LILL'S TRAVELS IN SANTA CLAUS LAND. 

 AND OTHER STORIES. 

 BY ELLIS TOWNE, SOPHIE MAY AND ELLA FARMAN. 

 BOSTON: D. LOTHROP AND COMPANY, FRANKLIN ST. , CORNER OF HAWLEY. 

 COPYRIGHT BY D. LOTHROP & CO. 1878. 

LILL'S TRAVELS IN SANTA CLAUS LAND. 

Effie had been playing with her dolls one cold December morning, andLill had been reading, until both were tired. But it stormed too hard togo out, and, as Mrs. Pelerine had said they need not do anything for twohours, their little jaws might have been dislocated by yawning beforethey would as much as pick up a pin. Presently Lill said, "Effie, shallI tell you a story. "

"O yes! do!" said Effie, and she climbed up by Lill in the largerocking-chair in front of the grate. She kept very still, for she knewLill's stories were not to be interrupted by a sound, or even a motion. The first thing Lill did was to fix her eyes on the fire, and rockbackward and forward quite hard for a little while, and then she said, "Now I am going to tell you about my _thought travels_, and they are aptto be a little queerer, but O! ever so much nicer, than the other kind!"

As Lill's stories usually had a formal introduction she began: "Onceupon a time, when I was taking a walk through the great field beyond theorchard, I went way on, 'round where the path turns behind the hill. Andafter I had walked a little way, I came to a high wall--built right upinto the sky. At first I thought I had discovered the 'ends of theearth, ' or perhaps I had somehow come to the great wall of China. Butafter walking a long way I came to a large gate, and over it was printedin beautiful gold letters, 'Santa Claus Land, ' and the letters werelarge enough for a baby to read!"

How large that might be Lill did not stop to explain. 

"But the gate was shut tight, " she continued, "and though I knocked andknocked and knocked, as hard as I could, nobody came to open it. I wasdreadfully disappointed, because I felt as if Santa Claus must live hereall of the year except when he went out to pay Christmas visits, andit would be so lovely to see him in his own home, you know. But what wasI to do? The gate was entirely too high to climb over, and there wasn'teven a crack to peek through!"

Here Lill paused, and Effie drew a long breath, and looked greatlydisappointed. Then Lill went on:

"But you see, as I was poking about, I pressed a bell-spring, and in amoment--jingle, jingle, jingle, the bells went ringing far and near, with such a merry sound as was never heard before. While they were stillringing the gate slowly opened and I walked in. I didn't even stop toinquire if Santa Claus was at home, for I forgot all about myself and mymanners, it was so lovely. First there was a small paved square like acourt; it was surrounded by rows and rows of dark green trees, withseveral avenues opening between them. 

"In the centre of the court was a beautiful marble fountain, withstreams of sugar plums and bon-bons tumbling out of it. Funny-lookinglittle men were filling cornucopias at the fountain, and pretty littlebarefoot children, with chubby hands and dimpled shoulders, took them assoon as they were filled, and ran off with them. They were all too muchoccupied to speak to me, but as I came up to the fountain one of thefunny little fellows gave me a cornucopia, and I marched on with thebabies. 

"We went down one of the avenues, which would have been very dark onlyit was splendidly lighted up with Christmas candles. I saw the babieswere slyly eating a candy or two, so I tasted mine, and they weredelicious--the real Christmas kind. After we had gone a little way, thetrees were smaller and not so close together, and here there were otherfunny little fellows who were climbing up on ladders and tying toys andbon-bons to the trees. The children stopped and delivered theirpackages, but I walked on, for there was something in the distance thatI was curious to see. I could see that it was a large garden, thatlooked as if it might be well cared for, and had many things growing init. But even in the distance it didn't look natural, and when I reachedit I found it was a very uncommon kind of a garden indeed. I couldscarcely believe my eyes, but there were dolls and donkeys and drays andcars and croquet coming up in long, straight rows, and ever so manyother things beside. In one place the wooden dolls had only juststarted; their funny little heads were just above ground, and I thoughtthey looked very much surprised at their surroundings. Farther on werechina dolls, that looked quite grown up, and I suppose were ready topull; and a gardener was hoeing a row of soldiers that didn't look in avery healthy condition, or as if they had done very well. 

"The gardener looked familiar, I thought, and as I approached him hestopped work and, leaning on his hoe he said, 'How do you do, Lilian? Iam very glad to see you. '

"The moment he raised his face I knew it was Santa Claus, for he lookedexactly like the portrait we have of him. You can easily believe I wasglad then! I ran and put both of my hands in his, fairly shouting that Iwas so glad to find him. 

"He laughed and said:

"'Why, I am generally to be found here or hereabouts, for I work in thegrounds every day. '

"And I laughed too, because his laugh sounded so funny; like the brookgoing over stones, and the wind up in the trees. Two or three times, when I thought he had done he would burst out again, laughing the vowelsin this way: 'Ha, ha, ha, ha! He, he, he, he, he! Hi, hi, hi, hi, hi!Ho, ho, ho, h-o-oo!'"

Lill did it very well, and Effie laughed till the tears came to hereyes; and she could quite believe Lill when she said, "It grew to be sofunny that I couldn't stand, but fell over into one of the little chairsthat were growing in a bed just beyond the soldiers. 

"When Santa Claus saw that he stopped suddenly, saying:

"'There, that will do. I take a hearty laugh every day, for the sake ofdigestion. '

"Then he added, in a whisper, 'That is the reason I live so long anddon't grow old. I've been the same age ever since the chroniclers beganto take notes, and those who are best able to judge think I'll continueto be this way for about one thousand eight hundred and seventy-sixyears longer, --they probably took a new observation at the Centennial, and they know exactly. '

"I was greatly delighted to hear this, and I told him so. He nodded andwinked and said it was 'all right, ' and then asked if I'd like to seethe place. I said I would, so he threw down the hoe with a sigh, saying, 'I don't believe I shall have more than half a crop of soldiers thisseason. They came up well, but the arms and legs seem to be weak. When Iget to town I'll have to send out some girls with glue pots, to stickthem fast. '

"The town was at some distance, and our path took us by flower-bedswhere some exquisite little toys were growing, and a hot-bed where newvarieties were being prop--_propagated_. Pretty soon we came to aplantation of young trees, with rattles, and rubber balls, and ivoryrings growing on the branches, and as we went past they rang and boundedabout in the merriest sort of a way. 

"'There's a nice growth, ' said Santa Claus, and it _was_ a nice growthfor babies; but just beyond I saw something so perfectly splendid that Ididn't care about the plantation. "

"Well, " said Lill impressively, seeing that Effie was sufficientlyexpectant, "It was a lovely grove. The trees were large, with longdrooping branches, and the branches were just loaded with dolls'clothes. There were elegant silk dresses, with lovely sashes of everycolor--"

Just here Effie couldn't help saying "O!" for she had a weakness forsashes. Lill looked stern, and put a warning hand over her mouth, andwent on. 

