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diff --git a/17750.txt b/17750.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9f93716 --- /dev/null +++ b/17750.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1692 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Laugh and Play, by Various + +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 www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Laugh and Play + A Collection of Original stories + +Author: Various + +Illustrator: E. Stuart Hardy + +Release Date: February 11, 2006 [EBook #17750] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAUGH AND PLAY *** + + + + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + + Laugh and Play + + A Collection of Original Stories, + + + with Illustrations by + E. Stuart Hardy. + + + + London: New York: + Ernest Nister E.P. Dutton & Co + + _Printed in Bavaria._ + + + + + +[Illustration:] + +Laugh and Play. + + _Laugh_ and play all the day: + Don't you think with me + When I say that's the way + If you'd happy be? + + Maid and lad, if we had + Never time for song, + Always sad, never glad, + Days would seem so long! + + Tear and sigh make the sky + Dark and sad and grey; + Never cry--only try + Just to laugh and play. + + Faces bright make sunlight + All the merry day; + Frowns they fright out of sight-- + So we'll laugh and play. + + _C.B._ + +[Illustration: A HAPPY DAY.] + +[Illustration:] + + + + +Laugh and Play + +[Illustration:] + + +"Come and have a game at soldiers, Dulcie." + +"I can't, Harold; don't you see I'm busy?" + +"Busy writing rubbish! How you can be so silly as to waste your time +like that I can't think. It isn't as if you really _could_ write +poetry, and I call it downright conceited for a girl to pretend she +can. So, do leave off, there's a dear, and come and have a game. I +want to try my new cannon, and you shall have first shot if you will +come." + +But Dulcie was offended. A week ago she had written a verse about +Harold's dog, and father had said it was very good and had given her +sixpence for writing it. Since then she had spent most of her spare +time trying to write other verses, but this afternoon she was +beginning to get a little tired of being a poetess and to long for a +good game. + +When Harold suggested soldiers, she really wanted to play, for she was +almost as fond of boys' games as her brother was; but she thought it +sounded grand to pretend she was busy. Then when Harold called her +silly and conceited she grew angry and sulked. + +"Do come, Dulcie; don't be cross!" + +"Go away, you rude boy," replied Dulcie. + +Harold tried coaxing for a little while longer, and then he went away +and left his sister alone in the school-room. It was very lonely +there, and before five minutes had passed Dulcie heartily regretted +that she had refused Harold's offer. + +"But he _was_ horrid," she said, "and anyway _he_ is miserable too; he +can't bear playing alone." + +Harold, however, was anything but miserable, for, on peeping out of +the window, Dulcie saw him in the next-door garden helping the +children there to make a big snow-man. He was laughing and shouting, +and had evidently forgotten all about her. + +A lump seemed to have suddenly risen in her throat, and as she crept +back to the table two big tears fell splashing down upon the poem she +had been trying to write and blotted out some of the words; then down +went her head upon the paper, and in another moment she was sobbing +pitifully. + +It was almost dark when Harold came running up to the school-room, +and, bursting open the door, cried cheerily: "Such a lark, Dulcie; +just listen. Hullo," he added, "what's the matter?" + +In another moment his arm was round his sister's neck and she was +rubbing her tear-stained cheek against his cold rosy one. + +[Illustration:] + +"O, Harold," she sobbed, "I've been so miserable. I'm sorry I was so +disagreeable." + +"Never mind; is _that_ all you're crying about? Well, I was horrid +too: I teased you when you were writing, and I daresay your poetry +_is_ clever." + +"No, it isn't," said Dulcie; "it's as stupid as stupid can be, and +I'll never try to write a piece again," and with that she picked up +the offending paper and dropped it into the fire. + +Harold gave her a brotherly hug, for he really was glad Dulcie had +come to this decision, for he had found her new accomplishment a +little trying at times. + +"But I haven't told you my news yet," he said. "I've been playing with +the Grahams all the afternoon, and Mrs. Graham came out just now and +has invited us to go there to tea and have a good game afterwards, and +Tom told me there was to be a Christmas-tree. So come along and let's +tell nurse, for it's time to get ready." + +O, what a good time the children had that evening, and how they did +laugh and play! Dulcie was amongst the merriest there, and when she +and Harold went home that night, laden with toys from the +Christmas-tree, she said: "Wasn't I a silly girl to sit and cry and be +miserable this afternoon, when I might have been so happy?" + +_L. L. Weedon._ + + + + +The Elder Tree + +[Illustration:] + + +There was a fascinating little stream just at the other side of the +low wall that bounded the garden, and this stream had more attractions +for Sydney than anything else about the holiday home. + +It was not for its cool murmuring sound that Sydney liked it, nor for +its crystal clearness--though he must have felt the charm of all this +during those hot August days. He had found a beautiful place where he +could put a water-wheel, and he was as busy as he could be planning +and making one. He had his little box of tools with him, and it was +easy to get pieces of wood; and for the rest Sydney's cleverness in +"making things" was well known to his sisters and brother, and held in +great reverence by them. They never "meddled," and so were graciously +allowed to come and admire. + +"O, bother!" exclaimed Sydney, "here's this little plague! You can't +come here, Walter," he called out. "Go back to the