A Dear Little Girl's Summer Holidays

  CHAPTER X

  THE BAZAR

  So the days went by till the time came for the opening of the bazar.It was to be held in the little hall which served as a place ofamusement for the community of summer visitors. Here concerts weregiven, dances took place, lecturers found a platform. On this occasionit was decorated with greens from the woods. Tea was served in a tentoutside near a gypsy camp where pretended fortunes were told by apretty girl with dark eyes, whose costume made one almost believe shereally belonged to that wandering race. A bower of green in one cornerof the hall sheltered the flower girls who offered all kinds of blooms,from a bunch of field flowers to a bouquet of American Beauty roses.Another table showed such an array of cakes and candies as made one'smouth water, while the articles of fancy work were so numerous that thechildren were afraid the half would not be sold. The dolls had a placeof honor to themselves, the three donated by Mrs. Ramsey occupying themost conspicuous place.

  Dorothy and Edna made their way to this table first of all, and Dorothywas prompt in exchanging a quarter for her little doll in blue. "I wasso afraid it would be sold first thing," she explained to Edna, "and Istill have seventy-five cents to spend on other things."

  Edna was not so fortunate, for the doll of her choice was already sold,while the impossible one among Mrs. Ramsey's trio, was far beyond herpocket-book. "It is marked three dollars," she whispered to Dorothy.So she put this out of her mind, and decided that she would first buysomething to take home to her mother and sister and then, if there wereenough left, she might get one of the little dolls.

  The room was beginning to be thronged with people, although thechildren had arrived early, and it was noticed that sales were beingmade rapidly. Everyone was eager to buy, though the cheaper articleswent first, and Edna had some difficulty in getting something verypretty for the amount she could afford. However, Miss Newman came toher rescue.

  "Here is a little girl," she said to one of the ladies behind thetable, "who has worked very hard for this bazar, and who wantssomething very nice to take home for her mother. What is the veryprettiest thing you have for twenty-five cents?"

  "Why, let me see," said the lady smiling down at Edna, and then castingher eye over the table, "there ought to be some of those nice littlehandkerchief cases. There were several on the table, but they went offlike hot cakes. I will see if there are any more that haven't beenput out." She rummaged around in the boxes at the back, and finallyproduced what she was looking for which pleased Edna greatly, and itwas handed over to her. Next a pretty picture-frame was chosen forCelia and the most important purchases were made.

  Dorothy and Jennie were wandering around together, the doll in bluesitting up very stiffly where Dorothy carried it on her hand. Jennie'sfather had given her two dollars to spend, and she had already partedwith most of it. The caramels and panuchee were not to be resisted, andthere were so many pretty things that one's money did not last long."I wish papa would come," she remarked to her two friends. "I know hewould buy something for me when he knows I can't buy it for myself."

  "There he is now," cried Edna as a tall man was seen making his waytoward them.

  Jennie wedged her way between ranks of small boys who were consumingpeanuts and pop-corn, and reached her father's side. "Oh, Papa," shecried, "I am so glad you have come. There is such a lovely crochetedsacque over here that I want you to buy for me to give to Miss Eloise."

  "For you to give to Miss Eloise? Why shouldn't I be giving things toMiss Somebody-or-other?"

  "Because I think it would be nicer for me to. You can buy things formother and me, if you want to."

  "And for no one else?"

  "Oh, yes, you can get anything you choose for Edna and Dorothy."

  "Thanks for your kind permission. I think I know exactly what thoseyoung ladies would like. Let's see about the worsted thingamabobfirst."

  Jennie led the way to the fancy table where the pretty light sacquechanged hands, and with it under her arm, Jennie followed her fatheracross the room to where the array of dolls, considerably lessenedin numbers, was displayed. Mr. Ramsey halted before the three whichhis wife had donated, and regarded them closely. "Are those what yourmother contributed?" he asked Jennie.

  "Yes," she told him, "and they are the very prettiest ones."

  "So they are," put in the lady in attendance, "but because they are thehighest priced they have not been sold yet. Don't you want one for yourlittle girl, Mr. Ramsey?"

  "I want three for three little girls," he said taking out a roll ofbills. "Where are Edna and Dorothy, Jennie?"

  "Oh, they are over there at the candy table."

