P> +"Do with them?" asked Mary Jane. "What is there to do?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather looked down at the little girl; by this time she was on her +knees beside the nest, and bending over the little rabbits as though +she'd like to touch them but didn't feel quite well enough acquainted. +"Shall we leave them out here or—" +</P> + +<P> +But Mary Jane didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Grandfather!" she exclaimed, "could we take them home?" +</P> + +<P> +"I guess we could if you wanted to," he said. "Your mother was always +a great hand for pet rabbits and I believe that the very house I once +built for her, is up in the loft to this day. Let's cover them over +again and go find it." +</P> + +<P> +"Will they stay here while we're gone?" asked Mary Jane as he tenderly +laid the leaves back over the little creatures. +</P> + +<P> +"They will till their mother gets a chance to take them away," answered +Grandfather. "If she thinks we'll hurt them, she'll carry them to some +other hiding place. But if we hurry, we'll get them first." +</P> + +<P> +"Won't she know that we'll take good care of them?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"She won't know it at first," replied Grandfather, "but she'll soon +find out. We'll fix them up in a comfortable box and they'll be as +safe and happy and perhaps even better fed than if they'd stayed out +here in the woods where stray dogs might hurt them. Come on, now, +Pussy; let's hurry for the box." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane took hold of his hand again and they hurried back through the +pasture and the cornfield to the barn. +</P> + +<P> +It didn't take Grandfather long to find the little rabbit house he had +made for Mary Jane's mother years ago. "The box part is good as new," +he said, "and I'll get some fresh screening from the attic to cover +over this open side." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane trotted along beside him up to the mysterious, big attic at +the top of the house, where, from a dark corner, he pulled a strip of +new wire screen. They took it down to the back porch where he had left +the box and in less than half an hour he had the new home all ready for +the rabbits. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Grandmother heard them working around and came to see what +was going on. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, the cunningest bunnies, five of them, we found," Mary Jane told +her, "little and soft and gray and white just like the Easter bunnies +in the store, and we're going to bring them up to your house to live so +not any bad dogs will hurt them and so I can feed them." +</P> + +<P> +"Won't that be fun," said Grandmother approvingly, "but how are you +going to carry them?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane stared at her grandmother thoughtfully. "Will they go in my +hand?" +</P> + +<P> +"Carry five?" asked Grandmother. "I thought you said five. You +couldn't get that many in your hand." +</P> + +<P> +"No-o-o, I 'spect I couldn't," said Mary Jane. "How'll I do it?" +</P> + +<P> +"Suppose we fix a basket," suggested Grandmother, "then they would be +safe and comfortable while they made the journey." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane thought that a wonderful idea and she helped Grandmother hunt +up a basket from the storeroom and fold a soft old cloth to line it. +By the time they had it all ready, Grandfather had the new home +finished and he and Mary Jane set out for the woods to get their new +family. +</P> + +<P> +Just before they got to the nest they saw the mother rabbit dart away. +Such a pretty little thing she was, all soft gray except her tiny stub +of a tail which was snow white. She hurried away so quickly Mary Jane +hardly got more than a glance at her before she was out of sight behind +a log. +</P> + +<P> +"I'll wager she'll watch us," said Grandfather, chuckling, "and then +she'll know where we take her babies. Well, that's all right, Mrs. +Rabbit," he added; "you've a right to know where your family is. If +you'd made a safer nest, I'd leave them here for you, but as it is, +they'll be better off where they're going than where they are." +</P> + +<P> +"But didn't you say they ate the garden?" asked Mary Jane, suddenly +remembering what had started them out on their journey. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, they do a bit," answered Grandfather, "but they mostly let us +alone so I guess we won't think any more about the little they stole." +While he was talking, he had set the basket on the ground and now he +lifted off the rubbish and tenderly took out two little rabbit babies +and set them in the basket. +</P> + +<P> +"Why!" exclaimed Mary Jane as she bent over to see, "they's only three +bunnies!" +</P> + +<P> +"Sure enough!" agreed Grandfather. "How many did you think there were?" +</P> + +<P> +"I didn't think," said Mary Jane. "I counted them; they had five noses +when we saw them before. I know because I can count one, two, three, +four, five!" +</P> + +<P> +"You surely can," said Grandfather much puzzled, "then their mother +must have taken two away. Like as not she was after another one when +she saw us coming. Now cover them up good and warm, Mary Jane," he +added as he set the third bunny into the basket, "and we'll hurry off +home." +</P> + +<P> +He let her carry the basket every bit of the way, and she was careful, +oh, so very careful, not to jiggle the bunnies as she walked. +</P> + +<P> +When they got back to the porch Grandmother came out to watch them put +the bunnies onto the nice soft cotton she had fixed in the corner of +the box and she showed Mary Jane how to fix water and some freshly +picked lettuce for them. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, then," she said, "that's enough for now. Dinner's ready and I +guess you're ready for it!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane was hungry enough to be willing to leave the rabbits long +enough to eat—but no longer. The minute she had finished she ran out +to watch her pets. She sat down on the grass beside the box and +watched and watched and watched, but those funny little fellows didn't +eat or do anything! They just stayed snuggled up in the soft cotton as +tight as ever they could. +</P> + +<P> +"They feel strange and queer, just like you would if some one took you +away from your bed," said Grandmother when she came out to see how Mary +Jane was getting along. "Why don't you come and take a ride with me +and maybe by the time you come home, they'll be better acquainted and +will come out and eat." +</P> + +<P> +So Mary Jane reluctantly left her post of watching and went riding. +Grandfather surprised them and went along too, and the new gardening +tools and a big sun hat were bought and stowed away in the back of the +car. +</P> + +<P> +"Let's not stay too long," said Mary Jane, as they turned away from the +store; "let's see if the bunnies feel better now." +</P> + +<P> +"I don't believe that child wants to ride a bit," laughed Grandmother. +"We might as well go home!" So they turned back the way they had come. +</P> + +<P> +The minute she was out of the car, Mary Jane ran to the rabbit house. +Not a rabbit was there! Not one of the pretty bunnies she had left +snugged up in the corner! +</P> + +<P> +"Grandfather!" called Mary Jane, "Grandmother! Come quick! They's +gone!" +</P> + +<P> +"Think of that!" exclaimed Grandfather as he hurried up to see. +</P> + +<P> +"Poor child! That's too bad!" cried Grandmother sympathetically as she +peered into the empty box. "Like as not their mother came after them, +though how she got them out I don't quite see." +</P> + +<P> +"I do," laughed Grandfather, and he pointed to a hole in the back of +the box. "I guess this wood wasn't as sound as I thought it was! +Well, if she wanted them that much, I guess she deserves them! But +who'd a thought she'd be so quick!" +</P> + +<P> +"Where are my bunnies?" cried Mary Jane, "where did she take them?" +And Grandmother noticed that she was bitterly disappointed. +</P> + +<P> +"Never you mind, pet," said Grandmother, and she put her arm +comfortingly around the little girl. "They're not far away, depend on +that. But if you want something to feed and take care of, something +all your own—I'll get it for you." +</P> + +<P> +"Will you, Grandmother, really truly?" +</P> + +<P> +"Really truly," nodded Grandmother, "and you shall keep it in this +pretty little house!" +</P> + +<P> +"Goody!" exclaimed Mary Jane, "and will it be pretty like my Easter +rabbits?" +</P> + +<P> +"Every bit as pretty," said Grandmother, "just come with me to see if +it isn't!" +</P> + +<P> +And she took hold of Mary Jane's hand and together they went toward the +chicken house. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap07"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +MARY JANE'S FAMILY +</H2> + +<P> +"Is it a chicken?" asked Mary Jane as she saw the direction they were +taking. +</P> + +<P> +"Bless the child!" exclaimed Grandmother, "she can ask questions the +fastest! No, my dear, it isn't a chicken! You'd better wait and see." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I'm a-waiting," said Mary Jane with a tiny sigh, "but I hope it +isn't very long waiting, 'cause I like to see what I'm going to have." +And she skipped along by her grandmother as fast as she could. +</P> + +<P> +Fortunately it wasn't very far to the chicken house, so she hadn't long +to wait. They went in at the front of the house; that was no surprise +because Mary Jane had been there every day of her visit. She looked +around quickly but she didn't see anything new, anything that looked +like a surprise. But Grandmother didn't stop there; she went on back +through a little door Mary Jane had never noticed, and into a room that +was nice and warm and had a big desk in it. Or at least Mary Jane +thought it looked like a big desk. And there wasn't anything there +that looked like a surprise; Mary Jane would have begun to be worried +if she hadn't been so sure Grandmother must know what she was talking +about. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, let's see how heavy you are," said Grandmother, "maybe we'll need +your Grandfather after all." She put her hands under Mary Jane's arms +and tried to lift her up. "I can do it but I can't hold you long +enough," she said with a shake of her head, "better run call your +grandfather, dear." +</P> + +<P> +"But he's way out in the barn," cried Mary Jane who was fairly dancing +with eagerness she was so anxious to see the surprise; "can't I get a +chair?" And then she thought how silly that was when of course there +wasn't a chair in the chicken house! "Or a box, Grandmother," she +added as an after thought. +</P> + +<P> +"A box?" questioned Grandmother, looking around thoughtfully, "oh, yes! +I know. There's one right out in that next room. It's not very heavy +and I believe you can get it yourself, Mary Jane. Suppose you try." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane was very glad to try. She hurried out the door into the +other room, spied the box over in the corner and dragged it back into +the little room where Grandmother was waiting. +</P> + +<P> +"See, Grandmother?" she said proudly. "I can stand on it." +</P> + +<P> +"So you can, so you can," agreed Grandmother much pleased. "You're a +good planner, little girl. Now turn the box on its long side, so; and +climb on it; then—" +</P> + +<P> +"What's that noise?" exclaimed Mary Jane suddenly as through the quiet +of the little room she heard a queer, "Peep! Peep!" So many "peeps," +so soft and low that she was hardly sure she heard them. +</P> + +<P> +"Never mind!" cried Grandmother, who was looking into the big case that +Mary Jane had thought was a desk. "Climb up quickly and look!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane needed no second urging. She set the box on its long side +and, grasping her grandmother's hand firmly so it wouldn't tip over as +she stepped on it, she climbed up and looked into the "desk." +</P> + +<P> +Such a sight as met her eyes! Tiny little chicks! Rows and rows and +rows of them! Under the glass cover of that queer looking case. +</P> + +<P> +"They's about a million!" she gasped in amazement, "all in one box!" +</P> + +<P> +"Not a million, dear," laughed Grandmother, "but a good many and +they're almost ready to take out." +</P> + +<P> +"But how did they get in?" asked Mary Jane much puzzled. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother explained that the queer looking "desk" was really an +incubator—a box in which eggs were kept warm till the little creature +inside each egg was big enough to break the shell and take care of +itself. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked and looked and looked and thought it was the most +wonderful of all the many wonders she had seen at Grandmother's. She +thought of a dozen questions she wanted to ask, but Grandmother seemed +so busy tending to this and that and the other that she decided to wait +till some other time to ask them. +</P> + +<P> +"Now, dear," said Grandmother, "you stay here and be deciding which you +want for yours while I get your grandfather to help me take them out. +I was so in hopes you could see this, pet, because I knew you'd like +to." +</P> + +<P> +She bustled out of the room in search of Grandfather, and Mary Jane +studied over the rows of chickens. And just at that minute she spied +<I>them</I>! She knew the second she saw them that there was her family. +</P> + +<P> +They were huddled down in one corner, all six of them and they seemed +lonesome and—well, different. Of course Mary Jane may have imagined +that, but so it seemed to her. Their bills were funny and their eyes +were different from the eyes of the other chicks, and the shape of +their tails and of their wings seemed different, some way. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to have you and give you a nice time," said Mary Jane, +whispering tenderly above the case cover. "I'd like to take care of +you, so don't you mind if you are funny!" And with the tip, tip of her +finger, she touched the glass directly over them. +</P> + +<P> +Just then Grandmother Hodges came back into the room with Grandfather +right behind her. +</P> + +<P> +"Grandmother!" cried Mary Jane eagerly, "may I have any ones? May I +pick them out? May I have these funny little ones? These that are all +by their lonesomes in the corner?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather and Grandmother both looked to where Mary Jane pointed. +</P> + +<P> +"The ducks!" they exclaimed together. "They came out all right!" +</P> + +<P> +Then Grandmother added, "To be sure you may have them, Mary Jane. +Those are ducks, and I put in six eggs so we could have a bit of roast +duck, come winter. They'll be sure to get into trouble with the +chickens and I would be so glad if you'll make them your family and +look after them for me. Here, Father," she said to her husband, "let's +take them out for her first." So Grandfather got the basket Mary Jane +and her grandmother had brought out with them and then he held up the +glass cover while Grandmother tenderly lifted the tiny ducks, one by +one, and set them inside. Then she covered them all over with a thick +cover. +</P> + +<P> +"But Grandmother," cried Mary Jane in dismay, "they can't breathe! +They'll die!" +</P> + +<P> +"Not they," laughed Grandmother. "Run along now, and set the basket in +the sun by your rabbit box. I'll be right out and fix them up for you." +</P> + +<P> +So for the second time that day, Mary Jane found herself carrying a +basket of living creatures. "Wouldn't Doris like to be here!" she said +to herself as she thought of her little friend back home, "and wouldn't +I like to show her my family!" She walked slowly and carefully so as +not to tip the baby ducks and it was with a sigh of relief that she +finally set them down by the rabbit box. +</P> + +<P> +Fortunately, Grandmother came along in just a few minutes so Mary Jane +didn't have time to worry about the "peeps" that were coming more and +more loudly from the basket. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother took the ducks one by one from the basket and set them on +some soft bits of old wool in the corner of the box. "We don't need a +cover for this box," she said, pulling at the screen Grandfather had +tacked on, "till they get bigger. We'll take it off so you can take +care of them easier. There now!" she added as the screen came off, +"we'll cover them up so," and she laid the soft cloth that had been on +the basket over the little ducks; "now we'll let them be for a while." +</P> + +<P> +"But we didn't feed them, Grandmother," objected Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"To be sure not," laughed Grandmother. "They don't want anything to +eat just yet. Not to-day. All they want is to be warm and cozy." +</P> + +<P> +"Don't they want anything to drink either?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"No," replied Grandmother, "nothing to drink either. To-morrow you can +fix them a drinking dish and I'll show you about their food, but now, +we'll just let them be. Listen! What's that?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother straightened up and counted the rings of her telephone bell. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, that's our ring. You take this basket back to your grandfather +while I answer it." +</P> + +<P> +But before Mary Jane got out to the chicken house Grandmother was back +at the kitchen steps calling, "Father! Father!" And then as she got +no answer she called to Mary Jane, "Mary Jane! Tell your grandfather +it's long distance and he should come quick!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane hurried in to tell her grandfather the message and then she +waited, wonderingly, till he should come back. Had anything happened? +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap08"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +COUSIN JOHN'S VISIT +</H2> + +<P> +But the minute Mary Jane saw her grandfather smile as he came back into +the chicken house, she knew that if something <I>had</I> happened it was a +nice something—for he was smiling a nice sort of a smile. +</P> + +<P> +"Good news for us, Pussy," he said. "Now you're going to have some one +to play with." +</P> + +<P> +"Another Bob?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Another fiddlesticks!" laughed Grandfather. "Haven't you enough +animal friends as it is? What would you do with more? No, sir! This +is a real playmate." +</P> + +<P> +"Who is she?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"<I>She</I>!" laughed Grandfather, "is your cousin Margaret's boy John—or +rather, she's your mother's cousin. They live over in Benset, you +know, Pussy. They promised that if you came this summer, they'd let +John come over for a visit so you two could play." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, goody!" cried Mary Jane happily, "how big is he?" +</P> + +<P> +"About as big as you are, I expect," said Grandfather thoughtfully, +"but I can't really say because I haven't seen him for a long time. +But you'll know all about him to-morrow." +</P> + +<P> +After that Grandfather and Grandmother fixed the little chickens as +quickly as ever they could, and then Grandfather went out to clean up +his car and Grandmother and Mary Jane hurried off to the kitchen to see +about the baking of good things to eat, for Cousin Margaret was to +bring Tom herself and would stay part of a day before going back. +</P> + +<P> +How Mary Jane did love the work and bustle! Grandmother made a big jar +of sugar cookies (she let Mary Jane put the sugar on them herself, and +you know that's fun!), and a big cake with thick chocolate icing (and +Mary Jane scraped out the frosting bowl), and then she "dressed" two +chickens (and Mary Jane thought that the most wonderful performance she +had ever seen). +</P> + +<P> +Then they went upstairs and got out fresh bedding, and Mary Jane +herself put out the fresh towels in the guest bathroom. And by that +time it was six o'clock—time for bread and milk. Everybody went to +bed early so as to be up and feeling fine in the morning. +</P> + +<P> +Next morning Mary Jane helped Grandmother with the morning work; then +she put on her pink gingham dress and got out her biggest pink plaid +hair ribbon for Grandmother to tie. And in no time at all, they were +off to the station. +</P> + +<P> +When the train stopped and left a pretty lady and a rosy-cheeked little +boy of about Mary Jane's age on the tiny platform, Mary Jane suddenly +felt very shy. She had never played with little boys, except Junior, +and he was so much younger she didn't count him, and she didn't quite +know how to talk to a little boy cousin she had never seen before. But +she needn't have worried about what to say because the grown folks +talked all the time and the two children on the front seat beside +Grandfather Hodges, simply sat and looked at each other all the way +home! +</P> + +<P> +But after Grandfather had helped them out, by their own doorstep, Mary +Jane seemed to feel that something must be said so she remarked, "Would +you like to see my mice?" +</P> + +<P> +"I thought girls were afraid of mice," replied John. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I'm not," said Mary Jane scornfully. "Come on see 'em." And +she started for the barn. +</P> + +<P> +Strange to relate, they hadn't got half way across the barn yard before +the big pig, the same one that had so frightened Mary Jane on her first +day, ran out of his pen in the barn and made straight for them. +Grandfather had been in a hurry both times he went for the train and +had forgotten to lock him up, most likely. John, who wasn't any more +used to creatures than Mary Jane had been, screamed and screamed at the +top of his voice. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked at him scornfully and, forgetting all about how she +herself had felt when <I>she</I> first came, said, "He won't hurt you! I'll +send him away!" And without a thought of fear, she waved her arms +around as she had seen Grandfather do on that first day. Mrs. Pig +stopped short as she had for Grandfather, and Mary Jane, delighted with +the success she seemed to be having, waved and shouted till +Grandfather, hearing the commotion, came running to see what the matter +could be. +</P> + +<P> +"Well! Well! Well!" he exclaimed when he reached the barn gate and +saw what had happened. "Say I couldn't make a farmer's girl out of +you, Mary Jane! I'm proud of you! Isn't she a good one, John?" +</P> + +<P> +John, his eyes round with fear for himself and with admiration for his +new little cousin, nodded "Yes." +</P> + +<P> +After that Grandfather stayed around near where they were and helped +Mary Jane show John the little pigs, Brindle Bess the cow, and then the +baby mice (who soon wouldn't be babies any more, by the way) up in the +loft. And of course they went across the road to see the lamb that by +now was well acquainted with Mary Jane; and they played with Bob who +came frisking to meet them. And last of all they showed John the brand +new baby ducks. +</P> + +<P> +"I'd have liked the rabbits best," said John when they had told him +about the pets that were found and lost so soon the day before. +"Couldn't we get them back again?" +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe we could, maybe we could," said Grandfather thoughtfully. "We +hadn't tried. Maybe that foolish mother took them back to where we got +them. 'Twould be just like her. Let's go see." +</P> + +<P> +So with a child on each side of him (just the very thing he liked best +too), Grandfather and his guests went back through the cornfield and +the pasture lot to where the rabbit nest had been. +</P> + +<P> +"Well," said Grandfather as he bent over the rubbish where the nest had +been, "for a boy who had just come onto a farm, you're a pretty good +guesser, my son. Look here!" He pulled back the rubbish, just as he +had done the day before, and there, before their eyes were the rabbits, +five of them, just as soft and just as warm and comfortable as though +they had never taken a journey in their lives. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-120"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-120.jpg" ALT="There, before their eyes were the rabbits, five of them" BORDER="2" WIDTH="357" HEIGHT="557"> +<H5> +[Illustration: "There, before their eyes were the rabbits, five of them."] +</H5> +</CENTER> + +<P> +"Didn't they like our house we made for them?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"'Pears not," said Grandfather. "What do you want to do about it, +children?" +</P> + +<P> +"I've always wanted some rabbits in a box," said John, "and I never did +have any. I want to feed 'em and watch 'em, you know." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I know," agreed Grandfather, but that was all he said. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane thought of saying that the box already had a family in it, +her family of ducks, but she thought maybe that wouldn't be polite, and +anyway, likely as not there were more boxes, so she just kept still, +very still. +</P> + +<P> +And while they were all three standing there, wondering, Mary Jane +looked up and over in the hedge, she spied the mother rabbit standing +partly on her hind feet and looking at them as <I>hard</I>! +</P> + +<P> +"Look!" cried Mary Jane, "there's their mother!" +</P> + +<P> +The sound of a voice startled the little mother and she ran away, +lipity, lipity, lip; lipity, lipity, lip; such a funny little run! till +she reached the shelter of a log. There she waited—they could see the +tip, white of her tail through the leaves. +</P> + +<P> +"She's waiting to see what happens to her babies!" exclaimed Mary Jane, +and suddenly she made up her mind about rabbit pets. "Let's leave them +here, John," she said quickly. "Their mother's lonesome if they go up +to the house. Let's leave them here and I'll give you half of my +ducks." +</P> + +<P> +"All right," agreed John, "but may I come and see them sometimes, +Grandfather?" +</P> + +<P> +"As often as you like. You just let me know and we'll come twice a +day," said Grandfather, "and you'll have most as much fun with the +ducks, I'll wager. Now let's see if we can't hunt up some dinner." +And they turned to the house. +</P> + +<P> +Such a big day as Mary Jane and John did have! They played and they +hunted eggs and they rode on the cow; yes, that can be done, didn't you +ever try it? And they fed the chickens, and by night time they were so +sleepy and tired they hardly noticed their supper. +</P> + +<P> +But after supper Grandfather sat down to look at his paper. And as he +spread it out before him he suddenly chuckled to himself. +</P> + +<P> +"The very thing!" he said, "the very thing! Why didn't I think of that +before?" Then he looked over at the droopy-eyed little folks sitting +on the window seat. "But I suppose you wouldn't care to go?" +</P> + +<P> +"Go where?" exclaimed both children in a breath. "Where, Grandfather?" +</P> + +<P> +"What you talking about, Father?" asked Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Instead of answering, Grandfather passed his paper over to her and +pointed to where he had been reading. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother laughed and nodded. "Yes, if you want to," she said, "but +they'd better be going to bed in a hurry if they're going to do all +that to-morrow!" +</P> + +<P> +"Tell us! Tell us!" cried Mary Jane eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"Not a word," laughed Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Not a word," insisted Grandmother. "You wouldn't sleep a wink. You +just stop thinking about what it is and go to sleep. Father, you take +John up and I'll go with Mary Jane." +</P> + +<P> +So without finding out the least thing, for Grandmother wouldn't even +answer a question, not one, Mary Jane went off to bed—and to sleep. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap09"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +GRANDFATHER'S TREAT +</H2> + +<P> +It didn't take long to call those children the next morning, you may be +sure of that. Just one word and they were up and dressing and more +eager than ever to know what Grandfather was planning to do. +</P> + +<P> +"Now will you tell us?" asked John as he ran into the living-room where +Grandfather was sitting. +</P> + +<P> +"Not a word till you've eaten your breakfast," replied Grandfather +laughingly. +</P> + +<P> +"Not even a hint?" exclaimed Mary Jane as she hurried in, buttoning her +play dress as she came, just in time to hear what her Grandfather said. +</P> + +<P> +"Not even a hint," repeated Grandfather, "not till each of you has +eaten your bowl of oatmeal and as much other breakfast as Grandmother +says you should." +</P> + +<P> +"Come on, then, John," said Mary Jane practically; "let's eat quick!" +And she lead the way into the dining-room, where Grandmother had the +breakfast served and ready to eat. +</P> + +<P> +Never did bowls of oatmeal disappear so rapidly as did those! And when +the children had eaten a baked apple, an egg and a piece of toast +apiece, Grandmother declared that they had done their full duty and +could hear the surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"But I'm not through myself!" exclaimed Grandfather in mock surprise. +"Did you put your breakfast on your chairs? You couldn't have eaten it +<I>this</I> soon!" And he pretended to hunt around under the table for the +breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +"You know we didn't hide it, Grandfather!" cried Mary Jane; she had +been there long enough to get used to Grandfather's teasing so she +wasn't puzzled by it as John was. "Now you'll have to tell us, won't +he, Grandmother?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother nodded and Grandfather got up from his chair and went to +the dining-room closet. He rummaged on the shelf a minute and then +brought out a big roll of paper. "There!" he exclaimed as he laid it +in front of the children, "you may unroll that and see if you can tell +what it is? Better lay it on the floor so you don't tip the cream +pitcher over." +</P> + +<P> +The children set the roll on the floor; then Mary Jane held the rolled +up part while John pulled it open. They didn't have it half unrolled +before both children exclaimed, "A circus! It's a circus. +Grandfather! Are we going to a circus?" +</P> + +<P> +"Shouldn't wonder a bit," said Grandfather indifferently as he took +another piece of toast; "shouldn't wonder a bit. That is, of course," +he added with marked politeness, "unless you don't care to go." +</P> + +<P> +"You <I>know</I> we care to go," laughed Mary Jane and she jumped up and +gave him a big bear hug. "You know we just want to go the mostest of +anything in the world, we do!" +</P> + +<P> +"Then we'll go!" said Grandfather and he stopped his teasing and told +them all about his plans. "We'll start about nine o'clock so we'll +have plenty of time because we have to drive about fifteen miles and +get our lunch and—" +</P> + +<P> +"And see the parade," interrupted John. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, we see the parade before lunch, you're right," laughed +Grandfather. "I see there's going to be nothing skipped in this day. +Then we want to see all the animals and get good seats and everything." +</P> + +<P> +"Then we'd better start right now," suggested Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Dear me, no, not for two hours yet!" exclaimed Grandfather. "That's +the reason I got you that poster. See? It's all rolled up again. Now +I'll help you unroll it so you can look at it while you wait for the +time to start." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother helped too, and the big poster picture was unrolled and a +chair set on each end of it to hold it open. Then Mary Jane and John +could walk around and see it well. It was a picture of the parade and +showed camels and lions in cages and elephants and clowns and pretty +ladies and everything and of course it was most interesting to look at. +But it wasn't so interesting that the children forgot to look at the +clock—indeed, no! They watched and watched and watched and finally +the clock said, "Eight!" +</P> + +<P> +"Now then," said Mary Jane, "that's all I'm going to look. Let's roll +it up and get ready. Maybe we can help Grandmother." +</P> + +<P> +They found a good many interesting things to do. Grandmother had +decided that they had better take their lunch with them and eat it in +the car because the town where the circus was to be was small and there +might be no good place for them to eat. +</P> + +<P> +John got the lunch box from the storeroom and Mary Jane helped wrap +sandwiches and chicken and cake in oiled paper; and by quarter of nine +everything was ready. +</P> + +<P> +"Fifteen minutes to wash hands and faces and change your clothes," +exclaimed Grandmother as she heard Grandfather bring the car up to the +house. "Can you do it?" +</P> + +<P> +"'Deed yes," said Mary Jane, scampering on ahead up the stairs. "I can +wash myself and you just look at the cracks. And I can put my own +dress and shoes on. I can do lots!" +</P> + +<P> +"I should say you can!" exclaimed Grandmother admiringly. "You do all +you can then, dear, and I'll help John." +</P> + +<P> +At one minute to nine they were all at the door ready to climb into the +car and be off. +</P> + +<P> +"Did you give them their spending money?" asked Grandmother as she +helped stow the lunch into the car. +</P> + +<P> +"Not yet," answered Grandfather. "I'll give it to them when they get +there." +</P> + +<P> +"Listen to the man!" exclaimed Grandmother in disgust, "and make them +miss half the fun of carrying their own money. Wait a minute!" She +hurried into the house and came back in a minute with two little black +purses in her hand. "There now, children," she said as she handed a +purse to each child, "you can carry your own money. Here's two nickels +for you, Mary Jane, and two nickels for you, John. Don't lose them!" +</P> + +<P> +"We won't," said Mary Jane and she clutched hers tightly in her hand, +"and may we buy anything we want?" +</P> + +<P> +"Anything you want—anything!" Grandmother assured her. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll be home at six," called Grandfather as he started the car and +they whisked down the drive and away. +</P> + +<P> +Such a jolly drive as that was! They talked about the circus they were +to see and how they would spend their money. And whether the lion +would roar and what they should buy. And if the lady could really +truly do everything on her horse that the picture said she could and +how much ice cream cones would cost. You see Grandmother had been +right—half the fun of spending money was the holding the money +beforehand and planning how it was to be spent. +</P> + +<P> +Arriving at the village where the circus was, Grandfather drove them by +the great white tents—how wonderful and mysterious they did seem +too!—and then he found a good place to leave the car and they walked +to the main street where, from the second story of an office building, +they saw the parade go by. +</P> + +<P> +When the sound of the calliope was growing fainter in the distance and +the children were certain sure that every bit of the parade had gone +by, John looked away from the window and asked, "Can we go to the +circus just as soon as we eat our lunch?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I should think we could," answered Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"Then let's eat right now!" said John eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"Not such a bad idea," laughed Grandfather as he looked at his watch. +"Then we'll have plenty of time." +</P> + +<P> +They thanked the kind gentleman in whose office they had been and +walked to the car to eat their lunch. It was a good thing Grandfather +had left the car out of sight of the circus tent, for it was hard +enough to think about eating as it was! Had the tents been in sight it +would have been harder still. But on this quiet street and with the +wonderful parade to talk about they did full justice to Grandmother's +good meal. And when they had finished, even to the tempting little +apple pies, one for each person, they started for the circus. +</P> + +<P> +If you've been to a circus yourself, you know something of the sights +they saw and of the sounds they heard. If you haven't better get +<I>your</I> grandfather (or your father, if your grandfather isn't handy) to +take you to see one, for all the interesting things Mary Jane and John +heard and saw couldn't be put into one chapter—not even if it was a +double long one! They saw curious animals, munching away at their +dinner as though they had lived right there in that spot all their +lives instead of seven hours. They saw crawling snakes and marvelous +birds and the elephants that swayed their trunks backward and forward, +backward and forward, as though they were doing morning exercises. And +the ponies! The prettiest little ponies! Mary Jane didn't know there +<I>were</I> such pretty ponies in all the world. She liked them the best of +anything she saw. John liked the monkeys, and Mary Jane and he fed +them peanuts that Grandfather bought and they felt so very important +because the keeper said that the sign, "Don't feed these animals," +needn't bother them! +</P> + +<P> +Then they went into the big tent and found their seats—just in time +they were too, for the clowns came running in at that very minute and +kept the children, and the grown folks, too, in an uproar of laughter. +After the circus really began, it seemed to Mary Jane that she must be +in a dream. It didn't seem as though all those jumping, racing, men +and horses and elephants and all, <I>could</I> be real! She had to pinch +herself hard to be sure she was awake. +</P> + +<P> +Right in the middle a man came around with ice cream cones and John +bought one. +</P> + +<P> +"May I buy one too, Grandfather?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Just as you like," said Grandfather. "It's your money." And for the +first time she remembered the purse with the two nickels that she had +all the time held tightly clutched in her hand! She bought the cone +and ate it as she watched the circus—calmly indifferent to the fact +that it was leaking onto her pretty pink dress. You simply can't +notice <I>everything</I> at a circus! +</P> + +<P> +Finally the great show was over. The last of the Cinderella parade +slipped behind the curtains and folks began to hurry home. Grandfather +took hold of each child and together they climbed over the seats till +they reached the safe ground. +</P> + +<P> +"Shall we look at the animals again?" he asked. +</P> + +<P> +"We might try," said Mary Jane doubtfully, "but my looking don't see!" +</P> + +<P> +"Poor child," said Grandfather as he suddenly realized how tired the +little girl must be. "I expect your 'lookers' are tired enough to go +home." He picked her up and set her on his shoulder and then, grasping +John's hand firmly, he made his way out of the crowd. +</P> + +<P> +"But I can't go home <I>yet</I>!" exclaimed John, when he saw they were +leaving the grounds. "I haven't spent all my money!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, we can't go home with any money left, that's a sure thing!" +laughed Grandfather. "What do you want to get?" +</P> + +<P> +"Another ice cream cone," said John, as he spied a man going by with a +tray. +</P> + +<P> +"All right," said Grandfather, "do you want one too, Pussy?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, I know what I want, but it isn't here yet," said Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Where is it?" asked Grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"At the gate," replied Mary Jane. "I saw it when we came in and I want +to buy it for my grandmother 'cause she couldn't come." +</P> + +<P> +"That's a good idea," said Grandfather. "You tell me when we come to +it." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane pointed out the stand where balloons were sold, and with +grandfather's help picked out a fine big red one to take to Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Of the drive home Mary Jane remembered not a thing. She had seen and +heard so much that she just sat and listened while Grandfather and John +talked about everything. She almost went to sleep twice—almost but +not quite, because she had to stay awake to hold Grandmother's balloon +and keep it from blowing out of the car. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother was watching for them when they drove into the yard and was +delighted with her balloon, said she felt exactly as though she had +been to the circus herself. +</P> + +<P> +She tied it to the big glass water pitcher so they could see it all the +while they were eating their supper and she thanked Mary Jane many +times, for thinking to bring it to her. +</P> + +<P> +"I know what I'm going to do first thing in the morning," said John, as +he and Mary Jane climbed upstairs to bed. "I'm going to get out that +picture and see if they did everything it said." +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I know they did," said Mary Jane positively, "and they did more +too, because they did all the noise; I heard 'em!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap10"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +LEARNING TO COOK +</H2> + +<P> +John stayed a whole week at Grandfather's and every one of the seven +days, he and Mary Jane had a beautiful time. They fed chickens for +Grandmother and gathered eggs; they visited the rabbits, carrying with +them tit-bits of lettuce so they could the easier make friends with the +little creatures; they played with the lamb and watched Mary Jane's +ducks and rode in the car with Grandfather and altogether had a +wonderful time. But the thing that both Mary Jane and John liked the +best—well, anyway, <I>almost</I> the best of all, was playing circus in the +barn. +</P> + +<P> +They pretended that the downstairs was the animal tent and that Brindle +Bess was the elephant—"she waves her hind tail just like he did his +front tail, so that's almost the same," John said—and that the hogs +were lions and little pigs, tigers. And they pretended that the loft +was the performers' tent and that they were the circus folk. Mary Jane +learned to turn a summerset in the hay and she tried to walk a rope but +that didn't work very well because the rope came down; evidently it +wasn't tied tightly. John stood on his head and did tumbling and was +learning to throw three bottles at one time. They tried to do the +elephant-eating-his-dinner act with Brindle Bess but she didn't seem to +understand (maybe because she hadn't been to the circus herself) and +tipped the table over and broke two dishes so they had to give that up. +</P> + +<P> +But finally Cousin Margaret came to take John home and Mary Jane was +left without a playfellow. +</P> + +<P> +"No use moping around, Mary Jane," said Grandmother briskly as she saw +Mary Jane sitting dolefully and idly on the back steps an hour after +John had gone. "Find something to do as you did before John came and +you'll feel happier." +</P> + +<P> +"But everything I know to do, needs two to do it," complained Mary +Jane. "I don't know any children's things for just one!" +</P> + +<P> +"Listen to the child!" laughed Grandmother, "when she played the whole +day long, all by herself and as happy as could be! Well, then, dear," +she added kindly, "if you don't know a children's thing to do, how +about a grown folks' thing?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Grandmother!" exclaimed the little girl happily, "is there a +grown-up folks' thing I can do?" +</P> + +<P> +"I shouldn't wonder," said Grandmother, smiling mysteriously. "I +shouldn't wonder a bit." +</P> + +<P> +"But I don't want to sew," said Mary Jane, suddenly wondering if her +grandmother might be thinking of that, "I don't feel sew-ish." +</P> + +<P> +"No, it's not sewing," replied Grandmother. "I haven't time for sewing +this morning because I'm going to make strawberry jam." +</P> + +<P> +"Then what is it?" asked Mary Jane and she pressed her face up against +the screen door in her effort to look inside at her grandmother's work. +</P> + +<P> +"You come in and wash your hands and face—wash them good with soap," +said Grandmother, "then bring me one of Grandfather's big handkerchiefs +and I'll tell you what it is." +</P> + +<P> +That puzzled Mary Jane and she immediately forgot all about John and +her lonesomeness. She hurried to the bathroom and washed her hands and +face the very best she knew how. Then she reached into Grandfather's +drawer and picked out a handkerchief and took it down to Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"Now get me five pins from my basket," said Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane got the pins in a jiffy and then Grandmother stopped her work +and began to unfold and refold the handkerchief. +</P> + +<P> +"What—" began Mary Jane as she watched Grandmother's hands busy +folding, "what's it going to be?" +</P> + +<P> +"A cap," replied Grandmother, smiling, "a cap for the cook who's going +to get our dinner"; and she set the cap squarely on Mary Jane's head! +</P> + +<P> +"Me? Get dinner? Me? By myself?" exclaimed Mary Jane, "but I don't +know how!" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, you do," laughed Grandmother, "and what you don't know how, +you can learn. Do you know what potatoes look like?" +</P> + +<P> +"Why, of course," replied Mary Jane and she giggled at such a funny +question for potatoes were her favorite vegetable. "I've seen 'em at +home and I've seen 'em in your cellar." +</P> + +<P> +"Sure enough!" said Grandmother, nodding approvingly, "then you'll know +what to do. Take that pan over there," and she pointed to the table, +"and go into the cellar and pick out six nice smooth potatoes." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane did as she was told and she thought it was lots of fun too, +to hunt over the bin as she had seen Grandmother do and pick out +potatoes that just suited her. +</P> + +<P> +"Now then," said Grandmother when Mary Jane brought up the potatoes, +"take that scrubbing brush over there and scrub them clean. Then open +the oven door with this holder and lay the potatoes on the shelf to +bake." +</P> + +<P> +"Just like I scrub my hands?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Just the same," answered Grandmother, "only you don't use soap." +</P> + +<P> +"How about some baked apples?" asked Grandmother as the oven door was +shut on the potatoes; and Mary Jane noticed that she said it just as +though Mary Jane could do anything or cook anything a body might want. +</P> + +<P> +"They're good, <I>I</I> think," replied Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"So do I," said Grandmother, "and we'll have some. Your Grandfather +opened the last box just this morning. You pick out three, Mary Jane, +and bring me the apple corer from the drawer and the flat brown bowl +from the pantry." +</P> + +<P> +By that time, Mary Jane felt as important as any cook in the land. She +washed the apples. Grandmother hadn't said to do that, but Mary Jane +was sure it should be done. Then she took the bowl and the corer over +to where Grandmother was working with her strawberries. +</P> + +<P> +"Hold the apple so," said Grandmother, showing just how an apple should +be cored, "and turn the corer so—see if you can do the next, Mary +Jane." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane could. Not as quickly as Grandmother had done it, of course, +but she did it just the same and set it into the bowl as Grandmother +had done. +</P> + +<P> +"Now comes the fun part," said Grandmother; "your mother used to love +to fix apples I remember." +</P> + +<P> +"Did she do 'em just like me?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Just exactly," said Grandmother. "Get a cup of sugar from the bin; +and a teaspoon of cinnamon from that brown box over there and the pat +of butter you'll find on the pantry shelf. Mix the sugar and cinnamon +together and fill up the holes in the apples with it—there's your +spoon, dear." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother went on with her work and Mary Jane stirred the sugar and +cinnamon and filled up the apples—it was lots of fun, she didn't +wonder her mother had liked to do it! Then Grandmother showed her how +to put a lump of butter on the top of each apple—"just like a hat, +Grandmother!" exclaimed Mary Jane delightedly—and set the bowl in the +oven by the potatoes. +</P> + +<P> +"Now can you set the table?" asked Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"'Deed yes," said Mary Jane proudly; "I do that for Mother." +</P> + +<P> +"I thought so," replied Grandmother. "I won't have to show you about +that." +</P> + +<P> +And she didn't. Mary Jane put the silver and the napkins and the +pepper and salt and glasses and dishes all just as they should be. And +at Grandmother's suggestion she put on a pat of butter and a glass of +Grandfather's favorite jelly. +</P> + +<P> +"How's the circus lady?" called Grandfather, who happened to come into +the kitchen just then. +</P> + +<P> +"She's gone," cried Mary Jane, "and a cook lady's come to visit you." +And she skipped out from the dining-room to show him her cap. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I like circuses," said Grandfather solemnly, "but I must say +that right at this minute I'd rather had a cook lady than a dozen +circuses—so there! Who's getting dinner?" he added as he saw +Grandmother working away at her jam. +</P> + +<P> +"Mary Jane is," answered Grandmother "and I expected to be through by +now to broil the steak—she's everything else ready. But," she added +worriedly, "I simply can't stop for ten minutes and I know her potatoes +are about done!" +</P> + +<P> +"Is there another handkerchief around here somewhere?" asked +Grandfather suddenly. +</P> + +<P> +"In your drawer there's lots," said Mary Jane, but for the life of her +she couldn't see what Grandfather meant. +</P> + +<P> +"You get it," he said, and she dashed upstairs on the errand. +</P> + +<P> +"There now," said Grandfather after she handed it to him, "how's that?" +Mary Jane laughed and laughed at the funny sight. He had twisted the +handkerchief around his head dusting cap style and was bowing to her in +a grand fashion. "I guess I can cook too!" he declared, "bring on the +steak!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane got the steak out of the ice box and helped him salt and +pepper it; then, while he broiled it—yes, he did know how, Mary Jane +had thought he was only fooling—she took up the potatoes and apples +and got the pitcher of water. +</P> + +<P> +"I tell you what," said Grandfather proudly as they sat down to dinner +a minute later, "it's all very well to be a circus lady but personally, +I prefer a good cook, Mary Jane, and if you keep on as you've begun, +you'll be a good one!" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to keep on," said Mary Jane, proudly, "'cause it's more fun +than playing." +</P> + +<P> +"Good for you," said Grandfather, "and by the way, Mother, have you +told her where she's going to-night?" +</P> + +<P> +"Not a word," said Grandmother, smiling. +</P> + +<P> +"Goody!" cried Mary Jane, clapping her hands happily, "it's a surprise." +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, it is," laughed Grandmother, "you never did it before that's +certain. But you have to finish your dinner and then take a good +nap—a really for sure enough nap, before you know a single thing about +it so it's no use to ask questions. I'll tell you this much though," +she added as she saw Mary Jane look a bit disappointed, "you'll wear +your best dress and your biggest hair ribbon." +</P> + +<P> +Now what in the world was coming? Mary Jane couldn't think and she +went to her nap wondering and wondering and wondering. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap11"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +THE STRAWBERRY SOCIABLE +</H2> + +<P> +It's awfully hard to go to sleep when you're wondering all the time +what you're going to do when you wake up. But Mary Jane finally did +drop off to sleep—perhaps the fact that Grandmother pulled down the +shades helped. However it was, Mary Jane slept soundly and had to be +called twice when it was time to get up. She blinked open her eyes and +was just trying to guess if Grandfather had gone down to his breakfast +when Grandmother called, "do you wear a sash with your best dress, +dear?" +</P> + +<P> +That waked her in a jiffy and immediately she remembered about the +surprise that was to come and that she was to wear her best dress and +biggest ribbon. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, Grandmother, my pink sash," she answered, and she tossed off the +light quilt Grandmother had spread over her and ran into the next room. +Grandmother was laying out her own best dress and shoes on her bed. It +was the first time Mary Jane had known of her wearing them and she +guessed right away that something pretty important must be going on. +</P> + +<P> +"What's the surprise, Grandmother?" she asked eagerly, "can you tell me +now?" +</P> + +<P> +"Surely dear," replied Grandmother kindly, "I'd have told you before +only I was afraid you'd stay awake and ask questions. To-night is the +annual strawberry sociable of the village church and I thought maybe +you'd like to go. Your grandfather and I always attend and I think +you're old enough to go—especially now, as you've had such a good +sleep." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane stared at her grandmother as though she didn't understand a +word she had said. +</P> + +<P> +"What is it—a strawberry sociable?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother bent down and kissed her. "I forget my little city girl +don't know all our ways," she said, smilingly. "A strawberry sociable +is our big time of the year. We haven't taken you to our church yet, +dear, because your grandfather and I don't go as regularly in the +summer as we do in the winter, but maybe you've noticed it as we've +driven through the village. The little white church with the steeple +and the green blinds?" +</P> + +<P> +"Yes," said Mary Jane, nodding eagerly, "I've seen it. The one with +the big yard." +</P> + +<P> +"That's the one," said Grandmother, "and it's that yard we're going to +this evening. All our people have fine gardens and a good many of us +have berry patches. We save our finest berries and take them to the +church to-night for the sociable. The folks who have no berries take +cake and in that way every one helps and we raise money. We're trying +to get enough for an organ now." +</P> + +<P> +"But how do you get the money?" asked Mary Jane, to whom this was all +new. +</P> + +<P> +"We sell the strawberries and cake—ten cents for a dish of fruit with +a piece of cake," explained Grandmother. "I expect you never heard of +the like before, but I think you'll have a good time all the same. +There'll be other little girls there, Frances Westland and Helen Loiter +and maybe others; you'll have a beautiful time. Now let's get out your +things." +</P> + +<P> +If there was one thing above another that Mary Jane loved to do, it was +to dress up in her best clothes. She loved the feel of the soft, fine +materials and she liked the crisp hair ribbons and dainty shoes. She +was so glad that her mother had let her bring her brand new dress that +she had worn to her birthday party and the wide pink hair ribbon and +sash that went with it. Grandmother said they would dress before +supper as she wanted to be ready to go early for she knew that Mary +Jane should not stay late. +</P> + +<P> +It took some time for those two busy ladies to dress. Grandmother +wasn't used to hair bows and sashes of course and they went pretty +slow. Then likely as not there was a good deal of visiting went along +with the dressing for Grandmother and Mary Jane were good company. So +it's not much wonder that by the time each had inspected the other and +had decided that everything was exactly as it should be. Grandfather +called to say that supper time had come. Grandmother and Mary Jane +went grandly down the stairs in answer to his call and he stood at the +bottom and admired and complimented till Mary Jane had to drop her +grand air and giggle, he was so funny. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother laughed, too, and then bustled out to the kitchen, put on a +great big all-over apron and prepared the supper. +</P> + +<P> +"We'll not have a thing but eggs and bread and jam and milk," she +announced, "because with all the cake and strawberries you're going to +have that's all you should eat—just very plain food. Mary Jane, you +slip on this apron and help Grandfather feed the chickens and by that +time I'll have supper ready to eat." +</P> + +<P> +When they drove up to the village church an hour later Mary Jane looked +upon a yard of hurry and fun such as she had never before seen. Men +were fixing lanterns on wires, others were carrying chairs and +arranging them around tables underneath the lanterns. Women were +fixing great bowls of crimson berries (and oh, how good they did look, +Mary Jane thought!) on a long table that stretched across the back of +the yard. Other women were unpacking baskets of tempting looking cakes +and cutting them up into pieces ready for serving. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother took one basket of berries out of the back of the car and +Grandfather took the other and they walked over to the table, Mary Jane +following meekly behind. +</P> + +<P> +"This is my little great granddaughter, Mary Jane Merrill," said +Grandmother to the lady in charge, "and as she's never been to a +strawberry sociable before, I'm going to look after her till she gets +used to things—you've plenty of help here anyway." +</P> + +<P> +"Glad to meet you, Mary Jane," answered the lady and Mary Jane made her +prettiest courtesy, "you'll like the sociable better when the lanterns +are lighted and the other little girls come. Don't you want to come +and eat some cake crumbs now?" +</P> + +<P> +Much as Mary Jane liked cake crumbs, she didn't fancy staying with the +strange people when she might be with her grandmother, so she hung back +shyly and Grandmother declined the offer for her. +</P> + +<P> +"I think we'll walk around first, thank you, Miss Oliver," said she, +"and get our little girl to feeling more at home." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane liked the walking around and watching the busy folks at their +curious work. And, before she hardly realized it, twilight had set in, +men had lighted the gay Japanese lanterns and the yard had become full +of jolly people—the strawberry sociable had begun. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather hunted up Helen Loiter, a pretty little black haired girl +and Frances Westland to whom Mary Jane took a fancy at once. She wore +a plain little white dress and a big blue hair ribbon and seemed so +kind and pleasant to the little stranger. Helen, on the other hand, +was dressed in a much trimmed and be-ruffled frock and seemed to feel +far too dressed up to be natural. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm going to get you girls your berries," said Grandfather, as he +settled them at a table over to one side where they could sit as long +as they liked and eat and visit, "and if you want more cake, just let +me know." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's hurry and eat this up so he'll get us some more," said Helen. +"I've got a dime of my own and if he gets us another dish, that'll make +three times!" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, let's eat slow and talk," said Frances, "no use hurrying, maybe we +won't want three dishes. Is your mother here, too, Mary Jane?" +</P> + +<P> +"No," answered Mary Jane, "but my sister's coming next week and my +mother's coming before very long after that." +</P> + +<P> +"Why didn't you bring your best dress so you could wear it to-night?" +demanded Helen as she took a big bite of berries. "I should think +you'd like a pretty dress for tonight!" +</P> + +<P> +"This is my best dress," said Mary Jane in amazement, "it's my very +best dress and my best hair ribbon and everything!" +</P> + +<P> +"Well, I don't think it looks like it," said Helen, scornfully, "it +hasn't a single ruffle and not one bit of lace! I guess your father +must be pretty poor!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked at Helen's be-ruffled frock that was trimmed and +trimmed with yards of cheap lace and then she looked at her own dress, +so plain and neat with only a bit of hand embroidery for its ornament. +Then she looked at Frances' dress that was more like her own. And a +queer feeling of lonesomeness—a lonesomeness that she hadn't felt +since the rainy day so long ago, began to come over her. +</P> + +<P> +But before she had time to think of an answer, Frances spoke up. +"Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Helen Loiter! Talking that way to +Mrs. Hodges's little girl! I guess folks can dress as they please +without asking you! My dress isn't fancy either and my father's got as +much money as yours has, so there!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked at Frances admiringly and felt much better. +</P> + +<P> +"How old are you?" continued Frances, turning her attention pointedly +to Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"I'm five," replied Mary Jane, "how old are you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm seven, only I'm not very big for seven so you wouldn't guess it," +said Frances, "do you go to school?" +</P> + +<P> +"No, not yet," answer Mary Jane, "but I'm going to some day." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course you are, stupid!" said Helen, "everybody does! Well, I'm +bigger'n you are. I'm eight and I'm in second grade! So there!" And +she polished out the bottom of her dish with her spoon. "I guess your +grandfather's forgotten all about getting us some more cake—I'm going +to get some for myself. You two slow pokes can sit around and wait if +you want to. I'll not!" And she flounced herself out of her chair and +ran over to the cake table. +</P> + +<P> +Left by themselves Frances and Mary Jane compared notes as little girls +will. Mary Jane told her about her own home; about her friend Doris +and her sister Alice and the birthday party and everything she could +think of. And Frances told about her school and her garden—yes, she +had one about as big as Mary Jane's—and about her pet calf. +</P> + +<P> +"Father gave it to me when it was only a day old," she said, "and when +it's big enough, I'm going to sell it and get money to take music +lessons. Won't that be fun?" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane thought it would; she looked admiringly at Frances and +thought she was quite the most wonderful little girl she had ever met. +</P> + +<P> +When Grandfather came up to them a few minutes later, he had to speak +twice so busy were they with their talk. He got them each another dish +of berries and then, when they were through eating that, he took them +walking around the yard so they could see the lanterns and so that Mary +Jane would see and be seen by all his friends. Frances seemed to know +every one and that was a great help to Mary Jane who wasn't used to +meeting so many people. +</P> + +<P> +All too soon Grandmother announced that it was time to go home. The +candles in the lanterns flickered out one by one; the housewives busied +themselves with clearing up the remnants of cake and berries; the +fathers (and grandfathers) carried baskets back to the cars, lit lights +and made ready for the homeward journey. +</P> + +<P> +Frances and Mary Jane told each other good night and Frances promised +to come over and see Mary Jane very soon. +</P> + +<P> +"Well, what did you think of the sociable?" asked Grandmother as they +spun along home. "I saw you talking with Frances and Helen; did you +like your new friends, dear?" +</P> + +<P> +"I liked Frances so much," said Mary Jane, "and she's coming to see me." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother, who knew Helen much better than Grandfather did, +understood in a minute. She slipped her arm around her little +granddaughter and pulled her close. "So my little girl learned +something as well as had a good time to-night, did she?" she whispered; +"she learned how to pick out a friend. I'm glad Frances is coming to +see you, dear!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap12"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +BURR HOUSES +</H2> + +<P> +The week after the strawberry sociable was the busiest one of Mary +Jane's visit thus far. Frances came to see her twice and they became +better friends each time. The Westlands lived two miles farther from +the village than the Hodges did and Frances's father could easily leave +her at the Hodges's home when he went into the village and get her +again on his return trip. Mary Jane showed her all the interesting +things she had found—the pet mice, who were getting tamer and tamer +all the time; the ducks, which were losing their pretty babyness by now +and were getting almost big enough to look after themselves; the lamb +and the pigs and Brindle Bess. +</P> + +<P> +Of course Frances was used to country sights, so she wasn't as much +surprised at what she saw as Mary Jane had been when she came from the +city. But she was interested and she told Mary Jane many things about +the farm creatures and the fun she had had with her own pets. +</P> + +<P> +Then one day Grandfather took Mary Jane to see Frances and Mary Jane +had fun every minute of the two hours she was there. The Westlands +kept many cows and Mary Jane saw twenty little calves—such gentle, +soft-eyed little creatures that were so tame the girls could pet them +and feed them all they wanted to. And chickens! Mary Jane had thought +her grandmother had a good many but the Westlands had more! +</P> + +<P> +"May we feed them all?" asked Mary Jane eagerly as she saw them. +</P> + +<P> +"I guess Frances would be glad to have you," laughed Mrs. Westland +kindly; "she has to do it so much that I'm sure she'll be glad for help +at the job." +</P> + +<P> +So the girls went to the bins and gathered great handfuls of corn and +oats for the feast. Frances gave a peculiar call which the chickens +seemed to know and immediately they came a-running, hundreds of them, +so fast that Mary Jane dropped the corn she held and tried to run away. +</P> + +<P> +"They won't hurt you," laughed Frances, "see? I can let them eat right +out of my hand!