garden and play +there." + +But little Walter had already climbed over the loose stones and was +running towards the stream. + +Sydney jumped up from the ground and went to meet him. + +"Did you hear, Walter?" said he; "go back and play. I don't want you +here." + +"O, _please_, Sydney," said a pleading voice, as a pair of childish +blue eyes were lifted up to the face of the elder boy, "I _do_ want to +see the water-mill! I won't touch it--I promise." + +"You won't get the chance," said Sydney roughly. "Just you go back +when you're told. You've got Madge and Johnny to play with." + +"But Madge doesn't make water-wheels, and I'm tired of her play, and +Johnny is indoors. Do let me watch you, Sydney!" + +But all Sydney's answer was to take the little boy by the shoulders +and march him back to the wall. He felt very angry. + +"Now, look here, Walter," he said, "in that elder-bush there lives a +ghost that comes out sometimes. I think you'd better keep away from +it, for you're the sort of chap that would be caught." + +[Illustration:] + +Sydney, seeing the sudden fear in the child's face as he turned his +eyes towards the elder-tree, thought he had hit on a very happy plan +for keeping Walter away. + +"I've given him a fright," said he, as he went back to where his +sisters were sitting by the edge of the stream. "I've told him there's +a ghost in that tree. He won't come past it in a hurry." + +Loo laughed, but Lena said: "He'll really believe it, Sydney. He's +such a nervous sort of a child." + +"I want him to believe it," said Sydney. "He's such an inquisitive +little chap that he'd have been coming down here to see my wheel when +I wasn't about. I don't know what mother asked him for. He's a perfect +nuisance." + +"Mother wants us to be kind to him," said Lena; "you know she said so. +Poor little thing! He hasn't got a mother, and he's always left with +servants now." + +"The best place for him," exclaimed Sydney. "Why should he bother us +and spoil our holiday?" + +"He's a stupid little thing," said Loo. + +Lena was silent. "He's not like other children," she said, after a +minute, "but how can he be? Mother says he has never had any jolly +times or any children to play with." + +"O, well," said Sydney carelessly, "he's got Madge and Johnny now, and +that ought to be enough." And then he forgot all about Walter in the +interest of fixing his wheel. + +Meanwhile Walter went slowly back again through the garden, his heart +full of bitter disappointment. He did so want to see that wheel! He +had been dreaming about it all night, for he had known that it was to +be fixed and tried the next day. He had been watching for an +opportunity ever since Sydney and his sisters had gone to the stream. +It came when nurse went indoors with Johnny, and Madge got sulky and +buried herself in a picture-book. That was the moment when he stole +away unobserved. If only he could have had one peep! He wouldn't have +touched it, not for the world; he only wanted to look at the wonderful +thing, and to see if he could perhaps make one some day. He would like +to try now, but he was not allowed to have a knife, and he did not +know where to get wood. Then when he went home there would be no +stream and no new sorts of play. + +Just then he heard Madge calling him. + +"Come here and play, Walter," she said. "I'll be a bear among the +trees and I'll run out and catch you." + +"I don't like that game, Madge," said he; "you roar so loud and then I +think it really is a bear." + +"You baby!" said she. "Well, Johnny and nurse will play and you can +run away." + +No, he could not do that. He would play too, and try to remember all +the time that it was only Madge roaring among the trees and not really +a bear. + +The next day it happened that there was a large picnic party, to which +all the elders were invited, including Sydney, Loo, and Lena. So the +three younger children, with nurse and Baby and the other servants, +had it all to themselves. It was rather a dull day, Walter thought. He +was thinking about the wheel and wondering if it was turning merrily +in the stream, or if Sydney had put it away. He would have given +worlds to go and see, but he never got the chance. When the children +went to the kitchen garden it was to walk round with nurse. + +[Illustration:] + +Johnny was bemoaning that strawberries were over, and Madge was +looking vainly for gooseberries on the trees that had long ago been +stripped. But Walter cast furtive glances at the thick elder-bush by +the wall, and shivered a little inside when he thought of what Sydney +had told him about it. + +Directly after that they went indoors to have supper and go to bed. As +they were undressing it was discovered that Madge had lost a coral +necklace she had on. It was a fancy of her mother's that Madge should +always wear this, as it was a present from a dead godmother, and the +question now was where it had been dropped. + +"She had it on at the gooseberry-bushes," said Walter, "for I saw it." + +Nurse was just then undressing Johnny. + +"You can run down the garden and look for it, Master Walter," said +she. "It gets dark so fast I shan't be able to see by the time I've +got you all in bed." + +Madge was already in her dressing-gown, and in spite of much entreaty +was not allowed to go. + +So away went Walter full of importance, for the moment quite +forgetting where he was going. But scarcely had he got outside the +door when he remembered the dreadful tree, and fear took possession of +him. + +How could he go? He would have to pass the elder-bush if he went all +round the path where they had walked with nurse. Dare he do it? + +[Illustration:] + +But if he went back the others would laugh at him and call him a baby. +He could not stand that. He was not a baby, but a boy who would one +day be a man and do great deeds. So he went on. Trying hard not to +think of the elder-bush, Walter went bravely along, looking for the +necklace. But still he could not help knowing that he was getting +nearer to the dreaded spot. O, if he