she and Katy had been playing with the dolls. When the bell rang
for tea, they ran downstairs; but before they went they put the
dolls in the drawer. As they were in a hurry, they were not very
careful, and the dresses of both the dolls were sadly tumbled.
Mrs. Green, who was in the room, saw in what manner Miss Dolly and
Lady Jane had been thrown into the drawer; and before she went
down to tea, she took them both out, smoothed down their dresses,
and put them back in a more proper manner.
Katy and Nellie had had some talk about their dolls; and the
envious girl had said hers was better than her sister's. Nellie did
not dispute with her about it, but she saw that Katy had not got
over that bad feeling yet.
The children ate their suppers, and not a word more was said about
the dolls; but Katy looked very sour. She was thinking about Miss
Dolly's eyes, and wishing Lady Jane's eyes would move like the
other's.
She finished her supper, and ran upstairs again. By this time it
was quite dark in the room where the dolls were kept, and Nellie
and her mother wondered why she went upstairs at that late hour.
Katy was still thinking of those eyes. She thought her aunt Jane
was real mean not to buy her such a doll; and then she was very
sorry that Flora's mother had bought it for her sister.
While she was thinking these wicked thoughts she went to the
bureau, and opened the lower drawer. It was so dark she could
hardly see the dolls, but she took out one of them.
"Your dolly shall not be better than mine any longer," said she to
herself.
As she said this, she took the scissors from the work basket on the
bureau, and finding one of the eyes with her fingers, she struck
one of the points right into it. Then she turned the scissors, so
as entirely to destroy the eye. Not content with this, she spoiled
the other eye in the same manner.
"Now your doll isn't so good as mine, anyhow," said she to herself,
as she put the poor spoiled lady back into the drawer.
I would not have a little girl feel as she felt then for all the
world. Her heart was full of envy and wickedness. To gratify her
ill feeling she had thrust the scissors into the eyes of the doll.
She knew how badly her sister would feel, but she did not care for
this. Now Lady Jane was the best doll, and she did not care for
anything else.
She staid in the room but a few moments. Closing the drawer, she
hastened downstairs, and took a seat by the fire. She tried to look
as though nothing had happened; but she was sour and sullen, for
she felt that she had done a very naughty act.
"Come, Katy, let us go upstairs and play with the dollies again,"
said Nellie, when she had got through with her supper.
"I don't want to," replied she, without even looking at her sister.
"Do come, Katy."
"I tell you I don't want to," snarled she.
"You can bring your dolly downstairs, and play with her here,
Nellie," said her mother.
"May I, mother?"
"You may--take a light with you."
"I don't want any light, mother; I can find her just as well in the
dark;" and away she ran to get the doll.
Don't you think Katy trembled then? She did tremble, like a leaf,
and wished she had not done the naughty deed. In a moment Nellie
would return with poor Miss Dolly, whose eyes had been spoiled with
the scissors. She did not think it would be found out so soon, and
she could not think what to say before the doll came down.
She felt just as though she should sink through the floor, when
Nellie came into the room with the doll in her arms. There would be
an awful time in a moment, and her father and mother would want to
know who had spoiled Miss Dolly's eyes.
They knew she had been upstairs since tea, and they would charge
her with the naughty act. She meant to deny it, for those who are
wicked enough to do such things are almost always wicked enough to
lie about them.
"Now won't you and I have a nice time, Dolly?" said Nellie, as she
rushed into the sitting room, with the doll in her arms, "Come,
Katy, let's play Dolly is the Queen of England."
"I don't want to play."
"Well--won't you make me a crown for her?"
"I can't."
Katy was waiting for her sister to find out the mischief that had
been done, and she dreaded the moment when she should do so. She
did not dare to look at her, for fear her looks might betray her.
"You shall be queen without any crown," said Nellie, as she placed
the doll on the table. "This pincushion shall be your throne.
There, you look just like a queen--don't she, mother?"
"I think she does," replied Mrs. Green, with a smile. "I hope she
will be as good as Queen Victoria."
"She will, mother--only she ought to have a crown."
"I have got a piece of gilt paper upstairs, and I will make her
one. I'm going up in a minute."
Katy, not daring to look yet, did not know what to think of this
talk. How could the doll look like a queen when her eyes had been
punched out with the scissors? It was very strange to her, and she
stole a glance at the queenly Miss Dolly on the table.
