Carolyn Wells

“ Thanksgiving Day came late that year. The red-lettered Thursday on the calendar didn't appear until the last part of the month. But winter had set in early, and already there was fine coasting and skating.
Marjorie loved all out-of-door sports, and the jolly afternoons spent on the hill or on the lake sent her home with cheeks as rosy as a hard, sound, winter apple.
The Thanksgiving season always meant festivity of some sort. Sometimes they all went to Grandma Sherwood's in orthodox traditional fashion, and sometimes they went to Grandma Maynard's, who lived in New York. ”

“ You want to be president and treasurer and secretary and all. Perhaps you'd like to be all the members!"
"Fiddlesticks, King!" said Marjorie; "nobody else seems to want to be anything. Now, I'll tell you what, let's have six things to be,—officers, you know, and then we'll each be one."
"That's a good way," said Gladys. "You be treasurer, Marjorie, 'cause you're so good at arithmetic, and you can take care of our money. Dick can be secretary, 'cause he writes so well."
"I will," said Dick, "if King will be president. He's best for that,—and then, Gladys, you can be vice-president." ”

“ But it is my duty as a stern parent to order you off to bed at once. Little girls that wheedle fond fathers into letting them go to evening parties must be content to scoot for bed the minute they get home."
"All right, then, Father, but do get up early in the morning to hear all about it, won't you?"
"I'll guarantee to get up as early as you do, Sleepyhead," said Mr. Maynard, for Marjorie was yawning as if the top of her head was about to come off. ”

“ In the ice-cream had previously been hidden a dime, a ring, a thimble, a button, and a nutmeg. Whoever chanced to get the ring was destined to be married first. Whoever took the dime was destined to become very wealthy. The thimble denoted a thrifty housewife; the button, a life of single blessedness; and the nutmeg, a good cook.
Shouts of laughter arose, as they learned that Kingdon would be an old bachelor, and doubts were expressed when Gladys triumphantly exhibited the nutmeg.
"You can't ever learn to cook!" cried Dick. "You're too much of a butterfly." ”

“ But at last she caught her father, who was on the floor covered up with an afghan, and so Mr. Maynard was "It" in his turn.
It was a rollicking game, and a very exciting one, and, as often was the case, it soon merged into Blindman's Buff. This was even more romping and noisy, and soon the picnic sounded like Pandemonium let loose.
"Good!" cried Mr. Maynard, as he looked at the red, laughing faces, and moist, tumbled curls. "You look just like a lot of healthy, happy boys and girls should look, but that's enough of that. Now, we'll sit down in a circle, and play quiet games." ”

“ Now if I had hooked those eggs, Ellen would have blown me up sky-high."
"Oh, I just smiled at her," said Marjorie, "and then it was all right. Now, what are we going to do next?"
"Hark!" said Kingdon, who was again the shipwrecked mariner. "I hear a distant sound as of fierce wild beasts growling and roaring."
"My child, my child!" shrieked Kitty, snatching up Arabella. "She will be torn by dreadful lions and tigers!"
"We must protect ourselves," declared Marjorie. "Captain, can't you build a barricade? They always do that in books." ”

“ Maynard opened the front door just as the children approached with the baby-carriage.
"Come along, girlies!" she cried. "Marjorie, wheel the carriage right into the hall."
"The baby's asleep, Mother," said Midget, as she and Gladys brought the carriage over the door-sill.
"Oh, is she? Totty's asleep, Mildred," she called, in a stage whisper, to Mrs. Harrison, who was upstairs.
"I thought she would be," responded that lady. "Just throw back her veil, and leave her as she is. She often takes her nap in her carriage, and there's no use waking her." ”

“ Maynard, looking with chagrin at his small heap of nuts, "my fingers are too old and stiff, I think."
"So are mine," said Marjorie, laughing.
"You're too fat, Dumpling," said her father. "Kitty's slim little claws seem to do the best work."
"I think it's a steady hand that counts," said Dick; "watch me now!"
With great care, and very slowly, he picked off several nuts that were daintily balanced on the other nuts, but at last he joggled one, and it was King's turn.
"I believe in going fast," said King, and like a whirlwind he picked off four nuts, one after the other. ”