could but see those pink beads he +would seize them and run! + +He saw them at last, when he had nearly reached the tree. With mingled +joy and fear he took a step forward and stopped to pick up the +necklace when suddenly there was a rustling sound among the +elder-branches and a hand reached out to part them, a hand belonging +to a white figure. That was all Walter knew. With a cry of terror he +rushed forward, not looking where he was going. Then he tripped and +fell, and lay quite still. He was still unconscious when, an hour +later, Sydney's mother bent over him anxiously. He had struck his head +on the stones bordering the path, and there was waiting till the +doctor came to know the extent of the injury. + +Nurse told how the little boy had gone to look for Madge's necklace, +and cook explained how she had been gathering elder-berries to make +wine and, hearing footsteps, had come out from the thick branches. +Just as she saw Master Walter he gave a scream and ran away as if +frightened. But what could have terrified him she could not think. + +[Illustration:] + +Sydney looked at his mother's distressed face and at the little figure +lying on the bed. _He_ knew what had made Walter afraid, and he did +not like afterwards to think of what he felt during the half-hour +before the doctor came. + +"But I never thought, mother," said he, "that he would be frightened +at _that_." + +His mother was too anxious to say much just then, and Sydney's +conscience spoke instead. "You did want to make him afraid," it said, +"knowing he was a small and timid boy." And Sydney knew that this was +the truth. + +Walter got better after a time, and his little heart was made glad by +the kindness of all around. Even Sydney came and worked beside him, +explaining all the improvements and extensions of the water-wheel. But +the little boy did not know all that was in Sydney's mind, for it +could not be spoken. But Sydney's unspoken thought was the stirring of +true manliness within him. It was the determination to remember that +those who were not so strong and big as himself needed all the more +his consideration and gentleness. And he did remember that all his +life. + +_E. Dawson._ + +[Illustration: FISHING.] + + + + +A Frolic. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + + I knew you had come for a frolic, Wind, + The minute I heard you rise + And watched you blow the grey little clouds + To the fire in the sunset skies. + + I saw you fly with a leap and a bound + To give the trees a fright. + What fun when they shivered, and tossed, and shook, + And the aspen leaves turned white! + + O, how I wish I were you, wild Wind! + _Then_ I'd have fun enough, + For nobody ever forbids _your_ games + Or says they are rude and rough! + + I'd whirl the clouds to the end of the skies, + And the ships as fast and far; + And I'd set the whole big world in a dance + And blow out every star! + + I'd rock the houses and toss the trees. + How frightened the folks would be! + But the children and birds would know quite well + There was nothing to fear from me. + + There would be no punishment-time to dread + At the end of this delight; + For they'd only say when the morning came: + "What a gale we had last night!" + +_E. Dawson._ + + + + +Cousin Charlie's Visit. + +[Illustration:] + + +"I have a surprise for you, dears," said mother, coming into the +nursery one morning, followed by a bright-looking boy about ten years +of age. "Here is your Cousin Charlie come to spend the day with you." + +Dolly and May were delighted, and Mother said they might stay out all +the morning. For the first hour they were very happy--there were so +many new things to show Charlie; but he was one of those restless boys +who get tired of everything very quickly. + +"What shall we do next?" he kept saying. They tried hunting for eggs +in the barn, but he soon called that "slow." + +"Let's go and pick blackberries in the upper field," said little May. + +So they started off and had only picked a very little while when +Charlie suddenly asked: "Whose orchard is that just across the next +field?" + +"It's Farmer Giles's," said Dolly. + +"Let's climb over and get some apples," was his next idea. + +Dolly and May opened their eyes very wide. "That would be stealing," +they cried, both together. + +"Nonsense," said Charlie. "That's just like girls--always afraid to do +anything. I mean to get a pocketful, so you can wait till I come +back." + +They waited and waited such a long time, but he never came, so they +went slowly home. It was nearly tea-time when nurse came and said: +"Farmer Giles has brought Cousin Charlie back." And a very +miserable-looking boy he was. + +When he had filled his pockets and meant to come down, he saw Rover, +the savage farm dog, waiting for him below; so he had to stay in the +tree, and might have had to remain all night, only the farmer happened +to ride by and heard the dog barking. + +Dolly and May were very sorry for him, and their mother did not scold +him as she meant to do, because, she said, "the fright had been +punishment enough." + +_F. Clifton Bingham._ + +[Illustration: THE PICNIC PARTY.] + + + + +Dan's Picnic. + + +It was one of Dan's birthdays. He had had a party on the 1st of every +month since the time that he was born, which happened to be New Year's +Day. And if you asked Reggie and Flo they would tell you that Dan +quite looked forward to his monthly parties, and, what is more, +enjoyed them. You see, a whole year is a very long time. Boys and +girls may grow to be old men and women and have lots of birthdays; but +a doggie's life is comparatively short, so the more festivals they can +squeeze into it the better. + +Now, on this particular September 1st of which I am going to tell you, +it was arranged that the milkman was to take Reggie and Flo and Dan +home with him in his cart directly he had delivered the morning's +milk, and bring them back again at tea-time. This he did: and how +Reggie and Flo did enjoy themselves, to be sure! + +[Illustration:] + +The milkman had