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane looked and thought that if Frances was safe she would be too. +So she took some of the grain Frances handed over to her and bent down +for them to eat out of her hand too. It wasn't more than a minute +before she had lost every trace of fear and could let the biggest +rooster gobble up his grain right out of her hand. The girls tried +dropping kernels of corn on their shoes and then holding up one foot +for the chickens to reach for the grain. And they tossed occasional +kernels way to the outside of the feeding group and then giggled to see +how quickly the greedy ones whirled around to get all they could. +</P> + +<P> +Then, before it was time to go, Mrs. Westland called them in and gave +them each a big glass of rich milk and a plate of fat sugar cookies to +eat on the porch. Altogether Mary Jane thought she had the most fun +during that visit of any visit she had ever made! And before the +little girls separated, Frances had promised to come over to Mary +Jane's house very soon. +</P> + +<P> +The day after the call at the Westlands the postman brought a letter +from Mrs. Merrill which said that Alice could come to her grandfather's +in two days if that would be convenient. Grandfather was very fond of +Alice; she had visited there before and he was hoping she would have a +nice long stay there this summer. So, as soon as he read the letter he +got out his car, took Mary Jane with him and went into the village to +telegraph that Alice should come at once. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning Mary Jane helped her grandmother clean the room that +Alice was to have—it was just across the hall from Mary Jane's and was +so quaint and cozy with its old-fashioned furniture and ruffled white +curtains. Then the next day Grandmother made a great jar full of +cookies; Mary Jane loved that because Grandmother let her cut out some. +They made stars and crescents and squares and some just plain round +ones; and Mary Jane put the sugar and nuts over the top, too. Then +they made apple pies and berry pies and a tart of each kind for Mary +Jane's dinner and supper that day. Mary Jane decided then and there +that she was going to be a good cook when she grew up because cooking +was about the most fun of anything she had ever tried. +</P> + +<P> +On the morning Alice was to come, Mary Jane got up early; dressed +herself as quickly as possible and ran down the stairs. Just in the +nick of time she was too, for Grandfather was ready to start to the +station. +</P> + +<P> +"Take me, please take me along!" she called as she heard him crank up +his car. +</P> + +<P> +"Hello, Pussy; you up?" he answered; "to be sure you may go along. Get +your grandmother to give you a big piece of coffee cake to eat on the +way and we'll be off." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother heard what he said and had the coffee cake ready as Mary +Jane ran into the kitchen. A wonderful big piece, she cut, all full of +sugary, buttery "wells" that Mary Jane liked so much. She wrapped it +in a napkin so it wouldn't get Mary Jane's dress sticky with its +sweetness, threw a woolen scarf around the little girl's shoulders for +the early morning air was cool and waved a good-by as they rode out of +the yard. +</P> + +<P> +They reached the station just as the great train pulled in and saw the +conductor and porter help Alice down the steps of the car. Mary Jane +thought she had never seen any one look so nice in all her life! +Grandfather set her out of the auto and she ran as fast as ever she +could and threw her arms around her sister. Alice held her tight a +minute and then turned to kiss her grandfather. +</P> + +<P> +"So you're here all right, Blunderbuss," said Grandfather heartily, +using the nickname he had given her long ago, "and you haven't lost a +bit of your hair!" Alice laughed as he looked admiringly at her long +golden braids. +</P> + +<P> +"I haven't," she replied teasingly, "but I can't say as much for you!" +And she laughed at her grandfather's bald head. +</P> + +<P> +"Such a girl! Such a girl!" exclaimed Grandfather proudly; "now I +suppose I'll have to get your trunk and take you home and stand your +teasing the rest of the summer!" And in mock dismay he went for the +trunk the baggage man had tossed off the train. +</P> + +<P> +That was the beginning of more fun for Mary Jane. First there was the +house and farm which must be shown to Alice just as carefully as though +she had never seen it before. Then there were all the jolly things +that Alice thought of to do—Alice was always thinking up something to +do, it seemed. She fixed up a saddle for the lamb and taught Mary Jane +to ride. She tied tiny bells on the rabbits so they could be more +easily found. She helped Mary Jane take the ducks down to the creek at +the end of the pasture and turn them into the water. Mary Jane thought +it perfectly wonderful that they should know how to swim—"just as +though they had taken regular lessons, Grandfather," she said as she +told him about it afterwards. And Alice learned how to make +bread—with Mary Jane helping to turn the crank of the bread mixer so +she wouldn't feel left out. +</P> + +<P> +On the third day of Alice's visit Frances Westland came over to play +and the three little girls went out into the front yard and wondered +what they would do. +</P> + +<P> +"I wish we had doll houses here like we have at home," said Mary Jane. +"I know Frances would like to play with doll houses." +</P> + +<P> +"But you haven't any here," said Frances practically. +</P> + +<P> +"Maybe we can get some," said Alice thoughtfully; "we ought to be able +to find something to make a doll house out of. Let's hunt." +</P> + +<P> +"Where'll we hunt?" asked Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"Let me see," said Alice. She looked around the yard but saw nothing +that interested her. She looked across the road to Grandmother's lot +and saw all the grasses and brush that flourished there. +</P> + +<P> +"We ought to be able to find something over there," she said; "let's +hunt." +</P> + +<P> +So the three little girls scrambled over the fence and roamed through +the lot. The lamb was used to a good deal of petting and he supposed, +of course, that was what they had come for. So he poked himself into +their way at every step. +</P> + +<P> +"No, sir," said Alice, laughing; "we didn't come to play with you +to-day! You run along, sir!" She rubbed her hand over his back to +push him away and something rough and pricky scratched her. She pulled +at his wool and a small brown burr came off in her hand. +</P> + +<P> +"Look! Girls!" she cried suddenly. "If he got this, there must be +more in the lot!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course!" said Frances, looking scornfully at the burr Alice held up +for her to see; "there's a million over there—see? They're an awful +nuisance, burrs are, even this early in the season." +</P> + +<P> +"They may be a nuisance," laughed Alice, "but I'll venture to say +they'll make good doll houses for all that. Here! I'll show you what +I think we can do." She ran over to where Frances had pointed out a +lot of burrs, pulled off a handful and began sticking them together. +"Yes, it works," she said in a satisfied tone, "but let's not stop to +make the houses here. Let's gather a lot of burrs and take them over +to Grandmother's front yard. Then we can make a whole village!" +</P> + +<P> +Frances and Mary Jane didn't quite see how a village was to come out of +a lot of burrs, but Alice was so sure of what she was going to do that +they thought she must be right. So they gathered up their skirts and +filled them with burrs and then helped each other back over the fence. +</P> + +<P> +Under the big pine tree, where the ground was the levelest of any place +in the yard, Alice had them spread out all their burrs. +</P> + +<P> +"Now," she said when the burrs were ready, "you make them stick +together—so. Make eight rows of six burrs each. That will be the +floor of the house. Then start up the sides for walls." +</P> + +<P> +Frances and Mary Jane got the idea in a minute and they set to work in +a jiffy. Such fun as it was! The houses and barns and churches grew +so rapidly that none of the girls gave a minute's thought to pricked +fingers—there wasn't time! When the stock of burrs was entirely used +up, Alice set the houses along in a straight line as though they were +on a street. Frances put the barns back of the houses where they +belonged and Mary Jane ran to her garden for nasturtiums to lay by the +houses for gardens. +</P> + +<P> +"But we haven't any dolls to live in the houses!" exclaimed Frances +suddenly. +</P> + +<P> +"That's easy," said Alice; "I've made dolls before. Grandmother showed +me how years ago. Come on and we'll get some." +</P> + +<P> +She led the girls back to the orchard, where by now tiny green apples +were lying on the ground, scattered there by the summer winds. +</P> + +<P> +"You girls get all the apples you can while I get the toothpicks." And +she ran to the house. +</P> + +<P> +"What does she mean?" asked Frances, who wasn't used to this sort of +play. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know, but let's do what she says and then we'll find out," +answered Mary Jane, who had great confidence in this big sister of +hers. They filled their skirts with apples of all sizes and hurried +back to the front yard where Alice, carrying a box of toothpicks, met +them. +</P> + +<P> +"Now we'll all make dolls," said Alice as she spread out the picks. +"Use the biggest apples for the body; stick in two toothpicks for arms +and two for legs. And a middle-sized apple makes the head. Then take +another toothpick and mark out eyes and nose and mouth—so!" And she +set up the finished doll for the girls to see. +</P> + +<P> +Frances and Mary Jane picked up apples and went to work too, and first +thing they knew there was a doll standing in front of each house. They +were just starting on animals, pigs and horses and cows which Alice +showed them how to make, when Grandmother came out with a pitcher of +lemonade and a basket of cookies. So the burr making turned into a +party which lasted till Mr. Westland came tooting along the road and +Frances had to go home. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap13"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +EARNING MONEY +</H2> + +<P> +"Now if I only had a camera," said Alice as she and Mary Jane and her +grandmother were sitting out on the back porch one morning, shelling +peas for dinner, "I'd take a picture of you both. Wouldn't it make a +good one?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother looked at Mary Jane. The sunshine splattered through the +cracks between the vine-covered lattice and shone on her bobbed brown +hair, on her pink play dress and on the bright green pea pods in her +lap. Mary Jane looked at her grandmother and saw the snow white hair, +the kindly face that smiled above the big work apron and the busy hands. +</P> + +<P> +"Wouldn't it, though!" they both exclaimed at exactly the same minute. +And then they all three had a good laugh. +</P> + +<P> +"All the same I wish I had a camera," insisted Alice. +</P> + +<P> +"Does your mother think you're old enough to know how to use one?" +asked Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"Old enough, Grandmother!" exclaimed Mary Jane. "Alice's twelve!" And +the way she said twelve showed that she thought twelve was very, very +old indeed. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother smiled and Alice added, "She's willing I should have one, +Grandmother, only I must buy it myself. And saving money out of my +allowance is slow work. I've a dollar now but I need seventy-five +cents more." +</P> + +<P> +"Seems to me you should be able to earn that much," said Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"Earn it?" asked Alice. "How?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, by some sort of work," answered Grandmother. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, could I really?" exclaimed Alice delightedly. "What could I do?" +</P> + +<P> +"Could I earn some too?" asked Mary Jane eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"What do you want money for?" laughed Alice, as though a little girl +wouldn't have use for such a thing as money! "You always want to do +everything, Mary Jane!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course she does," said Grandmother comfortably, "and you do too. +The thing I'm thinking about is more fun if done by two anyway. But +what do you want your money for, dear?" she asked the little girl. +</P> + +<P> +"I want it to get a present for my dear mother," said Mary Jane, "a +present that she don't know anything about and that Daddah don't know +anything about and that nobody gives me the money for. Can I really +truly earn some money?" +</P> + +<P> +"Surely," replied Grandmother. "See those woods, girls?" She pointed +across the garden and across the cornfield to the woods about a quarter +of a mile away. "In those woods are blackberry bushes, lots of them. +And this is about the beginning of the blackberry season. Now if you +girls really want to earn some money you may take your little baskets +and go berrying. I'll buy all you can pick at ten cents a quart. You +ought to easily get your seventy-five cents that way, Alice, for the +bushes ate usually loaded with berries." +</P> + +<P> +"But the berries are yours to begin with," objected Alice, who liked to +be fair; "we can't sell you something that already belongs to you." +</P> + +<P> +"Of course you can't," replied Grandmother, much pleased with Alice's +honesty. "I shouldn't have said 'buy the berries'; I should have said +'pay you for the picking' at ten cents a quart. If I 'bought' the +berries of any one I would have to pay fifteen or twenty cents a quart. +And if I hired some one to pick them for me as I have some years, I +would have to pay ten cents a quart, just as I offered you. So, you +see, I promised you no more than you will fairly earn." +</P> + +<P> +"How do you pick berries?" asked Alice. +</P> + +<P> +"There's only one way," laughed Grandmother, much amused at the +question. "You touch them and off they come! Just pick them off the +bushes and drop them in your basket and the thing is done." +</P> + +<P> +"Let's go now," said Mary Jane eagerly. +</P> + +<P> +"Not now," answered Grandmother, "because it's too near dinner time. +Wait till you have your dinner and a little rest of half an hour. Then +you can start and pick all afternoon." +</P> + +<P> +By two o'clock the girls had hunted up the berry baskets Grandmother +told them to find in the attic (cunning little baskets with long, +curving handles they were, too) and, tying on their biggest sun hats, +they started out through the garden path. +</P> + +<P> +They crossed the field, climbed the fence into the woods and turned +down the wagon road as Grandmother had directed them. And sure enough, +there were the berry bushes just as she had said. Bushes that were +fairly loaded with shining blackberries that glistened in the afternoon +sunshine. +</P> + +<A NAME="img-190"></A> +<CENTER> +<IMG SRC="images/img-190.jpg" ALT="There were the berry bushes" BORDER="2" WIDTH="350" HEIGHT="549"> +<H5> +[Illustration: "There were the berry bushes—fairly loaded with shining blackberries."] +</H5> +</CENTER> + +<P> +The girls set to work most enthusiastically and by the time Grandfather +came to see how they liked their job (for, of course, he had heard all +about it at dinner time) they had their baskets nearly full. He walked +home with them and helped them measure out their berries with +Grandmother's quart measure. Alice had a quart and a half and Mary +Jane a full, even quart and Grandmother paid immediately—fifteen cents +for Alice and ten cents, a bright new dime, for Mary Jane. +</P> + +<P> +"My, but I do be rich!" exclaimed Mary Jane delightedly. "I can get my +dear mother the nicest thing!" +</P> + +<P> +"Of course you can, Pussy," said Grandfather, "and Alice will have her +camera in no time. I get the best of all, though," he added with a +mysterious nod of his head. +</P> + +<P> +"How do you?" asked both girls at once. +</P> + +<P> +"I get to eat the jam!" replied Grandfather in a comical attempt at a +whisper. +</P> + +<P> +"They do too, bless their hearts!" exclaimed Grandmother. They shall +eat all they want. I'll make it first thing in the morning." +</P> + +<P> +"And first thing in the morning I mean to get more berries," said +Alice. "Let me see—fifteen into seventy-five:—in four more days I'll +have enough money to get my camera!" And she danced around gayly, she +was so delighted. +</P> + +<P> +"Not quite," laughed Grandfather; "don't be in too big a hurry, +Blunderbuss; you have to give the berries a chance to ripen. Better +plan to go every other day. You'll get more at a time that way." +</P> + +<P> +"And I'm going, too," put in Mary Jane, "so I can get more money for +Mother's present." +</P> + +<P> +"I was thinking about that present while you girls were gone," said +Grandmother. "You'd better get that present in the city where the +stores are good. Why don't you save it for her Christmas gift? That +would be nice." +</P> + +<P> +"But I wanted to give her something when she comes to take me home!" +objected Mary Jane, who had set her heart on making her mother a gift, +"something that I did." +</P> + +<P> +"That's all right," Grandmother assured her; "give her something then, +too. Something you made yourself and save the money you earn till +Christmas. How would you like to make her some blackberry jam? She +likes blackberry jam and you could make that." +</P> + +<P> +"Could I really?" exclaimed Mary Jane, and she sidled over to where her +grandmother was standing. +</P> + +<P> +"How silly!" cried Alice. "You know she can't make jam, Grandmother; +she's only five years old. Why, even I don't know how to make jam and +I'm twelve!" +</P> + +<P> +"Is that so?" laughed Grandmother, and she slipped her arm around Mary +Jane. "Well, what you can do and what Mary Jane can do has no +connection. You don't know what she can do. She's going to be a good +cook; she's begun already. And if she wants to make a glass of jam for +her mother, all by herself, she shall do it, so there! And you can +make some, too, if you want to, dear," she added kindly to Alice. +</P> + +<P> +"Thank you, Grandmother," said Alice, "and I'm sorry I spoke so about +you, dear," she added to Mary Jane; "go ahead and make your jam, pet, +and I'll make Mother something else. I know it would be more fun for +you to make it without me. May I make her a cake, Grandmother? Make +it the day before she comes?" +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother assured her that she could and they all went in to get +supper. +</P> + +<P> +The next morning Mary Jane put on her cooking cap and apron and she and +Grandmother went at the jam while Alice and Grandfather rode to the +village on an errand. +</P> + +<P> +"Measure out a good big cup full of berries," said Grandmother; "pile +it full as it will hold and wash them and put them in this pan." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane picked out nice big, juicy berries; that wasn't hard to do +because most of the berries were very fine; the girls hadn't picked any +other kind. Then she washed them carefully and put them in the pan +Grandmother had given her. +</P> + +<P> +"Now measure an even cupful of sugar," said Grandmother, "and pour it +over your berries." And Mary Jane went to the sugar bin and did as she +was told. +</P> + +<P> +"Now," continued Grandmother, "shake the berries till the sugar's well +mixed in and then set the pan on the stove." +</P> + +<P> +While the berries were cooking Grandmother had her hunt out a nice +jelly glass, one that the top fitted on firmly; wash and dry it ready +for the jelly. Then Mary Jane took a big spoon and Grandmother took a +big spoon and they stood by the stove and watched the jam boil. When +the bubbles got big, oh, very big, and looked as shining as big glass +beads, Grandmother said it was about done and must be tested. She put +her spoon in and then, holding it over the pan of jam, let the hot jam +drop off. +</P> + +<P> +"Almost done," said Grandmother, with a satisfied nod; "now you try it, +Mary Jane." +</P> + +<P> +So Mary Jane dipped her spoon in just as her grandmother had done and +again the jam dropped off, this time a little slower and with longer +drops. Grandmother told her to put the glass on a chair, on a paper, +and by the time she had done that the jam was ready to pour into the +glass. +</P> + +<P> +When Alice and Grandfather came home from their errand the glass of jam +was all done and was on the table near the window, covered neatly with +its tin cover ready to give to Mrs. Merrill when she should come. +</P> + +<P> +"And that won't be so many days now either," said Grandmother. "I +declare, how this summer has gone!" +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap14"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +THE PICNIC AT FLATROCK +</H2> + +<P> +On the very day that Alice counted out her money and found she had the +seventy-five cents she needed for her much wanted camera and that Mary +Jane had fifty cents, there came a telegram from Mrs. Merrill saying +that she and Mr. Merrill would arrive the next morning for a stay of +ten days. +</P> + +<P> +"Now this is something like old times," said Grandmother happily as she +and the two girls bustled around making ready for the guests. "Lots of +cooking to do and two nice girls to help me do it. Seems like the days +when our own girls were here! Mary Jane, you've done plenty of dusting +for today; you go and get your grandfather to pick out two nice fat +chickens for frys while I teach Alice about making her cake. She's +going to have a beauty to show her mother, that's what she is!" +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane liked doing things with her jolly grandfather, so she skipped +out happily and found him in the barn. +</P> + +<P> +"Pick out some frys, should we?" he said. "All right, that suits me, +only we'll fool her, Mary Jane; we'll get <I>three</I>! I believe in having +enough, I do." +</P> + +<P> +"What we going to do to-morrow, Pussy?" he asked when that job was done. +</P> + +<P> +"Why, we're going to get Mother and Father at the train and then we're +coming home." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, yes, I know that," said Grandfather, "but let's do more than that. +Let's have a picnic to celebrate their coming." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, Grandfather!" exclaimed Mary Jane, "could we?" +</P> + +<P> +"We certainly could," said Grandfather, "and I think it would be a fine +thing to do. There's a full moon and we could go about four and come +home by moonlight. Let's see what your grandmother and Alice think +about it." +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother and Alice were enthusiastic. "I can take my cake!" +exclaimed Alice eagerly. "It's a beautiful cake, Grandfather, see?" +she said proudly. "It's all done but the frosting and I'm going to put +that on as soon as it's cool enough." +</P> + +<P> +"Looks good enough to eat," said Grandfather admiringly, "and I'm sure +it will be fine to-morrow." +</P> + +<P> +"And I can take my frys," said Grandmother, planning; "your father +loves cold fried chicken, girls," she added, "and maybe your mother +will make a bowl of her fine salad to-morrow while I make a +custard—yes, Father, that's just what we'll do. We'll have a picnic. +Where'll we go?" +</P> + +<P> +"To Flatrock," replied Grandfather, who had decided that point long +ago, "and you needn't plan too much fixyness because Mary Jane and I +have a surprise." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, goody!" cried Mary Jane. "What is it?" Everybody laughed at that +and Grandfather took the little girl out to the garden to show her what +the secret was. But they didn't tell anybody else what it was—I +should say not! +</P> + +<P> +It was lucky there was plenty to do that day, and many interesting +things to plan for the picnic; for, even so, Mary Jane thought the day +would never end—never. She hadn't realized she was so anxious to see +her mother till she knew the long separation was so nearly over. +</P> + +<P> +"To-morrow I'll see my mother! To-morrow I'll see my mother! +To-morrow I'll see my mother!" she whispered over and over to herself +as she went to sleep, and she thought it was the best news she ever +told herself. +</P> + +<P> +She was awake and up the first of any one in the house the next +morning, and long before Grandfather was ready to start she was out +sitting in the automobile. +</P> + +<P> +"Look who thinks she's going to the station!" exclaimed Grandfather. +"'Fraid you can't go this time, Pussy; there won't be room." +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, <I>Grandfather</I>!" exclaimed Mary Jane over the big lump that +suddenly came into her throat, "I <I>must</I> go to see my <I>mother</I>!" And +then she looked at her grandfather and saw the twinkle in his eye. +"You're just teasing, aren't you, Grandfather?" she added anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +"Yes, I am, and I ought to be shot for it, so there!" said Grandfather, +who, when he saw how eager she was, regretted his hasty teasing. +"Surely you can go—we'll start in two minutes." +</P> + +<P> +It wasn't more than a second after her father and mother got off the +great train before Mary Jane was held tight in her mother's arms and +oh, how good it did feel to be there! "I didn't know how much I did +want you," cried Mary Jane, "till you're here!" +</P> + +<P> +Mother replied with a satisfying whisper and another pair of kisses, +one on each rosy cheek, and then Father had to have his hug and they +started gayly home. +</P> + +<P> +After breakfast Mary Jane showed them all the creatures she had learned +to love—from the lamb in the pasture lot to the ducks that now lived +down by the creek. Then they went back into the house and Mary Jane +gave her mother the glass of jam made all by herself (and you can just +guess how proud and happy Mrs. Merrill was over <I>such</I> a gift!) and +Alice showed her cake. +</P> + +<P> +"Look's good enough to eat right now," said Mr. Merrill, smacking his +lips; "let's have a piece." +</P> + +<P> +"I should say not!" exclaimed Alice; "that's to take to the picnic!" +</P> + +<P> +So then they told all about the plan for the picnic, and Father and +Mother were pleased just as everybody had known they would be. And +every one set to work at the pleasant preparations. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Merrill, Grandmother and Alice stayed in the kitchen, while Mr. +Merrill joined Mary Jane and Grandfather in making preparations for the +secret. They didn't let any one see a thing of what they were doing +and they carefully covered up the big basket that they stowed away in +the back of the car. +</P> + +<P> +At three o'clock they were off and with such good company and over fine +roads the twenty-five mile ride to Flatrock seemed all too short. +</P> + +<P> +"Now you folks who think you have the eats," said Grandfather as they +all got out of the car, "can just fool around any way you like. Mary +Jane and I are going to build a fire for the coffee her father and I +will be sure to want." +</P> + +<P> +"That's no surprise," laughed Alice; "Grandmother has the coffee in her +basket and she told me I could help you make the fire!" +</P> + +<P> +"Isn't that amazing!" teased Grandfather, and Alice knew from the way +he talked that she hadn't guessed the secret after all. +</P> + +<P> +Flatrock was a rough, wooded spot, most unusual for that region; and +right through the middle of the woods a pretty little creek ran +tumbling over some broad, flat rocks. It was by the side of one of +these rocks, close by the little stream, that Grandfather started his +fire. He pulled two logs together till they formed a big V; then he +and Mr. Merrill and the girls gathered wood, twigs and branches and +leaves, till they had a big pile between the logs. They set fire to +these and soon they had a heap of glowing coals. +</P> + +<P> +"Now," said Grandfather, "I think it's about time for our surprise. +Shall we get it, Mary Jane?" +</P> + +<P> +She nodded "yes" and he went to the car, bringing back with him the +mysteriously covered basket. "You shall take the cover off, Pussy," he +said. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane pulled back the cover cloth and there, inside, was a basket +full to the brim of—yes, it was—roasting ears! The very first of the +season! +</P> + +<P> +"We keep watch of our corn patch, we do," said Grandfather, and he +nodded solemnly at Mary Jane, "and now we're going to have something +good." +</P> + +<P> +They piled the roasting ears in on the hot coals, then they built +another fire over the top of them, and by the time that had burned down +the corn was ready to eat. +</P> + +<P> +Grandmother and Mother and Alice unpacked the baskets and they all sat +around and enjoyed the feast. Grandmother's fried chicken and crullers +and rolls and Alice's fine cake, which was given the place of honor on +a rock by itself where it could be seen all the time till they were +ready to eat it, were pronounced the best ever. +</P> + +<P> +The moon rose so clear and big and beautiful that it was hard to tell +just when day ended and night began. So it was a surprise when +Grandfather announced that it was eight o'clock and high time they were +starting home. The few scraps, and there weren't very many, were +packed neatly into one basket and the party regretfully left the rocks +and started for the car. +</P> + +<P> +"Nobody ever comes along this road at this time of night," said +Grandfather. "I'll just get the car out into the middle of the road +where you can get in easier." So he pulled it away from the fence +where he had left it, and ran it out into the middle of the road. +"Here, Pussy," he added, "run around on the other side of the car and +hand me that basket." +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane did as she was told and after he had taken the basket from +her she waited in the middle of the road, by the car, till he should be +ready to help her in. +</P> + +<P> +No one ever knew quite how it happened—it was all so sudden. Perhaps +the other driver, too, thought that no one was ever on that road at +that time of the evening. Out of the shadows and the moonshine, around +the curve of the road, came a roadster moving so fast that before its +driver could realize that some one stood in the center of the road, he +had hit Mary Jane squarely and had tossed her over the fence on the +opposite side of the road. +</P> + +<P> +Grandfather jumped over the fence after her as quickly as he could out +of the car, but, quick as he was, Mary Jane's father was quicker. He +picked up the little girl, carried her back to her mother and together +they ran their hands over her—no bones seemed to be broken; her heart +was beating and she was breathing. But <I>just</I> breathing, that was all. +She lay in her mother's arms as still and quiet—so still and so quiet +that she didn't seem like Mary Jane—the Mary Jane who was always +running and talking and lively. + +Without more than a half-dozen necessary words Grandfather and +Grandmother, Father, Mother and Alice got into the car and Grandfather +put on all speed. The one thought in every one's mind was to get to +Dr. Smith as quickly as ever they could. Grandfather was thankful for +the moonlight that made the way so plain and he drove home the fastest +he had ever driven. +</P> + +<P> +And so they came back from the picnic at Flatrock. +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<A NAME="chap15"></A> +<H2 ALIGN="center"> +HOME AGAIN +</H2> + +<P> +"Would you speak to her, doctor?" asked Mrs. Merrill anxiously. +</P> + +<P> +It was eight o'clock the next morning. They had reached home about an +hour after they left Flatrock and fortunately had found Dr. Smith at +home. He came at once in answer to their telephone call and was there +even before they had Mary Jane undressed and put to bed. He examined +her carefully and could find no broken bones and no injury, but still +Mary Jane slept on, breathing, but so quietly and unnaturally that she +didn't seem like herself. Her mother and father had stayed by her all +the night long; Grandmother, Grandfather and Alice had with difficulty +been sent to bed after midnight and Dr. Smith had stayed most of the +time. +</P> + +<P> +But when she still didn't stir the next morning Mrs. Merrill grew more +and more anxious. +</P> + +<P> +"I don't know," said the doctor doubtfully; "we might try. You speak +to her; your voice would be the best." +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Merrill bent low over her little girl and whispered, "Mary Jane! +Mary Jane! Mother's here!" +</P> + +<P> +No answer, but Mrs. Merrill thought she saw a quiver on the little +girl's face, so she tried again. +</P> + +<P> +"Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Mother's here!" she repeated. +</P> + +<P> +"I know," whispered the little girl; "you com'd to-day," and she opened +her big blue eyes and looked at her mother. +</P> + +<P> +Mrs. Merrill kissed her rapturously and held her close, and Mary Jane +raised her arm enough to pat her mother's shoulder. Then she looked +around the room in surprise. "Where's the moon?" she asked. +</P> + +<P> +"The moon?" said Mrs. Merrill, and the laugh she tried to give with her +answer sounded very near tears. "The moon went to sleep a long time +ago." +</P> + +<P> +"And where's the picnic?" continued Mary Jane wonderingly. +</P> + +<P> +"The picnic was over before you were hurt," said Mrs. Merrill. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane stared at her wide eyed for two or three long minutes. +"Don't talk to her," whispered Dr. Smith very softly; "let her think it +out herself." +</P> + +<P> +So Mrs. Merrill just held her little girl close and waited. +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, I know!" exclaimed Mary Jane as suddenly she remembered it all, +"it came around the corner so fast—something big did, and then I'm +here!" +</P> + +<P> +"And lucky you are to be here, young lady," said Dr. Smith, coming +around to where she could see him. "How do you feel?" +</P> + +<P> +"Hungry," said Mary Jane briefly. +</P> + +<P> +Dr. Smith and Mother laughed so that the others heard them downstairs +and came running to hear what the good news could be. +</P> + +<P> +"Is he going to stay for breakfast?" asked Mary Jane as she sat up in +bed and pointed to Dr. Smith. "It <I>is</I> breakfast time, isn't it, +Grandmother?" +</P> + +<P> +"Bless the child!" exclaimed Grandmother from the doorway, "of course +it is! She shall have anything she wants!" +</P> + +<P> +They could hardly believe their eyes—those five who had seen the +accident, but it was true. Mary Jane had not been hurt a bit—not more +than a half-dozen scratches—only stunned by her fall. She got up in a +few minutes, and with her mother's help (and how good it did seem to +have her mother there <I>to</I> help) they soon came downstairs to +breakfast. Grandmother was so happy and excited that if it hadn't been +for the help of Alice, who could always be counted on to be "steady" +when there was excitement a-foot, there's no telling what would have +happened to that breakfast. +</P> + +<P> +Alice got out the honey and set the extra place for Dr. Smith and cut +the melons and brought the eggs to her grandmother. And Grandmother +made some of her wonderful griddle cakes and they had a merry feast. +</P> + +<P> +"Aren't you glad that big thing hit me?" asked Mary Jane of Dr. Smith +as she passed up her plate for a third (or was it the fourth) helping +of cakes, "'cause if it hadn't, you wouldn't have had any of +Grandmother's griddle cakes this morning, you wouldn't." +</P> + +<P> +Dr. Smith had to admit that some good comes of everything and that he +certainly was glad to get those griddle cakes. "The whole trouble," he +added, "was because you didn't take <I>me</I> to the picnic—of course +that's not a hint!" +</P> + +<P> +They all laughed at that and promised that he should go to the very +next picnic they had—the very next. +</P> + +<P> +How the days did fly after that. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane would never have supposed that ten days could go so swiftly. +They took long rides in the car; had several fine picnics—with Dr. +Smith along whenever he could go; went fishing in the river miles away +and spent a day on a farm where threshers were working—a wonderful day +the girls thought for it was all new to them. +</P> + +<P> +And finally it came time to pack the trunks and start for home. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane had hard work deciding what to put in, just as she had had +when she packed to come. She wanted to take all the burr houses and +green apple dolls they had made; and the ducks and a lot of corn and +apples for Doris. She finally agreed that she would leave out all the +other things if she could take <I>one</I> house of burrs and <I>one</I> green +apple doll just to show how they were made and then a nice box of red +cheeked eating apples to give to her little friend. +</P> + +<P> +It was decided to go home by the day trip. The journey was shorter +that way and Alice begged to go at a time when they might eat in the +diner. So they took the train at nine in the morning and would reach +home in time for dinner that night. +</P> + +<P> +Mary Jane found it very hard to say good-by to Grandmother and +Grandfather. She had learned to love them dearly and they had been so +good and kind and thoughtful to her she would never, as long as she +lived, forget the happy days she had spent with them. But, nice as it +was to go away to visit, it was nicer still to be going home. Home to +her own dolls and toys and friends and duties—everything that Mary +Jane loved—that is, most everything, for it was hard to leave the lamb +and the duck now grown so big and interesting and the baby mice—the +new baby mice that had come to the barn loft family. +</P> + +<P> +She waved good-by to her Grandmother and Grandfather as long as she +could see them—which wasn't very long for the train pulled away so +quickly from the little station where the Merrills got on; and then she +turned to her mother and said, "now let's talk about something quick." +</P> + +<P> +"Very well," said Mrs. Merrill, "I was just wanting to do that. Let's +talk about what you are going to do this winter." +</P> + +<P> +"Do this winter?" exclaimed Mary Jane in surprise, "I'm going to do +just like I always do. I'm going to play with my dolls and play with +Doris and sometimes with Junior and help you and everything like I do, +Mother." +</P> + +<P> +"Think so, dear?" asked Mrs. Merrill, "how old are you?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm five," answered Mary Jane in surprise. +</P> + +<P> +"Five and a little more than a quarter," corrected Mrs. Merrill, "and +seems to me that's big enough to be going to kindergarten. What do you +think?" +</P> + +<P> +"Oh, is it, Mother?" exclaimed Mary Jane happily, "am I really big +enough?" +</P> + +<P> +"I'm afraid my little girl is growing up," said Mrs. Merrill with half +a sigh, "and that she ought to go to school. What do you think, +Father?" +</P> + +<P> +"I think she'll like it and that she ought to go," said Mr. Merrill +promptly; "suppose we start her the first of October?" +</P> + +<P> +So it was settled that Mary Jane was to go to kindergarten. They made +plans and talked till the porter came through the car and called, +"First call for luncheon! First call for luncheon! Diner in the rear +of the train!" And then they all went through the train to the diner +and Mary Jane ate her first meal on the train. +</P> + +<P> +And if you want to know about what Mary Jane did after she got home +from her summer trip; and about all the fun and good times she had +after she started to kindergarten, you must read— +</P> + +<BR> + +<P CLASS="noindent"> +<B>MARY JANE IN KINDERGARTEN</B> +</P> + +<BR><BR><BR> + +<hr class="full" noshade> +<p>***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE--HER VISIT***</p> +<p>******* This file should be named 15954-h.txt or 15954-h.zip *******</p> +<p>This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:<br /> +<a href="https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/9/5/15954">https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/9/5/15954</a></p> +<p>Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed.</p> + +<p>Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: Mary Jane--Her Visit + + +Author: Clara Ingram Judson + +Release Date: May 31, 2005 [eBook #15954] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE--HER VISIT*** + + +E-text prepared by Al Haines + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 15954-h.htm or 15954-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/9/5/15954/15954-h/15954-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/9/5/15954/15954-h.zip) + + + + + +MARY JANE--HER VISIT + +by + +CLARA INGRAM JUDSON + +Author of "Mary Jane--Her Book," "Mary Jane's Kindergarten," "Mary Jane +Down South," "Mary Jane's City Home," "Mary Jane in New England," etc. + +Illustrated by Frances White + +Publishers +Barse & Hopkins +New York, N. Y. Newark, N. J. + +1918 + + + + + + + +[Frontispiece: "'Thirty minutes to Glenville!' the voice of the porter +said."] + + + + + +CONTENTS + + + MARY JANE'S ARRIVAL + EXPLORING THE FARM + THE HUNT FOR EGGS + THE MYSTERIOUS BUNDLES + GARDENING WITH GRANDFATHER + THE GARDEN THIEF + MARY JANE'S FAMILY + COUSIN JOHN'S VISIT + GRANDFATHER'S TREAT + LEARNING TO COOK + THE STRAWBERRY SOCIABLE + BURR HOUSES + EARNING MONEY + THE PICNIC AT FLATROCK + HOME AGAIN + + + + +ILLUSTRATIONS + +"'Thirty minutes to Glenville!' the voice of the porter said" . . . . . +(Frontispiece) + +"'We'll make a pattern and cut out our pieces--there's a lot to +quilt-making'" + +"There, before their eyes were the rabbits, five of them" + +"There were the berry bushes--fairly loaded with shining +black-berries" + + + + + +MARY JANE'S ARRIVAL + +It seemed to Mary Jane that some magic must have been at work to change +the world during the night she slept on the train. All the country she +knew had hills and valleys and many creeks and woods of pine trees. +But when she waked up in the morning and peeped out of the window of +her berth, she saw great wide fields and woods that seemed always far +away. And the occasional creek that the train rumbled over was small +and could be seen a long way off, coming across the fields toward the +railroad. And the roads! How funny they were! They came straight and +white toward the train, each just exactly as smooth and as regular as +the one before. + +To be sure the country was pretty; yellow buttercups and bright blue +flowers bloomed along the track and the fields looked fresh and green +in the morning sun. + +"I think I'm going to like it anyway, even if the hills are all +smoothed out," said Mary Jane as she looked at it thoughtfully, "and +maybe I'd better put on my shoes and stockings." She rummaged in the +funny little hammock that hung over her window, found the shoes and +stockings and put them on, and was just wondering if it was time to +dress when she heard Dr. Smith's voice outside. + +"Yes, Sambo, I'm awake," he was saying, "and you may call the young +lady." + +Before Mary Jane had had time to wonder who the "young lady" might be, +there was a great shaking of her curtain and the voice of the porter +said, "Thirty minutes to Glenville!" + +Quick as a flash Mary Jane stuck her head out between the curtains and +replied, "That's where my great grandmother lives and I'm going to see +her!" + +The porter was vastly surprised ("I guess he thought I was going to +sleep all day!" thought Mary Jane scornfully), but before he had a +chance to reply anything, Dr. Smith called across, "Good morning, Mary +Jane! How did you sleep?" + +"All the night, just like I do at home," answered Mary Jane, "except +one time when they bumped something into my bed--what was it, do you +'spose?" + +"Most like they put on a new engine," said Dr. Smith. "Now, how long +will it take you to dress, my dear?" + +"Just a tinny while," said Mary Jane, "because I've got my shoes and +stockings on now. And when may I wash my face and you put on my hair +ribbon?" + +Dr. Smith stepped out from his berth and looked at Mary Jane in dismay. + +"You may wash your face any time you like, my dear," he said, "but I +can't tie your hair ribbon. I don't know how!" + +Mary Jane laughed at the funny face he made and then she smiled in her +most motherly fashion. "Then it's a good thing I forgot and left it on +last night," she said, "and don't you worry, I can perk it up and make +it look real tidy." + +"You're a good little traveler," complimented Dr. Smith. "I'll take +you along again. Now let's see who's ready first." + +Mary Jane put on the rest of her clothes; then she took her little bag, +just as her mother had told her to, and went into the dressing room and +washed her face and made herself neat and tidy. She got back in time +to see the porter make up her bed and she was glad of that because +bed-unmaking on a train by daylight seemed even more wonderful and +interesting than bed-making the night before. + +She sat down on the seat across the aisle while he worked, so she could +see everything he did. + +"My mother and I don't make beds that way at home," she announced +suddenly. + +"Sure not," agreed the porter, and then by way of keeping up the +conversation, he added, "Like to ride on a train?" + +"'Deed I do," said Mary Jane happily, "and I like to go see my +grandmother--it's my Great-grandmother Hodges I'm going to see, you +know. And my mother isn't going and my daddah isn't going because he +works and my sister Alice isn't going because she's in school and +anybody isn't going but just my Dr. Smith and me 'cause I'm five and +that's a big girl." + +"Well!" exclaimed the porter, and he actually stopped making beds to +look at such a big little girl. Mary Jane liked him and started to +tell him about Doris and the birthday party and the pretty things in +her trunk, but Dr. Smith came back just then and there was no more time +for talk. + +"Got your coat?" he asked, "and your hat and your--everything?" + +"He put 'em there," said Mary Jane, pointing to the next seat where she +had seen the porter put her things, "and my gloves are in my pocket and +my bag's all shut." + +"That's good." said Dr. Smith. "You'd better put your things on now. +Here, I'll hold your coat." + +It was a good thing Mary Jane started putting on her gloves just when +she did. For before she had the last button safely tucked in its +button hole, the porter had slipped in to a white coat and had picked +up her bag and Dr. Smith's big grip and started for the door of the +car; the great long train was slowing up at a little station. + +They got off in such a hurry that Mary Jane hardly had time to say +good-by to the kind porter before the train hurried away and some one +picked her up and kissed her and exclaimed, "Well, well, well! Such a +_big_ girl!" and she found herself kissing dear Grandfather Hodges--she +knew him well because he had visited her home and she had a nice, +comfortable, "belonging" feeling the minute she saw him. + +"Now you two stay right here by the car," said Grandfather, "while I +get the trunk." And Mary Jane had her first chance to look around. + +The station wasn't a bit like the station at her home--not a bit. It +was a funny little frame house with a platform, out in front. And +there wasn't any roof out over where the trains went or anything like +that; just the little house and the platform. And instead of the piles +of trunks on great trucks that she supposed were in every station, +there was only her own little trunk dumped forlornly on the platform. +And instead of the many men busy about various duties, there was not a +single man, at least not one that Mary Jane could see. Grandfather +took the check that Dr. Smith gave him and went into the little station +with it. In a second he was back and what do you suppose he did? He +picked up her trunk and set it in the back of his waiting automobile +just as easy as could be! Mary Jane was that surprised he could see it +and he laughed gayly and said, "That's the way we do our baggaging +here, Mary Jane. We'll not wait for any sleepy baggage men--not when +Grandmother and hot griddle cakes and honey are waiting for us, will +we?" + +And Mary Jane, who was getting hungry enough to find breakfast a most +interesting subject, settled down in the front seat beside her +grandfather and said, "No, we won't!" + +Dr. Smith climbed into the back seat beside the trunk and Grandfather +started the car and went spinning down the road. + +"Your roads all know where they're going, don't they?" Mary Jane asked +as they got under way. + +"Yes," replied Grandfather in surprise; "don't yours?" + +"Not like yours do," said Mary Jane positively; "ours go this way." +And with her finger she made some big curves in the air. + +"Oh!" laughed Grandfather, "you mean that yours are curving because of +the hills and that ours are straight. Yes, our roads are pretty +straight but you'll like that when you get used to it, because then you +can't get lost. There's a road every mile and each road goes just the +way it by rights ought to go because there aren't any hills to get in +the way." And all the while Grandfather was talking, he was driving +the car along the straight road just as fast as could be. + +"And aren't there any hills before we get to your house?" asked Mary +Jane after a while. + +'"Well," said Grandfather smilingly, as he slowed the car down, "what +do you think about that yourself?" + +Mary Jane looked before her, the way she could see Grandfather wanted +her to look, and, right there close, she saw a big, old-fashioned white +house. It had a flower bed, a great big round flower bed, in the yard +in front of it and a curving driveway along the side. And it had a +wide porch all across the front, a porch that had seats and a swing and +everything a little girl would like to see on a porch. A lot of +windows with green shutters were scattered over the house, and through +the windows Mary Jane could see ruffled white curtains at every window. +And on the porch of this house stood a pretty, white-haired +grandmother, just the sort of a grandmother that belongs to every white +house in the country. + +"I think there aren't any hills because here we are!" exclaimed Mary +Jane happily as Grandfather stopped the car by the side steps. + +Quick as a minute Dr. Smith jumped her out of the car and Grandmother +Hodges, for it really was she, just as Mary Jane had guessed, gave her +a hug and a dozen kisses and Mary Jane felt at home from that minute. + +"Now don't bother about that trunk," said Grandmother briskly. "It can +wait! I don't know what Dr. Smith promised we'd have for breakfast +this morning, but griddle cakes and honey are what I have ready. Come +right on in, Dr. Smith." + +She took off Mary Jane's coat and hat and laid them on the couch in the +living-room, and then they all went in to what Mary Jane thought was +the best breakfast she had ever eaten in all her five years. There +were bananas and cream, oh, such good cream; and eggs and bacon and +griddle cakes and honey. Mary Jane had never eaten honey on griddle +cakes before, and she liked it so well that they quite lost count of +the number she ate! + +"If you go on as you're beginning," laughed Dr. Smith, "you'll be so +big and fat by the time you go home that I'll have to go along with you +and tell them you're Mary Jane Merrill, that's what I will!" + +"I'll risk their knowing," said Grandmother; "that child was almost +starved! If you're in a hurry, don't wait for her. And Father" (she +turned to Grandfather Hodges), "you be sure to take Mary Jane's trunk +up to her room before you go to the barn. She'll want to open it right +away to get out her play dress." + +By the time Mary Jane was through her breakfast the trunk had been +carried upstairs and Grandfather Hodges was off to the barn. + +"You come out to see me whenever you're ready," he said as he left. + +"And I'll be running along too," said Dr. Smith, "though I must admit +I'd rather stay and help show Mary Jane the farm than to call on sick +folks this morning. I'll be by to see you this evening, little girl, +to hear what you think of all the new sights." And he started down the +road toward his home--it was such a little way that he preferred to +walk. + +"Now, Mary Jane," said Grandmother briskly, "what would you like to +play while I do the dishes?" + +"I'd like to do them too," said Mary Jane promptly. + +"A little girl five years old do dishes?" exclaimed Grandmother. + +"'Deed, yes, Grandmother," said Mary Jane, much pleased to think +Grandmother was so impressed. "I'm a little _past_ five, you know, and +I can work a lot!" + +"Just think of that," exclaimed Grandmother approvingly. "Then we'll +be through in no time. I'll wash and you wipe, and I'll put away. Let +me tie this apron over your pretty traveling dress." + +While they did the work, Mary Jane answered all the questions about +Mother and Alice and Father that Grandmother could ask and then, as +soon as the last dish was put away the two went upstairs and unpacked +the trunk. Such fun as it was to put all her own ribbons and +handkerchiefs into the funny little bureau that stood in Mary Jane's +room! And to hang up her dresses, or watch Grandmother hang them, in +the queer little closet that had a latch like a front gate! Mary Jane +was to have a whole room and a whole closet and a bureau all to +herself, and she wouldn't feel a bit lonesome because Grandmother's +room was right next and the door stood open all the night long, +Grandmother said. + +When everything was in neat order, Mary Jane put on her dark blue +rompers and big blue sun hat, and they went downstairs. + +"There now," said Grandmother; "we're all fixed. And before I do +another thing, I'm going to take you all around and show you everything +you want to see." + +They started down the back walk toward the barn that looked so +interesting. But they hadn't gone half the way to it before the +telephone, back in the house, gave a long, loud ring. + + + + +EXPLORING THE FARM + +"There now!" exclaimed Mrs. Hodges impatiently, "that's the 'phone and +I'll have to answer and see what's wanted. You walk along slowly, Mary +Jane, right over to the barn and through the gate and I'll hurry and +catch up with you as quickly as I can." + +Left alone, Mary Jane walked past the wood shed; passed what seemed to +be a tool house because through the open door she saw tools of all +sorts and sizes; and on across the yard toward the barn yard gate. + +"She said 'through the gate,'" thought Mary Jane, "and this must be the +gate. I wonder if it opens?" She shook the gate as hard as she could +but it didn't open; it didn't even look as though it intended to open; +it looked shut for all day, and Mary Jane was almost discouraged about +getting into the barn yard till she happened to think of a gate at the +back of Doris's yard (her little playmate Doris who lived next door to +Mary Jane's own home) that looked surprisingly like this gate. To be +sure it was little, and this gate was big and wide, but both had boards +crosswise, just right for climbing. + +"We climbed on Doris's when it wouldn't open," she thought, "so I guess +this one will climb too." + +She put her foot carefully on the first bar--nothing happened; on the +second--everything seemed all right; on the third and in a minute she +was over and climbing proudly down on the other side. + +"Grandfather! Grandfather!" she called as she ran gayly toward the +barn; "I did it! The gate wouldn't open so I--Oh, dear! Oh! Oh! +It's coming! _Grandfather_!" she screamed breathlessly as she saw, +coming out of the barn--not Grandfather as she had expected--but a +great, fat, grunting _pig_! + +Mary Jane shrank back toward the gate and how she did wish it was open +so she could slip through and shut it tightly behind her. She was +afraid to turn her back to the pig long enough to climb over the gate +as she had come; all the while she was trying her best to think of some +way to get away, that fat, grunting pig was coming closer and closer. +Now it was half the length of the barn yard away. Now it seemed to +have spied her and was coming straight for her--nose to the ground +sniffing and grunting louder than ever. + +Grandfather, working in the barn, heard and came a-running as fast as +ever he could run; and Grandmother, 'way in the house, heard and +dropped the receiver and ran out so fast that she was breathless when +she reached the little girl. Grandfather was nearest so got to her +first. Really, he saw what the matter was as soon as he got outside +the barn and he shouted to the pig and flapped his arms in such a +comical fashion that Mary Jane hardly knew whether to be afraid of him +or to laugh. But the pig had no such doubts. She seemed to know that +he meant she should go away. She gave one final snort--almost at Mary +Jane's toes--and then turned and went back to the barn as fast as she +could waddle. The faster she waddled the more Grandfather flapped, +till first thing she knew Mary Jane was laughing and had forgotten all +about being afraid. + +Grandfather reached down and picked her up, and Grandmother, who came +through the gate at that minute (she seemed to know how to open it, +Mary Jane noticed), patted her and gave her a kiss and a hug. + +"Did we frighten you first thing, Puss?" asked Grandfather tenderly. +"That old Mrs. Pig wouldn't hurt you for anything. She was just trying +to get acquainted." + +"Yes?" replied Mary Jane doubtfully, "but you see I'm not used to +getting acquainted that way. I 'spect she wouldn't hurt me, but she +didn't _act_ like she wouldn't hurt me," she added. + +Grandfather threw back his head and laughed at that. "No, she didn't; +you're right, Mary Jane! She acted pretty bad. But you shouldn't be +here alone before you get used to our family." + +Grandmother explained about the 'phone calling her back. "And I left +the receiver hanging, I came so quickly," she added laughingly. "I +guess I'll go back now and hang it up." + +"Then I'll show Mary Jane around myself," said Grandfather firmly. +"She's more important than work, so there!" He set her down beside +him, took her hand snugly in his own (and it feels pretty good to have +somebody hold your hand when everything is strange, you know that +yourself), and they started off. + +First they went into the barn where they saw Mrs. Pig, grunting still, +but standing very meekly in her own corner; and eleven little pigs that +grunted such cunning, squeaky little grunts. Mary Jane wasn't afraid +of them for one minute. They weren't dirty as Mary Jane supposed pigs +always were, not a bit dirty; they were tidy and neat and their little +round sides shone like silk. + +"Oh, I like _them_, Grandfather!" she exclaimed. "Could I play with +them someday?" + +"I thought you didn't like pigs," teased Grandfather. + +"Oh, but these aren't _pigs_," corrected Mary Jane; "these are +_piggies_; nice piggies like in my painting book. I like _them_." + +"I don't know about playing with them," laughed Grandfather; "we'll +have to see. But I'll tell you what you may do; when we're through +looking all over the place, you may come back here with me and feed +them. Would you like that?" + +Would she? Mary Jane clapped her hands and wanted to insist on feeding +them right that very minute; only, just in time, she remembered that +she wasn't to tease. So she slipped her hand back into Grandfather's +big one and they went on with their walk. + +Next they saw Brindle Bess, but Mary Jane didn't like her as well as +the little pigs. She switched her tail and looked around at Mary Jane +so pointedly that Mary Jane was really relieved when Grandfather +slipped around and opened the door and let her wander out to pasture. + +"She's an awful _big_ cow, isn't she, Grandfather?" said Mary Jane, as +the cow ambled off. + +"Oh, I don't know about that," said Grandfather, not understanding. + +"Well, she's lots bigger than me when I'm five," said Mary Jane +positively. "I think I like little things best." + +"Then I've the very creature to show you," said Grandfather, "and we +might as well see him now because your grandmother will want to show +you the chickens when she comes out. We'll lock this door so Mrs. Pig +can't get out into the front barn yard again, and then we'll cross the +road and I'll show you something you'll like." + +"Will it be big?" asked Mary Jane as she skipped along beside him. + +"Middling big and middling little," answered Grandfather. + +"Will it be brown or gray?" asked Mary Jane, thinking of the cow and +the pigs. + +"Neither," said Grandfather. + +That puzzled Mary Jane, but she couldn't think of anything else to +guess so she kept her eyes carefully ahead as they went down the yard +and across the road, in hopes she Would see the surprise quicker that +way. + +Across the road from Grandfather's house was a strip of wooded land +which Grandfather had let grow wild. Grandmother loved the trees and +the wild flowers and liked to feel that they were near to her. + +"Oh!" exclaimed Mary Jane as they crossed the road, "see those trees! +Are those the surprise?" + +"My, no!" replied Grandfather; "those are only a couple of wild crab +trees--they do look pretty full of bloom as they are, don't they? But +the surprise is a real, live, running around surprise. Here, let me +boost you over the fence; that's more fun than a dozen gates." He set +Mary Jane over the fence and then came in the gate and locked it +carefully behind him. + +"Are you 'fraid it'll get away, is that why you lock the gate?" asked +Mary Jane. + +"Well, it's pretty little to run away," said Grandfather, "but you +never can tell, so I lock it to be sure." He took hold of Mary Jane's +hand again as he added, "now just behind these trees; and around these +bushes; and--" + +"I see it myself," exclaimed Mary Jane, "and I know what it is--it's a +little sheep!" She dropped his hand and ran a few steps toward the +lamb she saw grazing a few steps away. But just as she drew near, the +lamb spied her and started to meet her. Mary Jane ran quickly back +toward her grandfather; it was one thing to go to meet the lamb herself +and quite another to have the lamb come and meet her! "Will he grunt?" +she asked. + +"Not a single grunt!" laughed Grandfather. "He's the friendliest +little creature you ever saw. See?" Grandfather took Mary Jane's hand +and laid it on the soft wool of the lamb's back. "He likes you already +and he'll like you even better when you bring him something good to +eat. Before very long you will learn to climb this fence all by +yourself; then you can come over here and play with him any time you +want to." + +"And pick flowers for my grandmother, too?" asked Mary Jane as she +looked at the lovely bluebells that grew around where they were +standing. + +"You're a girl after your grandmother's own heart!" exclaimed +Grandfather delightedly; "you can pick all the flowers you like. But +let's not stop now. Don't you want to see more of the farm?" + +Mary Jane did, so they left the lamb with a promise to come again later +and went back across the road to the house. There they met Grandmother +who declared that she was through with the telephone long ago and +wanted to show Mary Jane the chickens herself. + +"Very well," said Grandfather; "but don't you show her the garden." + +"I won't," replied Grandmother, and they both looked so mysterious that +Mary Jane was sure some surprise was in that garden. + +"Are you going to show it to me?" she asked her grandfather. + +"Some day," he replied, "but there's too much else to see this morning. +The garden can wait." + +So Mary Jane and her grandmother went to the chicken yard and +Grandfather started for the barn to finish his work. + +If you've ever seen about a hundred cunning, little, yellow and white +and gray chickens, so soft and fluffy they look as though they were +Easter trimmings; and dozens of motherly looking hens ambling around +and a few big, important-looking roosters crowing in the sunshine, you +know just what Mary Jane saw when they reached the chicken yard. For +her part, Mary Jane had never seen such a sight before, and she was so +surprised and pleased she could hardly believe her eyes. + +"Are they all _yours_, Grandmother?" she asked in amazement. + +"I should say they are," laughed Grandmother. "You stand right +here--no, that rooster won't come any closer," she added as one big +fellow crowed loudly near by. "You stay here till I get some feed and +you shall see a funny sight." + +She slipped into the chicken house and returned in a minute with a +small basket of grain. "Here, Mary Jane," she said, "you hold this +so--and throw the grain out on the ground so--" and she did just as she +wanted Mary Jane to do, "and watch them come!" + +Mary Jane reached her hand into the basket of grain, took out a handful +and threw it far as she could; and then how she did laugh as she saw +the chickens scramble for it! + +"Can I do it again?" she asked delightedly. + +"All you like till the grain is gone," replied Grandmother. + +"There now," said Grandmother, after awhile, "we've stayed so long here +it's 'most dinner time. Are you hungry, Mary Jane?" + +Mary Jane started to say no, because she was _sure_ the morning hadn't +more than begun, but to her surprise she found she _was hungry_, oh, +awfully hungry. + +"I thought so," laughed Grandmother, who guessed what the little girl +was thinking, "and it's most eleven, so we'd better see what we're +going to have to eat. How about chicken and biscuits and apple +dumplings and cream?" + +"They're my favorites," said Mary Jane, with a little skip of pleasure. +"Every one's my favorite, all of 'em!" + +So she and Grandmother put away the grain basket and went into the +house. + + + + +THE HUNT FOR EGGS + +"Now then," said Grandmother when they got into the kitchen, "while I +get dinner, we'll talk." + +"But what's the matter?