"There was everything that the most fashionable doll could want, growingin the greatest profusion. Some of the clothes had fallen, and therewere funny-looking girls picking them up, and packing them in trunks andboxes. 'These are all ripe, ' said Santa Claus, stopping to shake a tree, and the clothes came tumbling down so fast that the workers were busierthan ever. The grove was on a hill, so that we had a beautiful view ofthe country. First there was a park filled with reindeer, and beyondthat was the town, and at one side a large farm-yard filled withanimals of all sorts. 

"But as Santa Claus seemed in a hurry I did not stop long to look. Ourpath led through the park, and we stopped to call 'Prancer' and 'Dancer'and 'Donder' and 'Blitzen, ' and Santa Claus fed them with lumps of sugarfrom his pocket. He pointed out 'Comet' and 'Cupid' in a distant part ofthe park; 'Dasher' and 'Vixen' were nowhere to be seen. 

"Here I found most of the houses were Swiss cottages, but there weresome fine churches and public buildings, all of beautifully illustratedbuilding blocks, and we stopped for a moment at a long depot, in which alocomotive was just _smashing up_. 

"Santa Claus' house stood in the middle of the town. It was anold-fashioned looking house, very broad and low, with an enormouschimney. There was a wide step in front of the door, shaded by afig-tree and grape-vine, and morning-glories and scarlet beans clamberedby the side of the latticed windows; and there were great roundrose-bushes, with great, round roses, on either side of the walk leadingto the door. "

"O! it must have smelled like a party, " said Effie, and then subsided, as she remembered that she was interrupting. 

"Inside, the house was just cozy and comfortable, a real grandfatherlysort of a place. A big chair was drawn up in front of the window, and abig book was open on a table in front of the chair. A great pack halfmade up was on the floor, and Santa Claus stopped to add a few thingsfrom his pocket. Then he went to the kitchen, and brought me a lunch ofmilk and strawberries and cookies, for he said I must be tired after mylong walk. 

"After I had rested a little while, he said if I liked I might go withhim to the observatory. But just as we were starting a funny littlefellow stopped at the door with a wheelbarrow full of boxes of dishes. After Santa Claus had taken the boxes out and put them in the pack hesaid slowly, --

"'Let me see!'

"He laid his finger beside his nose as he said it, and looked at meattentively, as if I were a sum in addition, and he was adding me up. Iguess I must have come out right, for he looked satisfied, and said I'dbetter go to the mine first, and then join him in the observatory. Now Iam afraid he was not exactly polite not to go with me himself, " addedLill, gravely, "but then he apologized by saying he had some work to do. So I followed the little fellow with the wheelbarrow, and we soon cameto what looked like the entrance of a cave, but I suppose it was themine. I followed my guide to the interior without stopping to look atthe boxes and piles of dishes outside. Here I found other funny littlepeople, busily at work with picks and shovels, taking out wooden dishesfrom the bottom of the cave, and china and glass from the top and sides, for the dishes hung down just like stalactites in Mammoth Cave. "

Here Lill opened the book she had been reading, and showed Effie apicture of the stalactites. 

"It was so curious and so pretty that I should have remained longer, "said Lill, "only I remembered the observatory and Santa Claus. 

"When I went outside I heard his voice calling out, 'Lilian! Lilian!' Itsounded a great way off, and yet somehow it seemed to fill the air justas the wind does. I only had to look for a moment, for very near by wasa high tower. I wonder I did not see it before; but in these queercountries you are sure to see something new every time you look about. Santa Claus was standing up at a window near the top, and I ran to theentrance and commenced climbing the stairs. It was a long journey, and Iwas quite out of breath when I came to the end of it. But here there wassuch a cozy, luxurious little room, full of stuffed chairs and lounges, bird cages and flowers in the windows, and pictures on the wall, that itwas delightful to rest. There was a lady sitting by a golden desk, writing in a large book, and Santa Claus was looking through a greattelescope, and every once in a while he stopped and put his ear to alarge speaking-tube. While I was resting he went on with hisobservations. 

"Presently he said to the lady, 'Put down a good mark for SarahButtermilk. I see she is trying to conquer her quick temper. '

"'Two bad ones for Isaac Clappertongue; he'll drive his mother to theinsane asylum yet. '

"'Bad ones all around for the Crossley children, --they quarrel toomuch. '

"'A good one for Harry and Alice Pleasure, they are quick to mind. '

"'And give Ruth Olive ten, for she is a peacemaker. '"

Just then he happened to look at me and saw I was rested, so he politelyasked what I thought of the country. I said it was magnificent. He saidhe was sorry I didn't stop in the green-house, where he had wax dollsand other delicate things growing. I was very sorry about that, and thenI said I thought he must be very happy to own so many delightful things. 

"'Of course I'm happy, ' said Santa Claus, and then he sighed. 'But it isan awful responsibility to reward so many children according to theirdeserts. For I take these observations every day, and I know who is goodand who is bad. '

"I was glad he told me about this, and now, if he would only tell mewhat time of day he took the observations, I would have obtained reallyvaluable information. So I stood up and made my best courtesy andsaid, --

"'Please, sir, would you tell me what time of day you usually look?'

"'O, ' he answered, carelessly, 'any time from seven in the morning tillten at night. I am not a bit particular about time. I often go withoutmy own meals in order to make a record of table manners. For instance:last evening I saw you turn your spoon over in your mouth, and that'svery unmannerly for a girl nearly fourteen. '

"'O, I didn't know _you_ were looking, ' said I, very much ashamed; 'andI'll never do it again, ' I promised. 

"Then he said I might look through the telescope, and I looked rightdown into our house. There was mother very busy and very tired, and allof the children teasing. It was queer, for I was there, too, and the_bad-est_ of any. Pretty soon I ran to a quiet corner with a book, andin a few minutes mamma had to leave her work and call, 'Lilian, Lilian, it's time for you to practise. '

"'Yes, mamma, ' I answered, 'I'll come right away. '

"As soon as I said this Santa Claus whistled for 'Comet' and 'Cupid, 'and they came tearing up the tower. He put me in a tiny sleigh, and awaywe went, over great snow-banks of clouds, and before I had time to thinkI was landed in the big chair, and mamma was calling 'Lilian, Lilian, it's time for you to practise, ' just as she is doing now, and I mustgo. "

So Lill answered, "Yes, mamma, " and ran to the piano. 

Effie sank back in the chair to think. She wished Lill had found out howmany black marks she had, and whether that lady was Mrs. SantaClaus--and had, in fact, obtained more accurate information about manythings. 

