Laura Lee Hope

“ Every time I grab up anything he doesn't want me to take, I have to climb a tree. He can't chase me up there, though he'd like to lots of times, I guess."
"I thought hand-organ monkeys had collars around their necks, and a long rope fast to that which their masters held," said the Clown.
"Well, I had that, too, but I took the rope off a little while ago, so I could run loose," explained the live monkey. "I want to have some fun. Can you do anything to amuse me?" and he looked at the cymbals on the Calico Clown's hands and at the strings which were fast to his legs and arms. ”

“ Rabbit behind his paw.
"Well, if I can't dance for you, I can ask a riddle," said the Clown, after a bit. "What makes more noise than a pig under—"
"Oh, PLEASE don't start that over again," begged the Candy Rabbit. "You used to ask it in the store, and none of us could think of the answer. Don't tell riddles! Let's just talk!"
So the toys talked together and told one another their different adventures. The night passed. Madeline, Herbert and Sidney slept, and Sidney dreamed of the fun he would have with his Calico Clown when the broken leg was firmly glued together again. ”

“ He pulled the strings fastened to the Clown's arms, and they jiggled and joggled in a merry fashion, so the girl and the office boy laughed harder than ever.
"Well, how in the world did that Clown toy come to be in my pocket?
That's what I want to know," said the Man, very much puzzled.
"Maybe one of the children put it in," suggested the girl. She knew the Man had children at home.
"No, I hardly think it was any of MY children," said the Man. "Arnold has no toy like this. He has a Bold Tin Soldier, as he calls him, and some soldier men. And my little girl, Mirabell, has a Lamb on Wheels. ”

“ So, after getting over his first distaste, he began rather to like the ride in the little express wagon.
"It isn't as smooth as an automobile," thought the Calico Clown, "but it is jolly for a change. The only thing that's worrying me is what is going to happen next; and to know whether or not I shall ever see Sidney again."
And at this time, which was early in the evening, Sidney was still looking everywhere for his Calico Clown. The little boy told his mother and sister how he and Herbert had left the Clown and the Monkey on a Stick on the porch while they went to get bread and jam. ”

“ She lost no time in getting ready for it.
"I'll go and put a new ribbon on the neck of my Candy Rabbit," she said to her brothers. "You get your Monkey and Clown all nice and clean, and then I'll ask Mother if Cook can make a special cake."
"My Monkey is clean enough," said Herbert. "Dirt doesn't show on him, anyhow. He's colored brown."
"And my Clown's pretty good, even if he did fall in a dirt hole," went on Sidney. "A Clown has to be a little dirty, for he falls all over the circus ring, you know."
"There isn't going to be any circus ring at our Toy Party," laughed
Madeline. ”

“ He stood up and he cut such funny antics by clapping his cymbals together, standing first on one leg and then on the other, jiggling his hands and feet, that the Cat went into mews of laughter and the Rabbit chuckled until his pink nose seemed to wrinkle all up like an accordion. ”

“ It shows that my broken leg is almost as good as the other. A bit stiff, perhaps, but almost as good."
"Yes, you danced as well as I ever saw you jig back in the toy store," said the Rabbit. "You have made the night pass very pleasantly for us."
"You have indeed," added the Cat. "We appreciate your dancing and your fun very much."
"Thank you, both," replied the Calico Clown. "It is a pleasure to do things for fellows such as you."
Then they rested quietly.
A little later Sidney opened the door of the closet to see if his Calico Clown was all right. ”

“ Liza Ann, the oldest girl, had set the table, and Jim, the next oldest boy, was out on the steps watching for his mother, just as Arnold and Mirabell watched for their daddy.
"Is de table all set, honey?" asked Mandy of Liza Ann. "I hopes it is, 'cause I wants to put dese yeah clothes in to soak after I eats."
"De table is all sot," explained Liza Ann. "An' de meat an' taters is all ready to hotten up."
"Dass good," sighed Mandy, for she was rather tired. "I'll jest leave these yeah clothes till after supper," she went on, putting the basket down in a corner of the room. ”

“ Why didn't he stay in his pen?"
"Oh, there's no use trying to make you understand," sighed the Clown. "I'll just have to dance around, do a few jigs, bang my cymbals together, and do things like that to amuse you."
"Well, we'll have a good time to-night, anyhow," said the Celluloid
Doll. "We really haven't had much fun since the Candy Rabbit and the
Monkey on a Stick went away. I wish—"
"Hush!" ”

“ And indeed it had been from the time he fell out of the tree into the Man's coat pocket until Jim stumbled with him and he fell into the hole.
"Sidney will be glad to get his Clown back," went on Arnold, when the toy had been set on the table where Daddy took his place to tell the evening story.
"I wish we could take it to him now," said Mirabell.
"Mayn't we?" asked her brother.
"It is getting late," said their mother. "You may take the toy over the first thing in the morning."
"But all the while Sidney will be wondering where his Clown is," objected the little girl. ”

“ Now, as it happened, the Man was a little late that morning, and when he reached his office he was in such haste that he did not take time to do anything before he sat down in his big chair to look over his mail.
"Please write some letters for me on the typewriter," he said to Miss
Jones, who worked the machine.
Miss Jones sat down and became very busy. The Man told her what to write and she banged away on the machine. Every once in a while she would look at the Man when he paused to think of something else to say. And once, as she did this, a queer look came over the face of Miss Jones. ”

“ And even the Man himself had not seen this.
"It's very queer," said the father of Mirabell and Arnold. "The only way it could have happened that I can think of is that some children I passed on the street may have tossed the Clown into my pocket. I have very large ones in this coat, and sometimes they stand wide open."
The Calico Clown stayed in the office all that day. It was the first time he had ever been to business, and he rather liked it as a change. Very few toys ever have the chance he had. ”

“ They were good and gentle children, and the gay toy did not in the least mind clanging his cymbals for them or doing his funny dance. He jiggled and joggled his arms and legs, and went through such funny antics that Jim and Liza Ann laughed again and again.
"Po' li'l honey lambs!" said Mandy with a sigh, as she bent over the wash tub. "I wish dey had some toys of dere own. But den I'se got good clean and soft watah to wash wif, an' dat's a blessin'! Lots of folks hasn't got only hard watah, what won't make no suds." ”

“ And he was not so very jolly just then, either. He did not once think of asking his pig riddle.
"I wonder if I can wiggle down?" he asked himself. "There is no one to see me now, and I can move about. I'm going to try to get down." ”

“ He's mine! I saw him, fustest!" exclaimed Liza Ann, and she reached for the Calico Clown.
"Wait a minute, now, chilluns. Wait a minute!" said Mandy, and she held the toy close to her breast. "Dish yeah don't belongs to us."
"But it come in de basket of wash, Mammy!" said Jim. "Why can't we keep it?"
"'Cause tain't belongin' to us," answered his mother. "I can jest guess how it come in. Mirabell or Arnold, dey done drop it in dere Daddy's pocket, an' he didn't know nothin' about its bein' in. He took it out wif his hankowitches, and put it in mah basket of wash. An' I brung it home. My! My! ”