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Matter where?" questioned Grandmother. "I don't see anything the +matter!" + +"What's the matter out there?" said Mary Jane, pointing out the door to +the chicken yard where they had just been; "something's happened." + +Grandmother stepped over to the door where Mary Jane was standing and +looked out. "Oh!" she exclaimed, for she saw in a minute what Mary +Jane meant, "that noise?" + +Mary Jane nodded. + +"That noise means that an egg has been laid," explained Grandmother, +smiling, "and that Mrs. Hen is very proud of it and wants us to know +what she has done." + +"Oh!" cried Mary Jane happily, "and then you go out and get them in a +basket just like mother told me she used to do? May I go now?" + +"Better not start before dinner," suggested Grandmother, "because +sometimes egg-hunting takes quite a little time. Wait till you get +through dinner and then you may hunt all afternoon if you +like--egg-hunting is fun!" + +So the minute she was through with her apple dumplings, Mary Jane +asked, "And now, please, may I get the eggs?" + +"Got you hunting eggs already?" asked Grandfather. "Well, I wonder if +you'll like it as well as your mother used to. Have you your basket?" + +"Not yet," said Grandmother. "I mean to let her get it herself. +She'll feel more at home when she begins to find her way around alone. +If you locked the pigs in, she can go anywhere she likes all alone." + +"They're locked up fast," Grandfather assured her--much to Mary Jane's +relief. + +"Then, Mary Jane," continued Grandmother, "you go out to the barn and +up the little ladder you'll find in the middle of the barn. And in the +loft somewhere, I'm sure you'll see it easily, you'll find a little, +covered basket. It's the very one your mother and your Aunt Cornelia +used to carry egg-hunting. If it's too dusty, bring it here, and I'll +clean it for you. Now run along, Pet," added Grandmother with a kiss +for the up-turned face, "and don't be long. I'll miss my little girl." + +Just as Mary Jane opened the screen door to go out, a beautiful big +black and brown dog came running up to the door. + +"Well, Bob!" exclaimed Grandmother, "where have you been all morning? +I wanted Mary Jane to get acquainted with you right away and you +weren't anywhere around! Mary Jane, this is Bob, our good dog, and +he's the best creature friend a little girl can make." She stepped out +of the door with Mary Jane and they both sat down on the steps and +talked to Bob. Mary Jane liked him from the first. He had such a +pretty face and such friendly, kind eyes and he looked as though he +would be good to little girls. + +"May he go with me to the barn?" she asked. + +"Indeed, yes," replied Grandmother. "You just start along and watch +him follow you! He'll go wherever you go from now on. You won't even +have to call him!" + +Mary Jane jumped up and, just as Grandmother said, Bob jumped up from +the steps too and together they started off to the barn. + +"Can you climb up a ladder?" asked Mary Jane gayly, as she skipped +along by Bob. "I can climb a ladder all by myself! I did it one day +when Mother hung curtains." + +But dear me! When Mary Jane saw the steep ladder that went up to the +barn loft she wasn't so sure she could climb a ladder after, all! She +had been thinking of a nice little step-ladder such as her mother had +and this was a steep, narrow ladder made of funny little pieces of wood +nailed on to narrow strips that were fastened to the barn. Not a bit +like any ladder Mary Jane had ever seen before. + +"But the basket's up there, Bob," said Mary Jane, glad of some one to +think aloud to, "and my grandmother she wouldn't tell me to go up if I +couldn't, so I guess I'll try." + +She put one foot on the ladder and then the other. "Why, it's just +like climbing a gate only it isn't a gate," she announced proudly, "and +I'm way up a'ready!" + +It was easy to step from the ladder to the loft because the sides of +the ladder went on up high and she simply held tight to them and +stepped off onto the floor Of the loft. + +And _that_ was the funniest place Mary Jane had ever seen! Hay +everywhere, and a pleasant, fragrant smell that pleased Mary Jane even +though she hadn't an idea why. She looked around a minute and then +hunted for the basket. + +Over in the corner, under a funny little, cobwebby window she found it, +half hidden by the tossed up hay. + +She recognized it at once because of the curious little cover +Grandmother had spoken of. But, dear me, Grandmother would surely have +to clean it before it was used for cobwebs and scraps of hay were all +over the top! + +"I wonder if the cover comes off, or just opens like a door," thought +Mary Jane as she bent over it. "I guess I'd better see." + +She moved the cover the tiniest bit and found it was fastened to one +side. "It's like a box," she said aloud, "and it opens easy, I know!" + +She opened it out and what _do_ you suppose she saw down in the bottom +of that basket? You'd never guess! + +Four of the cunningest little gray mice! All snuggled down together +into a little ball of fur--Mary Jane would never have guessed there +were four, they were so tiny, only she saw the four little black noses +and four pairs of beady black eyes. + +"You darlingest!" she exclaimed happily, and sat right down in the hay +beside the basket to watch them. She reached her finger in and touched +their silky little backs; she watched them snuggle down tight and +tighter together and she altogether forgot about Bob and egg-hunting +and Grandmother and everything, she was so delighted. But Bob didn't +forget about her, not he. + +For a while he waited patiently at the bottom of the ladder. He seemed +to know that she might have to hunt a while for the basket. But as the +minutes went by and she didn't come and didn't come, he grew more and +more restless. He whined, and he walked around the barn and he looked +out the door. Then he came back to the foot of the ladder and put his +front feet on the highest step he could reach. + +But still there was no sign of Mary Jane coming down. And for her +part, the little girl was so interested in her mice that she wouldn't +have noticed had he barked out loud. + +Finally he could stand it no longer. With a sudden turn, as though he +had quickly made up his mind something must be done, he ran out of the +barn and up to the kitchen door. + +Grandmother Hodges saw him and supposed Mary Jane was with him so she +called kindly, "Did you find the basket, dear?" + +No answer. + +"Bring it in here for me to dust it off, Mary Jane," she added. + +No answer. + +"That's funny," she exclaimed; "what ails the child?" And she stepped +to the door to see why Mary Jane didn't answer. + +That was exactly what Bob wanted her to do. The minute he saw she was +coming to the door he bounded off in the direction of the barn. + +Grandmother understood at once, as Bob had known she would, and without +even stopping to drop the tea towel she had in her hand she followed +him out to the barn. + +Bob ran ahead, turning two or three times to make sure she was coming, +till he reached the foot of the ladder. There he danced around as +though he was trying to say, "Now I've brought you here, do see what's +the matter!" + +"Is she up there yet, Bob?" asked Grandmother wonderingly. Then she +called, "Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Mary Jane!" + +"Oh, Grandmother!" replied the little girl, hearing for the first time, +"they're the cunningest! Do come see!" + +"Whatever has the child found!" she exclaimed, but she went up the +ladder just the same to make sure Mary Jane was happy. + +It wasn't more than a minute before Grandmother, too, was down in the +hay, admiring the little mice till even Mary Jane was satisfied. +"You're a good one," she said, "to find such a nice family right away. +This old basket's been here for years, but that looks like a brand new +nest and a brand new family. You'll have something to tell your sister +about when she comes now, won't you?" + +"And may I take them down to the house?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Look behind you and see if you want to," answered Grandmother. + +Mary Jane turned and looked as she was told and she saw, peeping out +from behind the hay, the distressed face of mother mouse. Poor thing! +She was _so_ afraid something terrible was happening to her babies! + +"No, I don't want to," said Mary Jane promptly. "I want to keep them +right here and come up and see them whenever I want to." + +"That's best," agreed Grandmother. "You come with me and I'll find you +another basket and then you and Bob and I will hunt eggs." + +So that is the way Mary Jane happened to have a pretty, brand new, pink +basket for hunting eggs: and that's why they were so late getting the +eggs that it was almost supper time before they were through. + + + + +THE MYSTERIOUS BUNDLES + +For three days after Mary Jane came to visit her grandparents, the sun +shone bright and warm and the little girl spent all the time out of +doors. She raced around the yard with Bob; she played with the lamb in +the wood across the road; she watched her grandfather feed the little +pigs; she fed the chickens and hunted eggs. And, the most fun of all, +she watched the baby mice in the dusky, sweet-smelling hay loft. Till, +really, by the time she had had her supper of bread and milk, Mary Jane +was ready to tumble into bed and sleep straight through the night +without ever a thought of being homesick. + +But the minute she awakened on the morning of the fourth day, Mary Jane +knew that something was different. The sun wasn't shining across her +coverlet as it had before; and from the window came the sound of +dripping, dripping, dripping rain. The kind of rain that you love if +everybody's indoors and can stay in and the fire's going brightly and +Mother's near to talk to. And also the kind of rain that makes you +feel very queer if you know Mother's hundreds of miles away and you +aren't going to see her for a good many weeks. + +Mary Jane felt a queer feeling in her throat. Suddenly she tossed the +covers back, picked up her clothes so quickly she didn't even stop to +see if she had both stockings, and ran into her grandmother's room. +"I'm _not_ going to cry, so there!" she said to herself hastily. + +"Well, good morning," said Grandmother cheerfully. "That's nice to +dress in here! I was just wishing I had company." + +"Does rain make you feel like you wanted somebody right close?" asked +Mary Jane. + +"Every time," agreed Grandmother. "And sometimes, when your +grandfather's working out in the barn, and Bob's out there with him, +and I'm all alone in the house, I just wish and wish I had a little +girl about your size here to talk to. I'm so glad you're come, Mary +Jane, you're such good company!" + +And immediately, would you believe it? Mary Jane forgot all about +being homesick and maybe going to cry, and began wondering what she +could do for her grandmother! + +"What are we going to do to-day, Grandmother?" she asked as they went +down the stairs together. + +"Let me see," said Grandmother thoughtfully, looking at the little +girl. "First, of course, we'll get breakfast--wouldn't you like fresh +corn bread and maple syrup?" Mary Jane nodded happily, for she liked +Grandmother's corn bread. "Then we'll do the dishes and make the +beds--but that won't take long with you helping me. Then we'll peel +the potatoes and start the meat cooking for dinner. Then we'll--by the +way, Mary Jane," she asked suddenly, "what have you in those two +packages in your trunk?" + +Mary Jane stared at her grandmother a minute and tried to think +whatever she might mean. Then she remembered. "Those two bundles +wrapped up in brown paper and tied and everything?" + +"Those are the ones," nodded Grandmother. "I saw them the other +morning when I unpacked your trunk but we were in a hurry to get-out +doors then so I didn't ask about them. What are they?" + +"I don't know," said Mary Jane. "Mother put them in and she said you'd +understand. She said just let you see and you'd know what she meant." + +"Then I guess I know," said Grandmother, laughing. "We have to look at +them!" + +"Let's go now," said Mary Jane. + +"Oh, my no," replied Grandmother, "before breakfast? I should say not! +We'll do all the things we planned to do, right straight through the +plan. Then we'll get those bundles and see if I can guess what your +mother meant." + +Mary Jane liked the good breakfast Grandmother prepared and she loved +helping set the table and clear it off and help with the work like a +grown-up person, but she was glad when at last everything was done and +she and Grandmother went up the stairs to look at those mysterious +bundles. + +"You get the bundles out of your trunk, Mary Jane," said Grandmother, +"and I'll get my glasses." + +"Then shall we go down' to the sitting-room?" asked Mary Jane. + +"No, we'll stay right up here," said Grandmother, smiling, "because +unless I miss my guess, we'll want to be up here before we're through +anyway." + +That puzzled Mary Jane more than ever because, in all the three days +she had been there. Grandmother had never sat upstairs, but always in +her big rocker at the bay window in the room they called the +sitting-room. She hurried to her room, raised the cover of her little +trunk and turned it way back so it wouldn't fall on her. Then she +reached in and got out the two bundles, and hurried back to +Grandmother's room. + +"There's some writing on them," she announced. + +"Then I expect that will help us guess what we are to do with them," +said Grandmother, and she adjusted her glasses. "Let's see what it +says." She read off the first one, "'This is the way Mary Jane learns +to sew.' Shall we open this first, Mary Jane?" she asked, "or shall we +read what the other one says?" + +"Oh, I know, I know! I know!" cried Mary Jane, clapping her hands. "I +know what that is, Grandmother, only I came away in such a hurry that I +forgot all about it! It's a present for you--I made it all myself! +Let's open it first." + +"A present for me?" asked Grandmother. "I guess we will open it +first." And she carefully undid the string, opened out the paper and +looked inside. "A picture card! My dear little girl!" she exclaimed, +"and you did it all yourself?" + +"All myself," said Mary Jane proudly, and she leaned up against her +grandmother and pointed out the perfections. "See? It's a picture of +a little girl, that's me, and she's raking her garden. And here," she +picked up another one, "this is a picture of a butterfly that flies +over the garden. I did one of a little girl, that's me, with a pink +sunbonnet and one with a sunflower and I sent those to my Aunt Effie. +And these are for you." + +"I certainly am pleased," said Grandmother heartily and she kissed Mary +Jane once for each card. "And what else have we here?" + +"That's my sewing things," said Mary Jane as she opened out the rest of +the package; "that's my needle case and my thread and my cards to sew." + +"Then let's have a sewing day," suggested Grandmother, "and you sew +your cards and I'll do my mending." + +"But first let's open the other bundle," suggested Mary Jane, who, like +Grandmother, had forgotten it for the minute. "I don't know what it's +got inside." + +"We'll see," said Grandmother, and she read on the outside, "'I wish I +had more.'" + +"That's funny," said Mary Jane, "more what?" + +"Wait and see," replied Grandmother, and Mary Jane noticed that her +eyes twinkled. "She needn't have worried, I have plenty." And she +undid the bundle. + +"Why! Why--how funny!" exclaimed Mary Jane when she saw what the +bundle contained. "That isn't anything! Why did Mother send those? +They're just scraps." + +"Not scraps, dear," said Grandmother, and, much to Mary Jane's +surprise, she seemed very pleased, "pieces. They're pieces for a +quilt. Your mother always was crazy about my quilts." + +"But those aren't quilts," insisted Mary Jane. "Those are just rolls +out of the scrap bag--I've seen them there. That's a piece of my +rompers," she added, pointing to a roll of blue, "and that's my best +pink gingham, and that's Alice's new school dress." + +"So much the better," laughed Grandmother. "When you know what things +are from, your quilt is more interesting. Let's put these on the bed +while you come with me to the linen room and see what a quilt is." + +They went down the hall to a queer little room that had shelves from +the floor to the ceiling and on every shelf was bedding of some sort. +Grandmother took down a quilt from the middle shelf and spread it out +on the floor. "There, Mary Jane," she said, "look at that! There's a +piece of your mother's first short dress and a piece of her mother's +graduating dress--that pink sprigged scrap; and that's your Uncle Tom's +shirt waist; and--well, don't you see? There they are; all the +'scraps' as you call them cut into pieces and made into a quilt. I've +always promised that your mother should have this some day. I think +I'll have to send it to her now if she's raising a girl who don't know +what a quilt is!" + +Mary Jane got down on her hands and knees and looked at each piece. +"Oh, I know now!" she suddenly exclaimed, "I remember! Mother made one +for her doll bed when she was a little girl and it had a piece like +this with a red horse shoe in it." + +"To be sure," said Grandmother much pleased. "Did she show it to you?" + +"Yes, only I disremembered for a while," said Mary Jane solemnly. "She +showed it to me the day we sewed. She made it when she was a little +girl about as old as me, maybe, because they didn't have nice sewing +cards then." + +"Yes, she made it when she was visiting me, one summer, just as you are +here now," said Grandmother thoughtfully. + +"Oh, Grandmother," cried Mary Jane suddenly, and she was so excited she +sat up straight and tall, "I'll tell you what let's do to-day!" + +"Well," said Grandmother, kindly. + +"Let's me make a quilt." + +"Fine!" said Grandmother, "only you know you can't make it all in one +day--it takes a long time to make a quilt, a good quilt." + +"Let's begin it then," said Mary Jane, "and let's make it all pretty +like this." + +"I'll put this away," replied Grandmother, "and then I'll get my piece +bag and see what I have that goes well with what your mother sent. +Then we'll make a pattern and cut our pieces--you see, there's a lot to +quilt-making before the sewing begins." + +[Illustration: "We'll make a pattern and cut out our pieces--there's a +lot to quilt-making."] + +"Goody!" cried Mary Jane happily, "I know I'm going to like it all!" + +And she did. + +She liked the hunting out pretty pieces and cutting them out (yes, she +did some of that herself, cutting carefully by the little pattern +Grandmother made for her) and counting them and pinning them together: +four blues with five pink, or four figured with five plain; everything +was four and five. + +Then, when material was ready for seven blocks, Grandmother said they +had done enough cutting for one day. So they gathered up the pinned +together blocks and went downstairs to the cozy sitting-room and sewed +the rest of the morning. And while they sewed Grandmother told stories +about when Mary Jane's mother was a little girl and came to visit. + +Right in the middle of a fine story, Grandfather came into the room and +asked, "Isn't there going to be any dinner to-day?" And sure enough it +was five minutes to twelve o'clock! + +Grandmother jumped up and hurried to the kitchen and Grandfather said, +"Well, isn't it too bad it's a rainy day?" + +"Rainy?" exclaimed Mary Jane, for she'd forgotten all about the rain +and her lonesomeness of the early morning. "Rainy? Why, Grandfather! +Rainy days are the best days of all when they're days at Grandmother's +house!" + + + + +GARDENING WITH GRANDFATHER + +"This sewing business and feeding chickens and watching mice is all +very well," said Grandfather one day, "but I'd like to know where I +come in? If it wasn't for having good company at meal time and for +about ten minutes after supper in the evening, I'd never guess I had a +little granddaughter visiting me--I wouldn't, indeed!" + +Mary Jane looked very serious. She wasn't quite certain sure whether +Grandfather was really disappointed in her or whether he was only +teasing. + +Grandmother saw she was puzzled and helped her out by saying, "Very +well, Mr. Hodges, then you should find something your little great +granddaughter likes to do!" And from the way Grandmother's eyes +twinkled, Mary Jane knew that she understood Grandfather was only +teasing. And, oh, dear, but she was relieved! It's fine to go +visiting; but it's dreadful to be visiting and disappoint folks; and +Mary Jane was glad to know she hadn't. + +"That's exactly what I'm doing, my dear," laughed Grandfather. "I'm +finding something." + +"Are you really, Grandfather," cried Mary Jane happily. "Let's go do +it now! I'm all through my dessert; may I please be excused, +Grandmother?" and Mary Jane prepared to slip down from her chair. + +"No use," said Grandfather with a shake of his head. "It isn't ready +yet." + +"Not ready?" echoed Mary Jane. "Does it have to be ready before we do +it?" + +"It surely does," laughed Grandfather, "That's the reason we haven't +done it before." + +"But I think I'll like it without being ready," suggested Mary Jane as +she went around to his chair. "Let's see if I wouldn't." + +"No, sir, you can't tease me that way, Pussy," laughed Grandfather. +"You'll have to wait." + +"Is it alive?" asked Mary Jane, who by this time was fairly bubbling +over with curiosity. + +"Well, yes," replied Grandfather and he chuckled to himself in high +glee. + +"Is it big as me?" asked Mary Jane. + +"One way 'tis and another way 'tisn't," said Grandfather. + +"Oh, dear!" sighed Mary Jane, "that's the kind I never can guess!" +Then she thought carefully for a real good question. "Is it brown or +gray?" + +Grandfather leaned back and laughed. When he finally could answer he +said, "It's partly grayish brown and some day it may be all brown for +a' I know." + +"Then it isn't a mouse and it isn't a lamb," said Mary Jane positively, +"and that's all I can think of now." + +"That's a good thing," said Grandmother, "for there's the postman and I +surely expect a letter from your mother to-day." + +One of the things that Mary Jane most loved to do was to run out front +when the rural mail carrier came along in his little wagon and watch +him put the mail in the box out in front of her grandfather's house. +Usually they spied him way down the road just about the time they were +through dinner and Mary Jane would run out and watch him. The first +time he saw her he handed the mail out to her and that disappointed her +greatly. She had wanted to see him put the mail in the box as +Grandfather had told her he would. So on the second day, Grandfather +went out with her and explained to the carrier that little girls from +the city liked mail that came in boxes better than mail that was just +handed in city fashion. And after that, the carrier smiled and nodded +to her each time and then tucked the mail as carefully into the box as +though he didn't know she would take it out the first minute he was out +of sight. + +"I'll go down with you," said Grandfather, rising quickly from the +table, "because I'm expecting a letter too." + +Sure enough! There was a letter for Grandmother that looked very much +as though it came from Mary Jane's mother; and a letter for Grandfather +that looked to be exactly the same letter! There wasn't a mite of +difference so far as Mary Jane could see, except in the one Grandfather +said was his, the first word was shorter. And there was a letter for +Mary Jane too, the first letter she ever received from her mother. + +They all three sat down on the front steps to read. First Mary Jane +opened hers and Grandmother helped her read it. "I'm going to learn to +read myself," declared Mary Jane, "'cause folks that get letters ought +to know how to read them." + +"You're right they should," agreed Grandmother, "and I shouldn't wonder +a bit but what a certain little girl I know would go to school this +fall." + +"And that little girl's me?" asked Mary Jane. + +"That little girl's you," said Grandmother. "Now listen while I read +my letter." + +So Mary Jane sat real still and heard Grandmother's letter. + +"Now then, Father," said Grandmother as she folded hers up and put it +back in the envelope, "we'll hear yours, Grandfather." + +"Not right now," said Grandfather, rising suddenly and starting for the +barn. "I'm too busy to stop any more." And that was the last they saw +of him all afternoon. + +"I do think that's the queerest," said Grandmother as she looked after +her husband. "He's always so anxious to hear letters and I know he +isn't as busy as he makes out. But if he don't want to tell he won't, +Mary Jane, so I guess we'd better stop thinking about it." + +Mary Jane ran up to her room to put her precious letter away for +safe-keeping. Then she and Grandmother tidied up the dinner work and +dressed for afternoon. Grandmother didn't have lots of hard work to +do, as some farm folks have, for she and Grandfather had long ago +stopped doing the hardest work on the farm. They rented out most of +their land and kept for themselves only enough garden and chicken yard +and pasture to make them feel comfortably busy. So Grandmother had +plenty of time for pleasant walks and rides with Mary Jane. + +Grandfather seemed to be tired at supper that evening so nothing was +said about secrets or letters or anything like that, and he went off to +bed about as soon as Mary Jane did. + +But the next morning he seemed rested and jolly as ever. + +"Do you happen to know any little girl around here who wants to work +with me today?" he asked at the breakfast table. + +"That's what Daddah says when he wants me to work in my garden," said +Mary Jane. + +"You don't tell me!" exclaimed Grandfather in great surprise. That was +one of his favorite expressions, and Mary Jane had to always stop and +think before she could realize that what he meant was, "You do tell +me!" "And what do you say to him when he asks you that?" + +"I say, 'I know one little girl and that's me,'" replied Mary Jane. + +"And what do you say to me?" continued Grandfather. + +"I say, 'I know one little girl, and she's right here,'" laughed Mary +Jane and she jumped down from the table and gave her grandfather a big +bear hug. "What is it we're going to do?" + +"Wait and see," said Grandfather. + +"Then it's the secret!" exclaimed Mary Jane, dancing around. "It's the +secret! I know it is! Grandmother! Let's hurry quick and do our work +so we can go." + +"You put on your sun hat and go this very minute," exclaimed +Grandmother. "You've been such a good little helper--I guess I can get +along alone one day." + +So in about one minute Mary Jane had her sun hat from upstairs and was +going out the back door with her grandfather. + +They went out past the tool house and past the chicken yard and up to +the garden. + +"No, Bob," said Grandfather as Bob tried to push in through the garden +gate with them, "we don't need you here. G'on back to the house!" And +Bob turned obediently and ran back. + +"Isn't he the nicest dog!" explained Mary Jane, as they went along. +And then she stopped right short and couldn't say another word. For +right there in front of her, just as plain as day as though it had been +growing a whole spring, was her own garden! Yes, her _very own_ +garden! With the nasturtiums in front and the marigolds next and the +young lettuce in the back. Mary Jane could hardly believe her eyes! + +"Why--but--how--I thought gardens stayed in one town!" she finally +exclaimed. + +"They do usually," said Grandfather and his eyes twinkled with pleasure +over her surprise, "usually they do." + +"But my garden didn't," stammered Mary Jane. "Did it come on a train +like I did?" + +"No," laughed Grandfather; "guess again." + +"It couldn't come any other way," insisted Mary Jane, "'cause I was out +here last week with Grandmother to see her lettuce and this wasn't here +then and you can't come 'way from my house in one day unless you ride +on a train--it's too far." + +"That's good thinking for Miss Five-year-old," said Grandfather +proudly, "so I guess I'll have to explain. You see, I wrote to your +mother and asked her how your garden was at home. And she told me, +exactly; she even drew a little picture so I would know just how things +were planted. After I got that letter, it was easy to take nasturtiums +and marigolds and lettuce from your grandmother's garden and make one +for you. She was glad to give you some." + +"So that's the reason you wouldn't read Mother's letter yesterday," +said Mary Jane. + +"That's it," agreed Grandfather. + +"And that's the reason you were so tired last night," continued Mary +Jane. "You'd been working so hard to 'sprise me." + +"Well," admitted Grandfather, "that may have had something to do with +it." + +"I think I've got the _bestest_ grandfather!" exclaimed Mary Jane +suddenly, and she threw her arms around him so hard, oh, ever so hard. +"And now do we work here?" + +"Not to-day," said Grandfather, "because you couldn't work with my big +tools. Tomorrow morning I'll drive into the village and get you a +little set of tools just your size like you have at home. This +afternoon we'll look around and see if everything's all right in my +garden. Then to-morrow we can go to work, as soon as we come home." + +Mary Jane took hold of his hand and together they went back into his +nice big garden. + +"Um-m-m," said Grandfather suddenly as he bent over his carrot bed. "I +was afraid so, I was afraid so!" + +"What's the matter?" asked Mary Jane who couldn't see that much was +wrong. + +"See those nibbled off carrots?" asked Grandfather. + +Mary Jane looked closely and saw the broken tips. + +"We'll have to catch that thief," said Grandfather. "I guess we need +Bob after all." Grandfather stuck his finger to his mouth and made a +loud whistle. Then he called, "Here Bob! Here Bob! Here Bob!" + +Bob came bounding down the garden path, wagging his tail and eager to +be of use. + +"See that?" demanded Grandfather, pointing to the broken tips. + +Bob sniffed and sniffed. He twisted his ears backward and forward and +sniffed again. Then he started briskly over to the back of the garden. + +"We'll find him!" exclaimed Grandfather. "Come on, Mary Jane! Bob's +not much of a hunter but I'll guess that he'll find him and we'll scare +him off!" + +Mary Jane, who didn't in the least understand who "him" was or what was +going to be found or done, trotted along behind her grandfather and Bob +eager to see something new. + + + + +THE GARDEN THIEF + +"What are we doing, Grandfather?" asked Mary Jane as she trotted along +behind her grandfather and Bob. "What are we doing and where are we +going and who's the thief?" + +"No time to talk," called Grandfather over his shoulder. "You'll see! +Come along and take hold of my hand." + +Mary Jane ran as fast as ever she could till she caught up with her +grandfather and got a firm hold of his hand. Then she felt better: for +when a little girl doesn't know what _is_ going on, she wants to have +hold of _something_--you know how that is yourself. Bob led them out +of the corner of the garden; across the small cornfield back of the +barn; across the pasture and into the woods beyond. There he stopped +and sniffed in the bushes and through the dead leaves in what Mary Jane +thought was the most curious way