But when she asked about some of them afterwards, Lill said she didn'tknow, for the next time she had traveled in that direction she foundSanta Claus Land had moved. 

WHAT HAPPENED TO KATHIE AND LU. 

It was a very great misfortune, and it must have been a sad afflictionto the friends of the two children, for both were once pretty andcharming. 

It came about in this way. 

Little Winnie Tennyson--she wasn't the daughter of Mr. Alfred Tennyson, the poet-laureate of England, but _was_ as sweet as any one of thatgentleman's poems--had been to the city; and she had brought home somany wondrous improvements that her two little bosom friends, Lu Medwayand Kathie Dysart, were almost struck dumb to behold and to hear whatWinnie said and what Winnie had. 

For one thing, there were some wooden blocks, all fluted and grooved, and Winnie could heat these blocks in the oven, and wet her hair, andlay it between them, and O! how satin-smooth the waves wouldbe, --hair-pin-crimps and braid-crimps were nothing to this new andscientific way. 

Winnie also made it a matter of pride to display her overskirts. Thesewere arranged with ever so many tapes on the inside, and would readilytie up into the most ravishing bunches and puffs--how Lu and Kathie, wee-est mites of women though they were, did envy Winnie her tapes!Their mammas didn't know how to loop a dress--witness their littleskirts pinned back into what Kathie called a "wopse. "

She also had brought some tiny parlor skates, and, withal, many airs andgraces which her two young-lady aunties had taught her, among others afunny little new accent on some of her words, --the word "pretty" inparticular. And, last of all, she had been taught to dance!

"And I can show _you_, " Winnie said, eagerly, "'cause it goes by'steps, ' and uncle says I take them as pr-i-tty as Cousin Lily. "

Now, in Connaut, little girls don't dance--not _nice_ little girls, nornice big girls either, for that matter. 

The dimpled mouths opened in astonishment. "That is wicked, WinnieTen'son, don't you know?"

"O, but 'tisn't, " said Winnie. "My aunties dance, and their mamma, mygrandmamma, was at the party once. "

"We shall tell our mothers, " said Lu. "I'll bet you've come home aproud, wicked girl, and you want us to be as bad as you are. "

[Illustration: "Winnie already had her class before her. "]

Now Winnie was only six years old, about the same age as her virtuousfriends, and she didn't look very wicked. She had pink cheeks, and blueeyes, and dimples. She stood gazing at her accusers, first at one andthen at the other. 

"Luie, " said Kathie, gravely, "we mustn't call Winnie wicked till we askour mothers if she is. "

"No, I don't think I would, " said Mrs. Tennyson, looking up from hersewing, her cheek flushing at the sight of tears in her little Winnie'sgentle eyes. 

On the way home, they chanced to see their own minister walking along. Lu stopped short. "Kathie, " said she, "I know it's awful wicked now, orelse we never should have met the minister right here. I'm just going totell him about Winnie. "

She went up to him, Kathie following shyly. 

"Mr. Goodhue, Winnie Ten'son is a nawful wicked girl!"

"She _is!_" said Mr. Goodhue, stopping, and looking down into the littleeager face. 

"Yes, sir, she is. She wants us to dance!"

"She _does!_"

"Yes, sir, she does. She wanted us to learn the steps, right down in hergarden this afternoon. Would you dance, Mr. Goodhue?"

"Would I? Perhaps I might, were I as little and spry as you, and Winniewould teach me steps, and it was down in the garden. "

The little girls looked up into his face searchingly. He walked onlaughing, and they went on homeward, to ask further advice. 

At home, too, everyone seemed to think it a matter for smiles, andlaughed at the two tender little consciences. 

So they both ran back after dinner to Mrs. Tennyson's. But on the wayKathie said, "They let us, the minister and ev'ry body, but if it iswicked _ever_, how isn't it wicked _now_?"

"I s'pose 'cause we're children, " Lu said wisely. 

The logical trouble thus laid, they tripped on. 

They were dressed in sweet pink, and their sun-bonnets were as fresh andcrisp as only the sun-bonnets of dear little country school-girls evercan be. It was a most merry summer day; all nature moving gladsomely tothe full music of life. The leaves were fluttering to each other, thegrasses sweeping up and down, the bobolinks hopping by the meadow path. 

Their friend Winnie came out to meet them, looking rather astonished. 

"We're going to learn, " shouted Lu, "get on your bonnet. "

"But you wasn't good to me to-day, " said Winnie, thoughtfully. 

"We didn't da'st to be, " said Kathie, "till we'd asked somebody thatknew. "

Mrs. Tennyson was half of the mind to call her little daughter in; yetshe felt it a pity to be less sweet and forgiving than the child. 

Winnie already had her class before her. "Now you must do just as I do. You must hold your dress back so, --not grab it, but hold it back nice, and you must bend forward so, and you must point your slippers so, --notstand flat. "

Very graceful the little dancing-teacher looked, tip-toeing here, gliding there, twinkling through a series of pretty steps down the longgarden walk. 

But the pupils! Do the best she might, sturdy little Kathie couldn'tmanage her dress. She grasped it tightly in either fat little fist. "Mother Bunch!" Lu giggled behind her back. 

Kathie's face got very red over that. It was well enough to be"Dumpling, "--everybody loves a dumpling; but "Mother Bunch!" So shebounced and shuffled a little longer, and then she said she was goinghome. 

But Miss Lu wasn't ready. She greatly liked the new fun, the hopping andwhirling to Winnie's steady "One, two, _three!_ One, two, _three!_"There was a grown-up, affected smirk on her delicate little face, atwhich Mrs. Tennyson laughed every time she looked out. I think Lu wouldhave hopped and minced up and down the walk until night, if Winnie'smother hadn't told them it was time to go. 

"I don't like her old steps, " said Kathie. They were sitting on a daisybank near Mr. Medway's. 

"Well, I do, " said Lu. "And you would, too, if you wasn't so chunked. You just bounced up and down. "

Kathie burst out crying. "I'll bet dancing steps _is_ wicked, for younever was so mean before in your life, so! And you didn't dance near sopretty as Winnie, and you needn't think you ever will, for you _never_will!"

"Oh! I won't, won't I?" said Lu, teasingly. 

"No, you won't. I won't be wicked and say you are nice, for you'rehorrid. "

"_You_'re wicked this minute, Kathie Dysart, for _you_'re mad. "

And as she laughed a naughty laugh, and as Kathie glared back at her, then it was that that which happened began to happen. Lu's delicate, rosy mouth commenced drawing up at the corners in an ugly fashion, andher nose commenced drawing down, while her dimpled chin thrust itselfout in a taunting manner; but the horror of it was that she couldn'tstraighten her lips, nor could she draw in her chin when she tried. 