two little friends staying with him, named Reuben and +Jane. Reuben led the way into the woods carrying a kettle and a box of +tea-things; while Reggie and Jane and little Flo followed with buns +and tarts. Dan was useful too, for he helped to gather sticks with +which to boil the kettle. He played hide-and-seek with the children, +saw a real live rabbit for the first time in his life, and thought it +was a new kind of cat; so in one way he had a very good time, but I am +very sorry to tell you that the children quite forgot that Dan could +not drink tea or eat jam tarts, and, as for buns, they knew he hated +them. So poor Dan got nothing to eat at his own party. And when +good-bye was said, and when the kind milkman dropped the three down on +the steps--just like the milk-cans--Dan raised a feeble little +"bow-wow" to Reggie's mother, and said as plainly as a little doggie +could: "O, missis, missis! It's been _my_ party and I've had nuffin' +to eat. All I got was an empty nut-shell--'bow-wow'--which somebody +called a squirrel--'bow-wow'--dropped into my mouth--'bow-wow'--while +I was looking up a tree--'bow-wow-wow'!" + +Reggie's mother must have understood, for she gave Dan a good supper, +and he slept right soundly till morning. + +_Mary Boyle._ + + + + +Bringing home the holly. + +[Illustration:] + + With hearts as light as snow-flakes fall, + With cheeks like sunset glow, + And ringing shouts of joy and fun, + Away the children go. + + Away! to where the holly-tree, + With berries gleaming bright, + Stands like a shivering giant in + Its glistening cloak of white. + + There's Roy, to take the sledge in hand + And pilot through the snow. + "The girls don't understand," he says. + (Just like a boy, you know!) + + Then back they bring the loaded sledge, + With fingers pricked and sore. + But what care they? They'll go again + To-morrow for some more. + + For children love the Christmas-time, + When everything is jolly; + And all must help to deck the house + In mistletoe and holly! + + And then comes good St. Nicholas, + With loads of books and toys. + Yes, Christmas is the _dearest_ time + For happy girls and boys. + +_Ellyn Hall._ + +[Illustration: BRINGING HOME THE HOLLY.] + + + + +THE DANDELION CHILDREN + +[Illustration:] + + +"What little darlings we are!" said the children one day. + +They were all sitting fluffed up into one little downy ball on the top +of a long stem. + +"It is very nearly time for us to go into the world," said they. "O, +how wide and how sunny it is, and what fun it will be! Our wings are +all ready to fly, and we are so light and happy! Then the whole world +will be ours, and we can choose our own place in which to take root +and grow. + +"I will grow in a lovely garden," said one. + +"I mean to be seen, wherever I am," another declared. + +"Well, there's plenty of time before us to choose," remarked a third. + +But the mother dandelion shook her leaves and said: "Children, don't +boast. Others don't always think as much of us as we do of ourselves!" + +"O, but they must," said the little ones; "we are darlings!" + +"Very well," said the wind. "Now you may go--puff!" And away flew some +of the seeds, just as they do when you blow the dandelion "clocks." + +"Puff! puff!" away went the others--all but one. + +"Let me stay here, wind," she begged. "If I can grow as large and as +beautiful as my mother I shall be content." So the wind just loosened +her gently, and down she dropped close to her mother's side. + +"You are a wise child," said the field-mouse. "Under this hedge you +will grow in peace. Neither scythe nor spade ever comes here. But you +won't be seen, and you won't see the world like your brothers and +sisters." + +Meantime the others went dancing about in fine style. One of them, +high up in the blue air, looked at the little white clouds and fancied +himself seen by just as many eyes as they were. "Why, this is even +better than I thought," said he. "I never fancied I should sail about +the sky!" + +After some long sunny days of travel he saw below him a beautiful +garden all shut in with walls, in which roses and fruit-trees grew. + +[Illustration:] + +"This is the place for me!" he said, and down he went, and perched on +the edge of the great drive in front of all the flower-beds and just +before the windows of the house. "Nothing could suit me better!" said +he. "I shall have plenty of good company, and I have found a very good +place to make my home!" So he folded up his downy wings and quickly +fell asleep. + +Another of the winged children went skipping over the fields, stopping +now and then to play with some flower, or just to bask in the sun. +After a time she came to a sunny bank of grass on the side of the +high-road. + +"This is the place for me," she said. "Here I will live and grow, so +that all who pass along this road will be certain to think how +beautiful I am!" + +And so she settled down among the grass, quite happy. + +And a third said to herself: "It is good to be of some use in the +world!" So when one day the breeze took her to the town, she stopped +in a flower-pot full of earth that stood upon the dingy window-sill of +a poor little house. "I shall be valued here," she said, "and the poor +folks will think a lot of me for growing in such a place. After all, +it's a fine thing to make people happy." + +So she cuddled down in the flower-pot and went to sleep. + +And all the other dandelion-children who had sat on the stem that day +went dancing about, not knowing what they wanted. They played in the +fields and never thought of anything else till one day the rain came +and wet their wings and beat them down among the meadows just where +they happened to be. But it was very comfortable in the deep grass, +and so they just went to sleep too. + +When they woke again, they all had roots and little leaves, and deep +in their hearts the buds of flowers. For they had grown up now, and +they were plants. At first they were all very small, but the sunshine +gradually made them bigger and bigger and drew out