Carolyn Wells

“ Oh, I do believe I'll sew all the time this summer!"
"Pooh, I wouldn't!" said Marjorie. "The things are lovely, but I'd rather play than sew."
"Sewing is play, I think," and Kitty fingered over her treasures lovingly. "Grandma will help me with my patterns, and I'm going to piece a silk teachest quilt. Oh, Mother, it will be such fun!"
"Call that fun!" and Marjorie looked disdainfully at her sister. "Fun is racing around and playing tag, and cutting up jinks generally!"
"For you it is," Kitty agreed, amiably, "but not for me. I like what I like." ”

“ As they neared the ice-cream garden, Marjorie noticed a forlorn-looking little boy, near the entrance. So wistful did he look, that she turned around to look at him again.
"Who's your friend, Mehitabel?" said Mr. Bryant, seeing her glance.
"Oh, I don't know, Cousin Jack!" she cried, impulsively; "but he seems so poor and lonesome, and we're all so happy. Couldn't I go without my ice cream, and let him have it? Oh, please let me!"
"H'm! he isn't a very attractive specimen of humanity." ”

“ There was always plenty of fun to be had. Bathing every day in the crashing breakers, digging in the sand, building beach fires, talking to the old fishermen, were all delightful pursuits. And then there were long motor rides inland, basket picnics in pine groves, and excursions to nearby watering-places.
The Craig boys turned out to be jolly playfellows, and they and the Maynards became inseparable chums. Marjorie often wished one of them had been a girl, but at the same time, she enjoyed her unique position of being the only girl in the crowd. ”

“ Those grown-up people wouldn't. You can see from their looks they wouldn't. They're reading aloud. And in the other direction, there are only some fishermen,—they wouldn't take it."
"Well, somebody did. Look, here are lots of footprints, and I don't believe they're all ours."
Sure enough, on the smooth white sand they could see many footprints, imprinted all over each other, as if scurrying feet had trodden all around their precious wood pile.
"Oh, King, you're just like a detective!" cried Marjorie, in admiration. "But it's so! These aren't our footprints!" ”

“ Bryant Bower it is. What's the name of your house,—Maynard Mansion?"
"Maynard Manor is prettier," suggested Cousin Ethel.
"So it is! Maynard Manor goes! I don't know anybody with prettier manners than the Maynards, especially the younger generation of them," and though Cousin Jack spoke laughingly, there was an earnest undertone in his voice that greatly pleased King and Marjorie.
"Hooray!" cried that hilarious gentleman, as they reached the Maynards' veranda. "Hello, Ed. How d'ye do, Helen? Here we are! We're returning your youngsters right side up with care. Why, look who's here!" ”

“ No, Midget, I don't. Why?"
"Oh, 'cause I think it would be nice to have [Pg 271] a celebration, and you can't celebrate without a hero."
"Do you call Pocahontas a hero?" asked King, quizzically.
"Well, she's a heroine,—it's all the same. When do you s'pose her birthday was, Father?"
"I've no idea, Midget; and Cousin Jack hasn't, either. But if you want to celebrate her, you can choose any day. You see, it isn't like a birthday that's celebrated every year, Washington's, Lincoln's, or yours. If you're just going to celebrate once, you can take one day as well as another." ”

“ I'll be a sand piper, and play the court anthems."
"All right," said Marjorie, "and Harry can be a sand crab, for he just scuttles through the sand all the time. What'll Dick be?"
King looked at Dick. "We'll call him Sandow," he suggested, and they all laughed, for Dick was a frail little chap, without much muscular strength. But the name stuck to him, and they always called him Sandow thereafter.
"I wish we could make our palace where it would stay made," said Marjorie. "We don't want to make a new one every day."
"That's so," said Tom. "If we only could find a secret haunt." ”

“ But there was much speculation in Sand Court as to what the fun would be.
"I know it will be lovely," said Hester, with a sigh. "You are the luckiest girl I ever saw, Marjorie. You always have all the good times."
"Why, Hester, don't you have good times, too?"
"Not like you do. Your mother and father, and those Bryants just do things for you all the time. I don't think it's fair!"
"Well, your mother does things for you,—all mothers do," said Tom Craig.
"Not as much as Marjorie's. My mother said so. She said she never saw anything like the way Marjorie Maynard is petted. ”