There she was, seated on her pincushion throne, just as if nothing
had happened. Her eyes were just as bright as ever, and as Nellie
bent her body, she moved them as well as ever she could.
Katy did not know what to make of it. She had certainly driven the
scissors into the eyes of the doll as hard as she could; but there
was Miss Dolly as good as new. She could not explain it, and it was
of no use to try.
Mrs. Green brought down the scissors, and cut out the crown. Then
Miss Dolly certainly looked like a queen, and Nellie spent a very
pleasant hour with her majesty, till it was time for her to go to
bed.
Katy was very unhappy. She had not done what she meant to do, and
she was filled with doubt. But she did not have to wait long to
find out what she had done. When Mrs. Green went upstairs with the
children, Miss Dolly had to be put to bed first, for she was a
queen.
When the bureau drawer was opened, what do you think they saw?
There lay Lady Jane, with both of her eyes punched out!
Katy burst into tears when she saw that her doll was entirely
spoiled. Then she found that she had made a mistake. In the
darkness she had punched out the eyes of Lady Jane instead of Miss
Dolly. This is the way that wicked people often punish themselves
instead of others.
Her mother had changed the places of the dolls in the drawer, and
this was the reason why Katy had made the mistake. Don't you think
it served her right?
Katy felt so badly that she could not tell any of the lies she had
made up, and the truth was found out by her mother. Mrs. Green
scolded her for what she had done, and for what she meant to do.
The naughty girl cried herself to sleep that night, but poor Lady
Jane was utterly ruined.
Nellie felt almost as bad as her sister, and said all she could to
console her. The next day Katy was so ashamed of herself that she
did not wish to see anybody. But in a few days she got over it; and
her mother hoped the affair would do her a great deal of good.
Whenever she showed a spirit of envy, Mrs. Green reminded her of
her doll, and she tried to conquer the feeling; but it took many
years to cure her.
[Illustration: Mrs. Green scolding Katy.]
When you envy others, although you may not punch out the eyes of
your own doll, you hurt yourself more than any one else.
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.
[Illustration: "Play us some tunes," said the children.--Page
211.]
THE BIRTHDAY PARTY.
I.
Flora Lee's birthday came in July. Her mother wished very much to
celebrate the occasion in a proper manner. Flora was a good girl,
and her parents were always glad to do anything they could to
please her, and to increase her happiness.
They were very indulgent parents, and as they had plenty of money,
they could afford to pay well for a "good time." Yet they were not
weak and silly in their indulgence. As much as they loved their
little daughter, they did not give her pies and cakes to eat when
they thought such articles would hurt her.
They did not let her lie in bed till noon because they loved her,
or permit her to do anything that would injure her, either in body
or mind. Flora always went to church, and to the Sunday school, and
never cried to stay at home. If she had cried, it would have made
no difference, for her father and mother meant to have her do
right, whether she liked it or not.
But Flora gave them very little trouble about such matters. Her
parents knew best what was good for her, and she was willing in all
things to obey them. It was for this reason that they were so
anxious to please her, even at the expense of a great deal of time
and money.
The birthday of Flora came on Wednesday, and school did not keep in
the afternoon. All the children, therefore, could attend the party
which they intended to give in honor of the day.
About a week before the time, Mrs. Lee told Flora she might have
the party, and wanted her to make out a list of all the children
whom she wished to invite.
"I want to ask all the children in Riverdale," said Flora,
promptly.
"Not all, I think," replied Mrs. Lee.
"Yes, mother, all of them."
"But you know there are a great many bad boys in town. Do you wish
to invite them?"
"Perhaps, if we treat them well, they will be made better by it."
"Would you like to have Joe Birch come to the party?"
"I don't know, mother," said Flora, musing.
"I think you had better invite only those who will enjoy the party,
and who will not be likely to spoil the pleasure of others. We
will not invite such boys as Joe Birch."
"Just as you think best, dear mother," replied Flora. "Shall I ask
such boys as Tommy Woggs?"
"Tommy isn't a bad boy," said Mrs. Lee, with a smile.
"I don't know that he is; but he is a very queer fellow. You said I
had better not ask those who would be likely to spoil the pleasure
of others."