"You _dis'gree'ble_ thing!" shrieked Kathie, looking at her and feelingdreadfully, her eyebrows knotting up like two little squirming snakes. "If I'm a Mother Bunch, you're a bean-pole, and you'll be an ugly oldwitch some day, and you'll dry up and you'll blow away. "

By this time the two little pink starched sun-bonnets fairly stood onend at each other. 

"Kathie Dysart, I'll tell your Sunday-school teacher, see if I don't. "

"Tell her what? you old, _old_, OLD thing!"

[Illustration: "They grew older and uglier each moment. "]

Kathie Dysart loved her Sunday-school teacher, and now she _was_ in arage. She couldn't begin to scowl as fiercely as she felt; her cheekssunk in, her lips drew down, her nose grew sharp and long in the effort. And, all at once, as the children say, her face "froze" so. Oh! it wasperfectly horrid, that which happened to the two little dears, it wasindeed. They could not possibly look away from each other, and they grewolder and uglier each moment! Why, their very sun-bonnets--those freshlittle pink sun-bonnets--shriveled into old women's caps, and even inthe hearts of the poor little old crones the hardening process was goingon, a fierce fire of hate scorching the last central drop of dew, untilnothing would ever, ever grow and bloom again. 

It was all over with Lu and Kathie forever and ever. 

All this was long ago, of course--indeed, it happened "once upon atime. " It would be difficult now to verify each point in the account. Onthe contrary, I suppose it just possible that there may be a mistake asto the transformation of the children's clothes--the change of thesun-bonnets into caps, for instance. 

But, as a whole, I see no reason to doubt the story. Often, and quiterecently, too, I have seen little faces in danger of a similartransformation. 

Where anger, envy, spite, and some others of the ill-tempers, gaincontrol of the nerves and muscles of the human countenance, they pulland twitch and knot and tie these nerves and muscles, until it is almostimpossible to recognize the face. 

Sometimes this change has passed off in a minute; but at other times ithas lasted for hours, and there is _always_ danger that the face willfail to recover its pleasantness wholly, that traces will remain, likewrinkles in a ribbon that has been tied, and that, at last, thetransformation will be final and fatal, and the fair child become andremain "a horrid old witch. "

Of one thing we all are certain--that the most gossiping and maliciousperson now living was once a fair and innocent child; so who shall saythat this which I have related did _not_ happen to Lu and Kathie?

FLAXIE FRIZZLE. 

Her name was Mary Gray, but they called her Flaxie Frizzle. She hadlight curly hair, and a curly nose. That is, her nose curled up at theend a wee bit, just enough to make it look cunning. 

What kind of a child was she?

Well, I don't want to tell; but I suppose I shall have to. She wasn'tgentle and timid and sweet like you little darlings, oh, no! not likeyou. And Mrs. Willard, who was there visiting from Boston, said she was"dreadful. "

She was always talking at the table, for one thing. 

"Mamma, " said she, one day, from her high chair, "your littlest onedoesn't like fish; what makes you cook him?"

Mamma shook her head, but Flaxie wouldn't look at it. Mrs. Willard wassaying, "When we go to ride this afternoon we can stop at theslate-quarry. "

_Who_ was going to ride? And would they take the "littlest one" too?Flaxie meant to find out. 

[Illustration: Flaxie Frizzle. ]

"Do you love me, mamma?" said she, beating her mug against her redwaiter. 

"When you are a good girl, Flaxie. "

"Well, look right in my eyes, mamma. Don't you see I _are_ a good girl?And _mayn't_ I go a-riding?"

"Eat your dinner, Mary Gray, and don't talk. "

Her mother never called her Mary Gray except when she was troublesome. 

"I want to tell you sumpin, mamma, " whispered she, bending forward andalmost scalding herself against the teapot, "I _won't_ talk; I won'ttalk _a_ tall. "

But it was of no use. Mrs. Willard was not fond of little girls, andMrs. Gray would not take Flaxie; she must stay at home with her sisterNinny. 

Now Ninny--or Julia--was almost ten years old, a dear, good, patientlittle girl, who bore with Flaxie's naughtiness, and hardly evercomplained. But this afternoon, at four o'clock, her best friend, EvaSnow, was coming, and Ninny did hope that by that time her mamma wouldbe at home again!

Mrs. Gray and Mrs. Willard rode off in the carriage; and the moment theywere gone, Flaxie began to frisk like a wild creature. 

First she ran out to the gate, and screamed to a man going by, --

"How d'ye do, Mr. Man? You _mustn't_ smoke! My mamma don't like it!"

"Oh, why _did_ you do that?" said Ninny, her face covered with blushes, as she darted after Flaxie, and brought her into the house. 

"Well, then, show me your new picture-book, and I won't. "

As long as she was looking at pictures she was out of mischief, andNinny turned the leaves very patiently. 

But soon the cat came into the room with the new kitten in her mouth, and then Flaxie screamed with terror. She thought the cat was eating itup for a mouse; but instead of that she dropped it gently on the sofa, purring, and looking at the two little girls as if to say, --

"Isn't it a nice baby?"

Flaxie thought it was; you could see that by the way she kissed it. Butwhen she picked it up and marched about with it, the old cat mewedfearfully. 

"Put it down, " said Ninny. "Don't you see how bad you make its motherfeel?"

"No. I's goin' to carry it over the bridge, and show it to my grandma;she wants to see this kitty. "

Ninny looked troubled. She hardly dared say Flaxie must not go, for fearthat would make her want to go all the more. 

"What a funny spot kitty has on its face, " said she, "white all over;with a yellow star on its forehead. "

"Well, " said Flaxie, "I'll wash it off. " And away she flew to thekitchen sink. 

"What are you up to now?" said Dora, the housemaid, who stood there withher bonnet on. "You'll drown that poor little creetur, and squeeze it todeath too! Miss Ninny, why don't you attend to your little sister?"

Dear Ninny! as if she were not doing her best! And here it washalf-past three, and Eva Snow coming at four!

"O Dodo!" said she, "you're not going off?"

"Only just round the corner, Miss Ninny. I'll be right back. "

But it was a pity she should go out at all. Mrs. Gray did not supposeshe would leave the house while she was gone. 

As soon as "Dodo" was out of sight, Flaxie thought she could have herown way. 

"O Ninny! you're my darlin' sister, " said she, with a very sweet smile. "Will you lem me carry my kitty over to grandma's?"

"Why, no indeed! You mustn't go 'way over the bridge. "

"Yes I mus'. 'Twon't hurt me _a_ tall!"

"But I can't let you, Flaxie Frizzle; truly I can't; so don't ask meagain. "

Flaxie's lip curled as well as her nose. 

"Poh! I haven't got so good a sister as I fought I had. Laugh to me, Ninny, and get me my pretty new hat, or I'll shut you up in the closet!"