“ The voice proceeded from a figure draped in a white sheet.
"Hello, Ghost!" said King, who knew that Dick Fulton himself was wrapped in the sheet.
"O-o-o-o-ugh!" groaned the ghost.
"You don't seem to feel well," said Marjorie, giggling. "Poor Ghost, why don't you go to bed?"
But before the ghost could speak again, a gorgeous witch came prancing up, carrying a broomstick wound with red ribbons. The witch was all in red, with a tall peaked hat of red, covered with cabalistic designs cut from gilt paper and pasted on. ”

“ Gladys' father never gets home till seven o'clock, and she has to go to bed at eight, so she hardly sees him at all, except Sundays, and of course they can't play on Sundays."
"They must meet as strangers," said Mr. Maynard. "I think our plan is better. I like to feel chummy with my own family, and the only way to do it is to keep acquainted with each other. I wish I could have a whole day with you every week, instead of only every month."
"Can't you, Father?" said Kitty, wistfully. ”

“ How would you like that?"
"Not much," said Marjorie, whose spirits rose as her father adopted a lighter tone.
"Then just go on and have your experiences. Cut up jinks and have all the fun you can; but try to learn as you go along to discriminate between the things you ought to do and the things you oughtn't. You won't always guess right, but if you keep on living you can always guess again." ”

“ Maynard deeply regretted the necessity of changing his view of the matter.
"Kingdon," he said, "you're fourteen years old, and I think you're old enough to know that you ought not to engage in such important affairs without getting the advice of older people."
"Oh, Father!" cried Marjorie. "Was this wrong, too? Is everything mischief? Can't we do anything at all without we have to be punished for it? ”

“ Abercrombie: "I'll buy anything for sale at this booth that our young friend, the paragon speller, can not spell!"
Marjorie's eyes sparkled. She wasn't really a "paragon speller," and she felt sure there must be something that was beyond her knowledge. But, somehow, all the things seemed to have simple names. Any one could spell mittens and muffs and mats. And though mandolin and marmalade were harder, yet she conscientiously realized that she could spell those correctly. ”

“ Then James and Thomas came in carrying big, covered baskets.
"The picnic! The picnic!" cried Rosy Posy, to whom a picnic meant chiefly the feast thereof.
After the baskets were deposited on the ground near the flat rock, James and Thomas went away, and none of the servants remained but Nurse Nannie, who would have gone to the picnic in the wood, and who was needed to look after little Rosamond.
"Now, my boys," said Mr. Maynard, "we must wait on ourselves, you know; and on the ladies. This is a real picnic." ”

“ Then King went on.
"The sun is so bright it hurts my eyes. I wish I had a pair of green glasses to protect them."
"Or a parasol," said Gladys. "I'm sorry I left mine at home."
"What are we going to do at the picnic this afternoon, Father?" asked Kitty.
"I thought we'd fly kites," said Mr. Maynard, "but there isn't a breath of air stirring, so we can't."
The wind was blowing a perfect gale, so this made them all laugh again, and Gladys said to Marjorie, "I do think your father is the funniest man!"
At last the more substantial part of the luncheon was over, and it was time for the ice-cream. ”

“ Down went Rosy Posy in imitation of Dick's performance, and then they all fell into the leaves, and burrowed about like rabbits.
Presently Marjorie's head emerged like a bright-eyed turtle poking out from its shell, and shaking the dead leaves out of her curls, she said: "Come on, let's make houses. King, won't you and Dick get some rakes?"
The boys flew off to the toolhouse, and came back with several rakes, both wood and iron ones.
"Here's all we can find," said King. "Some of us can rake, and some can build things." ”

