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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30007 ***
+
+A DEAR LITTLE GIRL'S THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
+
+
+
+
+    The "Dear Little Girl" Series
+
+    A Dear Little Girl
+    A Dear Little Girl at School
+    A Dear Little Girl's Summer Holidays
+    A Dear Little Girl's Thanksgiving Holidays
+
+
+
+
+    A DEAR LITTLE GIRL'S
+    THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
+
+    _Amy E. Blanchard_
+
+    [Illustration]
+
+    WHITMAN PUBLISHING CO.
+    Racine, Wisconsin
+
+
+    Copyright 1912 by George W. Jacobs & Co.
+
+    Printed in 1924 by
+    Western Printing & Lithographing Co.
+    Racine, Wis.
+
+    Printed in U. S. A.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+    CHAPTER                      PAGE
+
+         I  THE INVITATION          9
+
+        II  RELIANCE               30
+
+       III  WHERE'S THE KEY?       50
+
+        IV  A HEARTY DINNER        71
+
+         V  THE RED BOOK           93
+
+        VI THE OLD HOUSE          113
+
+       VII  THE MILL STREAM       134
+
+      VIII  JETTY'S PARTY         154
+
+        IX  THE ELDERFLOWERS      174
+
+         X  WHAT BEN DID          196
+
+        XI  FAREWELLS             215
+
+       XII  HOW ARE YOU?          234
+
+
+
+
+A DEAR LITTLE GIRL'S THANKSGIVING HOLIDAYS
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+THE INVITATION
+
+
+"Any news, mother?" asked Edna one Friday afternoon when she came home
+from school.
+
+"There's a letter from grandma," replied Mrs. Conway after kissing the
+lips held up to hers. "There isn't any real news in it, but there is an
+invitation."
+
+"What kind of an invitation?"
+
+"A Thanksgiving kind."
+
+"Oh, mother, what do you mean?"
+
+"I mean that grandma wants us all to spend an old-fashioned Thanksgiving
+with her; the kind she used to have when she was young. She says she
+and grandpa are both getting old and they may not be able to have the
+whole family there together again."
+
+"And are we going?"
+
+"Yes, I think so."
+
+"The whole family?"
+
+"I think perhaps you and I will go on a day or two ahead and let the
+others follow. Celia and the boys can come with your father, who
+probably could not get off till Wednesday afternoon. Grandma asks that I
+bring my baby with me."
+
+"And that means me," returned Edna, hugging herself. "How long shall we
+stay, mother?"
+
+"That depends upon several things which will have to be learned later,
+so I can't tell just yet."
+
+Edna danced off to hunt up her brothers that she might tell them the
+news. She found them in their little workshop over the stable. Charlie
+was making a new box to put in his pigeon house and Frank was watching
+him. They had not seen their little sister since Monday for she and her
+sister Celia went to school in the city, remaining until the Friday
+afternoon of each week.
+
+"Hello!" cried Charlie, looking up. "When did you come?"
+
+"Oh, we've just come, only a few minutes ago, and what do you think is
+the news?"
+
+"The Dutch have taken Holland," returned Charlie, hammering away at his
+box. "Just hand me that box of nails, Frank, won't you?"
+
+"That's a silly answer," said Edna with contempt.
+
+"Well, if it's news, how did you expect me to know it?"
+
+"I didn't expect you to know it, only to guess."
+
+"Well, I guessed," replied Charlie teasingly. "I suppose it's a foolish
+sort of thing; Uncle Justus has grown another hair in his eyebrows or
+your friend Dorothy has a new hat."
+
+"It's nothing so unimportant," Edna continued; "for it concerns you
+boys, too, but if you don't want to know I'll go up to Dorothy's; she'll
+be interested even if she isn't going."
+
+"Going? Where?" cried both boys.
+
+"That's for me to know and for you to find out," retorted Edna,
+beginning to scramble down the ladder. Both boys darted after; Charlie
+swung himself down ahead of her to the floor below and was ready to grab
+her before she reached the last rung. Then there was much laughing,
+scrambling, tickling and protesting till at last Edna was compelled to
+give up her secret, ending triumphantly with: "And I'm going first with
+mother."
+
+"Who said so?" questioned Charlie.
+
+"Mother did. We are to go two or three days ahead of anyone else."
+
+"Oh, well, I don't care," returned Charlie. "There wouldn't be any boys
+for me to play with anyhow."
+
+"How many are coming for Thanksgiving?" asked Frank.
+
+"I don't know exactly," Edna answered, "but I suppose all the aunts and
+cousins and uncles that can get there. Aunt Lucia and Uncle Bert and of
+course Aunt Alice and her boys, Ben and his brother. Ben will have to
+go, and I'm awfully glad; he's my favoritest cousin."
+
+"How about Louis?"
+
+"He is not any relation to grandma and grandpa Willis, is he?"
+
+"I don't know; I never could get relations straight. I hope he isn't any
+kin to them and I am sorry he is to us, for he is a pill. You know he
+is, no matter what you say. Just look how he acted last summer. You
+needn't try to excuse him, for Dorothy told me all about it."
+
+Edna could not deny facts, for it was quite true that her cousin Louis
+was not above blame in sundry instances, so she changed the subject by
+saying, "I think I'll go over to Dorothy's anyhow."
+
+The boys did not try to detain her and she ran out along the road and up
+to the old-fashioned house where her friend Dorothy Evans lived. Dorothy
+was playing with her kitten out on the side porch. She had dressed the
+little creature in long clothes and was walking up and down singing to
+it as it lay contentedly in her arms, it's two gray paws sticking out
+from the sleeves of a little red sacque belonging to one of Dorothy's
+dolls.
+
+"Doesn't Tiddlywinks look funny?" said Dorothy by way of greeting. "And
+isn't he good? I believe he likes to be dressed up, for he lies as
+still as anything. Of course, if he fussed and meowed, I would take off
+the things and let him go."
+
+Edna touched the soft silvery paws gently. "I believe he does like it,"
+she returned. "See, he shuts his eyes exactly as if he felt nice and
+cozy. Oh, Dorothy, guess what! We are all going to grandpa Willis's next
+week. We are all going for Thanksgiving, only mother and I are going
+first. Isn't that lovely?"
+
+"Lovely for you, I suppose," replied Dorothy dejectedly, "but I shall
+miss you dreadfully."
+
+"Oh, no, you won't, when you have Margaret and Nettie so near. Besides I
+shall not be gone long, not more than a week."
+
+"Are there any girls there?" asked Dorothy, a little jealously.
+
+"Not like us. There is a little girl, mother says, that grandma has
+taken in to help her and Amanda; Amanda is the woman who lives there
+and cooks and churns and does all sorts of things."
+
+"Is it in the real country?"
+
+"It is real country and yet it isn't, for it is a village. Grandpa has a
+farm, but just across the street is a store and the church is only a few
+steps away, and there are lots of neighbors; some have big places and
+some have little ones. Grandpa's isn't as big as the biggest nor as
+little as the littlest."
+
+"Does he keep horses and cows and chickens and things?"
+
+"Oh, my, yes, and ducks and turkeys and sheep."
+
+"I should think it would be a pretty nice sort of place."
+
+"It is lovely and I am always crazy about going there."
+
+"But please don't stay too long this time," urged Dorothy.
+
+"I'll have to stay till mother brings me back," returned Edna
+cheerfully. "I wish there were another kitten, Dorothy, so I could have
+a live doll, too."
+
+"You might take the mother cat," Dorothy suggested; "she is very gentle
+and nice."
+
+They went in search of Tiddlywinks' mother, but Madam Pittypat objected
+to being made a baby of, for, though she was gentle enough, she squirmed
+and twisted herself out of every garment they tried upon her, and, at
+the first opportunity, walked off in a most dignified manner, as though
+she would say: "Such a way to treat the mother of a family!"
+
+So the two little girls concluded that they would free Tiddlywinks and
+turn him again into a kitten. They left him stretching himself and
+yawning lazily, as they trudged off to see their friend, Margaret
+McDonald, that they might tell her Edna's news.
+
+The days sped by quickly until Tuesday came, when Edna and her mother
+were to start on their journey. Edna at first decided to take her doll
+Ada "because she is more used to traveling," she said, but at the last
+moment she changed her mind saying that Ada had been on so many journeys
+that she thought someone else should have a chance and, therefore, it
+was her new doll, Virginia, who was dressed for the trip. The previous
+year Edna had spent Thanksgiving Day with her Uncle Justus; this year it
+would be quite a different thing to sit at table with a whole company of
+cousins instead of dining alone with Uncle Justus.
+
+It was a journey of three hours before the station of Mayville was
+reached, then a drive of four miles to Overlea lay before them. But
+there was grandpa himself waiting to help them off the train, to see
+that their trunks were safely stowed into the big farm wagon, and at
+last to tuck them snugly into the carriage which was to bear them to the
+white house set in behind a stately row of maples. These had lost their
+leaves, but a crimson oak still showed its red against the sky, and the
+vines clambering up the porch waved out scarlet banners to welcome the
+guests.
+
+Grandma Willis was standing on the porch to greet them as they drew up
+before the door. Behind her stood Amanda and behind Amanda a little girl
+about twelve or thirteen. Behind the little girl trailed a cat and three
+kittens. At the sight of these Edna gave a squeal of delight. "New
+kittens, grandma? How lovely! I'm so glad," she cried.
+
+Grandma smiled. "Well, give me a good hug and kiss first and then
+Reliance can let you take one of the kittens to hug."
+
+"Who is Reliance? Is that what you call the mother-cat?"
+
+"No, her name is Tippy. Reliance is the little girl who, we hope, is
+going to carry out the promise of her name."
+
+Edna did not understand this latter speech but she smiled encouragingly
+at Reliance who smiled back at her. Then after the huggings and kissings
+were given to Mrs. Willis, Reliance picked up one of the kittens and
+held it out to Edna who cuddled it up to her and followed the others
+into the house.
+
+It was a big old-fashioned place where the Willis family had lived for
+many generations. In the large living-room was a huge fireplace in which
+now a roaring fire crackled and leaped high. There was a small seat
+close to it and on this Edna settled herself.
+
+"Here, here, aren't you going to stay a while?" cried grandpa who had
+given over the carriage into the hands of Ira, the hired man, and who
+had just come in.
+
+"Why, of course we are going to stay," replied Edna.
+
+"Then why don't you take off your things? Mother, isn't there any place
+they can lay their bonnets and coats? It seems to me there should be a
+bed or cupboard somewhere."
+
+"Now, father," protested Mrs. Willis, "you know this house is big enough
+to hold the hats and coats of the entire family."
+
+"Didn't know but you were house-cleaning and had every place turned
+upside down."
+
+"Now, father," Mrs. Willis continued, "you know we've been days getting
+the house cleaned and that everything is in apple-pie order for
+Thanksgiving."
+
+Grandpa gave Mrs. Conway a sly wink. "You'd think it ought to be in
+apple-pie order," he said, "by the way they have been tearing up the
+place. Couldn't find my papers, my sticks, my umbrella or anything when
+I wanted them. I am glad you all have come so you can help me hunt for
+them."
+
+"Why, father, how you do go on," Mrs. Willis interposed. The old
+gentleman laughed. He was a great tease, as Edna well knew.
+
+"Where shall we go to lay off our things, mother?" asked Mrs. Conway.
+
+"Up to your own old room over the dining-room. Here, Reliance, take the
+kitten and you, Edna, can come along with your mother."
+
+"There's no need for you to go up, mother," said Mrs. Conway. "I have
+been there before, you know, and I think I can find the way." Then the
+two smiled wisely at one another.
+
+But grandma would go and presently Edna found herself in a large room
+which looked out upon the west. Mrs. Conway stood still and gazed
+around her. "How natural it all seems," she said, "even to the pictures
+upon the walls. I went from this room a bride, Edna, and when I come
+back to it I feel not a day older. This is the same furniture, but this
+is a new carpet, mother, and new curtains, and the little cot you have
+put in for Edna, I suppose."
+
+"Yes, there are some things that will not last a lifetime," answered
+Mrs. Willis, "and we must furbish up once in a while. I thought you
+would rather have Edna here with you than elsewhere, and at such a
+crowded time we have to stow away as we can. I have put another cot in
+my room for one of the other children and Celia is to go in with Becky."
+
+While they were talking Ira brought up the trunks and Mrs. Conway
+commenced the task of unpacking, so very soon they were settled and
+ready for dinner, which was served in the big dining-room where was
+another open fireplace not quite so large as the first, but ample
+enough. Reliance waited upon the table and helped to clear away the
+dishes afterward.
+
+"When you are through with your tasks, Reliance, you can take Edna out
+and show her the chickens and pigs and things," said grandma.
+
+"Reliance is quite a recent addition to the family, isn't she?" said
+Mrs. Conway when the little maid went out.
+
+"Yes," Mrs. Willis replied. "Amanda isn't as young as she was and we
+thought it would be a good thing to have someone here who could save her
+steps and who could be trained to take her place after a while. I think
+Reliance promises to be very capable in time."
+
+While her mother talked to the grandparents, Edna walked softly around
+the room looking at the different things, the pictures, books and
+ornaments. There was a high mantel upon which stood a pair of Dresden
+vases and two quaint little figures. In the middle was a china house
+with a red door and vines over the windows. Edna had always admired it
+and was glad to see it still there. She stood looking at it for a long
+time. She liked to have her grandmother tell her its history. "That was
+brought to me by my grandfather when he returned from England," Mrs.
+Willis always said. "I was a little girl about six years old. Later he
+brought me those two China figures. He was a naval officer and that is
+his portrait you see hanging on the wall."
+
+"I love the little house," remarked Edna, knowing that the next word
+would be: "You may play with it if you are very careful. It is one of my
+oldest treasures and I should be very grieved if it were broken."
+
+The little house was then handed down and Edna examined it carefully.
+"It is so very pretty," she said, "that I should like to live in it. I
+would like to live in a house with a bright red door."
+
+"I used to think that same thing when I was a little girl," her
+grandmother told her.
+
+"I think maybe you'd better put it back so I won't break it," said Edna,
+carefully handing the treasure to her grandmother, "and then will you
+please tell me about the pictures?"
+
+"The one over the mantel is called 'The Signing of the Declaration of
+Independence,' and that small framed affair by the chimney is a key to
+it, for it tells the names of the different men who figure in the
+picture."
+
+"I will look at it some day and see if I can find out which is which,"
+said Edna. "That is Napoleon Bonaparte over there; I know him."
+
+"Yes; and that other is General Washington, whom, of course, you know."
+
+"Oh, yes, of course; and I know that little girl, the black head over
+there; it is my great-great-grandmother."
+
+"The silhouette, you mean? Yes, that is she, and she is the same one who
+did that sampler you see hanging between the windows. She was not so old
+as you when she did it."
+
+Edna crossed the room and knelt on a chair in front of the sampler. It
+was dim with age, but she could discern a border of pink flowers with
+green leaves and letters worked in blue silk. She followed the letters
+with the tip of her finger, tracing them on the glass and at last
+spelling out the name of "Annabel Lisle, wrought in her seventh year."
+
+"Poor little Annabel, how hard she must have worked," sighed Edna. "I
+am glad I don't have to do samplers."
+
+"You might be worse employed," said her grandmother, smiling.
+
+"Did you ever do a sampler?" asked Edna.
+
+"Not a sampler like this one, but I learned to work in cross stitch. Do
+you remember the little stool in the living-room by the fireplace?"
+
+"The one with roses on it that I was sitting on?"
+
+"Yes; that I did when I was about your age, and the sofa pillow with the
+two doves on it I did when I was about Celia's age. I was very proud of
+it, I remember."
+
+"May I go look at them?"
+
+"Assuredly."
+
+So Edna went into the next room and carefully examined the two pieces of
+work which now had a new importance in her eyes. A little girl about
+her age had done them long ago. She discovered, too, a queer-looking
+picture behind the door. It was of a lady leaning against an urn, a
+weeping-willow tree near by. The lady held a handkerchief in her hand
+and looked very sorrowful. Edna wondered why she seemed so sad. There
+were some words written below but they were too faint for her to
+decipher, and she determined to ask her grandmother about this picture
+which she had never noticed before. While she was still looking at it,
+Reliance came to the door to say, "I can go now; I've finished what I
+had to do." Edna turned with alacrity and the two went out together.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+RELIANCE
+
+
+"How long have you lived here?" Edna asked her companion when they were
+outside.
+
+"About six months," was the reply.
+
+"Are you 'dopted?" came the next question.
+
+"No, I'm bound."
+
+Edna looked puzzled. "I don't know what that is. I know a girl that was
+a Friendless and she was 'dopted so now she has a mother and a beautiful
+home. Her name used to be Maggie Horn, but now it is Margaret McDonald.
+Is your name Reliance Willis?"
+
+"No, it is Reliance Fairman, and it wasn't ever anything else. I was
+friendless, too, till Mrs. Willis took me."
+
+"Oh, and did you live in a house with a lot of other Friendlesses?"
+
+"No, I wasn't in an orphan asylum, if that's what you mean, but I reckon
+I would have had to go there or else to the almshouse."
+
+"Oh!" This seemed even more dreadful to Edna and she looked at her
+companion with new interest, at the same time slipping her hand into the
+other's to show her sympathy. "Tell me about it," she said.
+
+"Why, you see, my parents died. We lived about three miles from here,
+and your grandmother used to know my grandmother; they went to the same
+school, so when us children were left without any home or any money your
+grandmother said she would take me and keep me till I was of age, so
+they bound me."
+
+"How many children were there?"
+
+"Three boys and me. Two of the boys are with Mr. Lukens and the other is
+in a home; he is a little chap, only six. If he'd been bigger maybe your
+grandfather would have had him here, and perhaps he will come when he is
+big enough to be of any use."
+
+"I think that would be very nice and I shall ask grandfather to be sure
+to take him. Do you like it here?"
+
+"Oh, yes, I like it. Amanda is awful pernickity sometimes, but I just
+love your grandmother and it is a heap sight better than being hungry
+and cold."
+
+"Would you have to stay supposing you didn't like it?" Edna was
+determined to get all the particulars.
+
+"I suppose so; I'd have to stay till I was eighteen; I'm bound to do
+that."
+
+Edna reflected. "I suppose that is what it means by being bound; you
+are just bound to stay. I wonder if anyone else was ever named
+Reliance," she went on, being much interested to hear something about so
+peculiar a name.
+
+"My grandmother was, her that your grandmother knew."
+
+"Oh, was she? Then you are named after your grandmother just as my
+sister Celia is named Cecelia after hers. Yours is a funny name, isn't
+it? I don't mean funny exactly, for I think it is quite pretty, but I
+never knew of anyone named that."
+
+"I don't mind it when I get it all, but when my brothers called me Li I
+didn't like it. Your grandmother gives me the whole name, and I am glad
+she does; but she said they generally used to call my grandmother Lyley
+when she was a little girl."
+
+"I think that is rather pretty, too, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, but I like the whole name better."
+
+"Then I will always call you by the whole name," Edna assured her. "Can
+you tell stories, Reliance?"
+
+"Do you mean fibs or reading stories like--let's see--Cinderella and
+Jack and the Beanstalk?"
+
+"Oh, I mean the Cinderella kind; I'd hate to think you told fibs."
+
+"I can tell 'em, but I guess I don't care to. I know two or three of the
+other kind and Bible stories, some of them: Eli and Samuel, and David
+and Goliath, and all those."
+
+"Do you go to school?"
+
+"Half the year, but I guess I won't be going very much longer. I'll soon
+be going on fourteen; I'll stop when I'm fifteen."
+
+"Oh, shall you? Then what will you do?"
+
+"I'll learn to housekeep and cook, and to sew and all that. Mrs. Willis
+says it is more important for me to be educated in the useful things,
+that I'll get along better if I am, and I guess she is right. My mother
+couldn't cook worth a cent and she just hated it, so we didn't get very
+good vittles."
+
+"Was it your mother's mother after whom you were named?"
+
+"No, my father's mother. The Fairmans lived around here, but there ain't
+many of them left now. My father was an only child, and he married my
+mother out of town; she hadn't ever been used to the country. She used
+to work in a store and that's why she couldn't cook, you see."
+
+Edna pondered over this information, wondering if everyone who worked in
+a store must necessarily turn out a poor cook.
+
+"You ought just to see what's getting ready for Thanksgiving," said
+Reliance, changing the subject, "I never seen such a pile of stuff. It
+fair makes my mouth water to think of it; pies and cakes and doughnuts
+and jellies and I don't know what all. I guess there's as many as twenty
+or thirty coming, ain't there?"
+
+"Let me see; I shall have to count. There will be Aunt Alice and her two
+boys, Ben and Willis, and Uncle Bert Willis with his five children and
+Aunt Lucia; that makes ten, and then there will be all of us, papa and
+mamma and us four children; that makes--let me see--" she counted
+hurriedly on her fingers. "How many did I say, Reliance? Ten? Oh, yes,
+and six make sixteen. Then there are the greats; great Aunt Emmeline and
+her brother, Wilbur Merrifield, and his daughter, Cousin Becky. Sixteen
+did I say? and three make nineteen. Oh, yes, Cousin Becky's sweetheart
+that she is going to marry soon; he is coming and he will make it just
+twenty. Counting grandpa and grandma there will be twenty-two, and
+counting you and Amanda there will be twenty-four to eat the goodies."