Ninny did laugh, it was so funny to hear that speck of a child talk ofpunishing a big girl like her!

"Will you lem me go?" repeated Flaxie. 

"No, indeed! What an idea!"

"I've got fi-ive cents, Ninny. I'll buy you anyfing what you want? Nowlem me! 'Twon't hurt me _a_ tall!"

Ninny shook her head, and kept shaking it; and Flaxie began to push hertoward the closet door. 

"_Will_ you get my hat, Ninny? 'Cause when I die 'n' go to hebben, thenyou won't have no little sister. "

"No, I will not get your hat, miss, so there!"

All this while Flaxie was pushing, and Ninny was shaking her head. Thecloset-door stood open, and, before Ninny thought much about it, she wasinside. 

"There you is!" laughed the baby. 

Then rising on her "tippy-toes, " Flaxie began to fumble with the key. Ninny smiled to hear her breathe so hard, but never thought the wee, weefingers could do any harm. 

At last the key, after clicking for a good while, turned round in thelock; yes, fairly turned. The door was fastened. 

"Let me out! out! out!" cried Ninny, pounding with both hands. 

Flaxie was perfectly delighted. She had not known till then that thedoor was locked, and if Ninny had been quiet she would probably havekept fumbling away till she opened it. But now she wouldn't so much astouch the key, you may be sure. O, Flaxie Frizzle was a big rogue, asbig as she _could_ be, and be so little! There she stood, hopping up anddown, and laughing, with the blind kitty hugged close to her bosom. 

"Laugh to me, Ninny!"

"What do I want to laugh for? Let me out, you naughty girl!"

"Well, _you_ needn't laugh, but _I_ shall. Now I's goin' to grandma's, and carry my white kitty. "

"No, no, you mustn't, you mustn't!"

"_You_ can't help it! I _is_ a goin'!"

"Flaxie! Flax-ee!"

Oh! where was Eva Snow? Would she never come? There was a sliding-doorin the wall above the middle shelf, and Ninny climbed up and pushed itback. It opened into the parlor-closet, where the china dishes stood. Ifshe could only crawl through that sliding door she might get out by wayof the parlor, if she _did_ break the dishes. 

But, oh dear! it wasn't half big enough. She could only put her head in, and part of one shoulder. What should she do?

It was of no use screaming to that witch of a Frizzle; but she didscream. She threatened to "whip her, " and "tie her, " and "box her ears, "and "burn up her dollies. "

But Flaxie knew she wouldn't; so she calmly pulled off her boots and puton her rubbers. 

Then Ninny coaxed. She promised candy and oranges and even wedding-cake, for she forgot she hadn't a speck of wedding-cake in the world. 

But, while she was still screaming, Flaxie was out of sight and hearing. She hadn't found her hat; but, with her new rubbers on her feet, and theblind kitty still hugged to her bosom, she was "going to grandma's. " Sheran with all her might; for what if somebody should catch her before shegot there!

"The faster I hurry the quicker I can't go, " said she, puffing forbreath. 

It was a beautiful day. The wind blew over the grass, and the grassmoved in green waves; Flaxie thought it was running away like herself. 

It was half a mile to the bridge. By the time she reached Mr. Pratt'sstore, which was half way, she thought she would stop to rest. 

"'Cause he'll give me some candy, " said she, and walked right into thestore, though it was half full of men, --oh fie! Flaxie Frizzle!

Mr. Jones, a lame man, was sitting next the door, and she walked boldlyup to him. 

"Mr. _Lame_ Jones, does you want to see my kitty?"

He laughed, and took it in his hands; and another man pinched its tail. Flaxie screamed out:

"You mustn't hold it by the handle, Mr. Man!"

Then they all laughed more than ever, and clapped their hands; and Mr. Jones said:

"You're a cunning baby!"

"Well, " replied Flaxie, quickly, "what makes you have turn-about feet?"

This wasn't a proper thing to say, and it made Mr. Jones look sober, forhe was sorry to have such feet. Mr. Pratt was afraid Flaxie would talkmore about them; so he frowned at her and said:

"Good little girls don't run away bare-headed, Miss Frizzle! Is yourmamma at home?"

"Guess I'll go now, " said Flaxie; "some more folks will want to see mykitty. "

Mr. Pratt's boy ran after her with a stick of candy, but could not catchher. She called now at all the houses along the road, ringing the bellsso furiously that people rushed to the doors, afraid something dreadfulhad happened. 

"I fought you'd want to see my kitty, " said the runaway, holding up thelittle blind bundle; and they always laughed then; how could they helpit?

But somehow nobody thought of sending her home. 

When she reached the bridge she was hungry, and told the "bridge-man"she was "fond of cookies. " His wife gave her a caraway-cake shaped likea leaf. 

"I'm fond o' that one, " said she, with her mouth full. "Please give me_two_ ones. "

Just fancy it! Begging food at people's houses! Yet her mamma _had_tried to teach her good manners, little as you may think it. 

"I don't believe she has had any supper. It must be she is runningaway, " said the bridge-man's wife, as Flaxie left her door. "I ought tohave stopped her; but somebody will, of course. "

But nobody did. People only laughed at her kitty, and then passed on. 

Soon the sun set, and the new moon shone white against the blue sky. Flaxie had often seen the moon, but it looked larger and rounder thanthis. What ailed it now?

"Oh, I know, " said she, "God has doubled it up. "

She had changed her mind, and did not want to go to her grandmother's. 

"Mr. Pratt fought I was bare-headed, and grandma'll fink I'mbare-headed. Guess I won't go to g'andma's, kitty, I'll go topreach-man's house; preach-man will want to see you. "

On she went till she came to the church. Then she sat down on the bigsteps, dreadfully tired. 

"Oh, my yubbers ache so! Now go s'eep, Kitty; and when you want to wakeup, call me, and I'll wake you. "

This was the last Flaxie remembered. When the postmaster found her, shewas sitting up, fast asleep, with her little tow head against the door, and the kitty in her arms. The kitty was still alive. 

Eva Snow had come and let Ninny out of the closet long ago; and lots ofpeople had been hunting ever since for Flaxie Frizzle. When thepostmaster and the minister brought her home between them, Mrs. Gray wasso very glad that she laughed and cried. Still she thought Flaxie oughtto be punished. 

"O mamma, " said Miss Frizzle next morning, very much surprised to findherself tied by the clothes-line to a knob in the bay-window. "The menlaughed to me, they did! Mr. Lame Jones, he said I was very cunning!"

But for all that, her mamma did not untie her till afternoon; and thenFlaxie promised "honestly, " not to run away again. 

Would you trust her?

FIVE POUNDS OF CINNAMON. 