“ It was rather rough bathing, so the ladies of the party and Midget left the water before the others.
"Aren't we having fun!" exclaimed Marjorie, as she trudged, dripping, through the sand, to the bath-house. "Oh, Cousin Ethel, I'm so glad you came down here."
"I'm glad, too, dear. I believe Jack enjoys you children more than he does any of his friends of his own age."
"Jack's just like a boy," said Mrs. Maynard, "and I think he always will be. He's like Peter Pan,—never going to grow up."
And it did seem so. After the bath, Mr. Bryant marched the children down to the pier for ice cream. ”

“ If you go too fast, you're very likely to snip off your strips; and if you go too slow, somebody else will beat you. Hurry up, Ruth, you're going evenly, but you'll never get there at that rate! Oh, hold up, Harry! if you go so fast you'll snip it off. You're terribly close to one edge, now! Ah, there you go! one strip is chopped right off. Well, never mind, my boy, stand here by me, and watch the others. What, Tom out, too? Well, well, Tom, the more haste the less speed! Careful, Midget, you'll be out in a minute. There you go! Out it is, for Mehitabel! ”

“ Somebody else ought to have a chance."
"Huh!" spoke up Dick; "a nice queen you'd make, wouldn't you? I s'pose that's what you want! You're a bad girl, Hester Corey!"
"I am not, neither!"
"You are, too!"
"Jiminy Crickets!" exclaimed King; "can't this Club get along without scrapping? If not, the Club'd better break up. I'm ashamed of you, Dick, to hear you talk like that!"
"Hester began it," said Dick, sullenly.
"Oh, yes; blame it all on Hester!" cried that angry maiden, herself; "blame everything on Hester, and nothing on Marjorie. ”

“ The "children" politely let King and Midget go first, and they followed, giggling. Sarah, the waitress, was overcome with amusement, but she managed to keep a straight face, as the comical-looking procession filed in.
King and Marjorie appropriated their parents' seats, and the others sat at the sides of the table.
"No, Helen, dear," said Midget, "you can't have any tea. It isn't good for little girls. You may have a glass of milk, if you wish."
"I don't think these lobster croquettes are good for Jack," said King, looking wisely at Midget; "they're very rich, and he's subject to indigestion." ”

“ Youse is a white man!" exclaimed the oldest visitor, as he scraped his saucer almost through its enamel.
"What does he mean?" asked Midget, laughing. "Of course, you're a white man."
"That's slang, Marjorie, for a desirable citizen."
"Funny sort of slang," Midget commented; "a white man is plain English, isn't it?"
"I mean, he's white clear through," volunteered the boy, whose quick eyes darted from one face to another of his benefactors.
"Yes, I can understand that," said Midget, slowly; "it just means you're good all through, Cousin Jack, and I quite agree to that." ”

“ Keep still, Mops. You'll give it away."
"Oh, a secret about a present," cried Kitty; "something for the tree-house, I know!"
"Maybe 'tis, and maybe 'tain't," answered King, with a mysterious wink at Marjorie.
"Me buyed present for Kitty," said Rosamond, smiling sweetly; "gold an' blue,—oh, a bootiful present."
"Hush, hush, Rosy Posy, you mustn't tell," said her brother. "Presents are always surprises. Hey, girls, here's Father!" ”

“ They never tired of digging in the sand, and they had a multitude of spades and shovels and hoes for their various sand performances. Some days they built a fort, other days a castle or a pleasure ground. Their sand-works were extensive and elaborate, and it often seemed a pity that the tide or the wind should destroy them over night.
"I say, let's us be a Sand Club," said Tom one day. "We're always playing in the sand, you know."
"All right," said Marjorie, instantly seeing delightful possibilities. "We'll call ourselves Sand Crabs, for we're always scrambling through the sand." ”

“ You never have anything to bother you! Nothing goes wrong, and everybody spoils you! Why should you have a bad temper?"
"Now, Hester, don't be silly! You have just as good a home and just as kind friends as I have."
"No, I haven't! Nobody likes me. And everybody likes you. Why, the Craig boys think you're made of gold!" [Pg 171]
Marjorie laughed. "Well, Hester, it's your own fault if they don't think you are, too. But how can they, when you fly into these rages and tear everything to pieces?" ”