+
+"You didn't count the two men, Ira and Jim," said Reliance; "they will
+eat here, too."
+
+"Oh, yes, I forgot them. What a crowd, twenty-six people. If they cut a
+pie in six pieces it would take over four to go around once, wouldn't
+it?"
+
+"I suppose we would be allowed a second piece on Thanksgiving Day,"
+remarked Reliance, "though maybe with the other things no one would want
+it."
+
+"How many kinds of pie will there be?" asked Edna.
+
+"Three at least. I heard Amanda say that she would make the fillings
+to-day for pumpkin, lemon and apple; she has the crust all done. She
+has made the jelly, too; it's to be served with whipped cream. Your
+grandma was talking about having plum pudding, but Amanda said she
+didn't see the sense of having it when it wasn't Christmas, and there
+would be such lots of other things, all the nuts and apples and such
+things. There is going to be chicken pie, besides the turkeys and the
+oysters."
+
+"Dear me," sighed Edna, "I am afraid I shall eat a great deal and be
+very uncomfortable. I was last year for a little while because I ate two
+Thanksgiving dinners. What did you do last year, Reliance?"
+
+Reliance looked very sober. "We didn't have much of a Thanksgiving last
+year, for it was just before my mother died and she was ill then, so us
+children just had to get along the best we could. Somebody sent us in a
+pie and some jelly for mother and that is about all we had to be
+thankful for. I suppose it was much better than nothing. We ate all the
+pie at one meal. Billy said we might as well for it wouldn't last two
+days anyhow unless we had little bits of pieces, so each of us had a
+whole quarter. Billy tried to trap a rabbit or shoot a squirrel or
+something, but he hadn't enough shot and the rabbits didn't trap."
+
+Secretly Edna was rather glad to hear this, even though it meant that
+the Fairmans went without meat for dinner. She walked along pondering
+over these facts and wondering which were to be preferred. She could not
+tell whether to be glad the squirrels and rabbits had escaped or to be
+sorry that the Fairmans could not have had game for Thanksgiving. It was
+rather a hard matter to settle, so finally she dismissed the subject and
+gave her attention to the pigs whose pen they now had reached. Edna did
+not think them very cleanly or attractive creatures, however, and was
+very soon ready to leave them that she might see the chickens and ducks
+which she found much more interesting.
+
+The short November day was already so near its end that the fowls were
+thinking of going to roost, though the hour was not late, and after
+watching them take their supper, which Edna helped Reliance to
+distribute, the two girls went on to the garden, now robbed of most of
+its vegetables. There were a few tomatoes to be found on the vines;
+though celery, turnips and cabbages made a brave showing. Edna felt that
+she was quite a discoverer when she came across some tiny yellow
+tomatoes which the frost had not yet touched, and which she gathered in
+triumph to carry back to her mother.
+
+"I know where there's a chestnut tree," announced Reliance suddenly.
+
+"Oh, do let's find it," said Edna. "I will put the tomatoes in my
+handkerchief and carry them that way. We ought to gather all the
+chestnuts we can, for I know mighty well after the boys come there won't
+be a nut left." There was a rush down the hill to the big chestnut tree
+about whose roots lay the prickly burs which the frost had opened to
+show the shining brown nuts within.
+
+"I don't see how we are going to carry them," said Edna after a while,
+when she had gathered together quite a little heap.
+
+"I'll show you," Reliance told her, and began tying knots in the corners
+of the apron she wore. "There," she said, "that makes a very good bag,
+and what we can't carry that way we can leave and come back for
+to-morrow. We'd better take as many as we can, though, for to-morrow
+will be such a busy day I may not be able to come, and if we don't, the
+squirrels will get them all."
+
+"I could come alone, now that I know the way," said Edna, "or maybe
+mamma would come with me."
+
+"I suppose we'd better be going back," said Reliance when she lifted the
+improvised bag to her arm. "It is near to milking time and that means
+getting ready for supper."
+
+"What do you do to get ready for supper?" asked Edna taking hold of one
+side of the bag.
+
+"Oh, I set the table and go down to the spring-house for the butter and
+cream. I can skim milk now, but I couldn't at first, I got it all mixed
+up."
+
+"Do you skim all the milk?"
+
+"Oh, no, that we put on the table to drink is never skimmed. The skimmed
+milk goes to the pigs."
+
+"Oh, does it? I think you feed your pigs pretty well. Are we going to
+watch them milk?"
+
+"You can if you like; I've got to go right back."
+
+"You don't help with the milking then?"
+
+"No; Ira does it. Your grandpa says it is man's work, but Ira lets me do
+a little sometimes so I will learn."
+
+"Aren't you afraid of the cows?"
+
+"No, indeed, are you?"
+
+"Kind of. They have such sharp horns sometimes," answered Edna by way of
+excusing her fear.
+
+"Your grandpa's don't have; he keeps only dehorned cattle."
+
+"What are they?"
+
+"The kind that have had their horns taken off so they don't do any
+damage."
+
+"I think maybe I wouldn't mind that kind so much," said Edna, after
+considering the matter for a moment. "If you don't mind, I think I
+would like to stop and see Ira milk."
+
+Reliance said she didn't mind in the least and, therefore, she left the
+little girl at the bars of the stable yard which was quite as near as
+she wished to stand to the herd of cows gathered within.
+
+"Want to come in and learn to milk?" asked Ira, looking up with a smile
+at the little red-capped figure.
+
+"Oh, no, thank you," returned Edna hastily. "I'd rather watch you." She
+would really have like to try her hand if there had been but one cow,
+but when there were six, how could a young person be certain that one of
+the number would not turn and rend her? To be sure, they were much less
+fearsome without horns, but still they were too big and dreadful to be
+entirely trusted. So she stood watching the milk foam into the shining
+tin buckets and then she walked contentedly with Ira to where Amanda
+was waiting to strain the milk and put it away in the spring-house.
+
+"Do you keep it out here all winter and doesn't it freeze?" asked Edna.
+
+"In winter we keep it in the pantry up at the house. If it should turn
+cold suddenly now, we'd have to bring it in," Amanda told her, as she
+carefully lifted the earthen crocks into place. "There comes Reliance
+for the cream and butter," she went on. "Reliance, I'll carry up the
+milk and you come along with the rest. Don't tarry down here, and be
+sure you lock the spring-house door and fetch in the key." Then she went
+out leaving the two little girls behind.
+
+Reliance carefully attended to her duties, Edna watching her admiringly.
+It must be a fine thing to be so big a girl as this, one who could be
+trusted to do work like a grown-up woman. "Let me carry something," she
+offered, when Reliance stepped up the stone steps and outside, carrying
+the butter in one hand and the pitcher of cream in the other.
+
+"If you would lock the door and wouldn't mind taking the key along, I
+wouldn't have to set down these things," Reliance said.
+
+Edna did as she was asked, standing tip-toe in order to turn the big key
+in the heavy door.
+
+"When we get to the house you can hang the key on its nail behind the
+kitchen door," Reliance told her. "It is always kept there."
+
+Edna swung the big key on her finger by its string and trotted along by
+the side of Reliance, asking many questions, and delighting to hear
+Reliance enlarge upon the all-important subject of the Thanksgiving
+festivities.
+
+"We've got to get up good and early," Reliance remarked, "for there's
+a heap to be done, even if we are ahead with the baking. I expect to
+be up before daylight, myself, and I reckon Ira will be milking by
+candlelight," she added, as she entered the kitchen door. Mrs. Conway
+was in the kitchen talking to Amanda, and Edna hastened to show her
+little hoard of tomatoes. "We gathered a whole lot of chestnuts, too,"
+she told her mother. "They were all on the ground down the hill behind
+the barn."
+
+"I know the very tree," Mrs. Conway told her. "We must roast some in the
+ashes this evening. Come along, supper is ready and you must get
+yourself freshened up."
+
+Edna followed along and, in the prospect of supper and then of roasting
+chestnuts, she forgot all about the spring-house key. This, by the way,
+was lying on the door-mat where she had dropped it. A little later on,
+it was picked up by Reliance and was slipped into the pocket of her
+gingham apron. "I won't remind her that she dropped it. Likely as not
+she forgot all about it," said Reliance to herself. "I ought not to have
+trusted it to as little a girl as she is."
+
+It was not till after she was in bed that Edna remembered that she had
+ever had the key. Where had she put it? She had no recollection of it
+after she had swung it by its string upon her finger on the way to the
+house. "It must be on the kitchen table," she told herself. "I opened my
+handkerchief there to show mother the tomatoes." She sat up in bed
+wondering if she would better get up and go down, but she finally
+decided to wait till her mother should have come to bed and then confide
+in her.
+
+However, try as she would, she could not keep awake. It had been an
+exciting and fatiguing day and she was in the land of dreams in a few
+minutes, not even having visions of keys, spring-houses or Thanksgiving
+dinners, but of the mother cat and her three kittens who were climbing
+chestnut trees and throwing down chestnuts to her.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+WHERE'S THE KEY?
+
+
+Very, very early in the morning Edna was awake. She was not used to
+farmyard sounds and could not tell if it were a lusty rooster, an
+insistent guinea-fowl or a gobbling turkey whose voice first reached
+her. But whichever it was, she was quite broad awake while it was yet
+dark. She lay still for a few minutes, with an uncertain feeling of
+something not very pleasant overshadowing her, then she remembered the
+key. "Oh, dear," she sighed, "if they can't get into the spring-house
+there will be no cream for breakfast and no butter, either. The key must
+be found."
+
+She got up and softly crept to the window. A bright star hung low in the
+sky and there was the faintest hint of light along the eastern horizon.
+Presently Edna saw a lighted lantern bobbing around down by the stable
+and concluded that Ira must be up and that it was morning, or at least
+what meant morning to farmers. She stood watching the light grow in the
+east and finally decided that she would dress and be all ready by the
+time it was light enough to hunt for the lost key.
+
+By now she could see well enough to find her clothes, but, fearing lest
+she should waken her mother, she determined to go to the bathroom at the
+end of the hall rather than use the wash-stand in the room where she
+was, so she gathered up her clothing in her arms, and went down the
+entry, made her toilet and crept down stairs. There was a light burning
+in the lower hallway, but it was dark all through the rest of the house
+and she was obliged to feel her way through the rooms. There was a
+noise of some one stirring in the pantry. She opened the door of the
+kitchen gently and peeped in. A lamp was burning on the table, but no
+key lay there. Edna tip-toed in quietly and felt on the nail where the
+key should hang, thrusting aside a gingham apron belonging to Reliance
+which hung just above its place, but the nail was empty and she was
+forced to believe she had dropped the key somewhere between the
+spring-house and the kitchen. She tip-toed out of the kitchen, turned
+the key of the outside door and closed it after her as noiselessly as
+possible, and in another moment was outside in the chill November air.
+It was rather fearsome to make one's way down dim paths where some wild
+creature might still be lurking after a night's raid from the woods near
+by, and she imagined all sorts of things. First, something stole softly
+by her and was off like a shot through the tall weeds growing beyond the
+fence; it was only a rabbit who was more frightened at Edna than she at
+it. Next, the bushes parted and a small white figure crept stealthily
+forth. The child's heart stood still and she stopped short. Then came a
+plaintive meow and she discovered one of the three kittens out on an
+adventuring tour. She picked up the little creature which purred
+contentedly as she snuggled it to her, continuing her way.
+
+The garden left behind, there was the lane to be passed through, and
+here some real cause for fear in Edna's opinion, for the cows that Ira
+had just finished milking were coming through the bars he had let down.
+They stumbled along clumsily, following one another over the rail, and
+ambled on to another set of bars where they stood till Ira should let
+them through. At first, Edna did not realize that they were not making
+for the spot where she stood and she took to her heels, fleeing
+frantically back to the garden, banging the gate behind her and standing
+still waiting till the cows were through and the bars up again. Seeing
+the cows safely shut out from the lane she ventured forth again and
+followed Ira's lantern to the barn. Here she stood looking around and
+presently the beams from the lantern fell upon her little figure with
+the white kitten still clasped in her arms.
+
+Ira looked up in surprise. "Hello!" he cried. "What's took you up so
+airly? Why, I jest got through milkin', and, doggone it, it ain't
+skeerce light yit."
+
+"I know," said Edna, "but I had to get up early, you see, so as to find
+the key before breakfast."
+
+"Key? What key?"
+
+"The key of the spring-house. Reliance gave it to me to carry and I was
+to have hung it up on a nail behind the kitchen door, and I forgot all
+about it till I was in bed. You see if it isn't found nobody can have
+any milk or cream for breakfast."
+
+"Oh, I guess we could manage," returned Ira reassuringly. "Didn't drop
+it indoors, did you?"
+
+"I don't think so. I looked in the kitchen as I came out and I didn't
+find it there. If it had been picked up, it would be on the nail, I
+should think."
+
+"Most likely it would; it would be there sure if 'Mandy found it; she
+don't let nothin' stay out of place very long, I kin tell ye."
+
+"As long as I didn't find it in the kitchen I thought I would come here
+because I saw you had a lantern, and it really isn't quite light enough
+to see very plainly, is it?"
+
+"No, it ain't. Sun don't rise till somewheres around seven this time o'
+year. Well, you come with me and we'll work our way long the path from
+the spring-house and if we don't find the key we will go inside and
+inquire. I alwuz find it don't do no harm to ask questions, and that
+there key is bound to be somewheres betwixt this and the house."
+
+He swung his lantern so its rays would shed a broad light along the way,
+and Edna pattered along just behind him, trying very hard to keep up
+with his long strides. When at last they reached the spring-house, he
+slackened his pace and began carefully to look to the right and to the
+left.
+
+"You come right straight along, did you?" he questioned. "Didn't go
+cavortin' off nowheres pickin' weeds or chasin' cats, did you?"
+
+"No, we came as straight as could be. Reliance had the butter and cream
+and we didn't stop once."
+
+"Then I guess you likely dropped it inside, for I've sarched careful and
+I can't find it. Maybe when it comes real bright daylight you could look
+again, but I should advise askin' at the house next thing you do."
+
+He led the way into the kitchen where Amanda was briskly stirring about.
+"Well," she began, "what's wanting? Well, I declare if there ain't Edna.
+What's got you up so early, missy? I guess you're like the rest of us,
+couldn't sleep for thinking of all that's to do for Thanksgiving."
+
+"You ain't picked up the spring-house key nowheres about, have you?"
+asked Ira.
+
+"Why, no. You had it?"
+
+"No, I ain't, but sissy there says 'Liance gave it to her to carry and
+she ain't no notion of what she done with it, thought mebbe she might
+ha' drapped it in here. She got so worried over it she riz from her bed
+and come out to hunt it up, says she was afraid nobody couldn't get no
+breakfast because of her losing of it."
+
+"I guess we won't suffer for breakfast," said Amanda, looking down
+kindly at the little girl. "I don't carry back the milk nights this time
+of year. Any that's left I just set in the pantry and there is what was
+left from supper this blessed minute; butter, too, and cream, plenty for
+breakfast. You just rest your mind on that score."
+
+"But," said Edna, "you will want a whole lot of things for the
+Thanksgiving cooking and what will you do with them all locked up?"
+
+Ira laughed. "'Twouldn't be such an awful job to lift the door from its
+hinges, and if a body was right spry he could climb in at the window
+after he'd prised it open and the things could be handed out. Besides
+we've got all the morning's milk and there'll be the night's milk and
+to-morrow's milk, so I don't see that we shan't get along first-rate.
+There is more than one way out of that trouble, ain't there, 'Mandy?"
+
+"I should say so. Wait till the sun's real high and I guess we'll find
+the key fast enough," she said to Edna. "Now, you stay right here and
+don't go running about in the cold; you'll be down sick traipsing about
+in the wet grass, and then where will your Thanksgiving be?"
+
+Thus warned, Edna was content to stay in the kitchen into which the
+morning light was beginning to creep and which was already warm from the
+big stove. In a few minutes, Reliance appeared from the next room where
+she had been setting the table. She was much astonished to learn that
+Edna had been down before her. "What in the world did you get up so soon
+for?" she asked.
+
+"To find the key," Edna answered, and then told her all about the
+search, ending up with, "You haven't seen anything of it, have you,
+Reliance?"
+
+Reliance's face broadened into a smile, as for answer she went behind
+the kitchen door and produced the key from its nail, holding it up to
+view.
+
+"Why, where in the world did you get it?" inquired Edna in a tone of
+surprise. "It wasn't on the nail when I looked there for it a little
+while ago."
+
+"You dropped it on the door-mat last evening," Reliance told her. "I
+found it there and slipped it into the pocket of my apron, and this
+morning when I went to get my apron, there it was so I just hung it up
+where it belonged."
+
+"Well, I'm sure," said Amanda, "that's easily explained."
+
+"Who'd ha' thought it," said Ira. "Well, that let's us out of another
+hunt. I won't have to wrastle with the door after all, will I?"
+
+So, after all, Edna's early rising was unnecessary, but she did not feel
+sorry that she had had such an experience, and was content to sit and
+watch Amanda mould her biscuits and to help Reliance finish setting the
+table. Amanda insisted upon giving her a drink of buttermilk from the
+spring-house to which she despatched Reliance, advising Edna not to go
+this time. "You've had one tramp," she said, "and moreover you'll be
+starved by breakfast time if you don't have something to stay you."
+
+The sausages were sizzling in the pan, and the griddle was ready for the
+buckwheat cakes when Mrs. Conway appeared. "Well, you did steal a march
+on us," she said to her little daughter. "How long have you been up? I
+didn't hear a sound. You must have been a veritable mouse to be so
+quiet."
+
+"I've been up since before daylight," Edna told her. "I took my things
+into the bathroom so as not to disturb you; it was lovely and warm in
+there." Then again she repeated her story of the lost key.
+
+"Reliance had the joke on her," said Amanda, "for she had the key all
+the time."
+
+"Why didn't you tell me you had found it?" asked Edna a little
+reproachfully as she turned to Reliance, who had by this time returned
+from the spring-house.
+
+"I thought you would forget all about it, and I didn't think it was
+worth while to mention. Besides," she added, "I ought to have carried
+the key myself anyway."
+
+"You're right there," remarked Amanda. "It is your especial charge and
+you oughtn't to have let anyone else fetch it in. Moreover, you'd ought
+to have hung it up the minute you found it, and there it would have been
+when it was looked for."
+
+"Oh, don't scold her," begged Edna. "It was all my fault, really."
+
+Amanda smiled. "I don't see it just that way. Folks had ought to learn
+when they're young that in this house there's a place for everything,
+and everything should be in its place. I rather guess, though, that that
+special key won't get lost again right away."
+
+Edna felt that she had brought this lecture upon Reliance and felt
+rather badly to have done so, but the prospect of buckwheat cakes soon
+drove her self-reproach away and she went in to say good morning to her
+grandparents, well satisfied with the world in general and content to
+look ahead rather than at what was now past and gone, and which could
+not be altered.
+
+Before the day had far advanced, came the first of the arrivals, Aunt
+Alice Barker and her two boys, Ben and Willis. Ben and Edna were great
+chums, though he was the older of the two boys. Ben was alert, full of
+fun and ready to joke on every occasion, while Willis was rather shy and
+had not much to say to his little cousin, whom, by the way, he did not
+know so very well.
+
+Edna would fain have spent the morning in the kitchen from which issued
+delectable odors, but Amanda had declared she wanted all the room there
+was, that she had scatted out the cats and dogs and she would have to
+scat out children, too, if they came bothering around. Therefore, to
+avoid this catastrophe, Edna took herself to a different part of the
+house, and was standing at one of the front windows when the carriage
+drove up.
+
+"Oh, grandpa," she sang out, "here come Aunt Alice and her boys! Hurry!
+Hurry! or they will get here before we can be there to meet them."
+
+Her grandfather threw down his newspaper and laid aside his spectacles.
+"Well, well," he said, "it takes the young eyes to find out who is
+coming. I didn't suppose Allie would be here till afternoon. What team
+have they. Why didn't they let us know so we could send for them!"
+
+He followed Edna, who was already at the front door tugging at the bolt,
+then in another moment the two were out on the porch while yet the
+carriage was some yards away. Ben caught sight of them. "Hello!" he
+cried out. "Here we are, bag and baggage. Didn't expect us so soon, did
+you grandpa?"
+
+"No, son, we didn't. How did you come to steal a march on us in this
+way?"
+
+"The express was behind time so we caught it at the junction, instead of
+having to wait for the train we expected to take. It didn't seem worth
+while to telephone; in fact we didn't have time, so we just got this
+team from Mayville and here we are. How are you Pinky Blooms?" He darted
+at Edna, tousled her hair, picked her up and slung her over his shoulder
+as if she were a bag of meal, and dropped her on the top step of the
+porch, she laughing and protesting the while.
+
+"Oh, Ben," she panted, "you are perfectly dreadful."
+
+"Why, is that you, Edna?" said Ben in pretended surprise. "I thought you
+were my valise; it is too bad I made the mistake and dumped you down so
+unceremoniously."