  "See if you can get them to come over here. I can't be seen carryingthree dolls around with me."

  Jennie wormed her way through the crowd with surprising agilityand reached her two friends who had just bought five cents worth ofpanuchee apiece. "Come over here," she said breathlessly; "papa wantsto speak to you." Tall as he was Mr. Ramsey was easily discovered andthe three little girls were not long in reaching him.

  "Here you are," he said. "Now, which one of you did I overhearexpressing her admiration for this giddy creature in a ball dress?"

  "Oh, did you hear?" asked Edna. "I think it must have been I who likedit so much."

  Mr. Ramsey lifted down the doll and placed it in Edna's arms. "O!" shebreathed rapturously, "do you really mean she is mine? I don't know howto thank you."

  "Then don't try," replied Mr. Ramsey laughing. "Now then, it seemsto me I heard someone say that this one with the dark locks would beher choice. The voice sounded very much like Dorothy's if I am notmistaken. How is that, Dorothy?"

  "Oh, I did say I liked that one best."

  "Then yours she is." And Dorothy was made happy by receiving thedark-haired doll into her arms.

  "Now, Miss Jane," continued Mr. Ramsey, "there is but one left for you.Do you think you would like this smiling creature with the wonderfulhat?"

  "Oh, Papa, of course I would. If I had had first choice I would havetaken that one."

  "Then here you are, my lady Jane." And the third doll was embraced byher new mamma.

  "I think you are the loveliest father ever was," said Jennie. "Oh,girls, isn't it fine that we have all three? Do let's find mamma andtell her." Holding their dolls very carefully they made their waythrough the crowd to Mrs. Ramsey, who was serving as cashier at alittle table near the door. "Oh, Mother," cried Jennie, "do see ourdolls. Papa bought us each one."

  "Why it seems to me I recognize them as old friends," said Mrs. Ramsey.

  "Aren't you glad papa bought them?"

  "I am very glad if you are, and I should judge by your looks that youare not ill-pleased."

  "I would rather have mine than anything else in the whole room," saidEdna fervently. "I was so in love with this one in her party dress."

  "And I did admire this dear child in her automobile coat and bonnet,"chimed in Dorothy.

  "And I am perfectly satisfied with mine," said Jennie. "Mother, whatshall we name them?"

  "Suppose you wait till we get back home. Just now I am pretty busy, asyou may see."

  "And have you taken in much money?"

  "Nearly two hundred dollars according to the last count."

  "Oh, that is a great deal, isn't it?"

  "Yes, it is really more than we hoped to get, and I am sure we shallhave the full two hundred, if not more, though there is not much leftexcept eatables."

  The little girls walked away proudly carrying their dolls. "Have youspent all your money?" Dorothy asked Jennie.

  "No, not quite. Have you?"

  "Nearly all. I think I have only about ten cents. Have you any, Edna?"

  "A little. What are you going to buy with yours, Jennie?"

  "I haven't decided, but I suppose something to eat or some flowers,for nearly all the cheap things are gone except those. I don't want myfortune told, do you?"

  "No, I would rather spend it at the fishpond."

  "Then let's go ther
e. I think that will be more fun than anything else."

  The fishpond was out of doors and had been so greatly patronized thatit was a very difficult matter to keep it stocked with fish of properquality, and latterly there had been frequent raids upon the candystand for such things as might serve for fish. The three little girlsstanding in a row waiting their turn noticed a small chap holding fastto his smaller sister's hand. Both were deeply interested at each drawfrom the pond, and watched eagerly as the small packages were opened.They were a quaint little pair, for the boy's trousers were very longfor his short legs and his shirt sleeves were correspondingly short forhis arms. The little curly-headed girl wore a very stiffly starched,very short frock which stood out all around and showed her chubby kneesand bare legs. She kept her eyes fixed with admiring awe upon the threedolls, and lost all interest in the fish-pond as soon as the threefriends arrived upon the scene.

  "What did you get from the pond?" asked Jennie who was standing nearestthe boy.

  "Didn't get nawthin'." he answered.

  "Oh, didn't you? Why not?"

  "Didn't have no money."

  "Oh, that was too bad. Did you spend it all before you knew there was afishpond?"