the flowers folded +in their hearts. + +Then the one who had chosen the beautiful garden for his home proudly +opened his first yellow flower and looked round to see what the other +flowers thought of that. + +But alas! he did not know how soon his pride was to have a fall. For +the gardener came that way and stopped before him. "Drat these weeds!" +said he. "How came this here?'" Then, whipping out his knife, he +stooped down, rooted up the poor dandelion, and threw it among a heap +of weeds which were waiting to be wheeled away! + +The one who had chosen the roadside bank fared no better, for scarcely +had she opened her yellow flowers for everyone to see when a donkey +came along. "Here's a juicy mouthful!" said he, and he stopped and ate +her up--flowers, leaves, and all! + +The flower-pot on the window-sill which the third dandelion-child had +made her home was taken inside one day, just when her flowers were +ready to open. + +[Illustration:] + +"I must throw away this nasty weed," said a voice, "before I plant my +seeds." Then some little round, black, ugly seeds were laid down +carefully, while the dandelion was rooted up and flung away into a +back yard down below. + +This is a sad story, you see, but it is perfectly true. + +The others who had skipped about the meadows grew among long grass +now, which nearly choked them, and completely hid them from the sun. +And when June came and the hay was cut, they too were cut and crushed +before they had had any flowers at all. + +But away in a corner, by a hedge--hidden from all eyes and sheltered +from cold winds--the dandelion-child who had not wanted to go into the +world grew stronger and more beautiful every day. She knew nothing +about fine gardens or admiring eyes--and she cared nothing. All she +knew was that the sun looked down on her with all his brightness, and +that the great blue sky into which she was always gazing was wide +enough and fair enough for her. + +E.D. + + + + +Conceit Bowled Out! + +[Illustration:] + + He was a clever cricketer, + And very proud of that; + Conceitedly one afternoon + He took his cricket bat. + But when he at the wicket saw + His sister with her curls, + He turned his nose up so, and said: + "I never play with girls! + + "They're molly-coddles all," he cried; + "They always spoil a match; + They cannot field or bowl a bit-- + They cannot even catch! + However, just this once I'll play!" + O, pride had such a fall: + You should have heard them shout--a girl + Had bowled him out first ball! + +C.B. + + + + +Laugh at It! + + When you hear the merry rain + Patter at the window-pane, + Think 'twill soon be fine again; + So laugh at it! + + If you chance to tumble down, + Though you bump your little crown, + Never cry or pout or frown, + Just laugh at it! + + When the sum is hard to do, + Rub it out and try anew; + When you get the answer true + You'll laugh at it! + +C.B. + +[Illustration:] + + + + +The Dancing Academy + + + This is the way, on a rainy day, + We teach our dolls to dance-- + The doll in blue, and the Scotchman true, + And Lady Belle from France. + It's heel and toe and it's to and fro, + They all can do it well; + But the best of all our pupils small + Is darling Lady Belle! + + They're very good, but they're only wood, + So they have to be shown + The step to take and the bow to make-- + They cannot dance alone! + Quadrille, gavotte, and I don't know what, + They soon will clever be! + So, dolls who sigh to be dancers, try + Our Dolls' Academy! + +C.B. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration: A JOLLY RIDE.] + + + + +A Visit to the Dale Farm + +[Illustration:] + + +When Dorothy's and Oliver's father and mother had arranged to go +abroad for six weeks, the question arose: "What shall we do with the +children?" They had many aunts and uncles who would willingly take +care of them, but their mother wanted them to be in the country; so, +in the end, it was decided to send them with their nurse to stay at a +farm, the mistress of which had once been a nurse to their mother, and +who was sure to take good care of them. + +There was a great deal of excitement and bustle, but at last all was +ready, and the day came for them to say good-bye for a short time to +their home. Their ponies had already been sent on, and the terrier +Patch was to go with them. + +Their mother was going with them, and their father saw them off at the +station. + +When they arrived at the Dale Farm there was a warm welcome for them. +Their mother and her old nurse had a lot to talk about, and then they +went into the quaint farm-parlour for tea, and how they all enjoyed +the honey and cream and hot scones! + +After tea they had to say good-bye to their mother, for she had to be +driven back to the station. + +The following morning the children were wakened by the crowing of the +cocks and the cackling of the hens and other noises unfamiliar to +them. After breakfast, they went on a tour of inspection round the +farm places. They also went to greet their ponies, who seemed quite +rejoiced to hear their voices in this strange land. Then they went to +see Mrs. Farmer feed her poultry; and what a noise there was among the +turkeys, and geese, and ducks, and hens!