They don't name girls "Roxy, " and "Polly, " and "Patty, " and "Sally, "nowadays; but when the little miss who is my heroine was a lady, thoseshort, funny old names were not at all old-fashioned. "Roxy, "especially, was considered a very sweet name indeed. All these newnames, "Eva, " and "Ada, " and "Sadie, " and "Lillie, " and the rest of thefanciful "ies" were not in vogue. Then, if a romantic, highflown youngmamma wished to give her tiny girl-baby an unusually fine name, sheselected such as "Sophronia, " "Matilda, " "Lucretia, " or "Ophelia. " Inextreme cases, the baby could be called "Victoria Adelaide. "

In this instance baby's mother was a plain, quiet woman; and shethought baby's grandmother's name was quite fine enough for baby; and sobaby was called "Roxy, " and, when she was ten years old, you would havethought little Roxy fully as old-fashioned as her name. 

_I think it is her clothes_ that makes her image look so funny as sherises up before me. She herself had brown hair and eyes, and a goodcountry complexion of milk and roses--such a nice complexion, girls! Yousee she had plenty of bread and milk to eat; and a big chamber, big asthe sitting-room down stairs, to sleep in--all windows--and her bedstood, neat and cool, in the middle of the floor; and she had to walkever so far to get anywhere--it was a respectable little run even out tothe barn for the hens' eggs; and it was half a mile to her cousinHannah's, and it was three quarters to school, and just a mile to thevery nearest stick of candy or cluster of raisins. Nuts were a littlenearer; for Roxy's father had a noble butternut orchard, and it was asmuch a part of the regular farm-work in the fall to gather the"but'nuts" as it was to gather the apples. 

Don't you see, now, why she had such a nice complexion? But if you thinkit don't quite account for such plump, rosy cheeks, why, then, she hadto chase ever so many ways for the strawberries. Not a strawberry wasraised in common folks' gardens in those days. They grew mostly infarmers' meadows; and very angry those farmers used to be at such girlsas Roxy in "strawberry time"--"strawberry time" comes before "mowing, "you know--for how they did wallow and trample the grass! Besides, theraspberries and blackberries, instead of being Doolittle Blackcaps, andKittatinnies, and tied up to nice stakes in civilized littleplantations, grew away off upon steep hill-sides, and in the edges ofwoods, by old logs, and around stumps; and it took at least three girls, and half a day, and a lunch-basket, and torn dresses, and suchclambering, and such fun, to get them! _Of course_ Roxy had red cheeks, and a sweet breath, and plump, firm white flesh--_so_ white wherever itwasn't browned by the sunshine. 

But otherwise she certainly was old-fashioned, almost quaint. Her hairwas braided tight in two long braids, crossed on her neck, and tied witha bit of black thread; there was a pair of precious little blue ribbonsin the drawer for Sundays and high days. Roxy's mother would have beenawfully shocked at the wavy, flowing hair of you Wide Awake girls, Iassure you!

And Roxy's dress. _You_ never saw a "tow and linen" dress, I dare say. Roxy's dresses were all "home-made"--not merely cut and sewed at home;but Roxy's father raised the flax in the field north of the house, andRoxy's mother spun the flax and tow into thread upon funny littlewheels. Then she colored the thread, part of it indigo blue, and part of"copperas color, " and after that wove it into cloth--not just enough fora dress, but enough for two dresses for Roxy, two for herself, and somefor the men folks' shirts, besides yards and yards of dreadfully coarsecloth for "trousers;" and perhaps there was a fine white piece forsheets and pillowcases. Bless me! how the farmers' wives did work eightyyears ago!

And how that "blue and copperas check" did wear, and how it did shinewhen it was freshly washed and ironed! Only it was made up soungracefully--just a plain, full skirt, plain, straight waist, and plainstraight sleeves. _You_ never saw a dress made so, because children'sclothes have been cut pretty and cunning for a great many years. Roxy'sdresses were short, and she wore straight, full "pantalets, " that camedown to the tops of her shoes; for Mrs. Thomas Gildersleeve would havethought it dreadful to allow her daughter to show the shape of her roundlittle legs, as all children do nowadays. 

To finish up, Roxy wore a "tie-apron. " This was simply a straightbreadth of "store calico, " gathered upon a band with long ends, and tiedround her waist. Very important a little girl felt when allowed to leaveoff the high apron and don the "tie-apron. "

The first day she came to school with it on, her mates would stand oneside and look at her. "O, dear! you feel big--don't you?" they would sayto her. Maybe she would be obliged to "associate by herself" for a dayor so, until they became accustomed to the sight of the "tie-apron, " oruntil her own good nature got the better of their envy. 

A "slat sun-bonnet, " made of calico and pasteboard, completed Roxy'scostume on the summer morning of an eventful day in her life. It wasdrawn just as far on as could be. It hid her face completely. She waspacing along slowly, head bent down, to school. It was only eighto'clock. Why was Roxy so early?

Well, this morning she preferred to be away from her mother. She was"mad" at both her father and mother. "Stingy things!" she said, with agreat, angry sob. 

About that time of every year, June, the children were forbidden to goindiscriminately any more to the "maple sugar tub. " The sweet storewould begin to lessen alarmingly by that time, and the indulgent motherwould begin to economize. 

Every day since they "made sugar, " Roxy had had the felicity of carryinga great, brown, irregular, tempting chunk of maple sugar to school. Shehad always divided with the girls generously. Her father did not oftengive her pennies to buy cinnamon, candy, raisins, and cloves with; soshe used to "treat" with maple sugar in the summer, and with "but'nutmeats" in the winter, in return for the "store goodies" other girls had. 

For a week now she had been prohibited the sugar-tub. This morning shehad asked her father for sixpence, to buy cinnamon. She had beenrefused. "Stingy things!" she sobbed. "They think a little girl can livewithout money just as well as not. O, I am so ashamed! I'd like to seehow mother would like to be invited to tea by the neighbors, and neverask any of them to _her_ house. I guess she'd feel mean! But they thinkbecause I am a little girl, there's no need of _my_ being polite andfree-hearted! Polly Stedman has given me cinnamon three times, and I_know_ the girls think I'm stingy! I'm _so_ ashamed!" And Roxy's redcheeks and shining brown eyes brimmed up and overflowed with tears. 

Poor little Roxy! she herself had such a big sweet tooth! It wasabsolutely impossible for her to refuse a piece of stick cinnamon or apeppermint drop. Yesterday she had told the girls she should certainlybring maple sugar to-day. She meant to, too, even if she "took" it. Butthere her mother had stood at the broad shelf all the morning, makingpies and ginger snaps, and the sugar-tub set under the broad shelf. There was no chance. She finally had asked her mother. 