+
+Edna knew perfectly well how to take this so she picked herself up
+laughing, and started after Ben who leaped over the railing of the porch
+thus making his escape. By this time Mrs. Willis and Mrs. Conway had
+come out and the whole company went indoors, Ben the last to come,
+peeping in through a crack of the door, and then slinking in with a
+pretense of being afraid of Edna. An hour later, these two were tramping
+over the place, hand in hand, making all sorts of discoveries, leaving
+Willis deep in a book and the older people chatting cozily before the
+open fire.
+
+Aunt Emmeline, Uncle Wilbur and Becky were the next to come, Becky being
+in a pout because her sweetheart had failed to make the train, and Aunt
+Emmeline fussing and arguing with her.
+
+"You know, Becky, that he is coming, and I don't see what difference a
+couple of hours will make," she said as she gave her hand, to her
+sister, Mrs. Willis. "I am just telling Becky, Cecelia, that she is very
+foolish to make such a fuss because Howard is detained; he missed the
+train, you see, and can't arrive till the next comes in." She passed on
+into the house still talking, while Edna made her escape upstairs. She
+had not noticed the little girl, and Edna felt rather slighted.
+
+However, this was all forgotten a little later when her own brothers and
+sister as well as her father were to be welcomed. You would suppose Edna
+had been parted from them for at least a year, so joyous were her
+greetings, and so much did she have to tell. She had scarcely unburdened
+herself of all her happenings, before in swarmed Uncle Bert and his
+family. There was so many of these that for a little while they seemed
+to fill the entire house, for, first appeared Aunt Lucia and after her
+the nurse carrying the baby, then Uncle Bert with little Herbert in his
+arms, and then Lulie and Allen and Ted. Cousin Becky's sweetheart,
+Howard Colby, came on the last train and ended the list of guests. What
+a houseful it was, to be sure, and what long, long tables in the
+dining-room. Reliance was not able to wait on everybody, and so Amanda's
+niece Fanny, took a hand, thus everyone was served.
+
+Edna was rather shy of those cousins whom she had not seen for two or
+three years, and after supper preferred to stay close to her sister
+Celia and Ben, though her brothers were soon hob-nobbing with Allen and
+Ted, and were planning expeditions for the morrow. Ben told such a funny
+story about the lady by the willow tree, that Edna could never look at
+the picture again without laughing, but he had scarcely finished it
+before some one called out: "Bedtime for little folks!" and all the
+younger ones trooped off upstairs, grandma herself leading the way to
+see that each one was tucked in comfortably.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+A HEARTY DINNER
+
+
+It would be quite a task if one were to try to compute the number of
+buckwheat cakes consumed at the long tables the next morning, and there
+might have been more but that Charlie stopped Frank in the act of
+helping himself to a further supply by saying: "Look here, son, if you
+keep on eating cakes you won't give your Thanksgiving dinner any show at
+all. I'm thinking about that turkey."
+
+This remark was passed down the table and had the effect of bringing the
+breakfast to a conclusion. The boys scampered off out of doors to scour
+the place for nuts or to dive into unfrequented woodsy places, while the
+girls gathered around the crowing baby, in high good-humor with herself
+and the world at large. Then the nurse bore baby off and Edna turned to
+her mother for advice.
+
+"What can I do, mother?" she asked.
+
+"Why, let me see. Your Aunt Alice and I are going to help your grandma
+to arrange the tables, after a while. We shall want a lot of decorations
+besides the roses your Uncle Bert brought. Suppose you little girls
+constitute yourselves an order of flower girls with Celia at your head,
+and go out to find whatever may do for the tables."
+
+"There are some chrysanthemums, little yellow ones, and there are a few
+white ones, too; I saw them yesterday down by the fence."
+
+"They will do nicely; we will have those and anything else that will be
+pretty for the table or the rooms."
+
+"Shall we ask Lulie to go with us?" whispered Edna.
+
+"Certainly I would. She isn't quite so old as you, but she is the only
+other little girl here, and it would be very rude and unkind to leave
+her out."
+
+"You ask her," continued Edna in a low tone.
+
+For answer Mrs. Conway smiled over at Lulie. "Don't you want to be a
+flower girl?" she asked; "Celia, I propose that you take these two
+little girls in tow and go on an expedition to gather flowers to deck
+the tables and the house, I know you will enjoy it."
+
+"Indeed I shall," replied Celia. "Come on, girls, let's see what we can
+find." And the three sallied forth to discover what might be of use.
+
+An hour later they came back laden with small branches of scarlet oak,
+with graceful weeds, with the little buttony chrysanthemums, and with
+actually a few late roses which had braved the frost and were showing
+pale faces in a sheltered corner when the girls came upon them. By this
+time, the three cousins were well acquainted, the two younger the best
+friends possible, so that when dinner was really ready they were quite
+happy at being allowed to sit side by side.
+
+It would fill a whole chapter if I were to tell you about all the good
+things on that table. Grandpa carved a huge brown turkey at one end,
+while Uncle Bert carved an equally huge and brown one at the other end.
+Grandma served the flakiest of noble chicken-pies at her side of the
+table, while Aunt Alice served an oyster-pie of the same proportions and
+quite as delicious. The boys, not in the least disturbed by the memory
+of the buckwheat cakes, were ready with full-sized appetites, while the
+girls, after their scramble in search of decorations, had no reason to
+complain of not being hungry. To Cousin Becky's lot fell one of the
+wishbones, and to Edna's joy she had the other. Cousin Becky put hers up
+over the front door after dinner, and it was the strangest thing in the
+world that Mr. Howard Colby should be the first to come in afterward.
+Edna decided to save hers till it was entirely dry.
+
+"What are you going to do with it then?" asked Lulie.
+
+"I haven't quite decided. I shall take it home, and maybe I'll pull it
+with Dorothy or maybe I will make a pen-wiper of it for a Christmas
+gift. I might give it to Ben."
+
+"I never heard of wishbone pen-wipers," said Lulie. "Are they very hard
+to make?"
+
+"Not so very, if you have anyone to help you with the sealing-wax head.
+Celia could help me with that. You make a head, you know, and then the
+wishbone has two legs and you dress it up so it is a pen-wiper." This
+was not a very clear description, but Lulie was satisfied, especially as
+at that moment Ben came to them and said that everyone was going to play
+games, in order that their dinners might properly digest.
+
+"Everybody?" inquired Lulie. "The grandparents, too?"
+
+"Of course," Ben told her. "We are going to begin with something easy,
+like forfeits, and work up to the real snappy ones after."
+
+"What are the snappy ones?" asked Edna.
+
+"Oh, things like Hide-and-Seek and lively things that will keep us on
+the jump."
+
+The two little girls followed Ben into the next room and before long
+everyone was trying to escape from grandpa who was as eager for a game
+of Blind Man's Buff as anybody, and who at last caught Becky, who in
+turn caught Howard Colby because he didn't try to get out of her way.
+This ended that game, but everybody was so warmed up to the fun that
+when it was proposed to carry on a game of Hide and Seek out of doors
+all agreed, and Edna was so convulsed with laughter to see her
+dignified, great-uncle Wilbur crouching behind a wood-pile and peeping
+fearfully over the top that she forgot to hide herself properly and was
+discovered by Ben in a moment.
+
+"You're no good at all at hiding," Ben told her. "Anybody could have
+found you with half an eye."
+
+"Oh, I don't care," replied Edna; "I'll have just as much fun finding
+out some one else," and she it was who made straight for Uncle Wilbur's
+wood-pile to which he had returned with the fond belief of its serving
+as good a turn a second time.
+
+It was not so very long before the older persons declared that they had
+had enough of it. The men returned to the house to have a smoke and the
+ladies to chat around the fire. As for the children, it was quite too
+much to expect them to go in while there was a twinkle of daylight left,
+and, as Amanda expressed it, "They took the place." The girls did not
+roam far from the house but the boys wandered much further afield,
+bringing caps and pockets full of nuts, and clothes full of burs and
+stick-tights, even Ben brought back a hoard of persimmons touched by the
+frost and as sweet as honey.
+
+He poured these out on a flat stone near which Edna was standing. "Come
+here, Edna," he said, "let's divvy up. I'll give you half; you can take
+what you don't eat to your mother and I'll take what I don't eat to my
+mother."
+
+Edna squatted down by the stone and began delicately to nibble at the
+fruit which still bore its soft purple bloom. "I don't believe I shall
+eat very many," she said, "for my dinner is still lasting, and there
+will be supper before I am ready for it. We are not going to have a
+real, regular set-the-table supper, because grandma thinks Amanda and
+Reliance should have some holiday, too, but we are going to have
+sandwiches and cakes and nuts and apples and cider and a whole lot of
+things; something like a party you know. Aren't you going to eat any of
+your persimmons, Ben?"
+
+"No, that coming supper party sounds too seductive; I'll wait so that I
+can do it justice."
+
+"What did you see out in the woods?" asked Edna.
+
+"Foxy grape-vines and bare trees," he answered promptly.
+
+"Do you mean b-e-a-r trees or b-a-r-e trees?"
+
+"Which ever you like; I've no doubt there were both kinds."
+
+"Oh, Ben," Edna glanced around fearfully, "do you really think there are
+bears around here?"
+
+"I know there are, sometimes." He drew down his mouth in a way which
+made Edna suspect a joke.
+
+"When is the sometimes?" she asked suspiciously.
+
+"When they have a circus at Mayville."
+
+"Oh, you Ben Barker, you are the worst," cried Edna roguishly pulling
+his nose.
+
+"Here, here," he exclaimed, "look out, it might come off like the fox's
+tail."
+
+"What fox?"
+
+"Don't you know the story of 'Reynard, the Fox'? It is in one of those
+big, red books that lie on that claw-footed table in the living-room."
+
+"Here, in this house?"
+
+"Yea, verily. You don't mean to say you have never read those books!
+Why, there is not a year since I was eight years old that I haven't
+pored over them. Every time I have been here, and that is at least once
+a year, I go for those books, I'd advise you to make their
+acquaintance."
+
+"You tell me the story; then I won't have to read it."
+
+"No, my child, I shall not allow you to neglect your opportunities
+through any weakness on my part. Read it for yourself, and thereafter,
+the red book will be one of your prized memories of 'Overlea.'"
+
+"Then tell me again about the lady and the willow tree," begged Edna;
+"that was so funny."
+
+Ben laughed. "I am afraid I don't remember that so well as I do the fox
+story, but maybe I will think of some more about her. Come, it is time
+to go in. They may be eating those chicken or turkey sandwiches this
+very minute."
+
+Hanging on his arm, Edna skipped along to the house to find that it was
+quite too early to think of sandwiches, though the lamps were lighted in
+all but the living-room where a cheerful fire made the place light
+enough. Around the fire sat grandma, Aunt Emmeline, Aunt Alice and Mrs.
+Conway. Aunt Lucia was upstairs with the babies. Uncle Wilbur was taking
+a nap, and grandpa and Uncle Bert were out looking after the stock, as
+Ira and the other man had been allowed a holiday. Over in the corner of
+the sofa sat Cousin Becky and her lover talking in low tones.
+
+"Dear me," said grandma, as the children all trooped in, "we must have
+a light; these little folks may not like to sit in the dark."
+
+"This is the best kind of light," declared Ben, "and the very time for
+telling tales. Let's all sit around the fire and have a good time. We'll
+begin with the oldest and so on down to the youngest If we don't have
+time to go all the way down the line, we'll stop when we're hungry.
+How's that, grandma? Do you like the plan?"
+
+"It is just as the others say, my dear," she answered.
+
+"It's a lovely plan, Ben," said Mrs. Conway. "You will have to begin,
+mother, and Aunt Emmeline can come next."
+
+"Oh, dear," protested that lady, "I never was one for telling tales; you
+will have to count me out."
+
+"I am sure if I can, you can," grandma assured her. "What shall it be
+about, children?"
+
+"Oh, about when you were a little girl," cried Edna.
+
+"About the time the horse ran away with you," spoke up the boys.
+
+"About your first ball please," begged Celia.
+
+Grandma laughed. "Just listen to them. They have heard all those things
+dozens of times. I'll tell you what we will do. I will tell about the
+runaway horse, that belongs to the time when I was a little girl, and
+Emmeline shall tell about her first ball, and I can remind her if she
+forgets anything. I remember her first ball even better than my first,
+for it was at hers I met your grandfather."
+
+This was all so satisfactory that there was not a murmur of dissent, and
+grandma began: "It was when I was about ten years old that I went one
+day with my father to the nearest village. He was driving a pair of
+spirited horses, and on our way home a parcel we were bringing home,
+fell out of the buggy. My father stopped the horses and ran back to pick
+up the parcel, but before he could get to the buggy, the horses took
+fright at a piece of paper blowing along the road in front of them and
+off they started, full tilt, down the road. In vain my father cried,
+'Hey, there! Whoa, Barney! Whoa Pet!' on they went faster and faster. I
+managed to hold on to the reins but my young hands were not strong
+enough to control the wild creatures, and I thought every minute would
+be my last, for up hill and down dale we went at such a pace I had never
+known. Over a stump would jounce the buggy, and I would nearly pitch
+out. Around the last curve they went with a swing which I thought would
+land me on my back or my head, but I managed to keep my seat and at
+last saw the open gate of our own lane before me. Would the horses go
+through without hitting a gate post? Would they run into a fence or over
+a pile of stones at one side? My heart was in my mouth. I jerked the
+reins in a vain attempt to guide them, but on they went, pell-mell,
+making straight for the open gate. Presently I saw some one rush from
+the house and then another person come flying from the stables. Just
+before we reached the gate, it was flung to with a bang. The horses
+pranced, swung a little to one side and stopped short, and I heard some
+one say, 'So, Barney, so Pet!' I didn't know what happened next but the
+first thing I knew I was lying on the lounge in the sitting-room, my
+mother bending over me, and holding a bottle of salts to my nose, 'Oh,
+dear, oh, dear,' my mother was crying, 'another minute and the child
+might have been killed.'"
+
+"Who was it shut the gate?" asked Allen eagerly.
+
+"Amanda's mother, who was living with us at that time."
+
+"And who caught the horses?" queried Ted.
+
+"Jim Doughty, who was our hired man."
+
+"Weren't you nearly frightened to death?" Lulie put the question.
+
+"Very nearly, and so was my father. He was as pale as a ghost when he
+got home. He had to walk all the way, and said he thought he should
+never get there. The country wasn't as thickly settled as it is now, and
+there were no houses between us and the spot where the horses took
+fright."
+
+"Where is the place you lived?" asked Allen.
+
+"About five miles from here."
+
+"I should like to see it," said the boy musingly. "I suppose those
+horses are dead. I'd like to see horses that could run like that."
+
+"They would be somewhere in the neighborhood of sixty-five or seventy
+years old by this time," said grandma with a smile, "and the oldest
+horse I ever knew was forty."
+
+"Gee! but that was old," remarked Frank. "Whose was it, grandma? Yours?"
+
+"No, my grandfather's. Her name was Dolly, and she took my grandparents
+to church every Sunday for many years, up to a little while before she
+died. Now, Emmeline, let's hear about the ball."
+
+"It was just a ball," began Aunt Emmeline.
+
+"The County Ball," put in grandma. "They always have one every year at
+Fair time. Emmeline was sixteen and I was eighteen. Now go on,
+Emmeline."
+
+"I wore white tarlatan trimmed with forget-me-nots," said Aunt Emmeline,
+"and I danced my first dance with Steve Hardesty." She paused and gave a
+little sigh. "He took me into supper, too, poor Steve." Grandma leaned
+over and laid her hand softly on her sister's. "It is such a long time,
+such a very long time ago," she said softly.
+
+Aunt Emmeline smiled a little sadly. "Yes, a long time," she repeated.
+"You wore, what was it you wore, Cecelia?"
+
+"I wore pink tarlatan trimmed with rosebuds and a wreath of them in my
+hair. The skirt was caught up with bunches of the little buds and green
+leaves, and I thought it the prettiest dress I ever saw."
+
+"It was a great ball," Aunt Emmeline went on, brightening. "I danced
+every set, and so did you, Cecelia."
+
+"And how everyone did talk because I danced so many with Ben Willis whom
+I had met for the first time that night. He would see me home, you
+remember, although Uncle Phil and Cousin Dick were both there to look
+after us; we were staying at our uncle's, my dears. It was during the
+early days of the war, and there was much talk of what would happen next
+and who would be going off to join the army, you remember."
+
+"It was not till two years after, that Steve went," said Aunt Emmeline
+wistfully.
+
+"Tell us about Steve," spoke up Frank. "Did he become a soldier?"
+
+Celia shook her head warningly at her little brother, for she knew Aunt
+Emmeline's story, and of how her young lover was killed in battle, but
+Aunt Emmeline did not hesitate to answer. "Yes, he went, but he never
+came back."
+
+Silence fell upon the little group for a moment till Aunt Emmeline
+herself broke it by saying, "Do you remember, Cecelia, how angry you
+were with Polly Parker because she copied your dress, and how you were
+going to have yours trimmed with daisies, and changed all that at the
+last moment? I can see you now, ripping off those inoffensive daisies
+and flinging them on the floor."
+
+Grandma laughed. "Well, after all, hers wasn't a bit like mine, for it
+was a different shade of pink and wasn't made the same way. Yes, I was
+furious, I remember, because it wasn't the first time Polly had copied
+my things; she had a way of doing it."
+
+"Here comes grandpa," announced Herbert who did not find all this talk
+of dress and balls very interesting.
+
+The entrance of grandpa and Uncle Bert broke up the party by the fire,
+for soon the sandwiches and other things were brought in, then came
+songs and games till, before anyone realized it, bedtime came and
+Thanksgiving Day was over.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+THE RED BOOK
+
+
+Whether it was the search for the key in the chill of the early morning,
+or whether it was that she ate too heartily of grandma's good things,
+certain it was that when Edna waked up the morning after Thanksgiving,
+she felt very listless and miserable. Her father was already up and
+dressed, and her mother was making her toilet when the little girl
+turned over and watched her with heavy eyes.
+
+"Well, little girl," said Mrs. Conway, "it seems to me that it is time
+for you to get up."
+
+Edna gave a long sigh, closed her eyes, but presently found the courage
+to make an effort towards rising. She threw aside the covers, slipped
+her feet into her red worsted slippers, and then sat on the side of her
+cot in so dejected an attitude that her mother noticed it. "What," she
+said, "are you so very sleepy still? I suspect you are tired out from
+yesterday's doings."
+
+"My head aches and there are cold creeps running up and down my back,"
+Edna told her.
+
+Her mother came nearer, and laid her cool hand on the throbbing temples.
+"Your head is hot," she declared. "I am afraid you have taken cold.
+Cuddle back under the covers and I will bring or send your breakfast up
+to you."
+
+"I don't think I want any breakfast," said Edna, snuggling down with a
+grateful feeling for the warmth and quiet.
+
+"Not want any breakfast? Then you certainly aren't well. When waffles
+and fried chicken cannot tempt you, I know something is wrong."
+
+Mrs. Conway went on with the finishing touches to her dress and hair
+while Edna dozed, but half conscious of what was going on around her.
+She did not hear her mother leave the room, and did not know how long it
+was before she heard Celia's voice saying: "Mother says you'd better try
+to drink this."
+
+"This" was a cup of hot milk of which Edna tried to take a few sips and
+then lay back on her pillow. "I don't want it," she said.
+
+"Poor little sister," said Celia commiseratingly. "It is too bad you
+don't feel well. Is there anything I can do for you?"
+
+"No, thank you," replied Edna weakly.
+
+"Mother is coming up in a minute," Celia went on. "Uncle Bert and all of
+them are going this morning, but as soon as they are off she will come
+up to see how you are."
+
+"Is everyone going?" asked Edna languidly.
+
+"No, not this morning. Uncle Bert and his family take the morning train
+because they have the furthest to go, and Aunt Lucia wants to get home
+with the children before dark. Uncle Wilbur, Aunt Emmeline and all those
+are going on the afternoon train. Father thinks he must get back to-day,
+too."
+
+Edna made no answer, but closed her eyes again drowsily.
+
+"I'll set the milk down here," Celia went on, "and maybe you will feel
+like drinking some more of it after a little while."
+
+She set the cup on a chair by Edna's bedside and stole softly out of the
+room, leaving her sister to fall into another doze from which she was
+awakened by hearing a timid voice say: "Excuse me. I hope you are not
+asleep, but I want to say good-bye," and turning over, Edna saw her
+little Cousin Lulie.
+
+"Oh, are you going?" came from the little girl in bed.
+
+"Yes, we are all ready. I am so sorry you are sick. I like you so much
+and I wish you would come to our house some day."
+
+Edna was too polite not to make some effort of appreciation, so she sat
+up and held out her little hot hand. "Oh, thank you," she answered; "I
+should love to come, and I wish you could come to see us. Ask Uncle Bert
+to bring you real soon."
+
+"Mother said I had better not kiss you," remarked Lulie honestly, "for I
+might take your cold, but I have folded up a kiss in this piece of paper
+and I will put it here so you can get it when I am gone."
+
+Edna smiled at this and liked Lulie all the better for the fancy. "I
+won't forget it," she said earnestly. "I will send you one when I get
+well, but you'd better not take a feverish one with you. Good-bye, and
+say good-bye to all the others."