--all so hungry for breakfast, +and all pushing round without the slightest regard for good manners. +After them there were the calves to feed. Six long-legged shaky little +things--they wondered they could ever grow into anything to be afraid +of. Before they had half finished looking round nurse called them to +get ready for their ride. + +Everything was different from what it was at home, for they were to +take their rides without a groom, and across the common, a big place +covered with short crisp grass, with occasional clumps of rushes and +thistles; and here they could canter, or gallop, or race without fear +of harm. + +People and animals seemed to do as they liked on the common. Donkeys +browsed sleepily, and when the children came near lifted their heads +as if to say: "Who are these strangers? They're not donkeys, so what +do they want on our ground?" + +Then there were a lot of geese there. Patch thought he would have a +bit of fun with the geese one day, so he set off to chase them. There +was a great fluster and spreading of wings, and they waddled off a few +yards; then they turned suddenly and faced him, stretching out their +long necks and hissing, at which Patch turned tail and troubled them +no more. + +The village children on their way to and from school would linger on +the common to chase butterflies or run races. Then the boys found it a +capital place for playing at soldiers and leap-frog, and other things. + +As it was June the farm people were busy in the hay, so of course +Dorothy and Oliver helped. They raked and tossed and gathered it into +heaps, and then they grew dreadfully hungry, so they sat under the +hedge and ate _bread and cheese_, which they found was quite the +correct lunch for haymakers. Patch sat with them and was having his +share, when he suddenly began sniffing and snorting and scratching +round a haycock. They thought there must be a rat about, but when they +moved the hay they found a poor little creature with a brown plush +coat and _no eyes_! Nurse told them it was a mole, so they put it in a +box lined with cotton-wool and gave it lettuce to eat, but it only +lived four days. I don't think it would like the most luxurious nest +as well as a little hole in the ground. + +It would take a long time to tell you about all the children saw and +did during their visit to the Dale Farm: how they rode on the hay, +then came jogging back in the empty cart for more; how they drove with +the farmer in his spring-cart, which was not so very springy; how they +learned to milk, and quite got over their fear of cows. Altogether +they had such a delightful time that they hope they may go again next +year. + +When the letter came to say the ship had arrived bringing back their +father and mother they were of course delighted, but they were quite +sorry to have to say good-bye to all their farm friends, animals as +well as people. + +So the children went back to their city home, and when their father +and mother heard all their accounts of the good time they had had, and +saw their tanned and rosy cheeks, they said: "O, you must go again +next year." + +_Ellyn Hall._ + +[Illustration: A GOOD KICK.] + + + + +The Worst Pupil + + + When Betty kept a school one day, + Her sister was so good; + The dollies every one behaved + As well-taught dollies should; + + But Tom was such a noisy boy + She had to get the cane; + The very sight gave him a fright + And made him good again! + +C.B. + +[Illustration:] + + + + +The Tea Party + + + Little Miss Betty has had a tea-party, + Everyone came with an appetite hearty; + Animals, dollies, and toys were invited; + Bobby was good and our Baby delighted. + Of cake, bread-and-butter, and milk they had plenty-- + The cups were so tiny that Bobby drank twenty; + And when it was over they ran and asked mother + If they might to-morrow have just such another!--C.B. + +[Illustration:] + + + + +A Scratch Team. + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + + +"That's a wide!" said Tom, as the ball went rolling by about a yard +from the stump. "Throw it up, Maggie. Now, Hugh, try again!" + +It was a very young and inexperienced team that Tom Gardner was +instructing. Tom was staying with his Aunt Gertrude, and had been +complaining to her that he had no one whom he could play cricket with. + +"Why don't you play with the children?" asked his aunt at last. + +"Play with the kids?" gasped Tom. "Why, auntie, they are all girls +except Hugh, and he not even in knickerbockers! And they don't know +how!" + +"Well, can't you teach them?" his aunt asked. Tom looked at her with +some surprise. He was very fond of her and would do much to please +her, but this seemed rather unreasonable. + +"I--I have only a bat," he murmured? "there aren't any stumps!" + +"O, I'll soon make you some stumps," said the lady briskly. "Come out +into the garden and I'll soon get them." + +She was as good as her word. In a few minutes she had found three +sticks, pointed the ends with her pocket-knife, and driven them in +with the gardener's mallet on the lower lawn. A flower-pot was placed +on the centre stick. Then she produced a ball from her pocket. + +"Now," she said, "you have everything you will want, and I leave you +to teach your scratch team." + +Tom laughed. The phrase "your scratch team" pleased him. His aunt's +energy had infected him, and he began to marshal his forces. + +"Now, look here, girls," he said; "Maggie, you're wicket-keeper, and +Fan and Kitty must field, and Hugh shall bowl." + +But Hugh proved such an indifferent bowler that even the girls began +to clamour. + +"Let me twy, Cousin Tom," cried Maggie; "I can frow better than Hugh!" + +"You frow!" laughed Tom; "why, you can't speak properly yet!" + +"Let me twy," said Maggie; "I don't bowl with my tongue!" + +[Illustration: A SCRATCH TEAM.] + +[Illustration:] + +So Maggie tried, and the game began to get exciting. + +Maggie couldn't say her "r's," but she could certainly throw a ball +very straight, and Tom had to play his best. + +He began to hit the ball about the lawn, so that the little fielders +grew hot and out of breath. At last one vigorous toss absolutely hit +the wicket and sent the stumps and the flower-pot sprawling. + +"I have knocked him out," cried Maggie, jumping about in her glee. "I +am going to bat the ball now!" + +But at that moment a voice was heard calling: "Come in to tea, +children!" + +"It can't be tea-time yet, surely!" said Tom, quite astonished at the +quick flight of time. + +So the scratch team had not played so badly after all, and during +Tom's stay with his aunt they had many a game together and always +thoroughly enjoyed it. + +_M.A. Hoyer._ + + + + +Roddy's Victory + +[Illustration:] + +[Illustration:] + + +It was Saturday--a summer Saturday; the sun shone down upon the meads +and pastures round Clover Farm so radiantly that every face felt