she had ever seen a dog act. + +"Well!" exclaimed Grandfather disgustedly, "if you can't find him any +better than that--I'll hunt myself!" And to Mary Jane's amazement, he +too, began hunting in the piles of dead leaves where Bob was diligently +sniffing. + +Suddenly he cried, "Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Come here this minute!" + +Mary Jane, who had been standing by a stump where her grandfather left +her when he followed Bob into the woods, eagerly ran over to where he +stood. He waited quietly till she was clear up to him and then he +reached down and lifted up a pile of dead leaves and rubbish. + +"Oh, Grandfather!" exclaimed the little girl, "what are they?" + +"What do you think they are?" he asked. + +"I don't think," replied Mary Jane, "'cause I never saw them before. +But they look like the Easter things at the store." + +"Right you are!" exclaimed Grandfather much pleased. "They're baby +rabbits--and in one of the prettiest little nests I ever found. I'm +glad you were along to see." + +"Were they what you were hunting, Grandfather?" asked Mary Jane as she +half timidly bent over the little bundle of gray and white fur. "They +wouldn't steal your garden, would they?" + +"No, not those pretty little things," replied Grandfather, "but their +father would. Can't say as I blame him though," continued Grandfather, +laughing, "with such a family to feed he'd naturally have to get +whatever he could. Usually the rabbits don't bother my garden. Well, +Pussy, what shall we do with them?" + +"Do with them?" asked Mary Jane. "What is there to do?" + +Grandfather looked down at the little girl; by this time she was on her +knees beside the nest, and bending over the little rabbits as though +she'd like to touch them but didn't feel quite well enough acquainted. +"Shall we leave them out here or--" + +But Mary Jane didn't give him a chance to finish his sentence. + +"Oh, Grandfather!" she exclaimed, "could we take them home?" + +"I guess we could if you wanted to," he said. "Your mother was always +a great hand for pet rabbits and I believe that the very house I once +built for her, is up in the loft to this day. Let's cover them over +again and go find it." + +"Will they stay here while we're gone?" asked Mary Jane as he tenderly +laid the leaves back over the little creatures. + +"They will till their mother gets a chance to take them away," answered +Grandfather. "If she thinks we'll hurt them, she'll carry them to some +other hiding place. But if we hurry, we'll get them first." + +"Won't she know that we'll take good care of them?" asked Mary Jane. + +"She won't know it at first," replied Grandfather, "but she'll soon +find out. We'll fix them up in a comfortable box and they'll be as +safe and happy and perhaps even better fed than if they'd stayed out +here in the woods where stray dogs might hurt them. Come on, now, +Pussy; let's hurry for the box." + +Mary Jane took hold of his hand again and they hurried back through the +pasture and the cornfield to the barn. + +It didn't take Grandfather long to find the little rabbit house he had +made for Mary Jane's mother years ago. "The box part is good as new," +he said, "and I'll get some fresh screening from the attic to cover +over this open side." + +Mary Jane trotted along beside him up to the mysterious, big attic at +the top of the house, where, from a dark corner, he pulled a strip of +new wire screen. They took it down to the back porch where he had left +the box and in less than half an hour he had the new home all ready for +the rabbits. + +Of course Grandmother heard them working around and came to see what +was going on. + +"Oh, the cunningest bunnies, five of them, we found," Mary Jane told +her, "little and soft and gray and white just like the Easter bunnies +in the store, and we're going to bring them up to your house to live so +not any bad dogs will hurt them and so I can feed them." + +"Won't that be fun," said Grandmother approvingly, "but how are you +going to carry them?" + +Mary Jane stared at her grandmother thoughtfully. "Will they go in my +hand?" + +"Carry five?" asked Grandmother. "I thought you said five. You +couldn't get that many in your hand." + +"No-o-o, I 'spect I couldn't," said Mary Jane. "How'll I do it?" + +"Suppose we fix a basket," suggested Grandmother, "then they would be +safe and comfortable while they made the journey." + +Mary Jane thought that a wonderful idea and she helped Grandmother hunt +up a basket from the storeroom and fold a soft old cloth to line it. +By the time they had it all ready, Grandfather had the new home +finished and he and Mary Jane set out for the woods to get their new +family. + +Just before they got to the nest they saw the mother rabbit dart away. +Such a pretty little thing she was, all soft gray except her tiny stub +of a tail which was snow white. She hurried away so quickly Mary Jane +hardly got more than a glance at her before she was out of sight behind +a log. + +"I'll wager she'll watch us," said Grandfather, chuckling, "and then +she'll know where we take her babies. Well, that's all right, Mrs. +Rabbit," he added; "you've a right to know where your family is. If +you'd made a safer nest, I'd leave them here for you, but as it is, +they'll be better off where they're going than where they are." + +"But didn't you say they ate the garden?" asked Mary Jane, suddenly +remembering what had started them out on their journey. + +"Yes, they do a bit," answered Grandfather, "but they mostly let us +alone so I guess we won't think any more about the little they stole." +While he was talking, he had set the basket on the ground and now he +lifted off the rubbish and tenderly took out two little rabbit babies +and set them in the basket. + +"Why!" exclaimed Mary Jane as she bent over to see, "they's only three +bunnies!" + +"Sure enough!" agreed Grandfather. "How many did you think there were?" + +"I didn't think," said Mary Jane. "I counted them; they had five noses +when we saw them before. I know because I can count one, two, three, +four, five!" + +"You surely can," said Grandfather much puzzled, "then their mother +must have taken two away. Like as not she was after another one when +she saw us coming. Now cover them up good and warm, Mary Jane," he +added as he set the third bunny into the basket, "and we'll hurry off +home." + +He let her carry the basket every bit of the way, and she was careful, +oh, so very careful, not to jiggle the bunnies as she walked. + +When they got back to the porch Grandmother came out to watch them put +the bunnies onto the nice soft cotton she had fixed in the corner of +the box and she showed Mary Jane how to fix water and some freshly +picked lettuce for them. + +"Now, then," she said, "that's enough for now. Dinner's ready and I +guess you're ready for it!" + +Mary Jane was hungry enough to be willing to leave the rabbits long +enough to eat--but no longer. The minute she had finished she ran out +to watch her pets. She sat down on the grass beside the box and +watched and watched and watched, but those funny little fellows didn't +eat or do anything! They just stayed snuggled up in the soft cotton as +tight as ever they could. + +"They feel strange and queer, just like you would if some one took you +away from your bed," said Grandmother when she came out to see how Mary +Jane was getting along. "Why don't you come and take a ride with me +and maybe by the time you come home, they'll be better acquainted and +will come out and eat." + +So Mary Jane reluctantly left her post of watching and went riding. +Grandfather surprised them and went along too, and the new gardening +tools and a big sun hat were bought and stowed away in the back of the +car. + +"Let's not stay too long," said Mary Jane, as they turned away from the +store; "let's see if the bunnies feel better now." + +"I don't believe that child wants to ride a bit," laughed Grandmother. +"We might as well go home!" So they turned back the way they had come. + +The minute she was out of the car, Mary Jane ran to the rabbit house. +Not a rabbit was there! Not one of the pretty bunnies she had left +snugged up in the corner! + +"Grandfather!" called Mary Jane, "Grandmother! Come quick! They's +gone!" + +"Think of that!" exclaimed Grandfather as he hurried up to see. + +"Poor child! That's too bad!" cried Grandmother sympathetically as she +peered into the empty box. "Like as not their mother came after them, +though how she got them out I don't quite see." + +"I do," laughed Grandfather, and he pointed to a hole in the back of +the box. "I guess this wood wasn't as sound as I thought it was! +Well, if she wanted them that much, I guess she deserves them! But +who'd a thought she'd be so quick!" + +"Where are my bunnies?" cried Mary Jane, "where did she take them?" +And Grandmother noticed that she was bitterly disappointed. + +"Never you mind, pet," said Grandmother, and she put her arm +comfortingly around the little girl. "They're not far away, depend on +that. But if you want something to feed and take care of, something +all your own--I'll get it for you." + +"Will you, Grandmother, really truly?" + +"Really truly," nodded Grandmother, "and you shall keep it in this +pretty little house!" + +"Goody!" exclaimed Mary Jane, "and will it be pretty like my Easter +rabbits?" + +"Every bit as pretty," said Grandmother, "just come with me to see if +it isn't!" + +And she took hold of Mary Jane's hand and together they went toward the +chicken house. + + + + +MARY JANE'S FAMILY + +"Is it a chicken?" asked Mary Jane as she saw the direction they were +taking. + +"Bless the child!" exclaimed Grandmother, "she can ask questions the +fastest! No, my dear, it isn't a chicken! You'd better wait and see." + +"Yes, I'm a-waiting," said Mary Jane with a tiny sigh, "but I hope it +isn't very long waiting, 'cause I like to see what I'm going to have." +And she skipped along by her grandmother as fast as she could. + +Fortunately it wasn't very far to the chicken house, so she hadn't long +to wait. They went in at the front of the house; that was no surprise +because Mary Jane had been there every day of her visit. She looked +around quickly but she didn't see anything new, anything that looked +like a surprise. But Grandmother didn't stop there; she went on back +through a little door Mary Jane had never noticed, and into a room that +was nice and warm and had a big desk in it. Or at least Mary Jane +thought it looked like a big desk. And there wasn't anything there +that looked like a surprise; Mary Jane would have begun to be worried +if she hadn't been so sure Grandmother must know what she was talking +about. + +"Now, let's see how heavy you are," said Grandmother, "maybe we'll need +your Grandfather after all." She put her hands under Mary Jane's arms +and tried to lift her up. "I can do it but I can't hold you long +enough," she said with a shake of her head, "better run call your +grandfather, dear." + +"But he's way out in the barn," cried Mary Jane who was fairly dancing +with eagerness she was so anxious to see the surprise; "can't I get a +chair?" And then she thought how silly that was when of course there +wasn't a chair in the chicken house! "Or a box, Grandmother," she +added as an after thought. + +"A box?" questioned Grandmother, looking around thoughtfully, "oh, yes! +I know. There's one right out in that next room. It's not very heavy +and I believe you can get it yourself, Mary Jane. Suppose you try." + +Mary Jane was very glad to try. She hurried out the door into the +other room, spied the box over in the corner and dragged it back into +the little room where Grandmother was waiting. + +"See, Grandmother?" she said proudly. "I can stand on it." + +"So you can, so you can," agreed Grandmother much pleased. "You're a +good planner, little girl. Now turn the box on its long side, so; and +climb on it; then--" + +"What's that noise?" exclaimed Mary Jane suddenly as through the quiet +of the little room she heard a queer, "Peep! Peep!" So many "peeps," +so soft and low that she was hardly sure she heard them. + +"Never mind!" cried Grandmother, who was looking into the big case that +Mary Jane had thought was a desk. "Climb up quickly and look!" + +Mary Jane needed no second urging. She set the box on its long side +and, grasping her grandmother's hand firmly so it wouldn't tip over as +she stepped on it, she climbed up and looked into the "desk." + +Such a sight as met her eyes! Tiny little chicks! Rows and rows and +rows of them! Under the glass cover of that queer looking case. + +"They's about a million!" she gasped in amazement, "all in one box!" + +"Not a million, dear," laughed Grandmother, "but a good many and +they're almost ready to take out." + +"But how did they get in?" asked Mary Jane much puzzled. + +Grandmother explained that the queer looking "desk" was really an +incubator--a box in which eggs were kept warm till the little creature +inside each egg was big enough to break the shell and take care of +itself. + +Mary Jane looked and looked and looked and thought it was the most +wonderful of all the many wonders she had seen at Grandmother's. She +thought of a dozen questions she wanted to ask, but Grandmother seemed +so busy tending to this and that and the other that she decided to wait +till some other time to ask them. + +"Now, dear," said Grandmother, "you stay here and be deciding which you +want for yours while I get your grandfather to help me take them out. +I was so in hopes you could see this, pet, because I knew you'd like +to." + +She bustled out of the room in search of Grandfather, and Mary Jane +studied over the rows of chickens. And just at that minute she spied +_them_! She knew the second she saw them that there was her family. + +They were huddled down in one corner, all six of them and they seemed +lonesome and--well, different. Of course Mary Jane may have imagined +that, but so it seemed to her. Their bills were funny and their eyes +were different from the eyes of the other chicks, and the shape of +their tails and of their wings seemed different, some way. + +"I'm going to have you and give you a nice time," said Mary Jane, +whispering tenderly above the case cover. "I'd like to take care of +you, so don't you mind if you are funny!" And with the tip, tip of her +finger, she touched the glass directly over them. + +Just then Grandmother Hodges came back into the room with Grandfather +right behind her. + +"Grandmother!" cried Mary Jane eagerly, "may I have any ones? May I +pick them out? May I have these funny little ones? These that are all +by their lonesomes in the corner?" + +Grandfather and Grandmother both looked to where Mary Jane pointed. + +"The ducks!" they exclaimed together. "They came out all right!" + +Then Grandmother added, "To be sure you may have them, Mary Jane. +Those are ducks, and I put in six eggs so we could have a bit of roast +duck, come winter. They'll be sure to get into trouble with the +chickens and I would be so glad if you'll make them your family and +look after them for me. Here, Father," she said to her husband, "let's +take them out for her first." So Grandfather got the basket Mary Jane +and her grandmother had brought out with them and then he held up the +glass cover while Grandmother tenderly lifted the tiny ducks, one by +one, and set them inside. Then she covered them all over with a thick +cover. + +"But Grandmother," cried Mary Jane in dismay, "they can't breathe! +They'll die!" + +"Not they," laughed Grandmother. "Run along now, and set the basket in +the sun by your rabbit box. I'll be right out and fix them up for you." + +So for the second time that day, Mary Jane found herself carrying a +basket of living creatures. "Wouldn't Doris like to be here!" she said +to herself as she thought of her little friend back home, "and wouldn't +I like to show her my family!" She walked slowly and carefully so as +not to tip the baby ducks and it was with a sigh of relief that she +finally set them down by the rabbit box. + +Fortunately, Grandmother came along in just a few minutes so Mary Jane +didn't have time to worry about the "peeps" that were coming more and +more loudly from the basket. + +Grandmother took the ducks one by one from the basket and set them on +some soft bits of old wool in the corner of the box. "We don't need a +cover for this box," she said, pulling at the screen Grandfather had +tacked on, "till they get bigger. We'll take it off so you can take +care of them easier. There now!" she added as the screen came off, +"we'll cover them up so," and she laid the soft cloth that had been on +the basket over the little ducks; "now we'll let them be for a while." + +"But we didn't feed them, Grandmother," objected Mary Jane. + +"To be sure not," laughed Grandmother. "They don't want anything to +eat just yet. Not to-day. All they want is to be warm and cozy." + +"Don't they want anything to drink either?" asked Mary Jane. + +"No," replied Grandmother, "nothing to drink either. To-morrow you can +fix them a drinking dish and I'll show you about their food, but now, +we'll just let them be. Listen! What's that?" + +Grandmother straightened up and counted the rings of her telephone bell. + +"Yes, that's our ring. You take this basket back to your grandfather +while I answer it." + +But before Mary Jane got out to the chicken house Grandmother was back +at the kitchen steps calling, "Father! Father!" And then as she got +no answer she called to Mary Jane, "Mary Jane! Tell your grandfather +it's long distance and he should come quick!" + +Mary Jane hurried in to tell her grandfather the message and then she +waited, wonderingly, till he should come back. Had anything happened? + + + + +COUSIN JOHN'S VISIT + +But the minute Mary Jane saw her grandfather smile as he came back into +the chicken house, she knew that if something _had_ happened it was a +nice something--for he was smiling a nice sort of a smile. + +"Good news for us, Pussy," he said. "Now you're going to have some one +to play with." + +"Another Bob?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Another fiddlesticks!" laughed Grandfather. "Haven't you enough +animal friends as it is? What would you do with more? No, sir! This +is a real playmate." + +"Who is she?" asked Mary Jane. + +"_She_!" laughed Grandfather, "is your cousin Margaret's boy John--or +rather, she's your mother's cousin. They live over in Benset, you +know, Pussy. They promised that if you came this summer, they'd let +John come over for a visit so you two could play." + +"Oh, goody!" cried Mary Jane happily, "how big is he?" + +"About as big as you are, I expect," said Grandfather thoughtfully, +"but I can't really say because I haven't seen him for a long time. +But you'll know all about him to-morrow." + +After that Grandfather and Grandmother fixed the little chickens as +quickly as ever they could, and then Grandfather went out to clean up +his car and Grandmother and Mary Jane hurried off to the kitchen to see +about the baking of good things to eat, for Cousin Margaret was to +bring Tom herself and would stay part of a day before going back. + +How Mary Jane did love the work and bustle! Grandmother made a big jar +of sugar cookies (she let Mary Jane put the sugar on them herself, and +you know that's fun!), and a big cake with thick chocolate icing (and +Mary Jane scraped out the frosting bowl), and then she "dressed" two +chickens (and Mary Jane thought that the most wonderful performance she +had ever seen). + +Then they went upstairs and got out fresh bedding, and Mary Jane +herself put out the fresh towels in the guest bathroom. And by that +time it was six o'clock--time for bread and milk. Everybody went to +bed early so as to be up and feeling fine in the morning. + +Next morning Mary Jane helped Grandmother with the morning work; then +she put on her pink gingham dress and got out her biggest pink plaid +hair ribbon for Grandmother to tie. And in no time at all, they were +off to the station. + +When the train stopped and left a pretty lady and a rosy-cheeked little +boy of about Mary Jane's age on the tiny platform, Mary Jane suddenly +felt very shy. She had never played with little boys, except Junior, +and he was so much younger she didn't count him, and she didn't quite +know how to talk to a little boy cousin she had never seen before. But +she needn't have worried about what to say because the grown folks +talked all the time and the two children on the front seat beside +Grandfather Hodges, simply sat and looked at each other all the way +home! + +But after Grandfather had helped them out, by their own doorstep, Mary +Jane seemed to feel that something must be said so she remarked, "Would +you like to see my mice?" + +"I thought girls were afraid of mice," replied John. + +"Well, I'm not," said Mary Jane scornfully. "Come on see 'em." And +she started for the barn. + +Strange to relate, they hadn't got half way across the barn yard before +the big pig, the same one that had so frightened Mary Jane on her first +day, ran out of his pen in the barn and made straight for them. +Grandfather had been in a hurry both times he went for the train and +had forgotten to lock him up, most likely. John, who wasn't any more +used to creatures than Mary Jane had been, screamed and screamed at the +top of his voice. + +Mary Jane looked at him scornfully and, forgetting all about how she +herself had felt when _she_ first came, said, "He won't hurt you! I'll +send him away!" And without a thought of fear, she waved her arms +around as she had seen Grandfather do on that first day. Mrs. Pig +stopped short as she had for Grandfather, and Mary Jane, delighted with +the success she seemed to be having, waved and shouted till +Grandfather, hearing the commotion, came running to see what the matter +could be. + +"Well! Well! Well!" he exclaimed when he reached the barn gate and +saw what had happened. "Say I couldn't make a farmer's girl out of +you, Mary Jane! I'm proud of you! Isn't she a good one, John?" + +John, his eyes round with fear for himself and with admiration for his +new little cousin, nodded "Yes." + +After that Grandfather stayed around near where they were and helped +Mary Jane show John the little pigs, Brindle Bess the cow, and then the +baby mice (who soon wouldn't be babies any more, by the way) up in the +loft. And of course they went across the road to see the lamb that by +now was well acquainted with Mary Jane; and they played with Bob who +came frisking to meet them. And last of all they showed John the brand +new baby ducks. + +"I'd have liked the rabbits best," said John when they had told him +about the pets that were found and lost so soon the day before. +"Couldn't we get them back again?" + +"Maybe we could, maybe we could," said Grandfather thoughtfully. "We +hadn't tried. Maybe that foolish mother took them back to where we got +them. 'Twould be just like her. Let's go see." + +So with a child on each side of him (just the very thing he liked best +too), Grandfather and his guests went back through the cornfield and +the pasture lot to where the rabbit nest had been. + +"Well," said Grandfather as he bent over the rubbish where the nest had +been, "for a boy who had just come onto a farm, you're a pretty good +guesser, my son. Look here!" He pulled back the rubbish, just as he +had done the day before, and there, before their eyes were the rabbits, +five of them, just as soft and just as warm and comfortable as though +they had never taken a journey in their lives. + +[Illustration: "There, before their eyes were the rabbits, five of +them."] + +"Didn't they like our house we made for them?" asked Mary Jane. + +"'Pears not," said Grandfather. "What do you want to do about it, +children?" + +"I've always wanted some rabbits in a box," said John, "and I never did +have any. I want to feed 'em and watch 'em, you know." + +"Yes, I know," agreed Grandfather, but that was all he said. + +Mary Jane thought of saying that the box already had a family in it, +her family of ducks, but she thought maybe that wouldn't be polite, and +anyway, likely as not there were more boxes, so she just kept still, +very still. + +And while they were all three standing there, wondering, Mary Jane +looked up and over in the hedge, she spied the mother rabbit standing +partly on her hind feet and looking at them as _hard_! + +"Look!" cried Mary Jane, "there's their mother!" + +The sound of a voice startled the little mother and she ran away, +lipity, lipity, lip; lipity, lipity, lip; such a funny little run! till +she reached the shelter of a log. There she waited--they could see the +tip, white of her tail through the leaves. + +"She's waiting to see what happens to her babies!" exclaimed Mary Jane, +and suddenly she made up her mind about rabbit pets. "Let's leave them +here, John," she said quickly. "Their mother's lonesome if they go up +to the house. Let's leave them here and I'll give you half of my +ducks." + +"All right," agreed John, "but may I come and see them sometimes, +Grandfather?" + +"As often as you like. You just let me know and we'll come twice a +day," said Grandfather, "and you'll have most as much fun with the +ducks, I'll wager. Now let's see if we can't hunt up some dinner." +And they turned to the house. + +Such a big day as Mary Jane and John did have! They played and they +hunted eggs and they rode on the cow; yes, that can be done, didn't you +ever try it? And they fed the chickens, and by night time they were so +sleepy and tired they hardly noticed their supper. + +But after supper Grandfather sat down to look at his paper. And as he +spread it out before him he suddenly chuckled to himself. + +"The very thing!" he said, "the very thing! Why didn't I think of that +before?" Then he looked over at the droopy-eyed little folks sitting +on the window seat. "But I suppose you wouldn't care to go?" + +"Go where?" exclaimed both children in a breath. "Where, Grandfather?" + +"What you talking about, Father?" asked Grandmother. + +Instead of answering, Grandfather passed his paper over to her and +pointed to where he had been reading. + +Grandmother laughed and nodded. "Yes, if you want to," she said, "but +they'd better be going to bed in a hurry if they're going to do all +that to-morrow!" + +"Tell us! Tell us!" cried Mary Jane eagerly. + +"Not a word," laughed Grandfather. + +"Not a word," insisted Grandmother. "You wouldn't sleep a wink. You +just stop thinking about what it is and go to sleep. Father, you take +John up and I'll go with Mary Jane." + +So without finding out the least thing, for Grandmother wouldn't even +answer a question, not one, Mary Jane went off to bed--and to sleep. + + + + +GRANDFATHER'S TREAT + +It didn't take long to call those children the next morning, you may be +sure of that. Just one word and they were up and dressing and more +eager than ever to know what Grandfather was planning to do. + +"Now will you tell us?" asked John as he ran into the living-room where +Grandfather was sitting. + +"Not a word till you've eaten your breakfast," replied Grandfather +laughingly. + +"Not even a hint?" exclaimed Mary Jane as she hurried in, buttoning her +play dress as she came, just in time to hear what her Grandfather said. + +"Not even a hint," repeated Grandfather, "not till each of you has +eaten your bowl of oatmeal and as much other breakfast as Grandmother +says you should." + +"Come on, then, John," said Mary Jane practically; "let's eat quick!" +And she lead the way into the dining-room, where Grandmother had the +breakfast served and ready to eat. + +Never did bowls of oatmeal disappear so rapidly as did those! And when +the children had eaten a baked apple, an egg and a piece of toast +apiece, Grandmother declared that they had done their full duty and +could hear the surprise. + +"But I'm not through myself!" exclaimed Grandfather in mock surprise. +"Did you put your breakfast on your chairs? You couldn't have eaten it +_this_ soon!" And he pretended to hunt around under the table for the +breakfast. + +"You know we didn't hide it, Grandfather!" cried Mary Jane; she had +been there long enough to get used to Grandfather's teasing so she +wasn't puzzled by it as John was. "Now you'll have to tell us, won't +he, Grandmother?" + +Grandmother nodded and Grandfather got up from his chair and went to +the dining-room closet. He rummaged on the shelf a minute and then +brought out a big roll of paper. "There!" he exclaimed as he laid it +in front of the children, "you may unroll that and see if you can tell +what it is? Better lay it on the floor so you don't tip the cream +pitcher over." + +The children set the roll on the floor; then Mary Jane held the rolled +up part while John pulled it open. They didn't have it half unrolled +before both children exclaimed, "A circus! It's a circus. +Grandfather! Are we going to a circus?" + +"Shouldn't wonder a bit," said Grandfather indifferently as he took +another piece of toast; "shouldn't wonder a bit. That is, of course," +he added with marked politeness, "unless you don't care to go." + +"You _know_ we care to go," laughed Mary Jane and she jumped up and +gave him a big bear hug. "You know we just want to go the mostest of +anything in the world, we do!" + +"Then we'll go!" said Grandfather and he stopped his teasing and told +them all about his plans. "We'll start about nine o'clock so we'll +have plenty of time because we have to drive about fifteen miles and +get our lunch and--" + +"And see the parade," interrupted John. + +"Oh, yes, we see the parade before lunch, you're right," laughed +Grandfather. "I see there's going to be nothing skipped in this day. +Then we want to see all the animals and get good seats and everything." + +"Then we'd better start right now," suggested Mary Jane. + +"Dear me, no, not for two hours yet!" exclaimed Grandfather. "That's +the reason I got you that poster. See? It's all rolled up again. Now +I'll help you unroll it so you can look at it while you wait for the +time to start." + +Grandmother helped too, and the big poster picture was unrolled and a +chair set on each end of it to hold it open. Then Mary Jane and John +could walk around and see it well. It was a picture of the parade and +showed camels and lions in cages and elephants and clowns and pretty +ladies and everything and of course it was most interesting to look at. +But it wasn't so interesting that the children forgot to look at the +clock--indeed, no! They watched and watched and watched and finally +the clock said, "Eight!" + +"Now then," said Mary Jane, "that's all I'm going to look. Let's roll +it up and get ready. Maybe we can help Grandmother." + +They found a good many interesting things to do. Grandmother had +decided that they had better take their lunch with them and eat it in +the car because the town where the circus was to be was small and there +might be no good place for them to eat. + +John got the lunch box from the storeroom and Mary Jane helped wrap +sandwiches and chicken and cake in oiled paper; and by quarter of nine +everything was ready. + +"Fifteen minutes to wash hands and faces and change your clothes," +exclaimed Grandmother as she heard Grandfather bring the car up to the +house. "Can you do it?" + +"'Deed yes," said Mary Jane, scampering on ahead up the stairs. "I can +wash myself and you just look at the cracks. And I can put my own +dress and shoes on. I can do lots!" + +"I should say you can!" exclaimed Grandmother admiringly. "You do all +you can then, dear, and I'll help John." + +At one minute to nine they were all at the door ready to climb into the +car and be off. + +"Did you give them their spending money?" asked Grandmother as she +helped stow the lunch into the car. + +"Not yet," answered Grandfather. "I'll give it to them when they get +there." + +"Listen to the man!" exclaimed Grandmother in disgust, "and make them +miss half the fun of carrying their own money. Wait a minute!" She +hurried into the house and came back in a minute with two little black +purses in her hand. "There now, children," she said as she handed a +purse to each child, "you can carry your own money. Here's two nickels +for you, Mary Jane, and two nickels for you, John. Don't lose them!" + +"We won't," said Mary Jane and she clutched hers tightly in her hand, +"and may we buy anything we want?" + +"Anything you want--anything!" Grandmother assured her. + +"We'll be home at six," called Grandfather as he started the car and +they whisked down the drive and away. + +Such a jolly drive as that was! They talked about the circus they were +to see and how they would spend their money. And whether the lion +would roar and what they should buy. And if the lady could really +truly do everything on her horse that the picture said she could and +how much ice cream cones would cost. You see Grandmother had been +right--half the fun of spending money was the holding the money +beforehand and planning how it was to be spent. + +Arriving at the village where the circus was, Grandfather drove them by +the great white tents--how wonderful and mysterious they did seem +too!