+
+"They would have come, too," Lulie informed her, "but mother thought one
+of us was enough when you had a headache, and that I could bring all the
+good-byes for the others. Now I must go. Get well soon." And she was off
+leaving Edna with a consciousness of it's being a wise decree which
+prevented more visitors, for her headache was so much the worse for
+having had but one.
+
+She lay very still wishing the noises below would cease, the running
+back and forth, the shutting of doors, the calling of the boys to one
+another and the crying of the baby. But last of all she heard the
+carriage wheels on the gravel, and then it was suddenly silent. The boys
+had all gone off to play, and the only sounds were occasional footsteps
+on the stair, the stirring of the kitchen fire, and outside, the distant
+"Caw! Caw!" of the crows in the trees. For a long time she was very
+quiet. Once her mother came to the door and peeped in, but, seeing no
+movement, believed the child asleep, but later she came in and Edna
+opened her eyes to see her standing by her bedside.
+
+"Poor little lass," said her mother, "you're not feeling well at all,
+are you? I am afraid you have a little fever. I will give you something
+that I hope will make you feel better."
+
+"Not any nasty medicine," begged Edna.
+
+"No, only some tiny tablets that you can swallow right down with a
+little water." She went to the bureau and found the little phial she was
+in search of. After shaking out a few pellets in her hand, she brought
+them to Edna with a glass of water and the child took the dose
+obediently, for she knew these small tablets of old.
+
+"Now," Mrs. Conway went on, "I will cover you up warm, and you must try
+to get to sleep. Grandma is trying to keep the house quiet and Ben has
+taken off the boys. I am going to tidy up the room and stay here with
+you for awhile. There, now; you will be more comfortable that way," and
+under her mother's loving touches Edna felt happier already and in a
+short time fell into a sound sleep from which she awakened feeling
+brighter. Her mother was sitting by the window crocheting where the sun
+was streaming in.
+
+Edna sat up and pushed back the hair from her face. Her mother noticed
+the movement. "Well, dearie," she said, "you have had a nice nap and I
+hope you feel ever so much better."
+
+"Yes, I think I do," said the child a little doubtfully.
+
+"That wasn't a very enthusiastic voice. You can't be sure about it?"
+
+"Yes, I can. I do feel a great deal better."
+
+"And as if you would like a little something to eat?"
+
+"Why--what could I eat?"
+
+"How would some milk toast and a soft-boiled egg do?"
+
+"I like milk toast pretty well, but I don't believe I want the egg."
+
+"Not when it will be freshly laid this morning?"
+
+"I couldn't have it fried, I suppose?"
+
+"Better not. I'll tell you what I will do; I will go down and ask
+grandma what she thinks would be best for you. Would you like to sit up
+in bed? I can put something over your shoulders and prop you up with
+pillows, or how would you like to get into my bed? There is more room
+and you can look out of the window. I will bundle you up and carry you
+over."
+
+"I'd like that," returned Edna in a satisfied tone; it was always a
+treat to get into mother's bed.
+
+Mrs. Conway turned down the covers of her own bed, slipped Edna into her
+flannel wrapper, threw a shawl around her and carried her across the
+room to deposit her in the big bed. "There," she said, "you can keep
+your wrapper on till you get quite warm. Let me put this pillow behind
+your back. That's it. Now, then, how do you like the change?"
+
+"Oh, I like it," Edna assured her. "And my head is much better."
+
+"I think you'd better stay in bed, however, for we want to break up that
+cold. There is no better way to do it than to keep you in bed for to-day
+at least. Now I will go down and interview grandma."
+
+She left the room, and Edna heard her talking to some one in the entry.
+Then the door opened and grandma herself came in. "Good morning, dear
+child," she said. "I wanted to come up before, but it seemed best to
+keep you quiet. I am so glad to hear that you are feeling better, but
+you must be careful not to take more cold. Would you like to have Serena
+to keep you company?"
+
+"Oh, I should like her very much," returned Edna.
+
+Her grandmother left the room returning presently with an old-fashioned
+doll which had been hers when she was a little girl. The doll was
+dressed in the fashion of sixty years ago and was quite a different
+creature from Edna's Virginia. She always liked Serena in spite of her
+black corkscrew curls and staring blue eyes. Whenever she visited
+Overlea, Serena was given to her to play with, as a special privilege.
+Her grandma knew that Edna was careful, but she would not have brought
+out this relic of her childhood for everyone. "I will put this little
+shawl around her before you take her, for she has been in a cooler room,
+and it might chill you to touch her," said grandma, as she wound a small
+worsted shawl over Serena's blue silk frock. "I will put her on the bed
+there right by you and then I will go down to see if Amanda has anything
+that is fit for a little invalid to eat." She kissed the top of Edna's
+head and went out leaving her to Serena's company.
+
+It was not long before Edna heard some one coming slowly up the stair,
+then there was a pause before the door, next a knock and second pause
+before Edna's "Come in" was answered by Reliance who carefully bore a
+tray on which stood several covered dishes.
+
+"I asked Mrs. Willis to please let me bring this up," said Reliance. "I
+am so sorry you are sick, I am dreadfully afraid you took cold hunting
+that key."
+
+"Oh, I don't suppose it was that," Edna tried to reassure her. "I might
+have taken cold yesterday, for I got so warm running when we were
+playing Hide-and-Seek. Oh, how lovely, Reliance, you have brought up
+grandma's dear little dishes that were given her when she was a little
+girl. I love those little dishes with the flowers on them."
+
+"You're to eat this first," said Reliance, uncovering a small tureen in
+which some delicious chicken broth was steaming. "There is toast to go
+with it. Then if you feel as if you wanted any more, there is a little
+piece of cold turkey and some jelly."
+
+But in spite of her belief that she could eat every bit of what was
+before her, Edna could do no more than manage the broth and one piece
+of toast, Reliance watching her solicitously while she ate. "You're not
+very peckish, are you?" she said. "Well, anyhow I am glad this didn't
+come on before you had your Thanksgiving; it would have been dreadful if
+it had happened yesterday."
+
+"I am glad, too," returned Edna. "What time is it, Reliance?"
+
+"It's most dinner time. As soon as the boys come in, it will be ready.
+I'll take back the tray, but I have to go awful careful, for I would
+sooner break my leg than these dishes." She bore off the tray as Edna
+snuggled back against her pillows, holding one of Serena's kid hands in
+hers in order that she might feel less alone. She was not left long to
+Serena's sole company, however, for first came her father to say
+good-bye, then Aunt Emmeline stopped at the door, and behind her, Cousin
+Becky and Uncle Wilbur, all ready with sympathy and good wishes. A
+little later, she heard the carriage drive off which should take all
+these to the train. There was silence for a time which finally was
+interrupted by a tap at the door.
+
+"Come in," called Edna.
+
+The door opened, and in walked Ben with a large red book under his arm.
+"Hello, you little old scalawag," he said. "What in the world did you go
+and do this for?"
+
+"I couldn't help it," said Edna apologetically.
+
+"You poor, little, old kitten, of course you couldn't. Well, I have
+brought you up Mr. Fox, and I wanted to tell you that the lady by the
+willow has had another accident; she dropped her last chocolate
+marshmallow and the dog stepped on it. Of course, that wasn't as bad as
+the first, but when you have only one handkerchief it is pretty hard to
+have to cry it twice full of tears. Fortunately, hers has had a chance
+to dry between whiles."
+
+Edna smiled. It was good to have Ben come in with his nonsense. "Hasn't
+she found her eyelash yet?"
+
+"No, and it was a wet one which is awfully hard to find unless it is
+raining; it is hard enough then, goodness knows. How did you stand all
+the racket this morning? If a noisy noise annoys an oyster, how much of
+a noisy noise does it take to annoy Pinky Blooms? That sounds like a
+problem in mental arithmetic, but it isn't. Shall I read to you a
+little?"
+
+"Oh, please."
+
+"About Reynard, the Fox, shall it be?"
+
+"Oh, yes. I do so want to know how he lost his tail."
+
+"Then, here goes," said Ben, as he opened the big, red book. Edna
+settled herself back against the pillows and Ben began the story, while
+Edna was so interested that she forgot all about her headache. He
+finished the tale before he put the book down. "How do you like it?" he
+asked.
+
+"It is perfectly fine. Are there other stories in that book?"
+
+"Yes, some mighty good ones. Here, do you want to see the pictures? They
+are funny and old-fashioned, but they are pretty good for all that." He
+laid the book across Edna's knees and showed her the illustrations
+relating to Reynard, the Fox, all of which interested her vastly.
+
+"I am so glad I know about this book," she said as she came to the last
+page. "I always thought it was only for grown-ups, and never even looked
+at it. Will you read me some more to-morrow?"
+
+"Sorry I can't, ducky dear, for I am off by the morning train to a
+football game which I can't miss."
+
+"Oh, I forgot about that. Are the boys going, too?"
+
+"Yes, and Celia. We are all going back together. There is something on
+at the Evanses Saturday night, and Celia wouldn't miss that."
+
+"Neither would you," said Edna slyly.
+
+"You're a mean, horrid, little girl," said Ben in a high, little voice.
+"I'm just going to take my book and go home, so I am."
+
+"It isn't your book; it is grandma's."
+
+"I don't care if it is; I'm not going to play with you, and I will slap
+your doll real hard."
+
+"Do you mean Serena? She isn't my doll; she is grandma's. Her name is
+Serena, don't you remember? I've known her ever since I was a little,
+little thing."
+
+"And what are you now but a little, little thing, I should like to
+know."
+
+"I'm bigger than Lulie Willis, but I'm not big enough to go to Agnes's
+party Saturday night." She spoke somewhat soberly, for she did want to
+be there.
+
+"Oh, never mind," said Ben, with an air of comforting her, "I shall be
+there and I am as big as two of you."
+
+"I don't see how that makes it any better," said Edna, after searching
+her mind for a reason why it should be of any comfort to her.
+
+"Oh, yes it does," returned Ben, "for if I were only as big as you I
+shouldn't be there either."
+
+"As if that helped it."
+
+"Oh, yes it does, for, you see, they will have a lot of good things and
+I can eat enough for you and me both, I am sure," he added triumphantly.
+"That is an excellent argument. If a thing can be done for two persons
+instead of one, it makes all the difference in the world."
+
+Edna put her head back against the pillows. Ben was too much for her
+when he took that stand.
+
+"There," said the lad contritely, "I'm making your head worse by my
+foolishness. Are you tired? Is there anything I can do for you? Would
+you like one of the kittens?"
+
+"Oh, yes, Ben, I would. They are so comforting and cozy. I am glad you
+thought of that."
+
+"Shall I leave the red book or take it down?"
+
+"Leave it, please; I might like to look at it after a while."
+
+So Ben went off, returning directly with one of the kittens which he
+deposited on the bed and which presently cuddled close to the child.
+Then Ben left her, Serena by her side and the kitten purring contentedly
+in her arms.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+THE OLD HOUSE
+
+
+Although Edna was much better the next day, it was thought prudent to
+keep her indoors. All the guests departed with the exception of her
+mother, her Aunt Alice and her own self, the house resumed its ordinary
+quiet and seemed rather an empty place after its throng of Thanksgiving
+visitors.
+
+"You'd better make up your mind to stay another week, daughter," said
+grandma to Edna's mother. "This child isn't fit to be out, and won't be
+for two or three days."
+
+"Oh, I think she will be able to go by Monday," replied Mrs. Conway. "I
+shouldn't like to keep her out of school so long."
+
+"Her health is of much more importance than school," grandma went on.
+"She is always well up in her studies, isn't she? You remember that I
+didn't have the usual visit last summer, and as Alice is going to stay
+we could all have a nice cozy time together."
+
+"But how would things go on at home without me?"
+
+"Plenty well enough. I am sure Lizzie can take care of Henry and the
+boys."
+
+"I am not so sure about the boys, though I suppose Henry could get along
+very well, and Celia is in town all through the week."
+
+"Why couldn't Charlie and Frank stay with the Porter boys till we get
+back?" piped up Edna from her stool by the fire. "You know, mother, that
+Mrs. Porter has asked and asked them, for her boys have already stayed
+weeks with us in the summer."
+
+"Ye-es, I know," returned Mrs. Conway, a little doubtfully.
+
+"I am sure that is an excellent plan," said grandma, beaming at Edna
+over her knitting. "Edna will be all the better for a week here, and
+indeed for a longer time."
+
+"Oh, we couldn't stay longer than next Saturday at the very outside,"
+put in Mrs. Conway hastily. "I'd love to stay, mother dear, but you know
+a housekeeper cannot be too long away, especially when she has not
+arranged beforehand to do so."
+
+Grandma nodded at Edna. "We'll consider it settled that you are to stay
+for another week. Let's have it all arranged, daughter. Call up long
+distance and let Henry know."
+
+"I promised him, anyhow, that I would let him know to-day how Edna was
+getting along. He was afraid when he went away that she might be in for
+a serious illness. I shall be glad to let him know she is better."
+
+"And he will be so glad to hear that, he won't mind your telling him you
+will stay longer," remarked grandma with a little laugh.
+
+Mrs. Conway went to the telephone and soon it was settled that they were
+to remain. "I don't know what Uncle Justus will say," Mrs. Conway
+observed when she reëntered the room. "He will think I am a very
+injudicious mother to keep you out of school so long."
+
+"Not if you tell him I was sick," returned Edna, who secretly rather
+enjoyed the prospect of making such an announcement. Like most children,
+she liked the importance which an illness gave to her small self.
+
+Saturday was an indoors day spent with Serena, Virginia and the big,
+red book. Sunday, too, Edna was shut in except for the few minutes she
+was allowed to walk up and down the porch in the sun. She was well
+wrapped up for this event, and was charged not to put foot on the damp
+ground.
+
+It had been rather a lonesome morning, with everyone at church except
+Amanda, but the little girl stood it pretty well. She read aloud to an
+audience consisting of the two dolls and the three kittens, she sang
+hymns, in rather a husky voice to be sure, and she stood at the window a
+long time watching the people pass by on their way to and from church.
+
+In the afternoon, her grandfather took his two daughters to see some
+relative, Reliance went off to Sunday school, and Edna was left alone
+with her grandmother who told her stories and sang, to the accompaniment
+of the melodeon she had used when a little girl. Edna enjoyed this
+performance very much, but after a while grandma was tired of an
+instrument that skipped notes and wheezed like an old horse, so they
+went back to the big chair by the open fire. Grandma continued the
+singing, rocking Edna in her arms till the child fell fast asleep, the
+drowsy hum of the tea-kettle, hanging on the crane, helping to make a
+lullaby. When she woke up it was nearly dark. She heard her mother's
+voice in the hall and realized that the long Sabbath day was nearly
+over.
+
+This was the last shut-in day, for the weather was clear and bracing,
+and, well wrapped up, Edna was able to enjoy it. Reliance always joined
+her when the work was done in the afternoon, and she led her to the
+acquaintance of two or three other little girls: Alcinda Hewlett, the
+daughter of the postmaster, Reba Manning, the minister's daughter, and
+Esther Ann Taber who lived just across the way. These three were
+playing with Reliance and Edna in front of Esther Ann's one day when
+suddenly Esther spoke up: "I know where there is an empty house and
+anyone can go into it who wants to."
+
+"Where is it?" asked Reba, with interest.
+
+"Down past old Sam Titus's. Don't you know that brown house back there
+by the orchard?"
+
+"Oh, but it is haunted," cried Alcinda.
+
+"Nonsense, it couldn't be," put in Reba. "My father says there aren't
+such things as haunted houses, and he ought to know."
+
+The word of such high authority as the minister could not be gainsaid,
+though the suggestion gave the girls rather a creepy feeling.
+
+"I'll dare you all to go in there with me," spoke up Esther Ann.
+
+"Oh, Esther Ann, dast we?" said Alcinda.
+
+"Why not? Nobody lives there, and I don't believe anyone owns it, for
+there is never a person goes in or out, even to do spring cleaning. I
+heard my mother say that two old ladies lived there, sisters, and they
+didn't speak to one another for years; that was long ago and since they
+died nobody knows who the place belongs to, for it isn't ever lived in."
+
+"Like that place where we go to gather chestnuts," spoke up Reba.
+"Anybody can go there and get all they want. My father said I could go,
+and that it was all right, and he knows."
+
+"Of course he does," agreed Esther Ann. "Come, who is going with me?"
+
+"I'd as soon go as not," Reliance was the first to speak.
+
+"How do you get in?" asked Alcinda, a little doubtfully.
+
+"Walk in, goosey. Just open the door and walk in."
+
+"Isn't the door locked?"
+
+"The back door isn't, I tried it one day," replied Esther Ann.
+
+"Why didn't you go in then?" asked Alcinda.
+
+"Well, I was all by myself, and--and--I thought it would be nicer to
+have some one with me; it always is when you want to explore."
+
+This seemed a perfectly reasonable answer, and the others were
+reassured, moreover, to a company of five, nothing was likely to happen,
+they thought, and the spirit of adventure was high in the breast of more
+than one.
+
+"We'd better start right along," suggested Reliance, "for I have to be
+back, and Edna mustn't stay out after dark."
+
+"Then, come along, all that want to go," cried Esther Ann, taking the
+lead.
+
+Off they started down the wide street bordered by maples, now shorn of
+their leaves, but furnishing a carpet of yellow underfoot, past the
+church, the store, the schoolhouse and on to the old brown house sitting
+back behind an orchard of gnarled, crooked apple trees. The place was
+all grown up with weeds, though here and there were signs of a former
+garden. Up the rotting pillars of the porch a woodbine still clambered,
+and around the door, lilac bushes kept their green.
+
+Though she had come thus far without mishap, Alcinda's courage suddenly
+failed her and she turned and ran.
+
+"'Fraid cat! 'Fraid cat!" called Esther Ann after her.
+
+This had the effect of arresting Alcinda in her flight and she stood
+still.
+
+"Come on," cried Esther Ann.
+
+"I don't want to," called back Alcinda. "I'll wait out here for you."
+
+"You don't know what you're missing," Esther Ann called back, trying
+once more to persuade her.
+
+"I'll wait for you here," repeated Alcinda taking up her position on the
+horse block by the gate.
+
+"All right," responded Esther Ann, and opened the door which gave easily
+as she turned the knob.
+
+The four little girls found themselves in a dingy kitchen whose
+belongings remained as they had been left years before. Cobwebs hung
+from the ceiling; dust was everywhere. The stove rusty and falling to
+pieces, still held one or two pots and pans. There was crockery on the
+dresser, and a lamp on the table.
+
+Esther Ann led the way to the next room. "I don't think this one is a
+bit interesting," she made the remark as she penetrated further.
+
+"Do you think we ought to go?" whispered Edna to Reliance, as these two
+lagged a little in the rear.
+
+"Why not? Anyone can come in if it belongs to no one, and they say it
+doesn't belong to a soul. Nobody lives here and why haven't we a right
+as well as the rest of the world?"
+
+This argument satisfied Edna and she followed along through the deserted
+rooms, catching sight of a moth-eaten cover here, a bunch of withered
+flowers there. Books, long untouched, lay half open on a table in one
+room, the bed was still unmade in another, and everything was confusion.
+
+"Isn't it lovely and spooky?" said Esther Ann, tingling with excitement.
+"I'm going to see what is in those bureau drawers."
+
+She darted toward an old-fashioned bureau which stood in the room,
+flopped down on her knees, and drew out the lower drawer. "Oh, girls,"
+she cried, "look here."
+
+The others gathered around her to see boxes in which were the treasures
+of a forgotten owner,--strings of beads, half-worn white kid gloves, a
+fan with ivory sticks, combs, and ornaments of various kinds.
+
+"Let's each take something home to her mother," proposed Esther Ann. "I
+speak for the fan."
+
+"Oh, Esther, do you dare?" asked Reba.
+
+"Why not? They don't belong to anyone," came back the old argument.
+
+"Some one else will most likely take them if we don't," remarked
+Reliance conclusively.
+
+This satisfied the less venturesome, and they all sat down on the floor
+to make a selection. Reba chose a quaint, silver buckle, Reliance
+selected a mother-of-pearl card-case, Edna decided upon a
+tortoise-shell comb.
+
+"Wasn't it lovely that we should find them?" said Esther Ann
+enthusiastically. "It will be so nice to be able to take home presents.
+I am glad no one else found them before we did."
+
+"I wonder how long the back door has been opened," said Reba. "Has it
+always been?"
+
+"I don't know. I never tried it till the other day," Esther Ann told
+her.
+
+After rummaging a little further and discovering frocks and coats of
+unfamiliar cut hanging in the closets and wardrobes, and coming upon
+mouldy slippers, and queer-looking hats in other places, they concluded
+they must go. Alcinda had wearied of waiting and had gone off long
+before, therefore, the four, after shutting the door behind them, took
+their way through the leaf-strewn path to the gate, then up the street
+to their respective homes.
+
+"Don't you think Mrs. Willis will be pleased with the card-case?" asked
+Reliance, as they were entering the gate at Overlea.
+
+"I'm sure she will. She can use it when she goes to the city to see
+Uncle Bert, and I know mother will like this comb," returned Edna.
+
+Reliance had no time to present her gift at that moment for Amanda
+called her to come at once to attend to her duties, remarking that she
+was late, but Edna hunted up her mother who was upstairs. "Oh, mother,
+mother," she cried, entering the room where her mother was, "see what I
+have for you. Isn't it pretty?"