“ The rooms had been literally sown with the small objects; the clovers and horseshoes being cut from pasteboard and painted, and the black cats being tiny china, wooden, or bronze affairs.
Cousin Jack must have had an immense store of these findings, for the baskets filled rapidly, and yet there seemed always more to be found.
"How are you getting along, Hester?" asked Marjorie as she met her.
"Can't find any hardly. I never have any luck! I s'pose you have a basket full!"
"Nearly," said Marjorie, laughing at Hester's ill-nature in the midst of the others' merriment. ”

“ Now, how much would that be?"
"Five cents a week," replied Marjorie.
"Well, will you do it? Every week give a nickel, or a nickel's worth of peanuts or lemonade or something to some poor little kiddie who doesn't have much fun in life? And you needn't do it every week, if it isn't convenient, but lay aside the nickel each week, and then give a larger sum, as it accumulates."
"Sure we will, Cousin Jack," said King, and Midget said, "Yes, indeed! I'll be glad to. We can most always catch a poor child, somewhere." ”

“ I will be good. I won't say a single cross word, or boss, or anything."
"All right, Hester," said Midget, kindly, "come on in. If the Queen says you may we'll all say so. Do you, O Queen?"
Ruth looked doubtful for a minute, for she was a little afraid of Hester's uncertain temper; but, seeing Marjorie's pleading look, she consented.
"All right," she said; "if Hester won't throw water on me."
"No, I won't!" declared Hester, earnestly.
"Well," said King, "just as long as Hester behaves herself she may stay. If she carries on like fury, she's got to go home." ”

“ But she is fond of amateur theatricals, and she is president of a club that gives little plays now and then."
"Yes, that's it," said King. "Hester said her mother had dramatic talent, and she had inherited it. Have you dramatic talent, Mother?"
"I don't know, King," said Mrs. Maynard, laughing. "Your father and I have joined their dramatic club, but it remains to be seen whether we can make a success of it."
"Oh, Mother!" cried Marjorie. "Are you really going to act in a play? Oh, can we see you?"
"I don't know yet, Midget. Probably it will be an entertainment only for grown-ups. ”

“ We know you spoiled our Sand Palace, just out of angry spite. Now, Hester Corey, you've got to be punished for that. We're peaceable people ourselves, but we're just, also. We were about to have a nice celebration, but you've put an end to that before it began. So, instead, we're going to have a trial. You're the prisoner, and you've pleaded guilty,—at least, you've confessed your crime. Queen Sandy, get into that throne,—never mind if it is upset,—set it up again. Grand Sandjandrum, take your place on that mussed up sand heap. ”

“ I'm so sorry," cried Tom. "Does it hurt terribly?"
"Yes, it does," said Midget, who was not in the habit of complaining when she got hurt, but who was really suffering from the sudden burn.
"Let me tie it up," said Dick, shyly.
"Yes, do," said Tom. "Dick is our good boy. He always helps everybody else."
"But what can we tie it up with?" said Marjorie. "My handkerchief is all black from wiping off that potato." ”

“ Shell borders outlined the throne and the courtier's seat, and the old legless chair was so draped with cheesecloth and green vines that it was a picture in itself. Then it was luncheon time, and the courtiers said good-bye and parted to go to their homes.
"She's a funny girl," said Kitty, as the Maynard trio reached their house. "As soon as she got what she wanted, she was sweet as pie. But if you hadn't given up the Queen to her, Mops, she would have been madder'n hops." ”

“ Dear, sweet, angel Marjorie!"
"Now, Hester Corey, you stop talking about my sister like that, or I'll get mad," stormed King. "She's Queen of this Club, and she's got a right to boss. And you needn't get mad about it, either." [Pg 167]
"You can be Queen, if you want to, Hester," said Midget, slowly. "I guess I am a pig to be Queen all the time."
"No, you're not!" shouted Tom. "If Hester's Queen, I resign myself from this Club! So there, now!"
"Go on, and resign!" said Hester; "nobody cares. I'm going to be Queen, Marjorie said I could. Give me your crown, Marjorie." ”

“ The one I'm trying to get for the summer is at Seacote, and it's what they call a story and a half. That is, it has an upper floor, but the rooms are under a slanting roof, and have dormer windows."
"Sounds good to me," said King. "Do you think you'll catch it, Dad?"
"I hope so. Some other person has the refusal of it, but he's doubtful about taking it. So it may yet fall to our lot."
"I hope so!" cried Marjorie. "At the seashore for a whole summer! My! what fun! Can we dig in the sand?"
"Well, rather, my child! That's what the sand is there for. Kitty, you were at the seashore last summer. ”