--and then he found a good place to leave the car and they walked +to the main street where, from the second story of an office building, +they saw the parade go by. + +When the sound of the calliope was growing fainter in the distance and +the children were certain sure that every bit of the parade had gone +by, John looked away from the window and asked, "Can we go to the +circus just as soon as we eat our lunch?" + +"Yes, I should think we could," answered Grandfather. + +"Then let's eat right now!" said John eagerly. + +"Not such a bad idea," laughed Grandfather as he looked at his watch. +"Then we'll have plenty of time." + +They thanked the kind gentleman in whose office they had been and +walked to the car to eat their lunch. It was a good thing Grandfather +had left the car out of sight of the circus tent, for it was hard +enough to think about eating as it was! Had the tents been in sight it +would have been harder still. But on this quiet street and with the +wonderful parade to talk about they did full justice to Grandmother's +good meal. And when they had finished, even to the tempting little +apple pies, one for each person, they started for the circus. + +If you've been to a circus yourself, you know something of the sights +they saw and of the sounds they heard. If you haven't better get +_your_ grandfather (or your father, if your grandfather isn't handy) to +take you to see one, for all the interesting things Mary Jane and John +heard and saw couldn't be put into one chapter--not even if it was a +double long one! They saw curious animals, munching away at their +dinner as though they had lived right there in that spot all their +lives instead of seven hours. They saw crawling snakes and marvelous +birds and the elephants that swayed their trunks backward and forward, +backward and forward, as though they were doing morning exercises. And +the ponies! The prettiest little ponies! Mary Jane didn't know there +_were_ such pretty ponies in all the world. She liked them the best of +anything she saw. John liked the monkeys, and Mary Jane and he fed +them peanuts that Grandfather bought and they felt so very important +because the keeper said that the sign, "Don't feed these animals," +needn't bother them! + +Then they went into the big tent and found their seats--just in time +they were too, for the clowns came running in at that very minute and +kept the children, and the grown folks, too, in an uproar of laughter. +After the circus really began, it seemed to Mary Jane that she must be +in a dream. It didn't seem as though all those jumping, racing, men +and horses and elephants and all, _could_ be real! She had to pinch +herself hard to be sure she was awake. + +Right in the middle a man came around with ice cream cones and John +bought one. + +"May I buy one too, Grandfather?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Just as you like," said Grandfather. "It's your money." And for the +first time she remembered the purse with the two nickels that she had +all the time held tightly clutched in her hand! She bought the cone +and ate it as she watched the circus--calmly indifferent to the fact +that it was leaking onto her pretty pink dress. You simply can't +notice _everything_ at a circus! + +Finally the great show was over. The last of the Cinderella parade +slipped behind the curtains and folks began to hurry home. Grandfather +took hold of each child and together they climbed over the seats till +they reached the safe ground. + +"Shall we look at the animals again?" he asked. + +"We might try," said Mary Jane doubtfully, "but my looking don't see!" + +"Poor child," said Grandfather as he suddenly realized how tired the +little girl must be. "I expect your 'lookers' are tired enough to go +home." He picked her up and set her on his shoulder and then, grasping +John's hand firmly, he made his way out of the crowd. + +"But I can't go home _yet_!" exclaimed John, when he saw they were +leaving the grounds. "I haven't spent all my money!" + +"Well, we can't go home with any money left, that's a sure thing!" +laughed Grandfather. "What do you want to get?" + +"Another ice cream cone," said John, as he spied a man going by with a +tray. + +"All right," said Grandfather, "do you want one too, Pussy?" + +"No, I know what I want, but it isn't here yet," said Mary Jane. + +"Where is it?" asked Grandfather. + +"At the gate," replied Mary Jane. "I saw it when we came in and I want +to buy it for my grandmother 'cause she couldn't come." + +"That's a good idea," said Grandfather. "You tell me when we come to +it." + +Mary Jane pointed out the stand where balloons were sold, and with +grandfather's help picked out a fine big red one to take to Grandmother. + +Of the drive home Mary Jane remembered not a thing. She had seen and +heard so much that she just sat and listened while Grandfather and John +talked about everything. She almost went to sleep twice--almost but +not quite, because she had to stay awake to hold Grandmother's balloon +and keep it from blowing out of the car. + +Grandmother was watching for them when they drove into the yard and was +delighted with her balloon, said she felt exactly as though she had +been to the circus herself. + +She tied it to the big glass water pitcher so they could see it all the +while they were eating their supper and she thanked Mary Jane many +times, for thinking to bring it to her. + +"I know what I'm going to do first thing in the morning," said John, as +he and Mary Jane climbed upstairs to bed. "I'm going to get out that +picture and see if they did everything it said." + +"Well, I know they did," said Mary Jane positively, "and they did more +too, because they did all the noise; I heard 'em!" + + + + +LEARNING TO COOK + +John stayed a whole week at Grandfather's and every one of the seven +days, he and Mary Jane had a beautiful time. They fed chickens for +Grandmother and gathered eggs; they visited the rabbits, carrying with +them tit-bits of lettuce so they could the easier make friends with the +little creatures; they played with the lamb and watched Mary Jane's +ducks and rode in the car with Grandfather and altogether had a +wonderful time. But the thing that both Mary Jane and John liked the +best--well, anyway, _almost_ the best of all, was playing circus in the +barn. + +They pretended that the downstairs was the animal tent and that Brindle +Bess was the elephant--"she waves her hind tail just like he did his +front tail, so that's almost the same," John said--and that the hogs +were lions and little pigs, tigers. And they pretended that the loft +was the performers' tent and that they were the circus folk. Mary Jane +learned to turn a summerset in the hay and she tried to walk a rope but +that didn't work very well because the rope came down; evidently it +wasn't tied tightly. John stood on his head and did tumbling and was +learning to throw three bottles at one time. They tried to do the +elephant-eating-his-dinner act with Brindle Bess but she didn't seem to +understand (maybe because she hadn't been to the circus herself) and +tipped the table over and broke two dishes so they had to give that up. + +But finally Cousin Margaret came to take John home and Mary Jane was +left without a playfellow. + +"No use moping around, Mary Jane," said Grandmother briskly as she saw +Mary Jane sitting dolefully and idly on the back steps an hour after +John had gone. "Find something to do as you did before John came and +you'll feel happier." + +"But everything I know to do, needs two to do it," complained Mary +Jane. "I don't know any children's things for just one!" + +"Listen to the child!" laughed Grandmother, "when she played the whole +day long, all by herself and as happy as could be! Well, then, dear," +she added kindly, "if you don't know a children's thing to do, how +about a grown folks' thing?" + +"Oh, Grandmother!" exclaimed the little girl happily, "is there a +grown-up folks' thing I can do?" + +"I shouldn't wonder," said Grandmother, smiling mysteriously. "I +shouldn't wonder a bit." + +"But I don't want to sew," said Mary Jane, suddenly wondering if her +grandmother might be thinking of that, "I don't feel sew-ish." + +"No, it's not sewing," replied Grandmother. "I haven't time for sewing +this morning because I'm going to make strawberry jam." + +"Then what is it?" asked Mary Jane and she pressed her face up against +the screen door in her effort to look inside at her grandmother's work. + +"You come in and wash your hands and face--wash them good with soap," +said Grandmother, "then bring me one of Grandfather's big handkerchiefs +and I'll tell you what it is." + +That puzzled Mary Jane and she immediately forgot all about John and +her lonesomeness. She hurried to the bathroom and washed her hands and +face the very best she knew how. Then she reached into Grandfather's +drawer and picked out a handkerchief and took it down to Grandmother. + +"Now get me five pins from my basket," said Grandmother. + +Mary Jane got the pins in a jiffy and then Grandmother stopped her work +and began to unfold and refold the handkerchief. + +"What--" began Mary Jane as she watched Grandmother's hands busy +folding, "what's it going to be?" + +"A cap," replied Grandmother, smiling, "a cap for the cook who's going +to get our dinner"; and she set the cap squarely on Mary Jane's head! + +"Me? Get dinner? Me? By myself?" exclaimed Mary Jane, "but I don't +know how!" + +"Oh, yes, you do," laughed Grandmother, "and what you don't know how, +you can learn. Do you know what potatoes look like?" + +"Why, of course," replied Mary Jane and she giggled at such a funny +question for potatoes were her favorite vegetable. "I've seen 'em at +home and I've seen 'em in your cellar." + +"Sure enough!" said Grandmother, nodding approvingly, "then you'll know +what to do. Take that pan over there," and she pointed to the table, +"and go into the cellar and pick out six nice smooth potatoes." + +Mary Jane did as she was told and she thought it was lots of fun too, +to hunt over the bin as she had seen Grandmother do and pick out +potatoes that just suited her. + +"Now then," said Grandmother when Mary Jane brought up the potatoes, +"take that scrubbing brush over there and scrub them clean. Then open +the oven door with this holder and lay the potatoes on the shelf to +bake." + +"Just like I scrub my hands?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Just the same," answered Grandmother, "only you don't use soap." + +"How about some baked apples?" asked Grandmother as the oven door was +shut on the potatoes; and Mary Jane noticed that she said it just as +though Mary Jane could do anything or cook anything a body might want. + +"They're good, _I_ think," replied Mary Jane. + +"So do I," said Grandmother, "and we'll have some. Your Grandfather +opened the last box just this morning. You pick out three, Mary Jane, +and bring me the apple corer from the drawer and the flat brown bowl +from the pantry." + +By that time, Mary Jane felt as important as any cook in the land. She +washed the apples. Grandmother hadn't said to do that, but Mary Jane +was sure it should be done. Then she took the bowl and the corer over +to where Grandmother was working with her strawberries. + +"Hold the apple so," said Grandmother, showing just how an apple should +be cored, "and turn the corer so--see if you can do the next, Mary +Jane." + +Mary Jane could. Not as quickly as Grandmother had done it, of course, +but she did it just the same and set it into the bowl as Grandmother +had done. + +"Now comes the fun part," said Grandmother; "your mother used to love +to fix apples I remember." + +"Did she do 'em just like me?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Just exactly," said Grandmother. "Get a cup of sugar from the bin; +and a teaspoon of cinnamon from that brown box over there and the pat +of butter you'll find on the pantry shelf. Mix the sugar and cinnamon +together and fill up the holes in the apples with it--there's your +spoon, dear." + +Grandmother went on with her work and Mary Jane stirred the sugar and +cinnamon and filled up the apples--it was lots of fun, she didn't +wonder her mother had liked to do it! Then Grandmother showed her how +to put a lump of butter on the top of each apple--"just like a hat, +Grandmother!" exclaimed Mary Jane delightedly--and set the bowl in the +oven by the potatoes. + +"Now can you set the table?" asked Grandmother. + +"'Deed yes," said Mary Jane proudly; "I do that for Mother." + +"I thought so," replied Grandmother. "I won't have to show you about +that." + +And she didn't. Mary Jane put the silver and the napkins and the +pepper and salt and glasses and dishes all just as they should be. And +at Grandmother's suggestion she put on a pat of butter and a glass of +Grandfather's favorite jelly. + +"How's the circus lady?" called Grandfather, who happened to come into +the kitchen just then. + +"She's gone," cried Mary Jane, "and a cook lady's come to visit you." +And she skipped out from the dining-room to show him her cap. + +"Well, I like circuses," said Grandfather solemnly, "but I must say +that right at this minute I'd rather had a cook lady than a dozen +circuses--so there! Who's getting dinner?" he added as he saw +Grandmother working away at her jam. + +"Mary Jane is," answered Grandmother "and I expected to be through by +now to broil the steak--she's everything else ready. But," she added +worriedly, "I simply can't stop for ten minutes and I know her potatoes +are about done!" + +"Is there another handkerchief around here somewhere?" asked +Grandfather suddenly. + +"In your drawer there's lots," said Mary Jane, but for the life of her +she couldn't see what Grandfather meant. + +"You get it," he said, and she dashed upstairs on the errand. + +"There now," said Grandfather after she handed it to him, "how's that?" +Mary Jane laughed and laughed at the funny sight. He had twisted the +handkerchief around his head dusting cap style and was bowing to her in +a grand fashion. "I guess I can cook too!" he declared, "bring on the +steak!" + +Mary Jane got the steak out of the ice box and helped him salt and +pepper it; then, while he broiled it--yes, he did know how, Mary Jane +had thought he was only fooling--she took up the potatoes and apples +and got the pitcher of water. + +"I tell you what," said Grandfather proudly as they sat down to dinner +a minute later, "it's all very well to be a circus lady but personally, +I prefer a good cook, Mary Jane, and if you keep on as you've begun, +you'll be a good one!" + +"I'm going to keep on," said Mary Jane, proudly, "'cause it's more fun +than playing." + +"Good for you," said Grandfather, "and by the way, Mother, have you +told her where she's going to-night?" + +"Not a word," said Grandmother, smiling. + +"Goody!" cried Mary Jane, clapping her hands happily, "it's a surprise." + +"Yes, it is," laughed Grandmother, "you never did it before that's +certain. But you have to finish your dinner and then take a good +nap--a really for sure enough nap, before you know a single thing about +it so it's no use to ask questions. I'll tell you this much though," +she added as she saw Mary Jane look a bit disappointed, "you'll wear +your best dress and your biggest hair ribbon." + +Now what in the world was coming? Mary Jane couldn't think and she +went to her nap wondering and wondering and wondering. + + + + +THE STRAWBERRY SOCIABLE + +It's awfully hard to go to sleep when you're wondering all the time +what you're going to do when you wake up. But Mary Jane finally did +drop off to sleep--perhaps the fact that Grandmother pulled down the +shades helped. However it was, Mary Jane slept soundly and had to be +called twice when it was time to get up. She blinked open her eyes and +was just trying to guess if Grandfather had gone down to his breakfast +when Grandmother called, "do you wear a sash with your best dress, +dear?" + +That waked her in a jiffy and immediately she remembered about the +surprise that was to come and that she was to wear her best dress and +biggest ribbon. + +"Yes, Grandmother, my pink sash," she answered, and she tossed off the +light quilt Grandmother had spread over her and ran into the next room. +Grandmother was laying out her own best dress and shoes on her bed. It +was the first time Mary Jane had known of her wearing them and she +guessed right away that something pretty important must be going on. + +"What's the surprise, Grandmother?" she asked eagerly, "can you tell me +now?" + +"Surely dear," replied Grandmother kindly, "I'd have told you before +only I was afraid you'd stay awake and ask questions. To-night is the +annual strawberry sociable of the village church and I thought maybe +you'd like to go. Your grandfather and I always attend and I think +you're old enough to go--especially now, as you've had such a good +sleep." + +Mary Jane stared at her grandmother as though she didn't understand a +word she had said. + +"What is it--a strawberry sociable?" she asked. + +Grandmother bent down and kissed her. "I forget my little city girl +don't know all our ways," she said, smilingly. "A strawberry sociable +is our big time of the year. We haven't taken you to our church yet, +dear, because your grandfather and I don't go as regularly in the +summer as we do in the winter, but maybe you've noticed it as we've +driven through the village. The little white church with the steeple +and the green blinds?" + +"Yes," said Mary Jane, nodding eagerly, "I've seen it. The one with +the big yard." + +"That's the one," said Grandmother, "and it's that yard we're going to +this evening. All our people have fine gardens and a good many of us +have berry patches. We save our finest berries and take them to the +church to-night for the sociable. The folks who have no berries take +cake and in that way every one helps and we raise money. We're trying +to get enough for an organ now." + +"But how do you get the money?" asked Mary Jane, to whom this was all +new. + +"We sell the strawberries and cake--ten cents for a dish of fruit with +a piece of cake," explained Grandmother. "I expect you never heard of +the like before, but I think you'll have a good time all the same. +There'll be other little girls there, Frances Westland and Helen Loiter +and maybe others; you'll have a beautiful time. Now let's get out your +things." + +If there was one thing above another that Mary Jane loved to do, it was +to dress up in her best clothes. She loved the feel of the soft, fine +materials and she liked the crisp hair ribbons and dainty shoes. She +was so glad that her mother had let her bring her brand new dress that +she had worn to her birthday party and the wide pink hair ribbon and +sash that went with it. Grandmother said they would dress before +supper as she wanted to be ready to go early for she knew that Mary +Jane should not stay late. + +It took some time for those two busy ladies to dress. Grandmother +wasn't used to hair bows and sashes of course and they went pretty +slow. Then likely as not there was a good deal of visiting went along +with the dressing for Grandmother and Mary Jane were good company. So +it's not much wonder that by the time each had inspected the other and +had decided that everything was exactly as it should be. Grandfather +called to say that supper time had come. Grandmother and Mary Jane +went grandly down the stairs in answer to his call and he stood at the +bottom and admired and complimented till Mary Jane had to drop her +grand air and giggle, he was so funny. + +Grandmother laughed, too, and then bustled out to the kitchen, put on a +great big all-over apron and prepared the supper. + +"We'll not have a thing but eggs and bread and jam and milk," she +announced, "because with all the cake and strawberries you're going to +have that's all you should eat--just very plain food. Mary Jane, you +slip on this apron and help Grandfather feed the chickens and by that +time I'll have supper ready to eat." + +When they drove up to the village church an hour later Mary Jane looked +upon a yard of hurry and fun such as she had never before seen. Men +were fixing lanterns on wires, others were carrying chairs and +arranging them around tables underneath the lanterns. Women were +fixing great bowls of crimson berries (and oh, how good they did look, +Mary Jane thought!) on a long table that stretched across the back of +the yard. Other women were unpacking baskets of tempting looking cakes +and cutting them up into pieces ready for serving. + +Grandmother took one basket of berries out of the back of the car and +Grandfather took the other and they walked over to the table, Mary Jane +following meekly behind. + +"This is my little great granddaughter, Mary Jane Merrill," said +Grandmother to the lady in charge, "and as she's never been to a +strawberry sociable before, I'm going to look after her till she gets +used to things--you've plenty of help here anyway." + +"Glad to meet you, Mary Jane," answered the lady and Mary Jane made her +prettiest courtesy, "you'll like the sociable better when the lanterns +are lighted and the other little girls come. Don't you want to come +and eat some cake crumbs now?" + +Much as Mary Jane liked cake crumbs, she didn't fancy staying with the +strange people when she might be with her grandmother, so she hung back +shyly and Grandmother declined the offer for her. + +"I think we'll walk around first, thank you, Miss Oliver," said she, +"and get our little girl to feeling more at home." + +Mary Jane liked the walking around and watching the busy folks at their +curious work. And, before she hardly realized it, twilight had set in, +men had lighted the gay Japanese lanterns and the yard had become full +of jolly people--the strawberry sociable had begun. + +Grandfather hunted up Helen Loiter, a pretty little black haired girl +and Frances Westland to whom Mary Jane took a fancy at once. She wore +a plain little white dress and a big blue hair ribbon and seemed so +kind and pleasant to the little stranger. Helen, on the other hand, +was dressed in a much trimmed and be-ruffled frock and seemed to feel +far too dressed up to be natural. + +"I'm going to get you girls your berries," said Grandfather, as he +settled them at a table over to one side where they could sit as long +as they liked and eat and visit, "and if you want more cake, just let +me know." + +"Let's hurry and eat this up so he'll get us some more," said Helen. +"I've got a dime of my own and if he gets us another dish, that'll make +three times!" + +"Oh, let's eat slow and talk," said Frances, "no use hurrying, maybe we +won't want three dishes. Is your mother here, too, Mary Jane?" + +"No," answered Mary Jane, "but my sister's coming next week and my +mother's coming before very long after that." + +"Why didn't you bring your best dress so you could wear it to-night?" +demanded Helen as she took a big bite of berries. "I should think +you'd like a pretty dress for tonight!" + +"This is my best dress," said Mary Jane in amazement, "it's my very +best dress and my best hair ribbon and everything!" + +"Well, I don't think it looks like it," said Helen, scornfully, "it +hasn't a single ruffle and not one bit of lace! I guess your father +must be pretty poor!" + +Mary Jane looked at Helen's be-ruffled frock that was trimmed and +trimmed with yards of cheap lace and then she looked at her own dress, +so plain and neat with only a bit of hand embroidery for its ornament. +Then she looked at Frances' dress that was more like her own. And a +queer feeling of lonesomeness--a lonesomeness that she hadn't felt +since the rainy day so long ago, began to come over her. + +But before she had time to think of an answer, Frances spoke up. +"Aren't you ashamed of yourself, Helen Loiter! Talking that way to +Mrs. Hodges's little girl! I guess folks can dress as they please +without asking you! My dress isn't fancy either and my father's got as +much money as yours has, so there!" + +Mary Jane looked at Frances admiringly and felt much better. + +"How old are you?" continued Frances, turning her attention pointedly +to Mary Jane. + +"I'm five," replied Mary Jane, "how old are you?" + +"I'm seven, only I'm not very big for seven so you wouldn't guess it," +said Frances, "do you go to school?" + +"No, not yet," answer Mary Jane, "but I'm going to some day." + +"Of course you are, stupid!" said Helen, "everybody does! Well, I'm +bigger'n you are. I'm eight and I'm in second grade! So there!" And +she polished out the bottom of her dish with her spoon. "I guess your +grandfather's forgotten all about getting us some more cake--I'm going +to get some for myself. You two slow pokes can sit around and wait if +you want to. I'll not!" And she flounced herself out of her chair and +ran over to the cake table. + +Left by themselves Frances and Mary Jane compared notes as little girls +will. Mary Jane told her about her own home; about her friend Doris +and her sister Alice and the birthday party and everything she could +think of. And Frances told about her school and her garden--yes, she +had one about as big as Mary Jane's--and about her pet calf. + +"Father gave it to me when it was only a day old," she said, "and when +it's big enough, I'm going to sell it and get money to take music +lessons. Won't that be fun?" + +Mary Jane thought it would; she looked admiringly at Frances and +thought she was quite the most wonderful little girl she had ever met. + +When Grandfather came up to them a few minutes later, he had to speak +twice so busy were they with their talk. He got them each another dish +of berries and then, when they were through eating that, he took them +walking around the yard so they could see the lanterns and so that Mary +Jane would see and be seen by all his friends. Frances seemed to know +every one and that was a great help to Mary Jane who wasn't used to +meeting so many people. + +All too soon Grandmother announced that it was time to go home. The +candles in the lanterns flickered out one by one; the housewives busied +themselves with clearing up the remnants of cake and berries; the +fathers (and grandfathers) carried baskets back to the cars, lit lights +and made ready for the homeward journey. + +Frances and Mary Jane told each other good night and Frances promised +to come over and see Mary Jane very soon. + +"Well, what did you think of the sociable?" asked Grandmother as they +spun along home. "I saw you talking with Frances and Helen; did you +like your new friends, dear?" + +"I liked Frances so much," said Mary Jane, "and she's coming to see me." + +Grandmother, who knew Helen much better than Grandfather did, +understood in a minute. She slipped her arm around her little +granddaughter and pulled her close. "So my little girl learned +something as well as had a good time to-night, did she?" she whispered; +"she learned how to pick out a friend. I'm glad Frances is coming to +see you, dear!" + + + + +BURR HOUSES + +The week after the strawberry sociable was the busiest one of Mary +Jane's visit thus far. Frances came to see her twice and they became +better friends each time. The Westlands lived two miles farther from +the village than the Hodges did and Frances's father could easily leave +her at the Hodges's home when he went into the village and get her +again on his return trip. Mary Jane showed her all the interesting +things she had found--the pet mice, who were getting tamer and tamer +all the time; the ducks, which were losing their pretty babyness by now +and were getting almost big enough to look after themselves; the lamb +and the pigs and Brindle Bess. + +Of course Frances was used to country sights, so she wasn't as much +surprised at what she saw as Mary Jane had been when she came from the +city. But she was interested and she told Mary Jane many things about +the farm creatures and the fun she had had with her own pets. + +Then one day Grandfather took Mary Jane to see Frances and Mary Jane +had fun every minute of the two hours she was there. The Westlands +kept many cows and Mary Jane saw twenty little calves--such gentle, +soft-eyed little creatures that were so tame the girls could pet them +and feed them all they wanted to. And chickens! Mary Jane had thought +her grandmother had a good many but the Westlands had more! + +"May we feed them all?" asked Mary Jane eagerly as she saw them. + +"I guess Frances would be glad to have you," laughed Mrs. Westland +kindly; "she has to do it so much that I'm sure she'll be glad for help +at the job." + +So the girls went to the bins and gathered great handfuls of corn and +oats for the feast. Frances gave a peculiar call which the chickens +seemed to know and immediately they came a-running, hundreds of them, +so fast that Mary Jane dropped the corn she held and tried to run away. + +"They won't hurt you," laughed Frances, "see? I can let them eat right +out of my hand!" + +Mary Jane looked and thought that if Frances was safe she would be too. +So she took some of the grain Frances handed over to her and bent down +for them to eat out of her hand too. It wasn't more than a minute +before she had lost every trace of fear and could let the biggest +rooster gobble up his grain right out of her hand. The girls tried +dropping kernels of corn on their shoes and then holding up one foot +for the chickens to reach for the grain. And they tossed occasional +kernels way to the outside of the feeding group and then giggled to see +how quickly the greedy ones whirled around to get all they could. + +Then, before it was time to go, Mrs. Westland called them in and gave +them each a big glass of rich milk and a plate of fat sugar cookies to +eat on the porch. Altogether Mary Jane thought she had the most fun +during that visit of any visit she had ever made! And before the +little girls separated, Frances had promised to come over to Mary +Jane's house very soon. + +The day after the call at the Westlands the postman brought a letter +from Mrs. Merrill which said that Alice could come to her grandfather's +in two days if that would be convenient. Grandfather was very fond of +Alice; she had visited there before and he was hoping she would have a +nice long stay there this summer. So, as soon as he read the letter he +got out his car, took Mary Jane with him and went into the village to +telegraph that Alice should come at once. + +The next morning Mary Jane helped her grandmother clean the room that +Alice was to have--it was just across the hall from Mary Jane's and was +so quaint and cozy with its old-fashioned furniture and ruffled white +curtains. Then the next day Grandmother made a great jar full of +cookies; Mary Jane loved that because Grandmother let her cut out some. +They made stars and crescents and squares and some just plain round +ones; and Mary Jane put the sugar and nuts over the top, too. Then +they made apple pies and berry pies and a tart of each kind for Mary +Jane's dinner and supper that day. Mary Jane decided then and there +that she was going to be a good cook when she grew up because cooking +was about the most fun of anything she had ever tried. + +On the morning Alice was to come, Mary Jane got up early; dressed +herself as quickly as possible and ran down the stairs. Just in the +nick of time she was too, for Grandfather was ready to start to the +station. + +"Take me, please take me along!" she called as she heard him crank up +his car. + +"Hello, Pussy; you up?" he answered; "to be sure you may go along. Get +your grandmother to give you a big piece of coffee cake to eat on the +way and we'll be off." + +Grandmother heard what he said and had the coffee cake ready as Mary +Jane ran into the kitchen. A wonderful big piece, she cut, all full of +sugary, buttery "wells" that Mary Jane liked so much. She wrapped it +in a napkin so it wouldn't get Mary Jane's dress sticky with its +sweetness, threw a woolen scarf around the little girl's shoulders for +the early morning air was cool and waved a good-by as they rode out of +the yard. + +They reached the station just as the great train pulled in and saw the +conductor and porter help Alice down the steps of the car. Mary Jane +thought she had never seen any one look so nice in all her life! +Grandfather set her out of the auto and she ran as fast as ever she +could and threw her arms around her sister. Alice held her tight a +minute and then turned to kiss her grandfather. + +"So you're here all right, Blunderbuss," said Grandfather heartily, +using the nickname he had given her long ago, "and you haven't lost a +bit of your hair!" Alice laughed as he looked admiringly at her long +golden braids. + +"I haven't," she replied teasingly, "but I can't say as much for you!" +And she laughed at her grandfather's bald head. + +"Such a girl! Such a girl!" exclaimed Grandfather proudly; "now I +suppose I'll have to get your trunk and take you home and stand your +teasing the rest of the summer!" And in mock dismay he went for the +trunk the baggage man had tossed off the train. + +That was