+
+Her mother looked up from the letter she was writing. "What is it, dear?
+Why, Edna, what a beautiful comb. Where did you get it?"
+
+"I found it," replied Edna in an assured tone. "We all found lovely
+things." Then she launched forth upon an account of the afternoon's
+adventures.
+
+Her mother listened attentively, and when the child had finished her
+tale, she drew her close to her side, kissing the little, eager face,
+and saying, "Dear child, I am afraid you have made a mistake. The things
+were not for you little girls to take."
+
+"But mother, they didn't belong to anyone. They have been there for
+years and years, and nobody wants them."
+
+"They would have to belong to some one, dear child. We will ask grandma
+about the house and whose property it is. Let us go find her."
+
+They hunted up Mrs. Willis who listened interestedly to what they had to
+tell. "The old Topham house," she said when they had finished. "It
+belonged to two sisters, Miss Nancy and Miss Tabitha Topham. These two
+lived together for years, but finally they quarreled and each vowed that
+she would never speak to the other. They died within a few weeks of one
+another and there were no nearer heirs than distant cousins who have
+never troubled themselves to look after the place. Old Nathan Holcomb
+was the nearest neighbor and he used to keep things pretty well secured,
+but since his death the place has been going to rack and ruin more and
+more each year. There is some fine, old furniture there and it is a
+wonder everything in the house has not been stolen before now, but as
+the place has the reputation of being haunted it has been more or less
+avoided. I never heard of its being open to the public and I shall speak
+to some one who will see that it is made secure. Even if it is not
+valued by the present owners, it should not be left for tramps or any
+chance vagrant to make use of."
+
+Edna looked down at the comb which she still held in her hand. "What
+must I do about this?" she asked.
+
+"You must take it back to-morrow and restore it to its place," her
+mother told her. "I am perfectly sure that not one of you little girls
+dreamed that she had no right to take the things, but nevertheless they
+were not yours, and I am very certain that the other mothers will say
+the same thing."
+
+"Reliance has a lovely card-case," said Edna, regretfully. "She was
+going to give it to you, grandma."
+
+Mrs. Willis smiled. "I appreciate the spirit, but she must not be
+allowed to keep it, my dear."
+
+Edna's face sobered. She felt much crestfallen. She wondered what Reba's
+father would say.
+
+She did not have long to wait to find this out for after supper came two
+young callers who sidled in with rather shamefaced expressions. "Suppose
+you take Reba and Esther Ann into the dining-room for a little while,"
+suggested grandma encouragingly. "Little folks like to chatter about
+their own affairs, I well know."
+
+Edna shot her grandma a grateful look and soon was closeted with the
+little girls. "Oh, Edna, what did your mother say?" began Esther Ann.
+
+"She said I must take back the comb, because I had no right to take it."
+
+"That's just what my mother said," returned Esther Ann.
+
+"My father said it's dishonest," put in Reba, "I mean dishonest to keep
+it. He knew we didn't mean to steal."
+
+"Oh, Reba, don't say such a dreadful word," said Edna in distress.
+
+"It would be stealing, you know, if we were to keep the things,"
+continued Reba bluntly. "My father says you couldn't call it by any
+other name, and that to break into a house is burglary."
+
+This sounded even more dreadful, though Esther Ann relieved the speech
+of its effect by saying: "But we didn't break in; we just opened the
+door and walked in. There wouldn't have been anyone to answer if we had
+knocked."
+
+"That makes me feel kind of shivery," remarked Edna. "I would rather not
+go back, but I suppose we shall have to."
+
+"Yes, we shall have to," Reba made the statement determinedly.
+
+Therefore, it was with anything but an adventurous spirit that the four
+little girls went on their errand the next afternoon. There was no
+poking into nooks and corners this time, but straight to the bureau went
+they. Solemnly was each article returned to the box from which it was
+taken. Silently they tip-toed down the dusty stairs and through the
+silent rooms to the outer air where each drew a sigh of relief. Esther
+Ann was the first to speak. "There, that's done," she said. "I don't
+ever want to go there again."
+
+"Nor I."
+
+"Nor I."
+
+"Nor I," chanted the other three.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE MILL STREAM
+
+
+On their way home from the old house, the four girls saw Alcinda
+approaching. "Don't let's say anything to her about where we've been,"
+said Esther Ann.
+
+"No, don't let's," returned Reba; "you know she didn't want to go there
+in the first place."
+
+"It was only because she was scared to," rejoined Esther Ann.
+
+"Well, anyhow, don't let's say anything about it," continued Reba.
+"Don't you say so, girls?" She looked over her shoulder at Edna and
+Reliance who were walking behind.
+
+"I don't see any reason why we should," said Reliance. "Of course, if
+she should ask questions, we wouldn't tell her a story."
+
+"Oh, no, we wouldn't do that," agreed the other girls.
+
+But Alcinda had no thought of old houses or anything else at this time
+but her little dog, Jetty, a handsome, black Pommeranian to whom she was
+devoted and of whom she was very proud. "Oh, girls," she exclaimed as
+she came up, "have you seen or heard anything of Jetty? We haven't seen
+him since morning, and I am so afraid he has been stolen."
+
+"Oh, wouldn't that be dreadful?" said Edna sympathetically.
+
+"I don't see who would steal him," said Esther Ann, practically.
+"Everyone knows he belongs to you, and there aren't many strangers that
+come through the village."
+
+"There are a few. There was a tramp at our back door only a few days
+ago."
+
+"But you didn't lose Jet a few days ago; it was only to-day that you
+missed him."
+
+"I think it's more likely he is shut up somewhere," decided Reba. "Where
+have you looked, Alcinda?"
+
+"Oh, pretty near everywhere I could think of, and I have asked everybody
+who might have seen him."
+
+"Maybe he has gone off with some other dogs," suggested Reliance. "Dogs
+will do that, and sometimes they don't come back for two or three days.
+Mr. Prendergast had a dog that did that way. He lives near where we used
+to, you know, and he had a collie named Rob Roy that would go off now
+and then, and the other dogs would bring him back after a while. He
+would come in looking so ashamed, while they stood off to see how he
+would be treated."
+
+"Jetty never did run away before," said Alcinda, doubtfully, although
+Reliance's words were comforting.
+
+"When did you see him last and what was he doing?" asked Esther Ann.
+
+"Mother heard him barking at a wagon that was going by. He doesn't bark
+at everyone, but there are some people he can't bear."
+
+"What people?" inquired Esther Ann, trying to get a clue.
+
+"He doesn't like the butcher boy nor the man that drives the mill wagon,
+nor the man that brings the laundry. He always runs out and barks at
+them."
+
+"Have you asked any of them about him?"
+
+"No, not yet."
+
+"Then I'll tell you what let's do, girls," proposed Esther Ann. "Two of
+us can go around by the mill, two of us can go to the butcher's and
+Alcinda can go to the laundry place."
+
+"All right," exclaimed Alcinda hopefully. "It would be lovely if you all
+would do that."
+
+"I speak to go to the butcher's," spoke up Esther Ann. She was always
+ready to arrange affairs for everyone. "Reliance, you and Edna can go to
+the mill; it isn't such a very great way, and Reba can go with me."
+
+The girls all accepted this arrangement and set off in the three
+different directions.
+
+"Do you like going to the mill?" asked Edna when she and Reliance were
+fairly on their way.
+
+"Oh, yes, much better than going to the butcher's. Although it is quite
+a little further, it is a much prettier walk. I always did like mill
+ponds, didn't you, Edna?"
+
+"Why, I don't know much about them, but I should think I would like
+them. Do we turn off here?"
+
+"Yes, this road leads straight to the mill; you can see it presently
+through the trees."
+
+"It isn't so very far, is it?"
+
+"No, but it is a little further to the mill pond. I wonder if the miller
+is there."
+
+"Isn't he always there?"
+
+"He is always there in the morning, but not always in the afternoon. No,
+the mill is shut down."
+
+"How do you know?"
+
+"I don't hear it, and see there, the wheel isn't moving."
+
+"Oh!" Edna thought that Reliance was very clever to know all this before
+they had even reached the mill which now loomed up before them, a grey
+stone structure in a little nest of trees which climbed the hill behind
+it, and spread along the sides of the stream, flowing on to join the
+river.
+
+"It is very pretty here, isn't it?" said Edna admiringly. "What do they
+call the stream, Reliance?"
+
+"Black Creek. The mill pond and dam and sluice and all those are higher
+up. Do you want to go see them?"
+
+"Why, yes, if we can't do anything about finding Jetty."
+
+"I thought we might go around by the miller's house on our way back; it
+isn't much further, and we could ask there."
+
+This seemed a wise thing to do, Edna thought, and she cheerfully
+followed Reliance to where the mill pond lay calm and smooth before
+them. "It must be lovely here in summer," remarked Edna
+enthusiastically.
+
+"It is one of the prettiest places anywhere about. We come here
+sometimes for our picnics, all of us school children and the teacher.
+Would you dare go across, Edna?"
+
+Edna looked around but saw no bridge. "How could we get across?" she
+asked. "I don't see any way but to swim."
+
+Reliance laughed. "There," she said, pointing to the heavy beam which
+stretched from shore to shore and below which the water was slowly
+trickling, "that's the bridge we children always use."
+
+Edna drew back in dismay. "Oh, how can you? I wouldn't dare. It is so
+near the water and suppose you should fall in. I would be sure to get
+dizzy, and over I would go."
+
+"Oh, pooh, I don't get dizzy," returned Reliance. "I will show you how
+easy it is," and in another minute she was standing on the beam, Edna
+shivering and with a queer sensation under her knees. "Oh, do come back,
+Reliance," she cried; "I am so afraid you will fall in."
+
+But Reliance did not hear her, or if she did hear, she paid no heed, but
+stood looking earnestly at a point beyond her in the water. "Edna,
+Edna," she presently called. "You will have to come. I really believe it
+is Jetty out there in the water."
+
+Edna wrung her hands. "Oh, I can't, I can't," she wept.
+
+"You must help me try to get him in. I'll come back for you."
+
+Edna shrank away from the shore, divided between her fear of crossing
+and her desire to help in the rescue. Reliance lost no time in reaching
+her. "You will have to come," she cried excitedly. "He is nearer the
+other side. I must go over and try to find a board or two, and you must
+stay on the beam and watch so as to see which way he heads. Poor little
+fellow, I wonder how long he has been in there. Come, Edna, you can put
+your arms around my waist and I will go ahead; you mustn't look at the
+water, but just step along after me; I won't let you fall."
+
+Terrible as this effort promised to be, Edna decided that she must make
+it if they would save Jetty, and she followed Reliance, who,
+encouraging, coaxing, and leading the way step by step, managed to get
+the child safely across. "Isn't there any other way of getting back?"
+quavered Edna when they were over.
+
+"I think there is a little bridge further down, but never mind that now,
+Edna; you stay there and watch, while I get a board and put it out
+toward him. I shouldn't wonder if I could find one somewhere about."
+
+Fearfully, Edna crouched on the beam, which seemed but a few inches from
+the water. She kept her eyes fixed on the water that she might not lose
+sight of the little black head now not so very far away. "Jetty, Jetty,"
+she called, "we'll get you out. Nice doggie. Please don't drown before
+Reliance comes."
+
+The little dog renewed his struggles and began to swim toward her, Edna
+continuing her encouraging talk.
+
+Presently Reliance came down the bank up which she had scrambled; she
+was dragging a board behind her and finding some difficulty in doing so.
+"Is he still there?" she panted.
+
+"Yes, and trying to swim over to me."
+
+"Don't let him, don't let him. Come over on the bank; it will be easier
+to get him from there. There's another board up there. I will go get it
+if you will hold on to this one." Edna hesitated to cross the few feet
+between her and the shore. "Quick, quick," insisted Reliance. "He might
+drift to the dam and get caught there. We must get him before he reaches
+it. Get down on your hands and knees and crawl."
+
+Edna obeyed and in another moment was running along the bank toward
+Reliance, forgetting everything but her eagerness to save the little
+dog, who, seeing both girls, turned and feebly swam to where they were
+standing. His strength was almost spent, and he had hard work to keep
+from being borne along by the current which was swifter in the center of
+the pond.
+
+"I'll have to shove out the board so he can reach it," said Reliance
+excitedly. "Here, take this pole and try to keep the board from drifting
+toward the dam while I go get the other board." And she thrust the
+forked pole into Edna's hands and then sprang up the bank, while Edna
+crouched down, as near the water as possible, in order to make best use
+of her pole.
+
+It was not easy to keep the board from drifting out, but along the
+shallows it was quiet water and it did not go so very far, and before
+long, the little dog was able to reach it, crawling upon it and
+shivering while he wagged his tail feebly as Edna continued to cheer
+him. It was harder work now that the board was heavier by reason of the
+added weight, and once or twice Edna was afraid that after all her
+efforts would be in vain. It would be dreadful to abandon Jetty when he
+was so near to land, and she wished he would attempt to swim to her. But
+the little creature was too exhausted to make further effort now that he
+had reached footing, though he whined a little when the board drifted
+out.
+
+Just as she was afraid it would go beyond her reach, Reliance came
+scrambling back, breathless from her exercise. "I had such a time," she
+panted. "Oh, Edna, he is really safe, and it is really poor little
+Jetty. How glad Alcinda will be. Here, don't let the board go." She
+snatched the pole from Edna's hands. "I'll hold on to it while you push
+out the other board. I can wade in and get him if I can't do anything
+else."
+
+But once so near shore as the second board brought him, Jetty was not
+afraid to swim the remaining distance, having gathered up a little added
+strength, and after coaxing, ordering and cajoling, the girls were
+rewarded by seeing the little creature creep to the edge of the board,
+take to the water again and paddle ashore, crouching at their feet in an
+ecstasy of joy.
+
+"He is so sopping wet I am afraid he will take cold," said Reliance. "I
+am going to wrap him up in my sweater and carry him."
+
+"But won't you take cold," said Edna anxiously.
+
+"No, for I am too warm with struggling up that bank and down again. We
+can walk fast."
+
+At first Jetty did not even have power to shake himself, but before many
+minutes, his dripping coat was freed of many drops of water, which
+freely sprinkled the girls, who laughing ran at a safe distance, and
+then Reliance wrapped him up in her jersey and carried him away from the
+scene of his late disaster.
+
+"How do you suppose he got in the water?" asked Edna as they trudged
+along.
+
+"I think someone threw him in."
+
+"Oh, Reliance, do you really?"
+
+"Yes, I do. We go right by the miller's house and I am going to stop
+there and ask them what they know about it all."
+
+"Do you think the miller did it?"
+
+"Oh, no, he wouldn't do such a wicked thing; he is a very nice man, but
+he might have seen Jetty about the place and we may be able to find out
+something."
+
+To Edna's satisfaction a small footbridge was discovered a short
+distance below and on this they crossed, reaching the miller's house
+just after. The miller himself was just going in the gate. Reliance
+marched up to him and without wasting words, said: "Do you know how this
+little dog happened to get into the mill pond?"
+
+The miller paused and looked down at the black nose peeping from its
+scarlet wrapping.
+
+"That little dog? I saw him around the mill this morning. A man that has
+been driving for me said he found it along the road. Is it your dog?"
+
+"No, it belongs to Alcinda Hewlett."
+
+"Bob Hewlett's daughter?"
+
+"Yes, her father keeps the store and is the postmaster."
+
+"Humph!" The miller stroked his chin and looked speculatively at the
+little dog.
+
+"How do you suppose he got so far from home?" ventured Edna.
+
+"Shouldn't wonder if he was brought in my wagon in an empty sack. Bad
+man, bad man, that Jeb Wilkins."
+
+"Jetty always barked at him," said Edna.
+
+"I guess that accounts for it. Jeb got mad and thought he'd pay the
+little creature back. Barked at him, did he? Well, I don't blame the
+dog. I did some pretty tall growling myself before I discharged the man.
+He's gone now for good, or bad, whichever you like."
+
+"Do you think he threw the dog in the water?" asked Reliance coming
+directly to the point.
+
+"That's just what I do think. I shouldn't wonder if he meant to steal
+him at first, and sell him, for it is a valuable dog, they tell me, but
+the dog got out, and I was keeping an eye on Jeb so he couldn't make way
+with the beast. I meant to take him home and advertise for his owner,
+but when I came to look for him, the dog was gone, though Jeb was there.
+Said, as innocent as you please, when I made inquiries, that some people
+drove by and took the dog back to town where he belonged."
+
+"Oh!" exclaimed Edna, her eyes and mouth round with surprise and
+disapproval.
+
+"Just what he said. Made it up out of whole cloth, of course, and
+meantime had taken his spite out on me and the poor little dog by
+throwing him overboard. How did you happen upon him?"
+
+Reliance gave an account of the rescue and received approving nods.
+"Smart girls, you two," he commented.
+
+"Oh, I wasn't smart at all," piped up Edna. "It was all Reliance. I
+couldn't have done a thing without her."
+
+"Well," said Mr. Millikin with a smile, "you did your part, and that's
+enough said. I was just going to unhitch, but there is my buggy all
+ready, and I guess the quickest way to get you back to the village is to
+take you there behind Dolly."
+
+"Oh, but we can walk, thank you," protested Reliance.
+
+"It's pretty much of a walk, and the sooner you get there the more
+pleased several people will be, I for one, because I don't want Bob
+Hewlett's little girl to mourn for her pet any longer than she need, and
+again, because I am in a way responsible for what has happened. I'll go
+get the buggy right off. You wait here; it won't take a minute." So
+presently they were driving along toward home, Reliance with a horse
+blanket around her which Mr. Millikin fished out from under the seat
+and insisted upon her putting around her shoulders.
+
+To say that Alcinda was overjoyed at the sight of her little pet which
+she had given up for lost, would be speaking mildly. "I'll never forget
+you two girls, never," she cried. "I shall thank you forever and ever,
+and you, too, Mr. Millikin."
+
+"Me? I'm partly to blame, for I ought to have discharged that
+good-for-nothing scoundrel long ago, but he was a good driver, and I was
+waiting to fill his place. Well, it's all come out right, after all. I
+hope your little dog will be none the worse for the experience. I'll pay
+his doctor's bills if he gets sick." After which speech, the miller
+drove off, and the rescuers darted across the street to their home,
+where the tardiness of their appearance was entirely forgiven after they
+had told their story.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+JETTY'S PARTY
+
+
+Grandma was so concerned lest Edna had taken fresh cold by reason of
+this latest adventure that she insisted upon putting the little girl
+through a course of treatment to prevent possible evil results. "After
+dabbling in that cold water and getting her feet wet it will be a wonder
+if she isn't laid up," said grandma, coming into the room just as Edna
+was going to bed. "She must have her feet in mustard water, and Amanda
+is making a hot lemonade for her."
+
+So Edna's feet were thrust into the hot bath, and she was made to sip
+the hot drink, then was bundled into bed with charges not to allow her
+arms out from under the covers. It was rather a warm and unpleasant
+experience, and the worst of it was that grandma said the next morning
+that she mustn't think of going out-of-doors that day.
+
+"Oh, dear," sighed the little girl, when she was alone with her mother,
+"don't you think grandma is very particular? Did she used to do so when
+you were a little girl?"
+
+"She did indeed, and when she was a little girl it was even worse, for
+instead of lemonade to drink, she was made to take a very bitter dose of
+herb tea, or a dreadful mess called composition which had every sort of
+nauseous thing in it you can think of. Little folks nowadays get off
+very easily, it seems to me."
+
+"I didn't mind the hot lemonade a bit, but I shall never forget the
+smell of that mustard water," said Edna after a pause.
+
+Her mother laughed. "You must be thankful that it is no more than
+that."
+
+"What am I going to do to-day?" inquired the little girl. "I was going
+to do ever so many nice things out-of-doors and now I can't."
+
+"Then we must think up some nice things to do indoors."
+
+"What kind of things?"
+
+"I shall have to put on my thinking cap in order to find that out.
+Meanwhile, suppose you run down to grandma with this tumbler; it had
+your lemonade in it and should go down to be washed."
+
+Edna ran off to her grandma, coming back presently with a much brighter
+countenance than she took away. "Grandma is going to let me help with
+the turtle cakes," she said eagerly. "That's a very nice thing, don't
+you think?"
+
+"I think that is very nice indeed."
+
+"Amanda is mixing them now, and when they are cut out, I am going to
+help with the turtles. Good-bye, mother; I will bring you one of my
+turtles as soon as they are baked."
+
+These turtle cakes were much prized by the Conway children. When grandma
+sent a box from the farm there was always a supply of these famous
+cookies. Grandma had promised that Edna should take some home with her
+when she went on Saturday morning. She watched Amanda roll them out, cut
+them in rounds and place them in the pans; then came Edna's part in the
+preparation. Amanda showed her how to put first a big fat raisin in the
+center of the cake, then a current for the turtle's head, four cloves
+were then stuck in, part way under the raisin, thus making the feet, and
+for the tail, another clove with the sharp end out. Amanda could do them
+much faster than Edna, but the child was greatly pleased to have
+completed a whole pan all by herself, and when these were baked she
+carefully carried some of them to her mother and Aunt Alice. Grandma
+had already seen the results of her granddaughter's labors.
