Edith King Hall

“ Then before the Mouse could offer any protest, the Rabbit bit his head right off and swallowed it.
"You will observe," said the Rabbit to the Owl with dignity, "that I still maintain my proper position in the eyes of the world as a Welsh rare-bit, but the Mouse, owing to his misdeeds, is now in the contemptible state of the biter bit. Such is the end of the wicked.
"As for you," he continued to the Sentry, who, with his boastful spirit crushed, stood trembling in the Sentry-box; "as for you, you have seen too much of the world and its ways. ”

“ The little Marionette shook her head.
"It will be impossible," said she.
"And after to-morrow we shall not be able to talk to each other any more," exclaimed the little girl. "Oh, how sad!"
"Never mind, even if we cannot talk we can remain good friends. The deepest friendship is often the quietest."
"Then we can be very great friends indeed," said the little girl with much affection. "I am so glad, dear!"
"I am going out to-morrow afternoon to see the pantomime, but I shall come here as early as I can," she added as she went away. "Don't you be late." ”

“ For the Rabbit was smiling from ear to ear.
“Nothing of much consequence,” he replied. “Merely a most comical little dream that the Owl—who happens for a wonder to be awake—has been telling me. It made me die of laughter.”
“Pass it on,” said the Sentry.
“I shouldn’t think of doing that,” replied the Rabbit. “I don’t approve of telling people’s own particular little stories; they prefer the fun of relating them themselves. ”

“ Hastening my steps, I turned a bend of the road, and saw a little boy lying full length on the roadside, his face buried in the dusty, long grass, as he gave vent to the loud and uncontrolled grief which had attracted my attention; whilst a few yards off stood a little wire-haired fox-terrier, regarding him with a perplexed and wondering eye.
"What is the matter, dear?" I asked the distressed little mortal, whose tears were flowing so fast. ”

“ And it was in this frame of mind that, on the following morning, he drove to the Butcher's shop, outside of which a large crowd was gathered.
"Well," he said with a smile to the Clown who headed the crowd; "well, and what is the ladies' opinion about my beauty?"
"The ladies have decided," said the Clown, nodding his head and speaking very rapidly, "the ladies have all decided—mind you, all decided—that you are a hansom man. And so say I."
The Hansom-driver climbed down from his seat.
"Shake hands," he said. "One doesn't find a fellow of sense like you every day." ”

“ The next morning the Bicycle-man came again.
"The wedding is put off—" he began. Then he saw the lifeless form of the Little Dancer, and he turned pale.
"You have killed her by your vanity," said the China Doll severely. "If you had stayed away she would have forgotten you. But you would come because it pleased your conceit to hear her say she loved you, and to hear her lament because you did not love her. She has danced herself to death in her despair. ”

“ I shall ask Auntie to give you to me, and you shall be my very own dolly!"
"Come with me, darling," she continued, hugging the little Marionette tightly, "and I will sing you to sleep in Auntie's big rocking-chair. I will make up a nice song all by myself and all about you. You will see then how much I love you, and you won't cry any more. When you wake up you will feel happier again."
And going into the room at the back of the shop, she drew a rocking-chair near the cheerful blaze of the bright fire and sat down, still clasping the little Marionette in her arms. ”

“ I am going to propose to the Rabbit a private performance in front of your sentry-box. I shall say I have suggested it in order to vary the terrible dulness of your existence. Having finished our performance I shall lead the way straight forward, with our backs towards you. When we have gone a few steps I shall remark loudly, ‘That Sentry friend of ours is a smart chap; he knows how to handle the bayonet’. This is to be the signal for you to step quietly out of your box, and, pretending to stumble, stab the Rabbit in the back with your bayonet. ”

“ On the morrow he came once more.
"I have come to say good-bye," he said.
"Oh!" she replied; but not a word more.
"Aren't you sorry?" he asked again.
"Yes," she replied, "because the Farthing Doll put her foot on my dress this morning in passing me, and tore it. She is a clumsy thing."
"You are trying my patience too far," he said. "Proud Claribelle, beware! Beware, proud Claribelle!"
"You confirm me in my resolution," said she. "I will never marry a Toy who gives way to his temper over nothing. Once for all, our engagement is at an end." ”

“ Chris wrinkled his brows. "I want to be a very good boy and please you," he said querulously, and with a tremble in his voice; "and now Briggs scolds me, and now you scold me, and now I'm very unhappy."
"But don't you see, my pet," Granny said, more calmly; "don't you see what rude questions you asked Dr. Saunders? Oh, I felt ashamed of my little Chris!"
The little beggar at this point crawled to the bottom of his crib.
"I shall stay down here," said a muffled voice. "I shall stay here always and never come back again, as my Granny is so unkind." ”

“ For by that time the Sentry will be gummed so tightly to the floor of his sentry-box that he will not be able to move an inch.
"Having enjoyed the sight of their confusion I shall punish them, biting off the head of the Mouse--for whose deceit no punishment can be too severe,--and beating the Sentry about the head until he can't see out of his eyes. Nor shall the Horse escape my vengeance. I shall creep into his stall, and suddenly, and with a precise aim, throw a piece of gold at the pupils of his wicked eyes. Thus he will be totally blinded by the gold he has wrongfully helped to keep. ”

“ I can only say that our power of talking to a Mortal--a power which comes but once in the lifetime of every toy--generally lasts from a fortnight to three weeks."
The little girl clapped her hands.
"You will be able to talk to me, then, every day that I am here!" she exclaimed with pleasure. "I am only going to stay with my aunt and my cousin for twelve days longer." ”

“ All the ladies think that I am beautiful. And of course I go by what they think."
"And who," he asked, with a bow towards a little group of lady dolls, "who can be better judges of the matter?"
"Do you think they consider you good-looking?" inquired the Clown. "Get along, you dreamer!"
"I do not think it, I know it," he replied.
"We don't," said the Butcher and the Baker. "Put it to the proof. We challenge you. Let the ladies vote upon the matter and they will prove you mistaken."
"Very well," answered the Hansom-driver. ”

“ Father Christmas one afternoon happened to inquire at the Commanding-officer what time it was.
"Time," he replied, "for little boys to be in bed."
"You might," said the patriarch gravely, "have shown a little respect for the length of my beard and the whiteness of my hairs. 'Tis hardly the way to speak to a man of my years and standing. One, too, who with the decline of the year expects to be at the top of the tree." ”

“ The Rabbit’s talent showed itself in the precision and vigor with which he could beat a drum as he sat on his hind-legs; the Mouse in the swiftness and grace with which he could speed to and fro upon the counter. ”

“ Granny said gently and caressingly, as he passed her. "Do you love her very much?"
"Oh, yes, my Granny!" he answered somewhat thoughtlessly, as he obeyed her directions. Then continued without pause: "I wanted to ask you—why does Cook always make rice-puddings, and tapioca-puddings, and sago-puddings for my dinner?"
"Because, my pet, I tell her to," she replied. "They are so wholesome, so good for little boys; they make them grow big."
"But I don't mind about growing big," he answered. "I would rather have roly-poly puddings for my dinner; roly-poly puddings what have lots of jam inside." ”