bound +to smile brightly in return. Every face but one, and that belonged to +Roddy Lester, the eldest of the farmer's four. + +"What ails my boy this fine sunshiny morning?" called out mother from +the cool, sweet dimness of the dairy, where she was at work. + +Roddy did not answer. He was standing in the ivy-encircled doorway of +the dairy, his hands deep in his pockets, his feet shuffling to and +fro, and on his face a dark, angry cloud. + +"Come, Roddy, tell mother the trouble. Is it anything to do with +school? Is there a punishment preparation to be done this morning?" + +"No; there isn't!" Roddy roused himself at such a suspicion. "Why, +mother, I told you I was moved up yesterday; don't you remember? But +I'll come inside and tell you all about it." + +"No! Tell me from outside all about it." + +"Well, then, mother, I don't _want_ to take the children to the meads. +I want to amuse myself. And it's not fair. Saturday's a holiday, and +it's my right to have it!" sullenly said Roddy. + +"Your right! Perhaps so, dear! But sometimes it is our privilege to +yield our rights!" quietly said mother, taking her eyes for a second +off the yellowing cream to glance at the boy's gloomy face. "Who told +you to take the children to the meads--father?" she asked. + +"Yes, it was. He said I was to take them to the cowslip meads, and not +to stir from there until he came back from market." + +"And what is it you want to do instead?" + +"I want to go with my net down to Butterfly Corner. There will be +heaps of butterflies out this sunny day. And the other boys at school +are all collecting: they have more than I have, all of them. I have +only a tortoiseshell and a brimstone. O, it's a regular shame of +father!" + +"Hush, dear, hush! Nothing that your kind, good father says or does +can be called a shame. But I believe I can guess why he gave those +orders. He knew that this is an over-busy day for me, and also that I +have one of my bad headaches." Certainly mother's face gleamed out +white from the dairy shadows. "And as this is market-day at Hamley +Town he and old Michael would be away until dinner-time. So, you see, +sonny, he has left _you_ in charge. You are in father's place this +morning to guard the farm and us all, particularly the tinies. Don't +you see what an honour it is to be trusted thus?" + +Something stirred in Roddy's heart at his mother's words. The best +part of him suddenly came uppermost. He walked quietly away, followed +by Fuzzy sniffing at his heels. And, somehow, the boy felt an inch +taller as he looked round the farm. After all, what were the +butterflies compared with the tinies left in his charge? "Hip, hip, +hooray!" Roddy straightened himself and cheered. He had won a +victory--over himself. + +[Illustration:] + +"Hi, Nettie! Hi, Dumps! Come along! And where's Baby? We're going to +the meads, and I'll make you a fine cowslip ball to shoot the rooks +with!" he shouted, and Fuzzy barked madly round as the tinies flocked +out. + +When they got there, what with the sun and the wind, the making of the +huge cowslip ball and the little ones' joy over it, Roddy's face +cleared up and was as sunshiny as the weather itself. There's nothing +like giving up your own will for making the heart sing. + +By-and-by, when dinner-time came, so did father. As the dog-cart drove +along the high-road, Roddy and Nettie puzzled over its appearance. + +"It's got a new wheel at the back, Roddy!" + +But Roddy's eyes widened into a fixed stare, and his face grew very +red. + +"Well, boy, here you are at your post. Now I'll tell you why I wanted +you to stay at home this morning. It was for this surprise. Look, my +lad! For weeks back I've been in treaty for this bicycle for you. +To-day I was able to close with the bargain, and it's yours!" + +For a few seconds Roddy could not see: his eyes were dimmed. The good, +kind father had been planning out his boy's pleasure! "O, father!" he +gasped; then, "O, mother!" + +"Such a beauty!" delightedly said mother. + +"It's a good one; I don't know the name," father was beginning. + +"I do!" put in mother. "It is the 'Victory'--Roddy's Victory!" + +_M.B. Manwell._ + + + + +Was It a Dream? + +[Illustration:] + + +Rita grew quite tired of gathering wildflowers while her brother Frank +sat by the water busy with his fishing-rod. + +"He _must_ be tired of it by this time! He has been fishing for two +hours!" she said, and, swinging her bunch of flowers, she walked to +where her brother was sitting. + +"_Do_ leave off fishing for a while, Frank!" she pleaded, leaning +against the tree beside him. "There is such a funny-looking animal +running about over there in the grass. Come and look!" + +Frank laughed. + +"I know your funny-looking animals, Rita!" he said. + +"Aren't you really tired of sitting quite still?" went on Rita +wonderingly. + +"I don't think about it," answered her brother. "I want to catch the +fish, and to do that I must sit still." + +Rita knew she must be contented to wait, so she walked a little way +from him and threw herself down upon the bank. + +As she lay looking into the water she suddenly felt herself grow very +sleepy. A little while after, the water began to get so clear that she +could see right through it. It grew more and more so until it became +just like glass. Rita could see the very bottom of the pond and the +fish swimming quickly backwards and forwards. + +Then she heard some very funny little voices coming up from the water. +This made her look closer, and she soon discovered a small group of +fishes who seemed to be speaking very eagerly together. She saw they +were gathered round Frank's line, on the end of which hung a tempting +piece of bait. + +"I tell you, my son," Rita heard the largest fish say to one of the +smaller ones, "that is a trap. I have seen hundreds of poor fishes try +to swallow that worm, and they have been pulled up out of the water +and I have never seen them any more!" + +"But, mother!" cried the smaller fish, "if I only had just one bite! +Look what a beauty it is! I