+
+"I know just how to do them now, mother," said Edna, "and I think it is
+great fun. Grandma is going to save the pan I did so I can have them to
+carry home."
+
+"You might have a tea-party for the dolls this afternoon, and use some
+of your cookies for refreshments."
+
+"Could Reliance come?"
+
+"Why, I should think so. I have thought of something else for you to do
+this morning; you could begin a Christmas gift for Celia. You know you
+always have a hard time keeping her gift a secret."
+
+"What kind of thing could I make?"
+
+"I noticed that your sister's little work bag was getting rather dingy
+and I am sure she would be delighted to have a new one."
+
+"But where will I get anything to make it of?"
+
+"No doubt grandma has something in her piece-bag; she always has all
+sorts of odds and ends, and it would give her pleasure to let you have
+anything that might serve the purpose. I will ask her, and we can get
+the ribbons for it any time between now and Christmas."
+
+Her mother was as good as her word, and leaving the room came back in a
+few minutes with a large bag whose contents she emptied on the bed.
+"There," she said, "take your choice. Grandma says you are perfectly
+welcome to anything you find."
+
+Edna began turning over the pieces. "You help me choose, mother," she
+said presently. "I don't know just how big the piece ought to be."
+
+Her mother drew up her chair and began to look over the bits of gay silk
+before her. "I declare," she said presently, "here is a piece of a party
+frock I wore when I was about Celia's age. It was almost my first real
+new party frock, for before that I always wore a simple white muslin.
+This is perfectly new, and must have been left over. To think of its
+being in this bag all those years. It appears to be sufficiently strong,
+however." She shook it out and held it up to the light. The material was
+a pale green silk with tiny bunches of flowers upon it. Edna thought it
+very pretty.
+
+"I think Celia will be perfectly delighted to have a bag made of your
+first party frock, mother," she said. "Do you think grandma would mind
+my having it?"
+
+"I am sure she will be very much pleased. We will decide upon that, and
+you can put back the rest of the pieces. There will be an abundance in
+this for a nice, full bag I am sure. I will cut it out for you and show
+you just how to make it."
+
+The time passed so rapidly in planning and making the bag that it was
+the dinner hour before they knew it, and after dinner came an unexpected
+call from Alcinda. She was a sedate-looking little girl with big blue
+eyes and straight, mouse-colored hair, but upon this occasion she was
+dimpling and smiling as she handed a tiny, three-cornered note to Edna.
+Upon opening this Edna discovered, written in a childish hand, the
+following words, "Mr. Jetty Hewlett requests the honor of Miss Edna
+Conway's company to a tea-party at four o'clock this afternoon."
+
+"Oh, dear," sighed Edna, "I'm awfully afraid I can't go, for grandma
+said it was as much as my life was worth to go out of the house
+to-day."
+
+"Oh, but you aren't ill, are you?" asked Alcinda.
+
+"No, but she is afraid I will be."
+
+"But you must come," persisted Alcinda, "for it is in honor of you and
+Reliance, and Jetty is going to help receive."
+
+"I will go ask mother," returned Edna, and running off she returned with
+Mrs. Conway.
+
+"Mayn't Edna come to Jetty's tea-party?" begged Alcinda. "We have
+everything planned, and it will be perfectly dreadful if she stays away.
+She won't take cold, just going across the street, and our house is as
+warm as anything."
+
+Edna looked beseechingly at her mother. "Do please say yes, mother," she
+begged.
+
+"I don't see how you could take cold going just across the street, if
+you wrap up well and wear your rubbers," said her mother.
+
+"Goody! Goody!" cried Alcinda. "Here is an invitation for Reliance, too.
+Be sure to come at four o'clock. I have some more invitations to deliver
+so I must go."
+
+"Now I needn't have a tea-party for the dolls," said Edna when Alcinda
+had gone. Her mother smiled. "You speak as if that would be a great
+hardship," she remarked.
+
+"No, I don't mean that, but I would so much rather go to Alcinda's.
+Shall I wear my best frock, mother?"
+
+"Why, yes, I think you may."
+
+"I wonder if grandma will let Reliance go, and what she will wear," said
+Edna, after a moment's thought. "I think I will go ask, mother, for I
+don't want to be better dressed than Reliance; it was really she who
+saved Jetty, you know."
+
+"That is the proper feeling, dear child."
+
+Edna flew off to find Reliance who had received her invitation, and
+hoped for the permission from Mrs. Willis. "I do hope she will let me
+go," she said fervently. "Come with me, Edna, when I ask her, won't
+you?"
+
+Edna was very ready to do this, and hunted up her grandmother. "Oh,
+grandma," she cried, "we've been invited to a party over at Alcinda's.
+Jetty is giving it in honor of Reliance and me. Mother says I won't take
+cold just going across the street, and you are going to let Reliance go,
+too, aren't you?"
+
+"What's all this?" inquired grandma.
+
+Edna repeated her news, but her grandmother did not reply for a moment.
+"I am afraid Reliance will not be back in time to do her evening work,"
+she said at last.
+
+"Oh, but--" this was an unexpected objection, "couldn't she do some of
+it before she goes?"
+
+"She might do some, but not all, however, we will see. Reliance, you
+bustle around and see how smart you can be, and I will think what can be
+done."
+
+"I can set the table," said Edna eagerly. "Would you mind if it were
+done so much ahead of time for just this once?"
+
+"No," replied her grandmother very kindly.
+
+"And may I skim the milk and bring up the butter for supper? I can set
+it in the pantry where it will keep cool," Reliance said.
+
+"You may do that," Mrs. Willis told her.
+
+"What else will there be to do?" asked Edna, as the two little girls
+hurried from the room.
+
+"I have to turn down the beds and light the lamps when it gets dark."
+
+"That isn't very much to do. Maybe Amanda wouldn't mind seeing to those
+things for just this one time. I am going to ask her."
+
+Reliance was only too glad to have Edna take this request off her hands,
+herself having a wholesome awe of Amanda, but to her relief Amanda was
+in a good humor and promised to look after these extra duties, so in
+good season Reliance was free to prepare for the party, while Edna went
+to her mother to be dressed.
+
+"Mother," she said, "do you think it is funny to go to a party with a
+bound girl? Is a bound girl the same as a Friendless? You know Margaret
+McDonald is our friend, and she used to be a Friendless."
+
+"I don't think it is funny at all. Reliance had no home, to be sure,
+till your grandmother took her, but she is a good, little girl, and I
+used to know her father when I lived here."
+
+"Oh, mother, did you?"
+
+"Oh, yes, he was quite a nice, young man. I never knew his wife, but I
+am afraid he did not marry very well. Reliance will probably have to
+work for her living, but that is no reason why she should not be treated
+as an equal. The people about here know she comes of good stock and that
+the poverty of the family was due more to misfortune than misbehavior. I
+have no doubt but Reliance will make a fine woman, as her grandmother
+was, and when she is grown up, she may marry some farmer of the
+neighborhood, and take the place she should."
+
+This was all very interesting to Edna, and she sat looking at the
+outstretched feet upon which she had just drawn her stockings till her
+mother reminded her that time was flying. "Wake up, dearie," she said.
+"Why, what a brown study you are in. Reliance will be ready long before
+you are. Hurry on with your shoes, and then come let me tie your hair."
+
+At this Edna jumped and bustled around with such promptness that she was
+ready by the time Reliance came to the door neatly dressed in her bright
+plaid frock and scarlet hair ribbons. She was a dark-haired, dark-eyed
+little girl with rosy cheeks, and though not exactly pretty, had a
+pleasant, intelligent face. Edna had finally decided not to wear her
+best white frock, but had on a pretty blue challis, quite suited to the
+occasion, her mother told her.
+
+The two little girls set out in high feather and arrived at Alcinda's
+house to find that several had reached there before them. Jetty, with a
+huge red bow on his collar, barked a welcome, and Alcinda beamed upon
+them as they entered. "I was so afraid something would happen to keep
+you," she said.
+
+Esther Ann hurried forward to talk as fast as she could, as was her
+habit, her words tumbling over one another in her effort and excitement.
+"Wasn't it splendid that you two found Jetty? I wish we had gone that
+way, but then maybe we wouldn't have found him after all. I think it is
+real nice of Alcinda to ask Reliance when she is a bound girl, don't
+you?" This in an aside to Edna. "I'm sure she is as good as anybody. How
+long are you going to stay? Here, I'll show you where to take off your
+things; you needn't go, Alcinda." And she swept the little hostess aside
+while she led the way to an upper room.
+
+By this time, the latest comers had arrived, so there were about a
+dozen in all, enough for almost any game they might choose to play. In
+the first, Hide the Handkerchief, Jetty joined with great zeal, being
+always the first one to find the handkerchief. "You see he does it with
+his nose," said Alcinda by way of explanation, a remark which made
+everyone laugh, and set the lively Esther Ann to sticking her nose into
+every corner the next time the handkerchief was hidden.
+
+"You ought to put cologne on it and then maybe we could find it," she
+said, and this, too, raised a laugh as she meant it should, for it took
+very little to amuse them.
+
+At five o'clock a tray was brought in. Delicious cocoa and home-made
+cakes were served, followed by candies, nuts and raisins. While the
+girls were busy over these, Alcinda cast many glances toward the door
+and once or twice whispered to her mother, who nodded reassuringly. It
+was evident that some matter of surprise was to follow. What it was,
+came to light a little later when Mr. Hewlett came in. He knew each
+little girl, for even Edna was no stranger to him, so he spoke to each
+by name. Then he stood up by the fireplace and said: "You have all heard
+of the medals which are given for the performance of brave deeds. Well,
+my little girl thinks her small dog would like to show his appreciation
+of the act which saved his life the other day, and so I have prepared
+two medals for the heroines of that occasion; they are not gold medals;
+in fact they are not real medals and of no special value except that
+they represent her, and our, gratitude to the little girls who were the
+life savers." He paused and looked at Alcinda who bustled forward and
+gave into his hands two tiny baskets.
+
+"Here, Jetty," called Mr. Hewlett, and Jetty, who had been sitting in
+Mrs. Hewlett's lap, jumped down and danced over to see what was required
+of him. Mr. Hewlett stooped down and gave the dog one of the small
+baskets which he took in his month with much wagging of tail.
+
+"Take it, Jetty," ordered Mr. Hewlett. Jetty started off toward his
+little mistress, who quickly left her place and stood by Edna's chair.
+Jetty dropped the basket, not knowing exactly what was expected of him.
+
+"Bring it here, Jet," said Alcinda. Therefore, being sure of himself,
+Jetty frisked over to where Alcinda was standing. "Give it to Edna,"
+said Alcinda, laying her hand on Edna's lap. Jetty did as he was told
+and then scampered back to repeat the operation, this time it being
+Reliance to whom he was directed to go.
+
+"Do let's see," urged Esther Ann, edging up to Edna.
+
+Edna uncovered the basket and saw a box lying there. Inside the box was
+a new quarter in which a hole had been drilled; a string had been passed
+through this and to the string was attached a bow of blue ribbon.
+Reliance found the same in her basket, only her ribbon was red.
+
+"You must put them on and wear them," said Alcinda, "so everyone can see
+how honorable you are." She didn't just know why her father and mother
+smiled so broadly.
+
+The girls proudly pinned on their medals and wore them home, for very
+soon came grandpa to say they must get ready to go.
+
+"I'm going to keep mine forever and ever, aren't you?" whispered
+Reliance, as she started around to the kitchen door.
+
+"'Deed I am," returned Edna.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+THE ELDERFLOWERS
+
+
+Edna's account of the G. R. club, to which she and most of her friends
+belonged, had quite excited the ambition of the little girls at Overlea
+to have a similar one.
+
+"I told my father about it," said Reba to Edna when they met at Jetty's
+party, "and he thought it was a most beautiful club, didn't he, Esther
+Ann, and he ought to know. He said we could have one just like it."
+
+"Oh, we don't want to do that," put in Esther Ann scornfully. "We don't
+want to be copy-cats. We want to have something all our ownty downty
+selves, and not just like somebody else."
+
+"That's just what I think," spoke up Emma Hunt. "Not that I don't think
+yours is the best I ever heard of, and I don't see why we couldn't have
+one something like it, just a little different."
+
+"There aren't so very many girls of us, for there are more old people
+than children in this place," said Alcinda. "Would that make any
+difference, Edna? Yours is such a big club."
+
+"It wasn't big when we began; there were only six of us to begin with."
+
+"Oh, were there? Then we could do it easily. Let me see how many are
+here; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven,
+and there is Mattie Bond who couldn't come because she is sick; she
+would make twelve."
+
+"How many are there in your club?" asked Reliance.
+
+"Oh, I don't know just how many by now. Uncle Justus has a pretty big
+school and almost every girl belongs to it," replied Edna.
+
+"The real big girls?"
+
+"Yes, and we have one very grown-up lady, an honorary member; I'll tell
+you all about Miss Eloise some day. Agnes Evans was our first president,
+and she is really grown up, for she is at college."
+
+"I think a little club would be nicer," Esther Ann spoke her mind.
+
+"But what shall it be and what shall we call it?" asked Alcinda.
+
+"I'll tell you what," proposed Edna, "you all ask your mothers what they
+think and I will ask my mother what she thinks, and we can meet
+somewhere to-morrow to talk it over."
+
+"I haven't any mother," came a sorrowful little voice from the corner.
+Big Reliance put her arm around the younger girl. "Never mind, Letty,"
+she whispered; "neither have I, but we can ask somebody else's mother."
+
+"I'll lend both of you my mother," whispered Edna from the other side.
+
+So it was that the company of little girls went home from Jetty's party
+with quite a new plan. Even Edna, who would really have no part in the
+club, was much interested, and could scarcely wait to talk it over with
+her mother at bedtime. She began as soon as they were upstairs together.
+"Mother," she said, "do you think grandma would let Reliance come up
+while I am getting ready for bed?"
+
+"Why, dearie, I don't know, I am sure. Why do you want her on this
+special night?"
+
+"Because there is something we girls are going to talk over with our
+mothers, and Reliance hasn't any mother, neither has Letty Osgood, and I
+told them I would lend them my mother. You don't mind, do you, mother
+dear?" Edna put her two hands on each of her mother's cheeks and looked
+at her very earnestly.
+
+"Why, my darling, of course not," returned Mrs. Conway, kissing her.
+"You know mother is always very glad to mother any little girl who may
+need her. What is this wonderful something you are to talk over?"
+
+"I think we'd better not begin until we know about Reliance though. I
+wish I had asked grandma before I came up, but I wanted to speak to you
+first, mother dear."
+
+"Then I will go down and ask her. Where is Reliance?"
+
+"I suppose she is in the kitchen with Amanda; I don't believe she has
+gone to bed yet."
+
+Her mother left the room, and while Edna unlaced her shoes, she listened
+for her return. In a few minutes she heard voices on the stair and
+realized that Reliance was coming up. "We haven't said a word about it
+yet," she nodded to Reliance who came in behind Mrs. Conway. "You begin,
+Reliance."
+
+"No, you," said Reliance drawing back shyly.
+
+"Well," began Edna, addressing her mother, "you see the girls want to
+get up a club something like ours, only not just like it, and they don't
+want the same name either. There aren't such a lot of girls here,
+because there are so many more old people than young ones in this
+village, and so you see--what kind of club would be nice, mother?"
+
+"Why, dearie, I shall have to think it over."
+
+"We ought to decide very soon," said Edna, "for I should hate to go away
+without knowing. Could Reliance bring Letty Osgood home with her from
+school to-morrow? I lent you to her, too, and maybe by that time you
+might think of something?"
+
+"We'll ask grandma about it, dear, though I am sure she will not object.
+Is that all now?"
+
+Edna thought it was, and now that she was ready to pop into bed,
+Reliance left her with a happy "Good-night!" It was like sunshine in the
+house to have such a dear little girl as Edna, she thought as she went
+downstairs, and though Amanda reprimanded her sharply for not being in
+bed, she did not answer back, for, in fact, she scarcely heard her, so
+busy was she with pleasant thoughts, and so excited over the idea of the
+club.
+
+The next morning, Edna and her mother did a great deal of talking about
+the new club, so much, in fact, that when it was time for Reliance to
+return from school, Edna was on the lookout for her, feeling that she
+had so much to tell that there should be no time wasted. "Here they
+come, mother," she sang out. "Reliance and Letty. May I bring them
+right up here?"
+
+"To be sure you may."
+
+"I'm going down to tell Amanda to 'scuse Reliance for just a few
+minutes." She flew downstairs to the kitchen. "'Manda," she said,
+"mother is going to talk over something very important with Reliance and
+Letty, so will you please not call her for a few minutes? I'll help her
+set the table."
+
+"It seems to me you are making too much of Reliance," returned Amanda;
+"she can't be brought up to look for nothing but ease and pleasure; she
+will have to work for her living."
+
+"But this isn't anything that is going to keep her from doing that,"
+explained Edna, "and grandma said she could have a little time to play
+while I am here, specially when I help her."
+
+"Oh, well, go 'long," returned Amanda, "only don't keep her too long;
+there's more to do than set the table."
+
+Though the permission was accorded rather ungraciously, Edna was
+satisfied, and ran to welcome Letty who was just coming in the gate. "I
+am so glad you could come," she said. "You are going to stay to dinner,
+aren't you? Did you ask your father?"
+
+"Yes, and he said I might."
+
+"Good! Then come right upstairs and take off your things. Oh, girls,
+mother has a lovely plan for a club, and the dearest name you ever
+heard. You can come, Reliance, grandma said so, and so did Amanda. I'm
+going to help set the table."
+
+She led the way up to where her mother was sitting, her face bright with
+eagerness as she brought Letty forward. "This is Letty Osgood, mother,
+Dr. Osgood's daughter, you know."
+
+Mrs. Conway drew the shy little girl nearer. "It is very nice to see
+Letitia Osgood's daughter," she said. "I knew your dear mother very
+well, and I am glad to have my little girl making friends with her
+little girl."
+
+"Now, mother," began Edna, breaking in, "won't you please not talk much
+at first about anything but the club, because Reliance has only a few
+minutes to stay."
+
+Her mother smiled and nodded to Letty. "Very well, Letty," she said,
+"well have a nice, little, cozy chat all to ourselves after awhile when
+this impatient young person has had her subject discussed. I was
+thinking, girlies, that as long as there are so many elderly and old
+people in the village, some of whom are poor and some who are partial
+invalids, that it would be a very sweet thing if you little girls could
+form yourselves into a club which would help to make their lives a
+little less sad. It would mean a great deal to old Miss Belinda Myers,
+for instance, if one of you would drop in once in a while with a flower,
+or any little thing for her. She is so crippled up with rheumatism that
+she can't leave her room, and must sit there by the window all day long.
+She is fond of children, too. Of course she has plenty of this world's
+goods, and her old friends do not neglect her, yet I am sure that you
+could give something to her by your mere presence which none of the
+older persons could. Then there is poor old Nathan Keener."
+
+"Oh, but he is such an old cross patch," interrupted Edna.
+
+"So he is, but he has had enough to make him so. I wonder if any one of
+us would be very amiable if she were poverty-stricken, half sick all the
+time, had lost all her friends and had been cheated out of the little
+which would make old age comfortable? It is very easy to be smiling and
+agreeable when everything goes right, but when things go wrong, it isn't
+half so easy, especially when one hasn't a good disposition to begin
+with."
+
+"But what in the world could we do for him?" asked Reliance. "If we
+stopped to speak to him, very likely he would get after us with a
+stick."
+
+"Did any of the boys and girls ever try the experiment of speaking to
+him pleasantly? I am quite sure the boys do their best to annoy him in
+any way they can contrive, and even some of the girls tease him slyly
+and call him names, I am told."
+
+"Yes, they do," replied Reliance, doubtfully, who herself was not
+entirely innocent in this regard.
+
+"Suppose you were to try the experiment of beginning by smiling when you
+go by and saying, pleasantly, 'Good-morning, Mr. Keener?' Then next day,
+even if he chased you away the first time, you might say, 'Isn't this a
+lovely morning, Mr. Keener?' and you could always make a point of saying
+something pleasant to him when you go by. Then some day when it is
+raining or too cold for him to sit in his doorway----"
+
+"Like a great big, ugly spider," remarked Letty.
+
+Mrs. Conway paid no heed to the comment, "you could leave a big apple on
+the doorsill for him, and so on, till in time I will venture to say he
+will learn that you wish him well and are trying to be friends. You must
+keep in your mind all the time that he is a poor, neglected, friendless,
+unhappy old man and that if you can succeed in bringing even a little
+sunshine into his life, you will be doing a great deal."
+
+The girls were very sober for a few minutes, then Reliance said
+thoughtfully, "I believe I should like to try it anyway."
+
+"Of course," Mrs. Conway went on, "the girls may have found other and
+better ideas for a club, and a better name than I can suggest, but it
+seemed to me that this might be made something like the G. R., yet would
+not be exactly the same, and it could have quite a different name."
+
+"Oh, mother," exclaimed Edna, "do tell the name you thought of, I think
+it is so lovely."
+
+"I thought you might call yourselves 'The Elderflowers,' because your
+good deeds would be directed toward your elders, and you would be
+cheerful, little flowers to bring sweetness to sad lives."