"No, Roxy; the sugar will be gone in less than a month. You children eatmore sugar every year than I use in cooking. It's a wonder you have anystomachs left. "

"I promised the girls some, " pleaded Roxy. 

"Promised the girls! You've fed these girls ever since the sugar wasmade. Off with you! What do you suppose your father'd say?"

Roxy wouldn't have dared tell her father. He was a stirring, hard-working man, that gave his family all the luxuries and comfortsthat could be "raised" on the farm; but bought few, and growled overwhat he did buy, and made no "store debts. " It was high time, in fact, that Roxy's indulgent mother should begin to husband the sugar. 

Roxy saw there would be no chance to "take" the sugar; so she hadmournfully started off. Is it strange that so generous a girl would havestolen, if she could? Why, children, I have seen many a man do mean, wrong, dishonest deeds, in order to be thought generous, and a "royalgood fellow, " by his own particular friends; and Roxy would a thousandtimes rather have "stolen" than to have faced her mates empty-handedthis morning. She walked on in sorrowful meditation. She thought once ofgoing back, to see if there were eggs at the barn--she might take themdown to the store, and get candy. But she remembered they were allbrought in last night, and it was too early for the hens to have laidthis morning. 

As she pondered ways and means in her little brain, a daring thoughtstruck her. That thought took away her breath. She turned white andcold. Then she turned burning red all over. Her little feet shook underher. But, my! What riches! What a supply to go to! How they would envyher!

"I don't care--so. They needn't be so stingy with me! And Mrs. Reub usesso much such things I don't believe it will ever be noticed in the'account'--and, any way, it'll be six months before he settles up. Nobody will know it till then, and maybe--_maybe_ I shall be dead bythat time, or the world will burn up!"

With these comforting reflections, Roxy straightened up her littlesun-bonneted head, doubled her little brown fists, and ran as hard asshe could--and Roxy could outrun most of the boys. On she ran, past theschool-house--it was not yet unlocked--right on down to the village. Sheslacked up as she struck the sidewalks. She walked slower and slower, tocool her bounding pulses and burning skin. 

Still her cheeks were like two blood-red roses as she walked into thecool, dark, old stone store; but for some reason, mental, moral, orphysical, while her cheeks remained red, her little legs and arms grewstone cold and stiff, and spots like blood came before her eyes, and agreat ringing filled her ears, as Mr. Hampshire, the merchant himself, instead of his clerk, came to wait upon her. "And what will you have, Miss Roxy--some peppermints?"

"No, sir. If you please, Mrs. Reuben Markham wants two pounds ofraisins, and five pounds of cinnamon, and you are to charge it to Mr. Markham. "

It was strange, but her voice never faltered after she got well begun. However, for all that, Mr. Hampshire stared at her. "_Five pounds ofcinnamon_, did you say, sis?"

"Yes, sir, if you please, " answered Roxy, quietly, "and two pounds ofraisins. "

So Mr. Hampshire went back, and weighed out the cinnamon and raisins, and gave them to her. She was a little startled at the mighty bundlefive pounds of stick cinnamon made; but she took them and went out, andMr. Hampshire went back and charged the things to Mr. Reuben Markham. 

Miss Roxy went speeding back to the school-house with her aromaticbundle. Her face was fairly radiant. She had no idea five pounds ofcinnamon were so much. O, _such a lot_! She had made up her mind what todo with it. She couldn't, of course, carry it home. She had no trunkthat would lock, or any place safe from her mother's eyes. But in thegrove, back of the school-house, there was a tree with a hollow in it. By hard running she got there before any of the scholars came. She puther fragrant packages in, first filling her pocket, and then stopped theremaining space with a couple of innocent-looking stones. 

Such a happy day as it was! She found herself a perfect princess amongher mates. She "treated" them royally, I assure you. Everybody was soobliging to her all day, and it was so nice to be able to make everybodypleased and grateful! Both the day of judgment and the dying day wereput afar off--at least six months off. 

Meantime, during the forenoon, Mr. Hampshire kept referring to the ideathat any one could want _five pounds of cinnamon_ at one time. Still, little Roxy was Mrs. Reub Markham's next neighbor, and it wasperfectly probable that she should send by her. 

Some time in the afternoon Mr. Reuben Markham came down to the store. Hewas a wealthy man, jolly, but quick-tempered. Mr. Hampshire and he wereon excellent terms. "How are you, Markham? and what's your wife bakingto-day?"

"My wife baking?"

"Yes. I concluded you were going to have something extra spicy. Fivepounds of cinnamon look rather suspicious. Miss Janet's not going tostep off--is she. "

"I'm not in that young person's confidence. I should say not, however. But what do you mean by your five pounds of cinnamon?"

"Why, Mrs. Gildersleeve's little girl was in here this morning, and saidMrs. Markham sent for five pounds of cinnamon and two of raisins. "

"Mrs. Gildersleeve's girl? I know Mrs. Markham never sent for no suchthings. She knew I was coming down myself this afternoon. "

He followed Mr. Hampshire down the store to the desk. There it was inthe day-book:--

 "Reub Markham, Dr. , per Roxy Gildersleeve. To 5 pounds cinnamon, 40c. , $2 00 " 2 " raisins (layer), 20c. , 40

That Mr. Reub Markham swore, must also be set down against him. He drovehome in a red rage. Through the open school-house door, little RoxyGildersleeve saw him pass; but her merry young heart boded no ill. Hermouth was tingling pungently with the fine cinnamon, and in her pocketyet were eight moist, fat, sugary raisins, to be slipped in her mouthone by one, four during the geography lesson, four during the spellinglesson. 

As it happened, Mr. Gildersleeve was cultivating corn in a field thatfronted the highway. He and his wealthier neighbor were not on the bestof terms. A line fence and an unruly ox had made trouble. Mr. Gildersleeve had sued Mr. Markham, and beat him; and Mr. Gildersleevedidn't take any pains now to look up as he saw who was coming. 

But Mr. Markham drew up his horses. 

"Hello, Gildersleeve!"

"Hello yourself, Mr. Markham!"

"I say, what you sending your young uns down to the store after things, and charging them to me for? Mighty creditable that, Tom Gildersleeve!"

"Getting things and charging them to you!" Gildersleeve stopped hishorse. "What do you mean, Markham?"

"You better go down and ask Hampshire. If you don't, you may get itexplained in a way you won't fancy!"

He whipped up his horses and drove off, leaving Mr. Gildersleevestanding there, gazing after him as if he had lost his senses. After amoment he unhitched his horse from the cultivator, mounted him, and rodeoff toward the village. 

School was out. Roxy had reached home. She was setting the table, andwhistling like a blackbird. Things had gone so happily at school!Everything was so neat, and pleasant, and cosy at home! She saw herfather ride into the yard, and go to the barn. She whistled on. 