"Do you think, my child, Tommy Woggs will do so?"
"I am afraid he would; he is such a queer boy."
"But Tommy is a great traveler, you know," added Mrs. Lee,
laughing.
"The boys and girls don't like him, he pretends to be such a big
man. He knows more than all the rest of the world put together--at
least, he thinks he does."
"I think you had better ask him, for he will probably feel slighted
if you don't."
"Very well, mother."
"Now, Flora, I will take a pencil and paper, and write down the
names of all the boys and girls with whom you are acquainted; and
you must be careful not to forget any. Here comes Frank; he will
help you."
Frank was told about the party, and he was quite as much pleased
with the idea as his sister had been; and both of them began to
repeat the name of all the boys and girls they could remember.
For half an hour they were employed in this manner, and then the
list was read over to them, so as to be sure that no names had been
omitted.
Flora and Frank now went through all the streets of Riverdale, in
imagination, thinking who lived in each house; and when they had
completed their journey in fancy, they felt sure they had omitted
none.
"But we must invite cousins Sarah and Henry," said Flora. "O, I
hope they will come! Henry is so funny; we can't do without them."
"Perhaps they will come; at any rate we will send them
invitations," replied Mrs. Lee.
The next day, when the children had gone to school, Mrs. Lee went
to the office of the Riverdale Gazette, which was the village
newspaper, and had the invitations printed on nice gilt-edged
paper.
By the following day Mrs. Lee had written in the names of the
children invited, enclosed the notes in envelopes, and directed
them. I will give you a copy of one of them, that you may know how
to write them when you have a birthday party, though I dare say it
would do just as well if you go to your friends and ask them to
attend. If you change the names and dates, this note will answer
for any party.
_Miss Flora Lee presents her compliments to Miss Nellie Green,
and requests the pleasure of her company on Wednesday
afternoon, July 20._
_Riverdale, July 15._
"Those are very fine indeed," said Flora: "shall I put on my
bonnet, and carry out some of them to-day?"
"No, my child; it is not quite the thing for you to carry your own
invitations. I will tell you what you may do. You may hire David
White to deliver them for you. You must pay him for it; give him
half a dollar, which will be a good thing for him."
This plan was adopted, and Frank was sent with the notes and the
money over to the poor widow's cottage.
"Don't you think it is very wicked, mother, for rich folks to have
parties, when the money they cost will do so much good to the
poor?" asked Flora.
"I do not think so, my dear child."
"Well, I think so, mother," added Flora, warmly.
"Perhaps you do not fully understand it."
"I think I do."
"Why should it be wicked for you to enjoy yourself?"
"I don't think it is wicked to enjoy myself, but only to spend
money for such things. You said you were going to have the
Riverdale Band, and that the music would cost more than twenty
dollars."
"I did, and the supper will cost at least twenty more; for I have
spoken to the confectioner to supply us with ice cream, cake,
jellies, and other luxuries. We shall have a supply of strawberries
and cream, and all the nice things of the season. We must also
erect a tent in the garden, in which we shall have the supper;
but after tea I will tell you all about it."
[Illustration: Flora and her Father.]
[Illustration: Writing the notes.]
II.
Flora could not help thinking how much good the forty dollars,
which her father would have to pay for the birthday party, would do
if given to the poor.
It seemed to her just like spending the money for a few hours'
pleasure; and even if they had a fine time, which she was quite
sure they would have, it would be soon over, and not do any real
good.
Forty dollars was a great deal of money. It would pay Mrs. White's
rent for a whole year; it would clothe her family, and feed them
nearly all the next winter. It appeared to her like a shameful
waste; and these thoughts promised to take away a great deal from
the pleasure of the occasion.
"I think, mother, I had just as lief not have the band, and only
have a supper of bread and butter and seed cakes."
"Why, Flora, what has got into you?" said her father.
Mrs. Lee laughed at the troubled looks of Flora, and explained to
her father the nature of her scruples in regard to the party.
"Where did the child get this foolish idea?" asked her father, who
thought her notions were too old and too severe for a little girl.
"Didn't I see last winter how much good only a little money would
do?" replied Flora.
"Don't you think it is wicked for me to live in this great house,
keep five or six horses, and nine or ten servants, when I could
live in a little house, like Mrs. White?" laughed Mr. Lee.