“ I mean children's clubs—not big ones like father's."
"What do clubs do?" asked Dorothy, who had [Pg 89] a wholesome fear of some of the Maynards' escapades.
"Why, we can do anything we want to, if we're a club," said Dick. "I think it would be fun. What shall we do?"
"Let's cut up jinks," said Marjorie, who was especially energetic that day.
"And let's call it the Jinks Club," suggested Gladys.
"Goody! Goody!!" cried Midge. "Just the thing, Glad! And then we can cut up any jinks we want to,—as long as they're good jinks," she added, thoughtfully. ”

“ Maynard, quizzically.
"Now, Daddy," said Midget, "don't tease. Our hearts are all broken because it's raining, and we can't have our picnic."
"Can't have our picnic!" exclaimed Mr. Maynard, in apparent excitement. "Can't have our picnic, indeed! Who says we can't?"
"I say so!" exclaimed Kingdon, who had just entered the room. "Nobody but ducks can have a picnic to-day."
"Oh, well," said Mr. Maynard, looking crestfallen, "if King says so that settles it. I think it's a beautiful picnic day, but far be it from me to obtrude my own opinions."
Just here Mrs. Maynard and Rosy Posy came in. ”

“ Rosy Posy, after her bread-and-milk supper, went happily off to bed, and dropped to sleep while telling her beloved Boffin of the fun to come. The other children dined with their parents, and the conversation was exclusively on the one great subject.
"I don't think it could rain; do you, Father?" [Pg 36] said Kitty, looking over her shoulder, at the fading sunset tints.
"I think it could, my dear, but I don't think it will. All signs point to fair weather, and I truly believe we'll have a perfect Ourday and a jolly good time."
"We always do," said Midge, happily. ”

“ Maynard bit her lip to keep from smiling at Marjorie's innocent request for information.
"It was mischief, I suppose. But it was more than that. It was real wrong-doing. When little girls are trusted to do anything, they ought to be very careful to do it earnestly and thoroughly, exactly as it is meant to be done. If you had stopped to think, would you have thought either of those mothers wanted you to exchange their babies?" ”

“ Miss Larkin's questions always irritated Marjorie, but she answered politely, and then stepped aside in Kitty's favor.
"Sweet little Katharine," said the visitor. [Pg 25] "You are really an angel child. With your golden hair and blue eyes, you're a perfect cherub; isn't she, Mrs. Maynard?"
"She's a dear little girl," said her mother, smiling, "but not always angelic. Here's our baby, our Rosamond."
"No, I'se Buffaro Bill!" declared Rosy Posy, assuming a valiant attitude, quite out of keeping with her smiling baby face and chubby body. ”

“ Rosy Posy was too little to have a special chum, so Boffin was her companion.
Leaf-houses was a favorite game with all of [Pg 85] them, and soon the three guests came skipping through the gate.
The leaves had been raked from the lawn, but down in the orchard they were on the ground like a thick carpet. The orchard had many maples and elms, as well as fruit trees, so there were leaves of all sorts.
"Isn't it fun to scuffle through 'em!" said Marjorie, as she led the way, shuffling along, almost knee-deep in the brown, dry leaves.
"More fun to roll!" ”

“ Why aren't we? Every [Pg 191] body born in America is a citizen, whether old or young."
"I never dreamed I was a citizen," said Gladys, giggling. "Did you, Kit?"
"No," said Kitty; "but I'd just as lieve be. Wouldn't you, Dorothy?"
"Yes, indeed. It's nice to be citizens. Sort of patriotic, you know."
"Well," said Midget, "if we're citizens, let's do citizens' work. What do they do, King?"
"Oh, they vote, and——"
"But we can't vote. Of course we girls never can, but you boys can't for years yet. Don't be silly."
"Well, there are other things besides voting," said Dick. ”

“ Marjorie considered.
"I want something outdoorsy," she said, at last, "and I think I'd like a picnic best. A real picnic in the woods, with lunch-baskets, and a fire, and roasted potatoes."
"That sounds all right to me," said Mr. Maynard; "do you want a lot of people, or just ourselves?"
It was at the children's pleasure on Ourdays to invite their young friends or to have only the family, as they chose. Sometimes, even, Mrs. Maynard did not go with them, and Mr. Maynard took his young brood off for a ramble in the woods, or a day at the seashore or in the city. ”