the beginning of more fun for Mary Jane. First there was the +house and farm which must be shown to Alice just as carefully as though +she had never seen it before. Then there were all the jolly things +that Alice thought of to do--Alice was always thinking up something to +do, it seemed. She fixed up a saddle for the lamb and taught Mary Jane +to ride. She tied tiny bells on the rabbits so they could be more +easily found. She helped Mary Jane take the ducks down to the creek at +the end of the pasture and turn them into the water. Mary Jane thought +it perfectly wonderful that they should know how to swim--"just as +though they had taken regular lessons, Grandfather," she said as she +told him about it afterwards. And Alice learned how to make +bread--with Mary Jane helping to turn the crank of the bread mixer so +she wouldn't feel left out. + +On the third day of Alice's visit Frances Westland came over to play +and the three little girls went out into the front yard and wondered +what they would do. + +"I wish we had doll houses here like we have at home," said Mary Jane. +"I know Frances would like to play with doll houses." + +"But you haven't any here," said Frances practically. + +"Maybe we can get some," said Alice thoughtfully; "we ought to be able +to find something to make a doll house out of. Let's hunt." + +"Where'll we hunt?" asked Mary Jane. + +"Let me see," said Alice. She looked around the yard but saw nothing +that interested her. She looked across the road to Grandmother's lot +and saw all the grasses and brush that flourished there. + +"We ought to be able to find something over there," she said; "let's +hunt." + +So the three little girls scrambled over the fence and roamed through +the lot. The lamb was used to a good deal of petting and he supposed, +of course, that was what they had come for. So he poked himself into +their way at every step. + +"No, sir," said Alice, laughing; "we didn't come to play with you +to-day! You run along, sir!" She rubbed her hand over his back to +push him away and something rough and pricky scratched her. She pulled +at his wool and a small brown burr came off in her hand. + +"Look! Girls!" she cried suddenly. "If he got this, there must be +more in the lot!" + +"Of course!" said Frances, looking scornfully at the burr Alice held up +for her to see; "there's a million over there--see? They're an awful +nuisance, burrs are, even this early in the season." + +"They may be a nuisance," laughed Alice, "but I'll venture to say +they'll make good doll houses for all that. Here! I'll show you what +I think we can do." She ran over to where Frances had pointed out a +lot of burrs, pulled off a handful and began sticking them together. +"Yes, it works," she said in a satisfied tone, "but let's not stop to +make the houses here. Let's gather a lot of burrs and take them over +to Grandmother's front yard. Then we can make a whole village!" + +Frances and Mary Jane didn't quite see how a village was to come out of +a lot of burrs, but Alice was so sure of what she was going to do that +they thought she must be right. So they gathered up their skirts and +filled them with burrs and then helped each other back over the fence. + +Under the big pine tree, where the ground was the levelest of any place +in the yard, Alice had them spread out all their burrs. + +"Now," she said when the burrs were ready, "you make them stick +together--so. Make eight rows of six burrs each. That will be the +floor of the house. Then start up the sides for walls." + +Frances and Mary Jane got the idea in a minute and they set to work in +a jiffy. Such fun as it was! The houses and barns and churches grew +so rapidly that none of the girls gave a minute's thought to pricked +fingers--there wasn't time! When the stock of burrs was entirely used +up, Alice set the houses along in a straight line as though they were +on a street. Frances put the barns back of the houses where they +belonged and Mary Jane ran to her garden for nasturtiums to lay by the +houses for gardens. + +"But we haven't any dolls to live in the houses!" exclaimed Frances +suddenly. + +"That's easy," said Alice; "I've made dolls before. Grandmother showed +me how years ago. Come on and we'll get some." + +She led the girls back to the orchard, where by now tiny green apples +were lying on the ground, scattered there by the summer winds. + +"You girls get all the apples you can while I get the toothpicks." And +she ran to the house. + +"What does she mean?" asked Frances, who wasn't used to this sort of +play. + +"I don't know, but let's do what she says and then we'll find out," +answered Mary Jane, who had great confidence in this big sister of +hers. They filled their skirts with apples of all sizes and hurried +back to the front yard where Alice, carrying a box of toothpicks, met +them. + +"Now we'll all make dolls," said Alice as she spread out the picks. +"Use the biggest apples for the body; stick in two toothpicks for arms +and two for legs. And a middle-sized apple makes the head. Then take +another toothpick and mark out eyes and nose and mouth--so!" And she +set up the finished doll for the girls to see. + +Frances and Mary Jane picked up apples and went to work too, and first +thing they knew there was a doll standing in front of each house. They +were just starting on animals, pigs and horses and cows which Alice +showed them how to make, when Grandmother came out with a pitcher of +lemonade and a basket of cookies. So the burr making turned into a +party which lasted till Mr. Westland came tooting along the road and +Frances had to go home. + + + + +EARNING MONEY + +"Now if I only had a camera," said Alice as she and Mary Jane and her +grandmother were sitting out on the back porch one morning, shelling +peas for dinner, "I'd take a picture of you both. Wouldn't it make a +good one?" + +Grandmother looked at Mary Jane. The sunshine splattered through the +cracks between the vine-covered lattice and shone on her bobbed brown +hair, on her pink play dress and on the bright green pea pods in her +lap. Mary Jane looked at her grandmother and saw the snow white hair, +the kindly face that smiled above the big work apron and the busy hands. + +"Wouldn't it, though!" they both exclaimed at exactly the same minute. +And then they all three had a good laugh. + +"All the same I wish I had a camera," insisted Alice. + +"Does your mother think you're old enough to know how to use one?" +asked Grandmother. + +"Old enough, Grandmother!" exclaimed Mary Jane. "Alice's twelve!" And +the way she said twelve showed that she thought twelve was very, very +old indeed. + +Grandmother smiled and Alice added, "She's willing I should have one, +Grandmother, only I must buy it myself. And saving money out of my +allowance is slow work. I've a dollar now but I need seventy-five +cents more." + +"Seems to me you should be able to earn that much," said Grandmother. + +"Earn it?" asked Alice. "How?" + +"Oh, by some sort of work," answered Grandmother. + +"Oh, could I really?" exclaimed Alice delightedly. "What could I do?" + +"Could I earn some too?" asked Mary Jane eagerly. + +"What do you want money for?" laughed Alice, as though a little girl +wouldn't have use for such a thing as money! "You always want to do +everything, Mary Jane!" + +"Of course she does," said Grandmother comfortably, "and you do too. +The thing I'm thinking about is more fun if done by two anyway. But +what do you want your money for, dear?" she asked the little girl. + +"I want it to get a present for my dear mother," said Mary Jane, "a +present that she don't know anything about and that Daddah don't know +anything about and that nobody gives me the money for. Can I really +truly earn some money?" + +"Surely," replied Grandmother. "See those woods, girls?" She pointed +across the garden and across the cornfield to the woods about a quarter +of a mile away. "In those woods are blackberry bushes, lots of them. +And this is about the beginning of the blackberry season. Now if you +girls really want to earn some money you may take your little baskets +and go berrying. I'll buy all you can pick at ten cents a quart. You +ought to easily get your seventy-five cents that way, Alice, for the +bushes ate usually loaded with berries." + +"But the berries are yours to begin with," objected Alice, who liked to +be fair; "we can't sell you something that already belongs to you." + +"Of course you can't," replied Grandmother, much pleased with Alice's +honesty. "I shouldn't have said 'buy the berries'; I should have said +'pay you for the picking' at ten cents a quart. If I 'bought' the +berries of any one I would have to pay fifteen or twenty cents a quart. +And if I hired some one to pick them for me as I have some years, I +would have to pay ten cents a quart, just as I offered you. So, you +see, I promised you no more than you will fairly earn." + +"How do you pick berries?" asked Alice. + +"There's only one way," laughed Grandmother, much amused at the +question. "You touch them and off they come! Just pick them off the +bushes and drop them in your basket and the thing is done." + +"Let's go now," said Mary Jane eagerly. + +"Not now," answered Grandmother, "because it's too near dinner time. +Wait till you have your dinner and a little rest of half an hour. Then +you can start and pick all afternoon." + +By two o'clock the girls had hunted up the berry baskets Grandmother +told them to find in the attic (cunning little baskets with long, +curving handles they were, too) and, tying on their biggest sun hats, +they started out through the garden path. + +They crossed the field, climbed the fence into the woods and turned +down the wagon road as Grandmother had directed them. And sure enough, +there were the berry bushes just as she had said. Bushes that were +fairly loaded with shining blackberries that glistened in the afternoon +sunshine. + +[Illustration: "There were the berry bushes--fairly loaded with shining +blackberries."] + +The girls set to work most enthusiastically and by the time Grandfather +came to see how they liked their job (for, of course, he had heard all +about it at dinner time) they had their baskets nearly full. He walked +home with them and helped them measure out their berries with +Grandmother's quart measure. Alice had a quart and a half and Mary +Jane a full, even quart and Grandmother paid immediately--fifteen cents +for Alice and ten cents, a bright new dime, for Mary Jane. + +"My, but I do be rich!" exclaimed Mary Jane delightedly. "I can get my +dear mother the nicest thing!" + +"Of course you can, Pussy," said Grandfather, "and Alice will have her +camera in no time. I get the best of all, though," he added with a +mysterious nod of his head. + +"How do you?" asked both girls at once. + +"I get to eat the jam!" replied Grandfather in a comical attempt at a +whisper. + +"They do too, bless their hearts!" exclaimed Grandmother. They shall +eat all they want. I'll make it first thing in the morning." + +"And first thing in the morning I mean to get more berries," said +Alice. "Let me see--fifteen into seventy-five:--in four more days I'll +have enough money to get my camera!" And she danced around gayly, she +was so delighted. + +"Not quite," laughed Grandfather; "don't be in too big a hurry, +Blunderbuss; you have to give the berries a chance to ripen. Better +plan to go every other day. You'll get more at a time that way." + +"And I'm going, too," put in Mary Jane, "so I can get more money for +Mother's present." + +"I was thinking about that present while you girls were gone," said +Grandmother. "You'd better get that present in the city where the +stores are good. Why don't you save it for her Christmas gift? That +would be nice." + +"But I wanted to give her something when she comes to take me home!" +objected Mary Jane, who had set her heart on making her mother a gift, +"something that I did." + +"That's all right," Grandmother assured her; "give her something then, +too. Something you made yourself and save the money you earn till +Christmas. How would you like to make her some blackberry jam? She +likes blackberry jam and you could make that." + +"Could I really?" exclaimed Mary Jane, and she sidled over to where her +grandmother was standing. + +"How silly!" cried Alice. "You know she can't make jam, Grandmother; +she's only five years old. Why, even I don't know how to make jam and +I'm twelve!" + +"Is that so?" laughed Grandmother, and she slipped her arm around Mary +Jane. "Well, what you can do and what Mary Jane can do has no +connection. You don't know what she can do. She's going to be a good +cook; she's begun already. And if she wants to make a glass of jam for +her mother, all by herself, she shall do it, so there! And you can +make some, too, if you want to, dear," she added kindly to Alice. + +"Thank you, Grandmother," said Alice, "and I'm sorry I spoke so about +you, dear," she added to Mary Jane; "go ahead and make your jam, pet, +and I'll make Mother something else. I know it would be more fun for +you to make it without me. May I make her a cake, Grandmother? Make +it the day before she comes?" + +Grandmother assured her that she could and they all went in to get +supper. + +The next morning Mary Jane put on her cooking cap and apron and she and +Grandmother went at the jam while Alice and Grandfather rode to the +village on an errand. + +"Measure out a good big cup full of berries," said Grandmother; "pile +it full as it will hold and wash them and put them in this pan." + +Mary Jane picked out nice big, juicy berries; that wasn't hard to do +because most of the berries were very fine; the girls hadn't picked any +other kind. Then she washed them carefully and put them in the pan +Grandmother had given her. + +"Now measure an even cupful of sugar," said Grandmother, "and pour it +over your berries." And Mary Jane went to the sugar bin and did as she +was told. + +"Now," continued Grandmother, "shake the berries till the sugar's well +mixed in and then set the pan on the stove." + +While the berries were cooking Grandmother had her hunt out a nice +jelly glass, one that the top fitted on firmly; wash and dry it ready +for the jelly. Then Mary Jane took a big spoon and Grandmother took a +big spoon and they stood by the stove and watched the jam boil. When +the bubbles got big, oh, very big, and looked as shining as big glass +beads, Grandmother said it was about done and must be tested. She put +her spoon in and then, holding it over the pan of jam, let the hot jam +drop off. + +"Almost done," said Grandmother, with a satisfied nod; "now you try it, +Mary Jane." + +So Mary Jane dipped her spoon in just as her grandmother had done and +again the jam dropped off, this time a little slower and with longer +drops. Grandmother told her to put the glass on a chair, on a paper, +and by the time she had done that the jam was ready to pour into the +glass. + +When Alice and Grandfather came home from their errand the glass of jam +was all done and was on the table near the window, covered neatly with +its tin cover ready to give to Mrs. Merrill when she should come. + +"And that won't be so many days now either," said Grandmother. "I +declare, how this summer has gone!" + + + + +THE PICNIC AT FLATROCK + +On the very day that Alice counted out her money and found she had the +seventy-five cents she needed for her much wanted camera and that Mary +Jane had fifty cents, there came a telegram from Mrs. Merrill saying +that she and Mr. Merrill would arrive the next morning for a stay of +ten days. + +"Now this is something like old times," said Grandmother happily as she +and the two girls bustled around making ready for the guests. "Lots of +cooking to do and two nice girls to help me do it. Seems like the days +when our own girls were here! Mary Jane, you've done plenty of dusting +for today; you go and get your grandfather to pick out two nice fat +chickens for frys while I teach Alice about making her cake. She's +going to have a beauty to show her mother, that's what she is!" + +Mary Jane liked doing things with her jolly grandfather, so she skipped +out happily and found him in the barn. + +"Pick out some frys, should we?" he said. "All right, that suits me, +only we'll fool her, Mary Jane; we'll get _three_! I believe in having +enough, I do." + +"What we going to do to-morrow, Pussy?" he asked when that job was done. + +"Why, we're going to get Mother and Father at the train and then we're +coming home." + +"Oh, yes, I know that," said Grandfather, "but let's do more than that. +Let's have a picnic to celebrate their coming." + +"Oh, Grandfather!" exclaimed Mary Jane, "could we?" + +"We certainly could," said Grandfather, "and I think it would be a fine +thing to do. There's a full moon and we could go about four and come +home by moonlight. Let's see what your grandmother and Alice think +about it." + +Grandmother and Alice were enthusiastic. "I can take my cake!" +exclaimed Alice eagerly. "It's a beautiful cake, Grandfather, see?" +she said proudly. "It's all done but the frosting and I'm going to put +that on as soon as it's cool enough." + +"Looks good enough to eat," said Grandfather admiringly, "and I'm sure +it will be fine to-morrow." + +"And I can take my frys," said Grandmother, planning; "your father +loves cold fried chicken, girls," she added, "and maybe your mother +will make a bowl of her fine salad to-morrow while I make a +custard--yes, Father, that's just what we'll do. We'll have a picnic. +Where'll we go?" + +"To Flatrock," replied Grandfather, who had decided that point long +ago, "and you needn't plan too much fixyness because Mary Jane and I +have a surprise." + +"Oh, goody!" cried Mary Jane. "What is it?" Everybody laughed at that +and Grandfather took the little girl out to the garden to show her what +the secret was. But they didn't tell anybody else what it was--I +should say not! + +It was lucky there was plenty to do that day, and many interesting +things to plan for the picnic; for, even so, Mary Jane thought the day +would never end--never. She hadn't realized she was so anxious to see +her mother till she knew the long separation was so nearly over. + +"To-morrow I'll see my mother! To-morrow I'll see my mother! +To-morrow I'll see my mother!" she whispered over and over to herself +as she went to sleep, and she thought it was the best news she ever +told herself. + +She was awake and up the first of any one in the house the next +morning, and long before Grandfather was ready to start she was out +sitting in the automobile. + +"Look who thinks she's going to the station!" exclaimed Grandfather. +"'Fraid you can't go this time, Pussy; there won't be room." + +"Oh, _Grandfather_!" exclaimed Mary Jane over the big lump that +suddenly came into her throat, "I _must_ go to see my _mother_!" And +then she looked at her grandfather and saw the twinkle in his eye. +"You're just teasing, aren't you, Grandfather?" she added anxiously. + +"Yes, I am, and I ought to be shot for it, so there!" said Grandfather, +who, when he saw how eager she was, regretted his hasty teasing. +"Surely you can go--we'll start in two minutes." + +It wasn't more than a second after her father and mother got off the +great train before Mary Jane was held tight in her mother's arms and +oh, how good it did feel to be there! "I didn't know how much I did +want you," cried Mary Jane, "till you're here!" + +Mother replied with a satisfying whisper and another pair of kisses, +one on each rosy cheek, and then Father had to have his hug and they +started gayly home. + +After breakfast Mary Jane showed them all the creatures she had learned +to love--from the lamb in the pasture lot to the ducks that now lived +down by the creek. Then they went back into the house and Mary Jane +gave her mother the glass of jam made all by herself (and you can just +guess how proud and happy Mrs. Merrill was over _such_ a gift!) and +Alice showed her cake. + +"Look's good enough to eat right now," said Mr. Merrill, smacking his +lips; "let's have a piece." + +"I should say not!" exclaimed Alice; "that's to take to the picnic!" + +So then they told all about the plan for the picnic, and Father and +Mother were pleased just as everybody had known they would be. And +every one set to work at the pleasant preparations. + +Mrs. Merrill, Grandmother and Alice stayed in the kitchen, while Mr. +Merrill joined Mary Jane and Grandfather in making preparations for the +secret. They didn't let any one see a thing of what they were doing +and they carefully covered up the big basket that they stowed away in +the back of the car. + +At three o'clock they were off and with such good company and over fine +roads the twenty-five mile ride to Flatrock seemed all too short. + +"Now you folks who think you have the eats," said Grandfather as they +all got out of the car, "can just fool around any way you like. Mary +Jane and I are going to build a fire for the coffee her father and I +will be sure to want." + +"That's no surprise," laughed Alice; "Grandmother has the coffee in her +basket and she told me I could help you make the fire!" + +"Isn't that amazing!" teased Grandfather, and Alice knew from the way +he talked that she hadn't guessed the secret after all. + +Flatrock was a rough, wooded spot, most unusual for that region; and +right through the middle of the woods a pretty little creek ran +tumbling over some broad, flat rocks. It was by the side of one of +these rocks, close by the little stream, that Grandfather started his +fire. He pulled two logs together till they formed a big V; then he +and Mr. Merrill and the girls gathered wood, twigs and branches and +leaves, till they had a big pile between the logs. They set fire to +these and soon they had a heap of glowing coals. + +"Now," said Grandfather, "I think it's about time for our surprise. +Shall we get it, Mary Jane?" + +She nodded "yes" and he went to the car, bringing back with him the +mysteriously covered basket. "You shall take the cover off, Pussy," he +said. + +Mary Jane pulled back the cover cloth and there, inside, was a basket +full to the brim of--yes, it was--roasting ears! The very first of the +season! + +"We keep watch of our corn patch, we do," said Grandfather, and he +nodded solemnly at Mary Jane, "and now we're going to have something +good." + +They piled the roasting ears in on the hot coals, then they built +another fire over the top of them, and by the time that had burned down +the corn was ready to eat. + +Grandmother and Mother and Alice unpacked the baskets and they all sat +around and enjoyed the feast. Grandmother's fried chicken and crullers +and rolls and Alice's fine cake, which was given the place of honor on +a rock by itself where it could be seen all the time till they were +ready to eat it, were pronounced the best ever. + +The moon rose so clear and big and beautiful that it was hard to tell +just when day ended and night began. So it was a surprise when +Grandfather announced that it was eight o'clock and high time they were +starting home. The few scraps, and there weren't very many, were +packed neatly into one basket and the party regretfully left the rocks +and started for the car. + +"Nobody ever comes along this road at this time of night," said +Grandfather. "I'll just get the car out into the middle of the road +where you can get in easier." So he pulled it away from the fence +where he had left it, and ran it out into the middle of the road. +"Here, Pussy," he added, "run around on the other side of the car and +hand me that basket." + +Mary Jane did as she was told and after he had taken the basket from +her she waited in the middle of the road, by the car, till he should be +ready to help her in. + +No one ever knew quite how it happened--it was all so sudden. Perhaps +the other driver, too, thought that no one was ever on that road at +that time of the evening. Out of the shadows and the moonshine, around +the curve of the road, came a roadster moving so fast that before its +driver could realize that some one stood in the center of the road, he +had hit Mary Jane squarely and had tossed her over the fence on the +opposite side of the road. + +Grandfather jumped over the fence after her as quickly as he could out +of the car, but, quick as he was, Mary Jane's father was quicker. He +picked up the little girl, carried her back to her mother and together +they ran their hands over her--no bones seemed to be broken; her heart +was beating and she was breathing. But _just_ breathing, that was all. +She lay in her mother's arms as still and quiet--so still and so quiet +that she didn't seem like Mary Jane--the Mary Jane who was always +running and talking and lively. + +Without more than a half-dozen necessary words Grandfather and +Grandmother, Father, Mother and Alice got into the car and Grandfather +put on all speed. The one thought in every one's mind was to get to +Dr. Smith as quickly as ever they could. Grandfather was thankful for +the moonlight that made the way so plain and he drove home the fastest +he had ever driven. + +And so they came back from the picnic at Flatrock. + + + + +HOME AGAIN + +"Would you speak to her, doctor?" asked Mrs. Merrill anxiously. + +It was eight o'clock the next morning. They had reached home about an +hour after they left Flatrock and fortunately had found Dr. Smith at +home. He came at once in answer to their telephone call and was there +even before they had Mary Jane undressed and put to bed. He examined +her carefully and could find no broken bones and no injury, but still +Mary Jane slept on, breathing, but so quietly and unnaturally that she +didn't seem like herself. Her mother and father had stayed by her all +the night long; Grandmother, Grandfather and Alice had with difficulty +been sent to bed after midnight and Dr. Smith had stayed most of the +time. + +But when she still didn't stir the next morning Mrs. Merrill grew more +and more anxious. + +"I don't know," said the doctor doubtfully; "we might try. You speak +to her; your voice would be the best." + +Mrs. Merrill bent low over her little girl and whispered, "Mary Jane! +Mary Jane! Mother's here!" + +No answer, but Mrs. Merrill thought she saw a quiver on the little +girl's face, so she tried again. + +"Mary Jane! Mary Jane! Mother's here!" she repeated. + +"I know," whispered the little girl; "you com'd to-day," and she opened +her big blue eyes and looked at her mother. + +Mrs. Merrill kissed her rapturously and held her close, and Mary Jane +raised her arm enough to pat her mother's shoulder. Then she looked +around the room in surprise. "Where's the moon?" she asked. + +"The moon?" said Mrs. Merrill, and the laugh she tried to give with her +answer sounded very near tears. "The moon went to sleep a long time +ago." + +"And where's the picnic?" continued Mary Jane wonderingly. + +"The picnic was over before you were hurt," said Mrs. Merrill. + +Mary Jane stared at her wide eyed for two or three long minutes. +"Don't talk to her," whispered Dr. Smith very softly; "let her think it +out herself." + +So Mrs. Merrill just held her little girl close and waited. + +"Oh, I know!" exclaimed Mary Jane as suddenly she remembered it all, +"it came around the corner so fast--something big did, and then I'm +here!" + +"And lucky you are to be here, young lady," said Dr. Smith, coming +around to where she could see him. "How do you feel?" + +"Hungry," said Mary Jane briefly. + +Dr. Smith and Mother laughed so that the others heard them downstairs +and came running to hear what the good news could be. + +"Is he going to stay for breakfast?" asked Mary Jane as she sat up in +bed and pointed to Dr. Smith. "It _is_ breakfast time, isn't it, +Grandmother?" + +"Bless the child!" exclaimed Grandmother from the doorway, "of course +it is! She shall have anything she wants!" + +They could hardly believe their eyes--those five who had seen the +accident, but it was true. Mary Jane had not been hurt a bit--not more +than a half-dozen scratches--only stunned by her fall. She got up in a +few minutes, and with her mother's help (and how good it did seem to +have her mother there _to_ help) they soon came downstairs to +breakfast. Grandmother was so happy and excited that if it hadn't been +for the help of Alice, who could always be counted on to be "steady" +when there was excitement a-foot, there's no telling what would have +happened to that breakfast. + +Alice got out the honey and set the extra place for Dr. Smith and cut +the melons and brought the eggs to her grandmother. And Grandmother +made some of her wonderful griddle cakes and they had a merry feast. + +"Aren't you glad that big thing hit me?" asked Mary Jane of Dr. Smith +as she passed up her plate for a third (or was it the fourth) helping +of cakes, "'cause if it hadn't, you wouldn't have had any of +Grandmother's griddle cakes this morning, you wouldn't." + +Dr. Smith had to admit that some good comes of everything and that he +certainly was glad to get those griddle cakes. "The whole trouble," he +added, "was because you didn't take _me_ to the picnic--of course +that's not a hint!" + +They all laughed at that and promised that he should go to the very +next picnic they had--the very next. + +How the days did fly after that. + +Mary Jane would never have supposed that ten days could go so swiftly. +They took long rides in the car; had several fine picnics--with Dr. +Smith along whenever he could go; went fishing in the river miles away +and spent a day on a farm where threshers were working--a wonderful day +the girls thought for it was all new to them. + +And finally it came time to pack the trunks and start for home. + +Mary Jane had hard work deciding what to put in, just as she had had +when she packed to come. She wanted to take all the burr houses and +green apple dolls they had made; and the ducks and a lot of corn and +apples for Doris. She finally agreed that she would leave out all the +other things if she could take _one_ house of burrs and _one_ green +apple doll just to show how they were made and then a nice box of red +cheeked eating apples to give to her little friend. + +It was decided to go home by the day trip. The journey was shorter +that way and Alice begged to go at a time when they might eat in the +diner. So they took the train at nine in the morning and would reach +home in time for dinner that night. + +Mary Jane found it very hard to say good-by to Grandmother and +Grandfather. She had learned to love them dearly and they had been so +good and kind and thoughtful to her she would never, as long as she +lived, forget the happy days she had spent with them. But, nice as it +was to go away to visit, it was nicer still to be going home. Home to +her own dolls and toys and friends and duties--everything that Mary +Jane loved--that is, most everything, for it was hard to leave the lamb +and the duck now grown so big and interesting and the baby mice--the +new baby mice that had come to the barn loft family. + +She waved good-by to her Grandmother and Grandfather as long as she +could see them--which wasn't very long for the train pulled away so +quickly from the little station where the Merrills got on; and then she +turned to her mother and said, "now let's talk about something quick." + +"Very well," said Mrs. Merrill, "I was just wanting to do that. Let's +talk about what you are going to do this winter." + +"Do this winter?" exclaimed Mary Jane in surprise, "I'm going to do +just like I always do. I'm going to play with my dolls and play with +Doris and sometimes with Junior and help you and everything like I do, +Mother." + +"Think so, dear?" asked Mrs. Merrill, "how old are you?" + +"I'm five," answered Mary Jane in surprise. + +"Five and a little more than a quarter," corrected Mrs. Merrill, "and +seems to me that's big enough to be going to kindergarten. What do you +think?" + +"Oh, is it, Mother?" exclaimed Mary Jane happily, "am I really big +enough?" + +"I'm afraid my little girl is growing up," said Mrs. Merrill with half +a sigh, "and that she ought to go to school. What do you think, +Father?" + +"I think she'll like it and that she ought to go," said Mr. Merrill +promptly; "suppose we start her the first of October?" + +So it was settled that Mary Jane was to go to kindergarten. They made +plans and talked till the porter came through the car and called, +"First call for luncheon! First call for luncheon! Diner in the rear +of the train!" And then they all went through the train to the diner +and Mary Jane ate her first meal on the train. + +And if you want to know about what Mary Jane did after she got home +from her summer trip; and about all the fun and good times she had +after she started to kindergarten, you must read-- + +MARY JANE IN KINDERGARTEN + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MARY JANE--HER VISIT*** + + +******* This file should be named 15954.txt or 15954.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/5/9/5/15954 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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