  "Naw. Didn't have none to spend."

  "Oh." Jennie looked at the pair and then she looked at her two friends.Edna interpreted the look and nodded understandingly, but Dorothylooked a little puzzled. The coast was not clear and Dorothy steppedup, but Edna gave her skirt a little twitch. "Wait," she whispered.

  "What for?"

  Then Edna said something in a low tone and Dorothy turned to look atthe little boy and his sister who had crowded near to watch.

  "Wouldn't you like to try?" asked Jennie.

  "'Course I would," said the boy, but with no hope of such good luck.

  "All right," said Jennie, laying down his nickel and handing him thepole.

  The boy shot her one look of delight and surprise and let his line dropinto the pond. When he drew it out with a package dangling from thehook, he turned to his little sister. "Come on, sis," he said, "you andme'll open it together."

  Curly-Head followed him with pleased expectancy, and when they openedthe package to disclose several pieces of panuchee, it was share andshare alike.

  "That's a nice generous boy," whispered Jennie to her companions. "Iknow what I am going to do; I am going to let him spend the rest of mymoney."

  "And I'll let the little girl spend mine," declared Edna.

  "Where do I come in?" asked Dorothy. "To be sure I have only ten centsand it wouldn't go a great way. I wonder if there are any more childrenwho haven't had any money to spend."

  "I don't see how we can find out," said Jennie, "for they might pretendif we asked. This little fellow told without our asking, you see."

  "Oh, well, I know what I can do. I will buy him something to take hometo his mother, and that will be just as good."

  During this time the two children had been devouring the candy, andsoon had finished the last piece. "Do you want to fish in the pond?"Edna asked the little girl.

  "Yeth," she answered bashfully.

  "Then come on." She was given the pole and with a rapturous giggle drewforth another package which proved to contain two little cakes, whichsoon followed the way of the candy.

  "Now they must have some ice-cream," decided Jennie.

  "You don't suppose it will make them sick, do you?" said Dorothy.

  "Of course not. It hasn't made us sick, and why should it make them? Wehave eaten twice as much stuff as they have."

  This silenced Dorothy, and the children were made happy by being servedwith two saucers of ice-cream which they ate solemnly, aware that theywere being watched by their benefactors.

  When the last drop had vanished Jennie and Edna each took her lastnickel and gave it to the children. "Now," said they, "this is for youto spend anyway you like."

  "And this," said Dorothy, bringing forth her ten cents, "is for youto spend for your mother. Now don't forget," she charged the boy. "Youunderstand it is to buy something for your mother."

  He nodded, and without a word started at once for the fish-pond, themoney clutched safely in one hand and the other holding the fat littlefingers of his sister. Evidently there was no joy in life equal tofishing, in the eyes of this son of a fisherman.

  "Do you suppose he is going to spend it all at the fish-pond?" saidDorothy as she watched him trudge off.

  "Oh, never mind if he does. No doubt his mother will be just as wellpleased with what he brings from there as anything."

  By this time the tables in the hall were swept of nearly everythingsalable, and the tea had given out in the tea-tent. Only a few personsremained, and these were making ready to go. As they passed thefish-pond, they saw that the lines were taken in and the young lady incharge was preparing to shut up shop. Ahead of them Young Fisherman andCurly-Head were toddling home, each clutching a parcel.

  "I wonder what they have," said Jennie. "Let's run after them and see."

  They were not long in catching up with the toddlers. "What did youget?" asked Jennie.

  The boy slowly unwound a long piece of string from the package andbrought to view a piece of soap. "That's for mother," he said.

  "Thith ith for muvver, too," said Curly-Head holding out a small paperbag. Jennie opened it to find therein a roll of tape.

  The little girls tried to keep from laughing, but hardly succeeded."You'd better toddle home," said Jennie. "The bazar is over."

  The children did not stir, but watched their friends depart. Whenthey were nearly out of hearing, came back to them these words: "Theice-cream was awful good." So did Young Fisherman make known hisappreciation. Curly-Head echoed his words, but her little voice did notcarry far enough for the girls to hear.

  "Where have you been?" asked Mrs. Ramsey when they at last returned tothe hall.

  "We've been spending the last of our money," Jennie told her. "Did youmake two hundred dollars, Mother?"