am sure there can be nothing to harm me!" + +"Inside that worm," continued, the big fish, "there is a hook which +will catch into your gills, and you will not be able to get away. Then +the man at the top will pull you up and up, and you will be killed and +eaten by him!" + +Still the little fish looked longingly at the bait. Rita wanted to +call out and tell him what his mother said was quite true; but somehow +her voice refused to come. + +The other fishes who were gathered round listening did not say +anything, but Rita saw that some of the smaller ones looked at the +worm just as longingly as the little one who had spoken. + +For a few minutes there was silence in the water; then all at once, at +a moment when it thought its mother was looking the other way, the +little fish made a dart forward and tried to swallow the bait. The +next moment it was wriggling about in a most pitiable manner and +giving faint little cries for help. Its mother swam towards it in +great distress. + +"Come and help!" she called, in a trembling voice. + +All the other fishes surrounded the line, and some caught hold of the +little fish's tail and held on. + +Just as Rita was getting very excited indeed she gave a great start +and jumped up from the bank. + +"What was that?" she exclaimed aloud. + +"Why, I've got a splendid catch. It must be a monster! The line is so +heavy I can hardly pull it in!" + +It was Frank's voice. Rita suddenly remembered where she was and that +she must have fallen asleep. She walked slowly to Frank, thinking +about her strange dream. + +She had only stood by him a minute when--splash!--out flew the line +from the water and over went Frank on his back. + +It was so funny that Rita could not help laughing heartily--especially +as Frank was not at all hurt. + +"It's all very well for you to laugh!" he said, when he had got up +again; "but that was the best catch I've ever had, and the wretched +fish must have got off the hook!" + +Rita grew very thoughtful. Could her dream have been true? It really +did seem strange. Anyway, although she felt sorry for Frank, she could +not help feeling very pleased that the poor little fish had got free! + +_Edith Robarts._ + + + + +Merry Folk. + +[Illustration:] + + + Merry folk tiny, merry folk tall, + Happy as can be, here they are all, + Spending the holidays 'midst the flowers, + Laughing away the joyous hours! + + Merry folk sunny, merry folk sweet, + Pleasant to look at, happy to meet, + Nothing but smiling, never a sigh, + They are so glad to be here, that's why! + + Merry girls dancing under the trees, + With their curls floating out on the breeze, + Merry boys playing all the day through, + Here you will find them waiting for you. + +[Illustration:] + + Why are they merry? I'll tell you why: + They know you will see them by-and-by; + They know that you all are going to look + At them in this merry picture-book. + +[Illustration: TOBOGGANING.] + + + + +Auntie's Tea-Tray. + +[Illustration:] + + +"Auntie dear, will you buy Molly and me a toboggan? There's such a +lovely slide on Heath Hill, and Toddy Graham and the Earles have +toboggans, and we want one too." + +Auntie looked up from her sewing and shook her head. "No, my dears, I +can't. Run out and play with your hoops instead," she said, and then +she went on with her work. + +Charlie _was_ angry. "I'm ever so much bigger than Toddy Graham," he +said indignantly, "and his mother lets him have a toboggan. It's a +shame! But never mind, Molly; we'll go all the same. I've got an idea. +You go to the hill and I'll come presently." + +Molly trotted away, and in a minute or two Charlie came running +towards her, carrying his auntie's best tea-tray. "I had an awful +bother to get it," he said. "Jane saw me with the old one and took it +away; but I remembered this one was upstairs in auntie's room, so I +fetched it without anyone seeing me." + +"But what's the good of a tea-tray?" asked Molly. + +"Toboggan, you silly; come along," Charlie answered shortly; and in +another minute the two children were spinning away down the hill. + +The first journey was most successful, but on the second. Charlie +forgot that a tea-tray requires careful management and good steering, +and half-way down the hill he came into collision with Toddy Graham. + +Over went the tray, smash came Toddy's toboggan right on the top of +it, and all three' children were shot out into the snow. Toddy and +Charlie picked themselves up, but Molly lay without moving. + +"She's dead, Toddy Graham. O, what shall I do?" wailed poor frightened +Charlie. + +"You'd better fetch your aunt," suggested practical Toddy; and Charlie +rushed off as fast as his fat legs could carry him. + +When auntie arrived upon the scene, she found her small niece sitting +up, howling vigorously, and rubbing a very big bump on her forehead. +There was no great harm done--at least, as far as the children were +concerned, but the best tea-tray was battered and scratched beyond +recognition. + +"Really, auntie did behave like a brick," said Charlie, and when they +opened their money-boxes and, putting all their pennies and sixpences +together, bought her a new tea-tray, she declared it was ever so much +better than the one they had spoilt. + +And what do you think happened when Christmas Day came? Why, auntie +gave them the jolliest toboggan you ever saw, and the children found +out that she had meant to do so all along, and that was why she had +refused to give them one when they first asked for it. Wasn't she a +nice aunt? + +_L.L. Weedon._ + +[Illustration:] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Laugh and Play, by Various + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LAUGH AND PLAY *** + +***** This file should be named 17750.txt or 17750.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/1/7/7/5/17750/ + +Produced by Mark C. Orton, Sankar Viswanathan, and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +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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