She sat in the big rocking-chair, stoning cherries, and smelling theroses by the window, when he came into the kitchen. 

"Where's Roxy?" she heard him ask. 

"In the other room, I guess, " said mother. 

He came in where she was. She looked up; and her little stained handsfell back into the pan. She knew the day of judgment had come. O, shewished it was that other day, the day of death, instead! Her mouthdropped open, the room turned dark. 

Mr. Gildersleeve sank down on a chair. His child's face was too much forhim. He groaned aloud. "That one of _my_ children should ever be talkedabout as a thief! What possessed you, Roxy?"

Roxy sat before him, trembling. Not at the prospect of punishment. Butshe saw her father's eyes filling up with tears. "Don't, father, " shesaid, hurriedly, trying not to cry. "I've only eaten a little, and Iwill carry it all back. If you will pay for what is gone, I'll sellberries or something, and pay you back the money. Mr. Hampshire is agood man; he won't tell, father, if you ask him not. "

"You poor, ignorant child!"

He got up and went out, shutting the door after him. Not one word ofpunishment; but he left Roxy trembling with a strange terror. She shookwith a presentiment of some unendurable public disgrace. Setting downthe pan of cherries, she crept to the door. She heard her father'svoice, her mother's sharp exclamations. Then her father said, "To think_our_ girl should sin in such a high-handed way! Mother, I'd rather laidher in her grave any day! That hot-headed Markham will not rest untilhe's published it from Dan to Beersheba. She's only a child, but thisthing will stick to her as long as she lives. "

Her mother sobbed. "Our poor Roxy! Tom, if the school children get holdof it, she will never go another day. The child is so sensitive! I don'tknow how to punish her as I ought. I can only think how to save herfrom what is before her. "

O, how Roxy, standing at the key-hole, trembled to see her mother leanher head on her father's shoulder and sob, and to see tears on herfather's cheeks! O, what a wicked, wicked girl! It _was_ thieving; insome way it was even worse than that; as if she had committed a--aforgery, maybe, Roxy thought. She was conscious she had done somethingunusually daring and dreadful. 

She stole off up stairs, shut herself in, and cried as hard as she couldcry. Afterward her little brain began to busy itself in many directions. She tried to fancy herself shamed and pointed at, afraid to go toschool, afraid to go down to the store, ashamed to go to the table, withno right to laugh, and play, and stay around near her mother, neveragain to dare ask her father to ride when he was going off with thehorses. 

So lonely and gloomy, she tried to think what it was possible to do. Atlast, as in the morning, a daring thought occurred to her suddenly. Shemade up her mind in just one minute to do it. 

When her mother called, she went down to supper at once. The boys weregone. Nobody but she and father and mother; and the three had very redeyes, and said nothing, but passed things to each other in a kind, quiet way, that seemed to Roxy like folks after a funeral--perhaps itdid to the rest of them. Roxy was fanciful enough to think to herself, "Yes, it is _my_ funeral. We have just buried my good name. "

Silently, one with a white face, the other with a red one, Roxy and hermother did up the work. Then Roxy went up to her room again. She took asheet of foolscap, and made it into four sheets of note paper. She wroteand printed something on each sheet, and folded all the sheets intoletters. Then she went down stairs. Two of the little letters she handedto her mother. Then, bonnet in hand, she stole out the front door. Atthe gate she looked down the road toward the village, up the road towardMr. Markham's. She started toward Mr. Markham's. She got over the roadmarvelously; for the child was wild to get the thing over with. She wasgoing up the path to the house when she saw Mr. Markham hoeing in thegarden. She went to him, thrust a note into his hand, and was off like adart. 

It was a long, hard, lonely run down to the village. How lonely in thegrove at the hollow tree! How like a thief, with the bundles openly onher arm! No little girl's pocket would hold them, nothing but a greatJudas-bag. She went straight to the stone store. It was just sunset. How thankful she was to find nobody in the store but Mr. Hampshirehimself, reading the evening paper. He looked up, and recognized the redlittle face. He glanced at the bundles as she threw them, with a letter, down on the counter, and whisked out through the door. He called afterher, "Here, here, Roxy; here, my dear! Come back. I have some figs foryou!"

But no Roxy came back. He heard her little heels clattering down thesidewalk fast as they could go. So he got up and read the letter, for itwas directed to himself. 

Here are the four notes Roxy wrote:--

 "Dear Father: I Will paye you every Cent if I Live. I shall always be a Good Girl, and never hanker after Only what I have Got. Please forgive Me, and Not Talk It Over with Mother. It will make her Sick. Roxy. "

 "Dear Mother: Please love me until I am Bad once More. If I ever, Ever, should be Bad again, then you may give me Up. Don't get Sick. Roxy. "

 "Mr. MarkHam: I have been Very Wicked. I have made father and Mother wretched. I am sorry. Please don't be Hard on Me, and Set every body against me, because My Mother would settle right down and be very Sick. I am only a Little girl, and a Big Man might let me go. I have taken the Things back to the Store. Also father has Paid for them. _You_ may Want something some day, and do Wrong to get it, and Then you will know How good it is. R. Gildersleeve. "

 "Mr. HamPshire: Please Not tell the folks that come into the Store what I did. I want a Chance to be good. If you Ever hear of my stealing again, Then you can tell, of course. R. Gildersleeve. "

And here is what they said:--

_Mr. Gildersleeve_ (crying). "Here, mother, put this away. Never speakof it to her. Poor child, I _did_ mean to whip her!"

_Mrs. Gildersleeve_ (crying). "Bless her heart, Tom, this is truerepentance! Our child will not soon forget this lesson. Let us be verygood to her. "

_Mr. Markham_ (laughing). "Young saucebox! But there's true grit foryou! Well, I don't think I shall stoop to injure a child. Let it go. I'mquits with Tom now, and we'll begin again even. "

_Mr. Hampshire_ (laughing). "She's a nice little dot, after all. Idon't see what possessed her. I'd like to show this to Maria; guess Iwon't, though, for it is partly _my_ business to keep the little namewhite. "

And none of them ever told. When Roxy was an old woman, she related tome the story herself. The name was kept white through life. Such ascrupulous, kindly, charitable old lady! The only strange thing abouther was, that she never could eat anything flavored with cinnamon, orwhich had raisins in it. 

Transcriber's notes: Obvious spelling/typographical and punctuationerrors have been corrected after careful comparison with otheroccurrences within the text and consultation of external sources. 

scan 014 line 4: corrected closing double quote to singlescan 014 line 10: corrected "dooping" to "drooping"scan 024 line -4: corrected "after wards" to "afterwards"scan 032 Illustration caption: corrected closing single quote to doublescan 047 line -6: "said, " inferredscan 047 line -4: "untie" inferredscan 047 line -3: "honestly, " inferred