  "We think so, though it has not all been turned in yet. Your moneyseems to have lasted pretty well if you have just spent the last ofit."

  Jennie laughed, and then told about the funny pair with their pieceof soap and roll of tape. But somehow it didn't appear so funny to hermother as she expected it would, for instead of laughing she gatheredthe three children to her and kissed them all three, murmuring, "Youdears."

  When all the returns were made it was found that a little over the twohundred dollars had been taken in, and this was expected to be quiteenough to buy furniture for the new house when it should be built.Cap'n Si was quite overcome, but had few words. It was not like hiskind to express many thanks. The house was to be begun at once that itmight be ready before cold weather. Enough had been subscribed for abeginning to be made, and several gentlemen had pledged themselves tosee it through in case there should be a lack.

  The dolls returned in state to the house from which they had beentaken, and the matter of names was much discussed. Finally Ednadecided that she would name hers after Mrs. Ramsey and so her doll wascalled Virginia. Dorothy wavered between Edna and Jennie, but finallyconcluded the latter would be more in keeping with the occasion. Jenniewas not long in making up her mind that Eloise should be the name ofher doll.

  "I have always thought it such a lovely name," she said, "and MissEloise will be so pleased, I know," as indeed she was.

  Mrs. Morrison and Louis had gone home just before the bazar came off,as they were to stop on the way to see Mrs. Morrison's sister, butLouis told Edna that his Uncle Justus had persuaded his mother to sendhim to boarding-school the next year, and strange to say he liked theidea, so it will be seen that Uncle Justus did have the talk he hadin mind that evening of the sailing party. Edna was not allowed to goaway without having the sail to Gosling Island, and this time therewas no headache to interfere, but all went smoothly, and the sail homeby moonlight was something to be remembered. It was decided that theRamseys should go as far as Boston with the little girls when they werere
ady to go home, and that a stop of a couple days should be made. MissNewman and Miss Eloise closed the little bungalow, but hoped to returnto it another year.

  "I never dreamed of such a wonderful summer," Miss Eloise told herthree little friends as they were taking that moonlight sail. "To thinkthat I, poor invalid I, should actually have earned some money, and amso much better that I may be able to earn more. Oh, my dears, you don'tknow what it means to me to help sister who has sacrificed her life tome. I am going to tell you that she gave up her lover and all her dreamof a happy home, such as other women have, because I must be her firstcare. I want you to know how dear and good she is, for I don't thinkpeople always appreciate her. I have found that out since I have beenmore in the world and have seen more people."

  This little group was to itself, Miss Eloise lying on a pile of rugsand the children around her. The others were in another part of thevessel.

  "I am glad you told us," said Edna, "for now we shall always rememberhow good she is, and we shall love her more than ever, but we can'thelp loving you best, Miss Eloise."

  "Oh, my dear, don't say that. I don't deserve half as much love assister."

  However this might be, it was a fact that no one could help loving MissEloise the best, though the little girls said to one another thatnight, "We must try to be extra nice to Miss Newman next year, becauseMiss Eloise wants us to."

  It seemed quite as if it were time to go when the little bungalow wasclosed and the cottages, one after another, showed no sign of lightsat night. There was a sound of hammers over on the point where the newhouse was going up for Cap'n Si, and it was expected the family wouldmove in by Christmas. The children wondered what kind of furniturewould be bought with the two hundred dollars, but this they could notknow till next year. However, Amelia told Jennie that her ma ratherguessed they'd have a parlor organ if they didn't have anything else,and Amelia was much set up in consequence.

  "Dear me," said Mrs. Ramsey when she was told this, "I was afraid ofthat. It is just like these people. But what is one to do?"

  The days were growing shorter and September was well on its way whenthe trunks were packed ready for the start for home. "I should feeldreadfully about your going if I didn't expect to see you so soon,"said Jennie the night before her friends were to leave.

  "We have had the loveliest time," Edna told her, "and we're suchintimate friends now that I am sure we shall never be anything else,even when we are very old."

  But here Mrs. Ramsey appeared to say that if all three were to sleep inone bed, as they had begged to be allowed to do this last night, theymust stop chattering and go to sleep. So there were only faint whispersfor a little while after that and then these ceased.