“ Marjorie, dear, you have a fun-loving disposition, but if it is to make you joy and not sorrow all your life, you must learn what constitutes a desirable 'joke.' To begin with, practical jokes are rarely, if ever, desirable. ”

“ Hill:
"Won't you please be so kind as to straighten out your garden a little? We'd like to see it look neat like Mr. Fulton's, or Mr. Maynard's, or Mr. Adams'. Don't go to too much trouble in this matter, but just kill or shut up your pigs and chickens, and we will all help you if need be.
"Lovingly yours,
"The Village Imp. Society."
"That's sweet," said Marjorie; "I like that 'Lovingly yours'; it shows we have no hard feelings."
One more was framed, with a special intent toward the shopkeepers:
"Mr. Green:
"We wish to goodness you'd keep your goods in better order. ”

“ Fultons all went together to the restaurant in the R booth. They had a merry time, and Marjorie told the story of her "Spelling Lesson," as she called it.
"You're a born merchant, Midge," said King. "You make money by knowing how to spell—and then you make money by not knowing!"
"But such occasions don't happen often," said Mr. Maynard. "I think you'd better continue your spelling lessons for a few years yet. And now, as it's time for ice-cream, I'll try your friend's plan, Midget. ”

“ The girls sat still for awhile to rest, but the game went on.
"Shall it be the donjon keep?"
"Nay, not for these, so young and fair," answered Gladys. "Let's chain them with rose garlands to a silken couch."
"Huh!" said Marjorie, "that's not a dire fate. Let's do something that's more fun. Oh, Glad, I'll tell you what! Let's exchange these babies! That's what they always do in tragedies. Listen! We'll put Dotty's hood on Totty, and Totty's cap on Dotty. And change their coats, too!"
"Yes, and veils; oh, Mops! What fun! If we change their coats quickly they won't catch cold." ”

“ A hot bath is what you'll get, and a drink of hot milk."
"All right," said Mopsy, cheerfully, "I don't mind; and, while we're about it, we may as well dress for afternoon."
The programme was carried out as arranged, and not very long after two spick-and-span little girls were sitting by the library fire, sipping hot milk with nutmeg in it.
"Well, upon my word!" said Mr. Maynard, coming in with King and Kitty. "I must have been mistaken! Only a short time ago I saw two children floundering in the lake, and I thought—I truly did—that they were Midge and Molly! ”

“ Marjorie was in transports of glee.
"I'm truly sorry, Mother," she said, "that you can't have your own company, but, as you can't, I'm so glad Molly is coming. Now, that fixes to-morrow, but what can we do to-day to have fun?"
"I think it's King's turn," said Mr. Maynard. [Pg 244] "Let him invite somebody to dine with us to-night."
"That's easy," said Kingdon. "I choose Dick and Gladys. We can telephone for them right away."
"They don't seem much like company," said Marjorie, "but I'd rather have them than anybody else I know of." ”

“ Maynard, "the [Pg 125] children must be taught self-reliance. But we'll talk this matter over some other time. Marjorie, you'll be late to school if you're not careful. And listen to me, my child. I don't want you to tell any one of what you did last evening. It is something that it is better to keep quiet about. Do you understand? This is a positive command. Don't ask me why, just promise to say nothing about it to your playmates or any one. No one knows of it at present, but your mother, Kingdon, and myself. I prefer that no one else should know. ”

“ They were attacked by wild beasts, which, though entirely imaginary, required almost as much killing as if they had been real.
Kitty shot or lassoed a great many, but she declined to engage in the hand-to-hand encounters with tigers and wolves, such as Marjorie and Kingdon undertook, for fear she'd be thrown down on the ground. And, indeed, her fears were well founded, for the valiant fighters were often thrown by their fierce adversaries, and rolled over and over, only to pick themselves up and renew the fray. ”