"All the money you spend would take care of a dozen families of
poor folks," said Flora.
"That is very true. Suppose I should turn away all the men and
women that work for me,--those, I mean, who work about the house
and garden,--and give the money I spend in luxuries to the poor."
"But what would John and Peter, Hannah and Bridget do then? They
would lose their places, and not be able to earn anything. Why, no,
father; Peter has a family; he has got three children, and he must
take care of them."
"Ah, you begin to see it--do you?" said Mr. Lee, with a smile. "All
that I spend upon luxury goes into the pockets of the farmer,
mechanic, and laborer."
"I see that, father," replied Flora, looking as bright as sunshine
again; "but all the money spent on my party will be wasted--won't
it?"
"Not a cent of it, my child. If I were a miser, and kept my money
in an iron safe, and lived like a poor man, I should waste it
then."
"But twenty dollars for the Riverdale Band is a great deal to give
for a few hours' service. It don't do any good, I think."
"Yes, it does; music improves our minds and hearts. It makes us
happy. I have engaged six men to play. They are musicians only at
such times as they can get a job. They are shoemakers, also, and
poor men; and the money which I shall pay them will help support
their families and educate them."
"What a fool I was, father!" exclaimed Flora.
"O, no; not so bad as that; for a great many older and wiser
persons than yourself have thought just what you think."
"But the supper, father,--the ice cream, the cake, and the
lemonade,--won't all the money spent for these things be wasted?"
"No more than the money spent for the music. The confectioner and
those whom he employs depend upon their work for the means of
supporting themselves and their families."
"So they do, father. And when you have a party, you are really
doing good to the poor."
"That depends upon circumstances," replied Mr. Lee. "I don't think
it would be an act of charity for a person who could not afford it
to give a party. I only mean to say that when we spend money for
that which does not injure us or anybody else, what we spend goes
into the pockets of those who need it.
"A party--a proper party, I mean, such a one as you will have--is a
good thing in itself. Innocent amusement is just as necessary as
food and drink.
"God has given me wealth, Flora, and he expects me to do all the
good I can with it. I hold it as his steward. Now, when I pay one
of these musicians three or four dollars for an afternoon's work, I
do him a favor as well as you and those whom you invite to your
party.
"And I hope the party will make you love one another more than ever
before. I hope the music will warm your hearts, and that the supper
will make you happy, and render you thankful to the Giver of all
things for his constant bounty."
"How funny that I should make such a blunder!" exclaimed Flora. "I
am sure I shall enjoy my party a great deal more now that I
understand these things."
"I hope you won't understand too much, Flora. Suppose you had only
a dollar, and that it had been given you to purchase a story book.
Then, suppose Mrs. White and her children were suffering from want
of fuel and clothing. What would you do with your dollar?"
"I would--"
"Wait a minute, Flora," interposed her father. "When you buy the
book, you pay the printer, the paper maker, the bookseller, the
type founder, the miner who dug the earth, the machinist who made
the press, and a great many other persons whose labor enters into
the making of a book--you pay all these men for their labor; you
give them money to help take care of their wives and children,
their fathers and mothers. You help all these men when you buy a
book. Now, what would you do with your dollar?"
"I would give it to poor Mrs. White," promptly replied Flora.
"I think you would do right, for your money would do more good in
her hands. The self-denial on your part would do you good. I only
wanted you to understand that, when you bought a book,--even a book
which was only to amuse you,--the money is not thrown away.
"Riches are given to men for a good purpose; and they ought to use
their wealth for the benefit of others, as well as for their own
pleasure. If they spend money, even for things that are of no real
use to them, it helps the poor, for it feeds and clothes them."
Flora was much interested in this conversation, and perhaps some of
my young friends will think she was an old head to care for such
things; but I think they can all understand what was said as well
as she did.
[Illustration: On the Lawn.]
III.
The great day at length arrived, and everything was ready for the
party. On the lawn, by the side of the house, a large tent had been
put up, in which the children were to have the feast.
Under a large maple tree, near the tent, a stage for the musicians
had been erected. Two swings had been put up; and there was no good
reason why the children should not enjoy themselves to their
hearts' content.
I think the teachers in the Riverdale school found it hard work to
secure the attention of their scholars on the forenoon of that day,
for all the boys and girls in the neighborhood were thinking about
the party.