+
+"I think it is the most beautiful idea," exclaimed Letty earnestly, "and
+I shall be dreadfully disappointed if the girls want something
+different. I begin to feel sorry for old Nathan Keener already."
+
+"That is an excellent beginning," said Mrs. Conway, with a smile.
+
+Here came a call from Amanda, so Reliance and Edna scampered off leaving
+Letty to be entertained by Mrs. Conway.
+
+When Reliance came home from school that afternoon, she brought the
+information that the girls were going to meet in Hewlett's old
+blacksmith shop that afternoon, and that Edna was to be sure to come. To
+her own great disappointment, she could not go herself, for Amanda
+declared that she could not get along without her, and that all this
+gallivanting about was a mistake, and that if Mrs. Willis was going to
+have a bound girl there for her to bother with and get no good of, she
+guessed it was time for younger folks to take her place. A girl that
+spent half her time at school and the other half skylarking wouldn't
+amount to much anyway was her opinion.
+
+So because the old servant had to be pacified and because it was a day
+on which Reliance could really be ill spared, she did not attend the
+meeting.
+
+"I am sorry, dear," said Mrs. Willis, when Edna begged to have the
+decree altered, "but I am afraid we really cannot spare Reliance this
+afternoon. You know she has had a lot of time for play this past week;
+we have been very indulgent to her because of your being here." Edna saw
+that this was final and went to her mother with rather a grave face.
+
+"Mother," she said, "isn't it too bad that Reliance can't go? She says
+she wouldn't mind so much if it were not for the voting, but you see if
+she isn't there, she will lose her vote, and we do so want the
+Elderflower plan to be the one."
+
+"Why couldn't you be her proxy?" said Mrs. Conway.
+
+"Proxy? What is proxy, mother?"
+
+"It is some one appointed in the place of another to do what would
+otherwise be done by the first person; for instance, in this case you
+could be proxy for Reliance and vote for her. She could sign a paper
+which would make it very plain."
+
+"Oh, mother, will you write the paper and let me take it to her to
+sign?"
+
+"Certainly I will." She drew the writing materials to her and wrote a
+few lines. "There," she said, "I think that will do."
+
+"Please read it, mother."
+
+Mrs. Conway read: "I hereby appoint Edna Conway to be my proxy and to
+vote upon any question which may come up before this meeting.
+
+"Signed--"
+
+"That sounds very important," said Edna, clasping her hands. "Show me
+where she is to sign her name, mother. I know she will be perfectly
+delighted that I can speak for her."
+
+Reliance truly was pleased, the more that the sending of such an
+important legal document gave her a certain position with the others.
+She signed her name with a flourish, and Edna, armed with the
+indisputable right to take her place, started off for Hewlett's old
+blacksmith shop. This sat back some distance from the store, and was
+used as a storage place for empty boxes and such things.
+
+Edna found most of the company gathered when she arrived. They were all
+chattering away with little idea of what must be done first. "Here comes
+Edna Conway," cried Esther Ann; "she can tell us just what to do. Come
+along, Edna. What was the first thing you did when you got up a club?"
+
+"We had a president and a secretary the first thing; the president was
+called _pro tem._; she wasn't the real president till we elected her."
+
+"Then you be _pro tem._, for you know just what to do."
+
+"Oh, no, I couldn't," Edna shrank from such a public office, and her
+little round face took on a look of real distress at such a prospect.
+
+"Somebody's got to be then," said Esther Ann. "I will."
+
+"I will, I will," came from one and another of the girls, too eager for
+prominence to care about what was expected of them.
+
+"We can't all be," remarked Milly Somers. "We're wasting time and we
+ought to have had this all settled at first. I wish there were some
+older person to get us started."
+
+"Everyone isn't here yet," spoke up Alcinda. "Isn't Reliance coming,
+Edna?"
+
+"No, she can't. She has too much to do this afternoon, but I am her
+proxy. I've got a paper that says so."
+
+The girls giggled. "Isn't she cute?" whispered Esther Ann. "Let's see
+the paper, Edna."
+
+Edna solemnly drew it from the small bag she carried, and handed it to
+Esther Ann.
+
+"Read it, Esther Ann, read it," clamored the girls. And Esther Ann read
+it aloud.
+
+"How in the world did you know about such a thing," said Milly Somers.
+
+"Oh, I didn't think of it," she answered; "it was my mother."
+
+"She must be awfully smart," said Esther Ann admiringly. "I wish she
+were here to tell us just what to do, if you won't do it."
+
+"Maybe she would come for just a little while," said Edna, feeling
+assured that if her mother were there to tell of her own ideas about the
+club that there would be no doubt of its being "The Elderflowers."
+"Suppose I go and ask her," she added.
+
+"All right," agreed the girls. "Tell her if she will stay just long
+enough to tell us how to get started, it is all we ask."
+
+Edna rushed back to the house and upstairs, where she breathlessly
+explained her errand. "You will go? won't you, mother, just for a few
+minutes," she begged. "You won't have to change your dress, or even put
+a hat on if you don't want to. We need you so very, very much. Nobody
+knows what to do, and they all talk at once, and giggle and say silly
+things. It ought to be real serious, oughtn't it?"
+
+"Not too serious, I should say," returned her mother. "Very well, dear,
+I will come." She threw on a long coat and followed the little girl
+across the street to where the prospective club members waited
+expectantly.
+
+It did not take long to set the ball in motion, and in less than half an
+hour Esther Ann was made president _pro tem._, Milly Somers was
+appointed secretary, and the business of choosing came up. There were
+not very many original ideas offered. Few of the girls had any. Mrs.
+Conway listened to them all, and at last explained her own plan so
+clearly and with such earnestness that it was a matter of only a few
+minutes before it was decided that "The Elderflower Club" should start
+its existence at once.
+
+To cap the climax, Edna was elected an honorary member, "for," said the
+girls, "if it hadn't been for you we should never have had a club at
+all. And when you come to your grandfather's, you will always know that
+you must attend the club meetings."
+
+Therefore, it was a very happy little girl who went back to report to
+Reliance the happenings of this first meeting of the club.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+WHAT BEN DID
+
+
+The members of the Elderflower Club were so eager to begin business that
+they could scarcely wait till the next day. The more retiring ones, like
+Alcinda, contented themselves with beginning their ministrations to
+relatives or those they knew, but it was to adventurous spirits like
+Esther Ann and Reliance that a difficult case such as old Nathan Keener
+appealed. Reliance, following out Mrs. Conway's advice, gave a cheery
+"Good-morning, Mr. Keener," as she went by his dilapidated house on her
+way to school. She reported this performance to the other girls at
+recess.
+
+"Oh, Reliance, you didn't dare, did you?" exclaimed Alcinda. "What did
+he do? Did he run after you?"
+
+"No, he only frowned and grunted."
+
+"Did you walk very fast when you went by?" asked little Letty Osgood,
+being very sure that she would not have loitered upon such an occasion.
+
+"No, not so very. I just walked as I always do."
+
+"Then I think you were very brave," continued Letty.
+
+"Pooh!" exclaimed Esther Ann, "that wasn't anything to do. Just wait
+till you see what I am going to do."
+
+"What, Esther Ann? What?" clamored the girls.
+
+"Wait till this afternoon and you will see," was all Esther Ann would
+say to satisfy their curiosity.
+
+This being Friday and Edna's last day at her grandmother's, her friends
+begged that she be allowed to go with them to school that afternoon.
+"We don't have real lessons," Reliance told her, "for Miss Fay reads to
+us, and we have a sewing lesson."
+
+"I'd love to go," said Edna, "and I could take the work bag I am making
+for Celia. I could finish it, I think. May I go?"
+
+"I haven't the slightest objection," Mrs. Conway assured her. So she set
+off with Reliance, and felt quite at home since she knew all the girls
+of her own age, and older, and, as she said, "the littler ones don't
+count."
+
+Everything moved along pleasantly during the school session, and the
+girls started along in a bunch toward home. "You just come with me,
+Edna," said Esther Ann. "You see you are a member of the club, too, and
+this will be your only chance to do a deed. The others can follow along
+if they want. I'll tell you what I am going to do and you can take
+part, if you like."
+
+The others were both timid and curious, and were quite content to obey
+Esther Ann's suggestion to "follow on." Edna, it may be said, was not
+inspired with that wholesome dread of old Nathan which possessed the
+others, for she had not been brought up under the shadow of his
+ogre-like actions, and she felt that this was an opportunity which she
+could not neglect. She trotted along valiantly by Esther Ann's side, the
+others keeping a safe distance behind.
+
+"Tell me what you are going to do," said Edna to her companion, as they
+proceeded on their way.
+
+For answer, Esther Ann dived down into her school-bag and produced first
+one then another big, red apple. "I am going to give these to Nathan.
+You can give one. I mean just to walk right up to him and say, 'Won't
+you have an apple, Mr. Keener?'"
+
+"Suppose he isn't there," returned Edna.
+
+"Oh, he'll be there; he always is when it is a bright day like this. He
+sits in an old chair on that broad doorstep in front of his house, and
+leans on a big, thick stick he always carries."
+
+"Who cooks for him?"
+
+"Oh, he cooks for himself, when he has anything to cook. He has a little
+garden, but it doesn't amount to much. He has no apple trees except an
+old one that is nearly dead and never has but a few little, measly,
+knerly apples on it; that's why I thought he'd like these."
+
+Their walk was carrying them nearer and nearer the old man's door.
+"There he is now," whispered Esther Ann. "I'll go first and you come
+right up behind me. Here, take your apple." She thrust the fruit into
+Edna's hand and hastened her own pace a little. Edna's heart began to
+beat fast, for surely Nathan Keener was anything but an attractive
+figure as he sat there glowering and muttering, his gaunt hands resting
+on his knotted stick, and his grizzly old face wearing a wrathful look.
+
+True to her guns, Esther Arm dashed forward and held out her apple
+saying in a shrill, excited voice, "Won't you have----"
+
+But she got no further, for with a snarl the old man reached out one
+long, bony arm and grabbed her by the shoulder, raising his stick
+threateningly, "I'll larn ye, ye little varmint," he began.
+
+Esther screamed. Edna, paralyzed with fright, looked on with affrighted
+eyes, but presently found voice to quaver out, "Please don't hurt her!
+Oh, please don't!"
+
+The other girls a little distance off stood huddled together like a
+flock of sheep. No one was brave enough to venture within reach of that
+terrible stick, but just then along came a crowd of boys from school.
+The foremost took in the situation in a glance, and in another instant
+was on the platform by Esther's side.
+
+"Here, you old mut, what are you doing to my sister?" he cried, at the
+same time trying to wrest the stick from the old man's grasp.
+
+But Nathan had too long wielded the stick with effect to lose it so
+readily. Loosing his hold upon Esther, he swiftly shifted his weapon to
+his other hand and brought down a blow on the boy's back.
+
+By this time the other boys had come up; there were cries, threats,
+screams from the girls, shouts from the boys. All was in a dreadful
+hub-bub when along the road approached a young man who stood for a
+moment and then dashed to the scene of battle. "Here, boys, here," he
+cried, "what are you doing to that old man?"
+
+"He was going to beat my sister," spoke up the one who had first hurried
+to the front.
+
+"You old scalawag," cried the young man, "what were you up to? If you
+are yearning to hit somebody, take a fellow your own size." He wrenched
+the stick from the man's grasp and threw it away. "Now," he said, "have
+it out if you will. I'm ready." He squared off, but the old man had
+neither strength nor desire to grapple with such a masterful opponent,
+and he slunk back against his door.
+
+"I guess if your life was pestered by a set of young wretches like
+these, you'd threaten, too," he said surlily. "I guess I'm getting too
+smart for their tricks, and know enough not to take anything they offer
+me. I don't have to have more'n one apple full of red pepper set on my
+doorsill. I guess I know who hides my loaf of bread, and puts salt in my
+can of milk. I guess I cut my eyeteeth a good many years ago, and can
+catch 'em at their tricks."
+
+The young man looked around at the group of boys, now rather shamefaced,
+at the group of girls now gathered around Esther Ann. On the edge of
+this latter group he recognized a little round face now tear-stained and
+affrighted. In a moment he was by Edna's side. "Well, I'll be
+everlastingly switched," he exclaimed, "Edna, my child, what are you
+doing in this mix-up?"
+
+"Oh, Ben," returned Edna, "it was all a mistake. Nobody meant to play a
+trick."
+
+"Come over here and tell me all about it," said Ben, leading her aside.
+Edna poured forth her tale of woe, during the recital of which more
+than once Ben's mouth twitched and his eyes grew merry. "It doesn't do
+to be too zealous, does it?" he said at the close of the story. "Here,
+old fellow, come back here." He made a dash at old Nathan who was now
+retreating within his own doorway. Ben pulled him back by his
+coat-tails. "We aren't through with this yet," he went on as the man
+turned upon him with a few smothered words. "That isn't a pretty way to
+talk. You have something of a case, I admit, but you happened to
+overreach yourself this time. No, you're not going in yet. A little more
+fresh air won't hurt you. Sit down there and be good and I will tell you
+a pretty little story." He pushed the old man gently into his chair and
+stood guard over him. "No, you don't need your stick yet; you might get
+careless with it. I'll just lean it up against the house. Now, then,
+those little girls hadn't a notion of playing you a trick; they were
+trying to do you a kindness. They knew you were lonely and hadn't much
+chance to run around with the boys, or run an automobile, so they
+thought they would chirk you up a little by presenting you with a large,
+sweet, juicy, red apple. Their little hearts were throbbing with
+good-will; they had an unconquerable desire to bring a smile to your
+lips and a gleam of happiness to your eye. To prove this to you, I will
+now dissect this large, sweet, juicy, red apple. I will eat half and you
+will eat the other. If it isn't a good apple, I'll eat my hat." He
+carefully cut the apple, which Edna had given him, pared and quartered
+it, stuck a piece on the end of his knife and offered it to the old man,
+who pushed it away contemptuously. "Let me insist," Ben went on. "We are
+not playing Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. There is no serpent in
+sight, not so much as a worm, and if you find so much as a grain of red
+pepper I'll acknowledge myself beaten."
+
+The old man muttered incoherently as Ben finished his harangue, but made
+no motion to take the apple. "You don't know what you are missing," Ben
+went on. "Now just for the sake of old times, let's try to be jolly and
+remember when we were boys. Why, many a time you and I have raced down
+this shaded street, shouting with mirth, have climbed the wall by the
+orchard and stuffed our pockets with apples like these. You never could
+take a joke, as I remember, but still you weren't a bad fellow, and I'll
+bet you were a wonder at baseball. I shouldn't wonder if your batting
+didn't beat the town. The way you swing around that stick of yours shows
+there is 'life in the old land yet.'"
+
+The old man's face had relaxed a little and he no longer muttered under
+his breath. Ben winked at the boys who had drawn nearer and were
+enjoying the situation to the utmost. "Now, just for old times' sake,"
+continued Ben, "just tell me what was the last real, good, old-fashioned
+trick you ever played?" The old man cast a half-suspicious look at the
+smiling young man by his side, but made no reply. "Too bad you forget,"
+said Ben, "but I'll bet an apple to an oyster you don't forget that last
+game you played."
+
+"Who told you about it?" snapped out the old man.
+
+"Never mind. Do you suppose such a game as that will ever be forgotten?
+I'm going to tell these boys all about it some day, see if I don't."
+
+Nathan wheeled around in his chair and glanced over the row of young
+faces before him. Then he leaned back in his chair and sighed.
+
+"I'll bet you wouldn't mind a good game now, but you've no use for these
+boys and they haven't much for you. When's the next game, boys?" He
+turned to the row of faces.
+
+"We've stopped playing baseball for this year," came in a chorus.
+
+"Don't have football up here?"
+
+"No, we haven't any team."
+
+"Too bad. I might join you on that. Well, Mr. Keener, some of these days
+you and I will go to a game together; we'll get that fixed up. Which of
+you boys was it who so doughtily sped to the rescue of the young
+maiden?"
+
+"Jim Tabor; it was his sister the old man was after," piped up the boys.
+
+"All right, and mighty little respect I would have had for him, if he
+hadn't pitched in the way he did. Step up here, Jim."
+
+Jim came forward, a little awkwardly, the other boys snickering. "Mr.
+Keener, this is Jim Taber. I want you to look at him and tell me if,
+when you were a boy of his size you had seen anyone threatening your
+sister with a stick, you wouldn't have pitched in and fought for her for
+all you were worth. You weren't any slouch in those days when it came to
+fighting, I know. That's all, Jim, no apologies necessary. Now, Mr.
+Keener, there is just one thing more. I don't believe these children are
+really bad, only mischievous as you used to be when you were a
+youngster. The girls, I know, are all ready to be friends, bless their
+dear little hearts. As for the boys, I'll venture to say we can patch up
+a treaty of peace with them. If you will promise to be a little less
+free with that stick and not get a grouch on you every time a boy looks
+your way, they will promise to play no more tricks. If they don't
+promise, I'll give every mother's son of them Hail Columbia when I come
+this way again," and by his looks, the boys knew he meant what he said.
+They were conscious that Ben was standing up for old Nathan, and yet
+that he meant to be perfectly fair to them. Ben looked up and down the
+line. "Well?" he said.
+
+The boys looked at one another. "If he'll promise, we will," spoke up
+Jim Taber.
+
+"It's a go," said Ben. "Now, Mr. Keener, it's up to you."
+
+Old Nathan gave a grunt which might have meant anything, but Ben chose
+to interpret it his own way. "I think that is meant for assent," he
+said. "The gentleman seems to be speaking a foreign language to-day,
+Choctaw, I should say, or maybe Hindostanee. However, it is all right.
+Now, Mr. Keener, allow me, sir." He opened the door with a flourish and
+handed the old man his stick. Without a word, Nathan took the stick and
+went in, Ben bowing and scraping and saying, "Thank you for a very good
+time," then receiving no reply, not even a grunt, he added, "Not at all,
+the pleasure is entirely mine." The door closed and that was the end of
+it.
+
+Edna came running up. "Oh, Ben," she said, "how glad I am to see you.
+Oh, wasn't it dreadful? How did you happen to come along?"
+
+"Why, Pinky Blooms, I was on my way to grandpa's, thought I would come
+to take mother back to-morrow, and, as it was a fine afternoon, I
+concluded, to walk up from the station. Happened by just in the nick of
+time, didn't I? Funny old curmudgeon, isn't Nathan?"
+
+"Oh, he is terrible," responded Edna, with a remembrance of the uplifted
+stick. "Are you going home with me?"
+
+"No; you trot along with the rest of the brood; I am going to stay here
+a few minutes and have a chat with the boys; I'll be along directly."
+
+So Edna left him, the boys crowding around and asking all sorts of
+questions. Ben was no new figure in the town, and most of them knew him
+at least by sight. Just what he said to the boys, Edna never knew, but
+it is a matter of comment that from that day on there were no more
+tricks played on old Nathan Keener, and though the big stick was not so
+much in evidence, it was a long time before any of the Elderflowers made
+any headway in winning even so much as a grunt from him. It was a great
+setback to the enthusiasm of the girls, but as Reliance told Esther Ann,
+she should not have tried so venturesome a thing at the very outset.
+"Mrs. Conway says we should have worked up to it gradually. It's just
+like training a wild animal, you have to win its confidence first." But
+Esther Ann declared she wanted no more of Nathan Keener, and Reliance
+was perfectly welcome to try any methods she liked so long as Esther Ann
+was not asked to share in the effort. It was a very exciting afternoon,
+taking it all in all, and was the means of bringing some ridicule and
+some censure upon the little club. One or two of the girls resigned,
+saying their mothers did not approve of such proceedings. All this,
+however, did not happen during Edna's Thanksgiving visit, but she heard
+of it afterward, and of further matters concerning the Elderflowers.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+FAREWELLS
+
+
+Edna had not finished telling her mother about the afternoon's
+adventures when Ben came in. The family had gathered in the living-room,
+Edna sitting on her grandfather's knee, and the others ranged around the
+big fireplace. "There comes Ben now," Edna sang out, catching sight of
+her cousin's figure, and running to meet him.
+
+"Halloo, young man," was grandpa's greeting. "I hear you have been
+having a set-to with Nathan Keener. It isn't the first time that he has
+had a fisticuffs with a member of this family. He and I used to be
+continually at it when we were boys together."
+
+"Oh, but isn't he much older than you, grandpa?" said Edna, in
+surprise. "He looks like a very, very old man."
+
+"And I don't? That's a nice compliment, missy. No, he and I are about of
+an age, and went to school together in the little, old, red schoolhouse
+that was burned down some years ago. It is ill health and trouble that
+makes him look so old, I suppose. Poor old chap, he has lost most of the
+friends who would have stood by him, for he has taken such an attitude
+it is impossible to be on good terms with him."
+
+"Ben thinks he used to play baseball," spoke up Edna. "Did they play it
+so many, many years ago?"
+
+Her grandfather laughed. "They certainly did, and he was tremendous at
+it. Let me see, forty, fifty years ago isn't so long, and I can well
+remember the time the Overlea boys beat the Boxtown boys, and it was all
+because of Nat Keener's good playing. The Boxtown fellows thought all
+they had to do was to walk in and win, but we gave them a big surprise
+that day. I remember how we cheered and, after the game was over,
+carried Nat around the village on our shoulders."