As early as one o'clock in the afternoon the children began to
collect at the house of Mr. Lee, and at the end of an hour all who
had received invitations were present. The band had arrived, and at
a signal from Mr. Lee the music commenced.
"Now, father, we are all here. What shall we do?" asked Flora, who
was so excited she did not know which way to turn, or how to
proceed to entertain the party.
"Wait a few minutes, and let the children listen to the music. They
seem to enjoy it very well."
"But we want to play something, father."
"Very soon, my child, we will play something."
"What shall we play, father?"
"There are plenty of plays. Wouldn't you like to march a little
while to the music?"
"March?"
[Illustration: The Swing.]
"Yes, march to the tune of 'Hail, Columbia.' I will show you how to
do it."
"I don't know what you mean, father."
"Well, I will show you in a few minutes."
When the band had played a little longer, Mr. Lee assembled the
children in the middle of the lawn, and asked them if they would
like to march.
They were pleased with the idea, though some of them thought it
would be rather tame amusement for such an exciting occasion.
"You want two leaders, and I think you had better choose them
yourselves. It would be the most proper to select two boys."
Mr. Lee thought the choice of the leaders would amuse them; so he
proposed that they should vote for them.
"How shall we vote, father?" asked Frank.
"Three of the children must retire, and pick out four persons; and
the two of these four who get the most votes shall be the leaders."
Mr. Lee appointed two girls and one boy to be on this committee;
but while he was doing so, Tommy Woggs said he did not think this
was a good play.
"I don't think they will choose the best leaders," said Tommy.
"Don't you, Mr. Woggs?" asked Mr. Lee, laughing.
"No, sir, I do not. What do any of these boys know about such
things!" said Tommy, with a sneer. "I have been to New York, and
have seen a great many parades."
"Have you, indeed?"
"Yes, sir, I have."
"And you think you would make a better leader than any of the
others?"
"I think so, sir."
All the children laughed heartily at Master Woggs, who was so very
modest!
"None of these boys and girls have ever been to New York," added
Tommy, his vanity increasing every moment.
"That is very true; and perhaps the children will select you as
their leader."
"They can do as they like. If they want me, I should be very
willing to be their leader," replied Tommy.
It was very clear that Master Woggs had a very good opinion of
himself. He seemed to think that the fact of his having been to New
York made a hero of him, and that all the boys ought to take off
their caps to him.
But it is quite as certain that the Riverdale children did not
think Master Woggs was a very great man. He thought so much of
himself, that there was no room for others to think much of him.
The committee of three returned in a few minutes, and reported the
names of four boys to be voted for as the leaders. They were Henry
Vernon, Charley Green, David White, and Tommy Woggs.
The important little gentleman who had been to New York, was
delighted with the action of the committee. He thought all the
children could see what a very fine leader he would make, and that
all of them would vote for him.
"What shall we do for votes, father?" asked Frank.
"We can easily manage that, Frank," replied Mr. Lee.
"We have no paper here."
"Listen to me a moment, children," continued Mr. Lee. "There are
four boys to be voted for; and we will choose one leader first,
and then the other.
"Those who want Henry Vernon for a leader will put a blade of grass
in the hat which will be the ballot box; those who want Charley
Green will put in a clover blossom; those who want David White will
put in a maple leaf; and those who want to vote for Tommy Woggs
will put in a--let me see--put in a dandelion flower."
The children laughed, for they thought the dandelion was just the
thing for Master Woggs, who had been to New York.
One of the boys carried round Mr. Lee's hat, and it was found that
Henry Vernon had the most votes; so he was declared to be the first
leader.
"Humph!" said Tommy Woggs. "What does Henry Vernon know? He has
never been to New York."
"But he lives in Boston," added Charley Green.
"Boston is nothing side of New York."
"I think Boston is a great place," replied Charley.
"That's because you have never been to New York," said Master
Woggs. "They will, of course, all vote for me next time. If they
do, I will show them how things are done in New York."
"Pooh!" exclaimed Charley, as he left the vain little man.
While all the children were wondering who would be the other
leader, Flora was electioneering among them for her favorite
candidate; that is, she was asking her friends to vote for the one
she wanted. Who do you suppose it was? Master Woggs? No. It was
David White.