+
+Ben smiled and nodded as if this event came within his recollection,
+too. Edna looked at him in surprise. "Why, Ben," she said, "you weren't
+there."
+
+Ben laughed. "No, but I heard about it all years ago, and it came to my
+mind to-day when I was having it out with Nathan. I'll venture to say he
+is thinking more of those old times, at this very minute, than he is of
+his troubles."
+
+"Poor old Nat," grandpa shook his head. "He was as high-spirited a young
+chap as ever lived, but uncontrolled and always fighting against the
+pricks. It must be pretty hard for him, pretty hard. He has grown so
+morose and snappish that no one takes the trouble to do more than nod
+to him nowadays. He wasn't a bad sort, too free and open-handed, too
+fond of pleasure, maybe."
+
+"He doesn't have much chance to indulge himself there in these days,"
+remarked grandma.
+
+"False friends, a worthless wife and a bad son have about finished up
+what he had. With good money after bad all the time there is nothing
+left but that little tumbledown house he lives in."
+
+"What does he live on?" asked Ben.
+
+"Ask your grandpa," answered Mrs. Willis smiling across at her husband.
+
+"Oh, pshaw!" exclaimed Mr. Willis, "nobody counts a load of wood or a
+bag of potatoes once in a while. I must stop and see if I can't draw him
+out of his shell some of these days."
+
+"Talk to him about when you were boys, grandpa," said Ben; "that will
+fetch him."
+
+Just here, Reliance came to the door to say that Ira would like to speak
+to Mr. Willis, and Mrs. Barker appropriated Ben, so Edna was left to her
+grandmother and her mother.
+
+"So we are going to lose our little girl to-morrow," grandma began.
+
+"You won't be left without any little girl," replied Edna cheerfully,
+"for you will have Reliance."
+
+"But that isn't the same thing as having my own little granddaughter,"
+responded Mrs. Willis.
+
+"No," returned Edna. "When are we coming here again, mother?"
+
+"Why, my dear, I don't know. We have made grandma a good, long visit
+this time."
+
+"It isn't what I call a long visit," grandma observed. "When I was a
+child I spent months at a time at my grandparents."
+
+"I spent months at Uncle Justus', but then I was there at school,"
+remarked Edna. "I don't see why I couldn't come here on holidays,
+mother."
+
+"You can do that sometimes, surely. We have promised you to Uncle Bert
+for the Christmas holidays, but maybe you could come at Easter, if
+grandma would like to have you."
+
+"Grandma would like very much to have her," said that lady.
+
+"Even if I came without mother?" questioned Edna.
+
+"Even if you came by your own little self. We shall claim her for the
+Easter holidays, daughter, and you must let nothing prevent her coming.
+If it is not convenient for any of the rest of you to come, just put her
+on the train upon which Marcus Brown is conductor and he will see that
+she gets off safely at Mayville."
+
+Edna looked a little doubtful at the idea of making the journey by
+herself but she did not say anything.
+
+"However," grandma went on, "I don't see why Celia couldn't come with
+her, or perhaps Ben could."
+
+"Well, we shall see," responded Mrs. Conway. "Well try to get her here
+in some way."
+
+"Then we shall consider that quite settled," said grandma with a
+satisfied air.
+
+"I've had an awfully good time," said Edna thoughtfully.
+
+"Even though you have been sick abed, and have had all sorts of
+unpleasant adventures?" said grandma with a smile.
+
+"I wasn't so very sick," returned Edna, "and I wouldn't have minded that
+except for the mustard bath."
+
+Her grandmother laughed. "Well hope that you won't need one the next
+time."
+
+"I didn't mind the adventures very much, either, and now that they are
+all over, I am awfully glad that I will have something so interesting to
+tell the girls at home. I think a great deal has happened in the time I
+have been here, don't you, grandma?"
+
+"From the standpoint of a little girl I suppose that is true, though it
+hasn't seemed such a very exciting time to the rest of us. This is a
+quiet old village and we jog along pretty much the same way year in and
+year out, without very many changes."
+
+"I think it is just lovely here," replied Edna, "and I like all the
+girls, too. I shall be glad to see them again. I sort of remembered some
+of them, but you know I haven't been here before for ever so many years,
+and I had forgotten lots of things, even about the house and the place."
+
+"Then don't stay away so long as to forget anything again," her
+grandmother charged her.
+
+"I'm forgetting that this is the last chance I will have to help
+Reliance set the table," said Edna, jumping up.
+
+She found Reliance had already begun this task and that Amanda was
+making some specially good tea-cakes in honor of this last evening. She
+was in a good humor and did not object, as she did sometimes, to Edna's
+being in the kitchen while supper was being prepared. "Just think,"
+remarked Edna, as she leaned her elbows on the table to watch Amanda,
+"where I shall be to-morrow evening at this time."
+
+"And are you sorry?" asked Amanda.
+
+"No, not exactly. I am glad and sorry both. I should love to stay and
+yet I want to see them all at home."
+
+"That's perfectly natural," Amanda returned, pricking the tea-cakes
+daintily.
+
+"What do you have to do that for?" asked the little girl.
+
+"To keep 'em from blistering," Amanda told her. "There, open the oven
+door, Reliance, and then bring me that bowl of cottage cheese from the
+pantry. I didn't know as it would be warm enough to allow of us having
+any more this week, but you see it was."
+
+"I just love cottage cheese," Edna made the remark, as she watched
+Amanda pour in the yellow cream and stir it into the cheese. "I wish we
+kept a cow, so we could have all the milky things you have here."
+
+"Ain't your place big enough for one?" inquired Amanda, in rather a
+surprised tone.
+
+"No; it isn't just country, you know. Mrs. McDonald has a big place, and
+the Evanses have a nice garden and a grove of trees. We have some trees
+and some garden, and we have a stable, but we haven't any pasture for
+cows."
+
+"You might pasture her out," Amanda suggested, scraping the contents of
+the bowl into a glass dish. "Here, Reliance, take that in and set it on
+the table, and then go after your milk and butter. The dark will catch
+you if you don't hurry."
+
+"I'm going, too," announced Edna. "I can carry the butter, but I won't
+bring the key." The two little girls laughed, for this was a standing
+joke between them.
+
+They started out through the rustling leaves to the spring-house; the
+leaves gave forth a queer, though pleasant odor, as they pushed their
+feet through them. A big star blazed out against the pale rose of an
+evening sky. Over in the cornfields, crows were calling, and a few
+crickets, not yet driven to cover by the frost, chirped in the grass.
+The cows were standing in the stable yard. They had been milked, and
+Ira had brought the pails to the spring-house before this. The little
+white kitten which Edna had made a great pet of, followed her down the
+walk, frisking away after a falling leaf, or dancing sideways in
+pretended fear of its own tail. Edna picked it up but it had no desire
+to stay when this, of all hours in the day, was the best to play in, so
+it scrambled down from her arms and was off like a flash, darting half
+way up a tree, with ears back and claws outspread.
+
+"I do hate to leave the kitten," said Edna. "I hope it won't miss me too
+much. You will try to give it a little attention, even though you love
+the grey one best, won't you, Reliance?"
+
+Reliance promised, and leaving the kitten to its own wild antics they
+went into the spring-house, issuing forth with the various things they
+had gone for. "Just think," sighed Reliance, "this is the very last
+time you will help me bring up the things. I shall miss you awfully,
+Edna. You have been so good to me."
+
+"Why, no, I haven't," answered she; "you have been good to me. I'm
+coming back at Easter, Reliance, and it will be so nice, for I shall
+have so many questions to ask about the girls and the club and all
+that."
+
+"Are you really coming at Easter? I didn't know that."
+
+"Yes, mother just now promised grandma I should."
+
+"Goody! Goody! I must tell the girls when I see them."
+
+The girls, however, found out before Reliance saw them, for knowing that
+Edna was to leave in the morning, they gave her a surprise that very
+evening. Supper was hardly over before Reliance, trying very hard to
+smother laughter, had a whispered consultation with Mrs. Willis, who,
+after it was over, came back to her place by the fire. In a few minutes
+she said, "Edna, dear, I wish you would go up to my room and see if you
+can find my other pair of glasses. Look on the bureau and the table in
+my room, and, if you don't find them there, look in the other rooms."
+
+Very obediently Edna trotted off upstairs, searched high and low, looked
+in this room and that, but no glasses were to be found. After much
+hunting, she came down without them. She stepped slowly down the stair,
+humming softly to herself. It was very quiet in the living-room, or did
+she hear whispers, and subdued titters? Was Reliance or maybe Ben going
+to play a trick on her? She heard a sudden "Hush! Hush!" as she reached
+the door of the living-room, but she made up her mind that she would
+appear perfectly unconcerned, and entered the room in a very don't-care
+sort of manner. "I couldn't find----" she began and then stopped short,
+for there, ranged around the room, were twelve little girls all smiling
+to see the look of surprise on her face. So that was what the trick was.
+
+"We're a surprise party," spoke up Esther Ann.
+
+"And we're a good-by party, too," added Reba.
+
+"We've all brought you something," Alcinda spoke.
+
+"We are going to stay an hour," Letty added.
+
+Here Esther Ann darted forward with a bag of nuts which she plumped down
+in Edna's lap. "There," she said, "you must take those along with you."
+
+Next, Reba presented a neat little book. It looked very religious, Edna
+thought, but the cover was pretty and there was an attractive picture in
+it.
+
+Alcinda came next with a very ornate vase which Edna remembered seeing
+on the glass case in Mr. Hewlett's store.
+
+Letty brought the figure of a cunning cat playing with a ball; this Edna
+liked very much. Some brought candy, some brought cakes, one brought a
+paper doll, another a little cup and saucer, but each one had something
+to contribute till Edna exclaimed: "Why, it is just like a birthday, and
+these are lovely presents."
+
+"Oh, they're nothing but some little souvenirs," remarked Esther Ann
+loftily. "We wanted you to have them to remember us by."
+
+"I shall never forget you, never," said Edna earnestly, "and I thank you
+ever and ever so much." She gathered up her booty and piled it on the
+table, then some one proposed a game, and they amused themselves till
+grandma sent out for nuts, cider, apples and cakes, which feast ended
+the entertainment, though it is safe to say it lasted more than an
+hour. At the last, the girls all crowded around Edna to kiss her
+good-night and to make their farewells, and then, like a flock of birds,
+they all took flight, scurrying home by the light of their lanterns,
+some across the street, some down, some up.
+
+As the sound of the last merry voice died away, Edna threw herself into
+her grandmother's arms. "Oh, grandma," she cried, "wasn't it a lovely
+surprise? Did you know about it?"
+
+"Not so very long before. Reliance came and told me what the girls
+wanted to do, and I promised to help in any way that I could."
+
+"And was that why you sent me up for the glasses? I didn't tell you
+after all that I couldn't find them."
+
+"I didn't expect you to," said her grandmother, laughing. "I only told
+you to go see if you could find them so as to get you out of the way
+and keep you occupied long enough to allow the girls to come in."
+
+"I didn't hear the front door shut."
+
+"No, for they came around by way of the side door, and tip-toed in by
+way of the dining-room."
+
+"Well, it was lovely," sighed Edna in full content.
+
+Although the real farewells had been said on that evening, that was not
+quite the last of it, for the girls were gathered in a body by the
+church the next morning when Edna drove by on her way to the train. She
+was squeezed in the back seat of the carriage between her mother and her
+Aunt Alice. Ben was on the front seat with his grandfather. Reliance at
+the gate was waving a tearful farewell, a white kitten under one arm and
+a grey one under the other. Grandma herself stood in the doorway.
+"Good-by! Good-by!" sounded fainter and fainter from Reliance, but the
+word was taken up by the girls who shouted a perfect chorus of good-bys
+as the black horses trotted nimbly along and bore Edna out of sight.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+HOW ARE YOU?
+
+
+In what seemed an incredibly short time, Edna was getting out at the
+station nearest her own home. Ben and his mother had parted from them an
+hour before and were now on their way to their own home. Ben, however,
+would return on Monday to take up his college work again.
+
+"There they are!" were the first words Edna heard as she and her mother
+descended from the train. And then the boys rushed forward to hug and
+kiss both herself and her mother and to make as much fuss over them as
+if they had been gone a year.
+
+"Gee! but I'm glad to see you," cried Charlie. "It hasn't seemed like
+home at all without you, mother."
+
+"Didn't you have a good time at Mrs. Porter's?" asked Edna.
+
+"Had a high old time," responded Frank. "Here, let me take some of those
+things. You look like country travellers with all those bundles. What
+you got there?"
+
+"Oh, things," returned Edna vaguely. "All sorts of things the girls gave
+me to bring home."
+
+"You look like a regular old emigrant with so many boxes and bags."
+
+"We couldn't get them all in the trunk," Edna explained, "and so we had
+to bring them this way. When did you get back, Frank?"
+
+"Last night. We came home with father."
+
+"Then you haven't had such a very long time in which to miss us," said
+Mrs. Conway, with a smile.
+
+"Well, it seemed like a long time," returned Frank, "Nothing ever does
+go right when you're away, mother."
+
+"What special thing has gone wrong this time?" asked his mother.
+
+"Oh, I couldn't find anything I wanted this morning, and nobody knew
+where anything was, and Celia didn't know how to fix anything, and all
+that."
+
+Mrs. Conway laughed. "That shows how I spoil you all. I am afraid I
+missed my boys, too, and am glad to get back to them."
+
+"Where's Celia?" asked Edna.
+
+"She's home. We all came up together last night. Lizzie had waffles for
+supper, and Frank ate ten pieces," spoke up Charlie.
+
+"Well, that was all I could get," said Frank, in an injured way. "Lizzie
+said there were no more."
+
+"Oh, Frank, Frank," laughed his mother. "Well, at any rate, I am glad
+to know my absence has not affected your appetite."
+
+"Tell us what you did at the Porter's," said Edna.
+
+"Oh, we just racketed around. We went to a fierce old football game, and
+we did all sorts of stunts in the house. Steve and Roger have a fine
+little workshop. I don't believe I like living right in the city,
+though. We boys have a heap more fun at a place like this where we can
+get out-of-doors. Roger and Steve say so, too."
+
+"I am glad you are so well content," observed Mrs. Conway.
+
+"There's Celia," Edna sang out, seeing some one on the porch watching
+for them. It was a chill, wintry morning, and they were all glad to
+hurry indoors to the warm fire. The house looked cozy and cheerful,
+yellow chrysanthemums in tall vases graced the hall and library; in the
+latter, an open grate fire glowed, and Edna looked around complacently.
+"It is kind of nice to get home," she remarked. "I love it at grandma's,
+but I reckon we all like our own home better than other people's. How
+are you, Celia? Tell me everything that has been going on at school. How
+is Dorothy? Did you have a club-meeting and was it a nice one? Oh, I
+must tell you about the Elderflowers, mustn't I, mother? Has Agnes gone
+back to college? Have you seen Miss Eloise?"
+
+"Dear me," cried Celia, "what a lot of questions. I wonder if I can
+answer them all. Let me see. I'll have to go backwards, I think. I
+haven't seen Miss Eloise, but some of the girls have. She and her sister
+dined at the Ramseys on Thanksgiving Day."
+
+"I know they had a good dinner, then," remarked Edna, "for I was there
+myself last Thanksgiving."
+
+"Agnes has gone back to college. Dorothy is well. We had a nice
+club-meeting, and I missed my little sister's dear, round, little face.
+Dorothy has been so impatient that she can hardly wait to see you. She
+has been calling me up at intervals all morning to know if you had come
+yet. There is the telephone now. No doubt it is Dorothy calling."
+
+Edna flew to the 'phone and Celia heard. "Yes, this is Edna. Oh, hello,
+Dorothy. I'm well, how are you? I don't know; I'll see. Oh, no, you come
+over here; that will be much nicer. I have some things to show you.
+What's that? Yes, indeed, I am glad to get back." Then a little tinkle
+of laughter. "You are a goosey goose; I'm not going to tell you. Come
+over. Yes, right away if you want to, Dorothy."
+
+She went back to her sister, and established herself in her lap, putting
+one arm around her neck and stretching out her feet to the warmth of
+the fire. "It was Dorothy," she said.
+
+"That was quite evident, my dear," returned Celia. "What was it you
+wouldn't tell her?"
+
+"Oh, Dorothy is such a goose. She was afraid I had gotten to like some
+of the Overlea girls better than I do her. Just because I wrote to her
+about Reliance and Alcinda and all of them. Just as if I couldn't like
+more than one girl. Don't you think it is silly, sister, for anyone to
+want you to have no other friend, I mean no other best friend? Of course
+I love Dorothy dearly, but I love Jennie, too, and I am very fond of
+Netty Black, and, oh, lots of girls. Are you that way about Agnes,
+Celia?"
+
+Celia felt a pang of self-reproach, for it must be admitted that she had
+felt a little jealous of the new friends Agnes was making at college. "I
+don't suppose I should be?" she answered after a pause. "I suppose it
+is very selfish and unfair to feel that way about it. Mother says it is
+very conceited of a person to think she can satisfy every need of a
+friend, and that it shows only love of self, and not love of your
+friend, when you want to exclude others from her friendship, and I am
+sure I don't want to be either selfish or conceited, and I should hate
+to be called a jealous person."
+
+"Do you think Dorothy is conceited and selfish?"
+
+"I don't think she means to be, but when she wants to deprive you of
+good times with other girls, or is jealous of your friendship for them,
+she is encouraging conceit and selfishness. I'm glad you asked me about
+the way I feel toward Agnes, for it makes me see that I am by no means
+the true friend I ought to be. If I loved her as I should, I'd want her
+to have all the good times, all the love, all the benefit she could get
+from others, and I mean to fight against any other feeling but the right
+one. I don't believe my little sister will be the jealous kind," she
+said hugging Edna up.
+
+"If you see me getting that way, I hope you won't let me," returned Edna
+earnestly.
+
+"There's Dorothy now," said Celia, putting down the plump little figure
+from her lap. And Edna ran out to greet her friend.
+
+There was so much to talk about, so many things to show, that Dorothy
+must needs stay to lunch. A little later, over came Margaret McDonald to
+say "How do you do" and to bring some flowers from her mother's
+greenhouse. Edna's tongue ran so fast and she had so much to tell that
+the afternoon seemed all too short. Dorothy and Margaret, too, had their
+own affairs to talk about, and it was dark before the two little
+visitors were ready to go.
+
+The next excitement was the coming of her father, for whom Dorothy
+watched and who appeared almost gladder than anyone that his wife and
+little girl were at home again. "This is something like," he said as he
+came in, his face wreathed in smiles.
+
+"You poor dear," said Edna, in a motherly way, "it has been a lonely
+time for you, hasn't it?"
+
+"Pretty lonely, but then it teaches me how to appreciate my family when
+they get back. My, my, my, what a difference it does make, to be sure. I
+don't think I can stand you all skylarking off again very soon."
+
+It was all very cozy and natural after dinner to be back again in the
+library, Mrs. Conway on one side the table with her fancy work, Mr.
+Conway on the other with the evening paper, the boys reading, or
+scrapping in the hall, Celia in the next room at the piano, and Edna
+herself with the Children's Page of the paper spread out before her
+where she lay at full length on the big rug before the fire. Somehow the
+page of stories and puzzles did not absorb her as much as usual. She
+wondered what Reliance was doing, if her grandmother felt lonely without
+her little granddaughter, and if the white kitten missed her. She saw
+the long street bordered by maples, the store and the postoffice, the
+white church. Presently she got up and went over to her mother.
+"Wouldn't it be nice," she said, "if one could be in two places at the
+same time?"
+
+Her mother nodded. "I shouldn't wonder if you and I were in two places
+at the same time, or that we had been during the last few minutes, for I
+am sure while our bodies are here our thoughts have been in Overlea."
+
+"That is just where my thoughts have been," answered Edna. "Do you
+suppose they miss us, mother?"
+
+"I am afraid they do, very much," said her mother, with a soft, little
+sigh. "I know if either of my daughters ever goes away to a home of her
+own, I shall miss her very much when she has left me after making a
+visit."
+
+Edna stood with her arm still around her mother's neck. This was rather
+a new thought. Once her mother had been a little girl like her, of
+course, and had stood by her mother's side just like this, and now she
+was living in quite a different home. Edna tried to imagine how it would
+seem to come back to this, her childhood's home, from one of her very
+own, but it was entirely too difficult a matter so she gave it up and
+went back to her paper. But in a few minutes, the pictures on the page
+before her became pictures of Overlea. She was taking the spring-house
+key to old Nathan Keener that he might unlock his door and let out the
+white kitten. Then she was half conscious of hearing a voice say: "No,
+never mind; she is all tired out; I'll carry her up." Then she was
+helped to her feet, a pair of strong arms lifted her up, and she was
+borne up the stairs. She hardly knew who undressed her and stowed her
+away in bed. She felt a soft kiss on her cheek and then she sank into a
+deep slumber. The dear little girl's Thanksgiving holidays were over.
+
+
+
+
+Transcriber's Note:
+
+Alternative spelling for good-bye and good-by has been retained as it
+appears in the original publication.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Dear Little Girl's Thanksgiving
+Holidays, by Amy E. Blanchard
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 30007 ***