LAURA AMELIA.
On their way home Mrs. Ashford stopped at Dr. Fisher's, and finding him
in his office, made her plea, and readily obtained his promise to see
Jennie.
All the way Marty was unusually silent and appeared to be thinking
intently. When they were nearly home she said impressively,
"Mamma, do you know, Jennie never had a doll--never in her whole life!"
"Indeed!"
"No, ma'am; and I've been thinking I'd like to give her one of mine."
"Do you think you could part with any of yours?"
"I love them all dearly, but I think I _could_ do it to make Jennie
happy. I know she'd like to have a doll, and it would be a long time
before I could save money enough to buy her one."
"Well," said Mrs. Ashford, "I'm sure she would be very happy with one of
yours, but you had better take time to think it over well, and not do
anything you would afterward regret."
Marty thought it over until the next evening, and then said she still
wished to give Jennie the doll.
"Very well, then," said her mother, "I am willing you should do it.
Which doll do you think of giving her?"
"Laura Amelia."
"Why, she is your third largest and one of your prettiest! Why do you
choose her?"
"Because Jennie would like a fair doll, and she's the only fair one I
have except the one Grandma Brewster gave me, and I shouldn't like to
give that away." And then she repeated what Jennie had said about the
next-door girl's doll.
So it was settled that Laura Amelia was to leave home the next Saturday.
Her clothes were put in good order, and Mrs. Ashford made her a
travelling dress.
On Friday night when Marty, in her little wrapper and worsted slippers,
made her appearance at the sitting-room door to say "Good-night," she
had Laura Amelia clasped in her arms.
"Halloa! Miss Moppet," said her papa. "Are you off? What's the matter
with that dolly? Do you have to walk her to sleep?"
"Oh, no. She's very good, but she's going to sleep with me, because it's
the last night she'll be here."
Marty tried to reply steadily, but her voice trembled.
"Ah!" said her papa sympathizingly. "Where is she going?"
"I'm going to give her to Jennie."
Of course Mr. Ashford had heard all about Jennie. He approved of her
being helped, but did not like to see Marty in distress, and he noticed
her eyes were full of tears.
"It is a shame for the child to give away playthings she is fond of," he
said to his wife.
"I didn't tell her to give it," replied Mrs. Ashford. "It was her own
notion."
"Here, Marty," said her father, putting his hand in his pocket, "you
keep that doll yourself and I'll give you some money to get Jennie
another one."
"Oh! no, papa," said Marty earnestly. "Thank you ever so much, but I
want to give Jennie a doll all myself, and I've quite made up my mind to
give her this one. I thought it over a whole day--didn't I, mamma? You
mustn't s'pose I don't _want_ to give Laura Amelia to Jennie, because I
do, but you know such things make one feel a little sad for a while."
"I presume they do," said Mr. Ashford, smiling as he lifted both Marty
and the doll to his knee. "How many dolls have you?"
"Seven, counting the two little china ones."
"Well, that's a pretty numerous family for one small girl to care for. I
guess you can spare Lucy Aurelia."
"Lucy Aurelia!" Marty laughed heartily. "O papa, what is the reason you
never can remember my dolls' names?"
"I don't see how you can remember them yourself." Then as he kissed her
goodnight he said,
"I am glad my little girl is learning to be kind to the poor and
friendless."
The next day there was some prospect that Marty would not get to
Jennie's after all, as Mrs. Ashford could not very well go with her and
would not let her go alone. Marty was preparing to be dreadfully
disappointed, but her mother said, "Wait until after lunch and we will
see what can be done."
Just then there was a tap at the door, and a tall, dark-eyed, smiling
young lady entered.
"Why, here's Cousin Alice!" exclaimed Marty, and the warm welcome the
visitor received from them all showed what a favorite she was.
"I've come to stay to lunch if you will have me," she announced,
throwing her wrap and gloves on the couch. Marty immediately invited her
to stay for ever, and Freddie began building a wall with his blocks all
around her chair so that she could not possibly get away.
"Alice," said Mrs. Ashford, after there had been a good deal of talk and
play, "I am going to ask you to do something for me."
"I shall be only too happy to do it, Cousin Helen," said Miss Alice in
her bright way. "You have only to speak."
"Marty wants to do an errand down near the old postoffice this
afternoon. I don't like to have her go into that part of the town by
herself, and I can't go with her. Would you be willing to go with her?"
"Most certainly," was the cordial reply.
"Oh! that will be splendid," cried Marty.
Then both she and her mother proceeded to tell their cousin all about
Jennie, after which Marty dressed the doll and packed its clothes in a
box.
"What a good idea it is of Marty's to give that doll and all its
belongings to Jennie!" said Miss Alice. "It will be such amusement and
occupation for her when she is alone so much. It must be perfectly
dreadful to lie there all day, and day after day, with nothing to do and
nothing to interest her. I suppose she cannot read."
"Not very well, I fancy, for her mother said they had moved about so
much before she was hurt that she had very little chance to go to
school. I suppose there is really not much of anything she could do now,
as she is so weak and miserable, but it has just occurred to me that if
she gets stronger under Dr. Fisher's treatment, you might help her to a
light, pleasant occupation which would enliven her dull life."
"I? How? I'm sure I should be very glad to do anything possible for the
poor girl."
"You might teach her to crochet or knit. You do such work to perfection
and know so much about it. I know you have plenty of odds and ends of
worsted and other materials, and I can furnish you with a good deal
more. If she is able to learn, I think it would be a charming work for
her, and might be very useful in coming years."
"That is an excellent suggestion. I shall be very glad to teach her, or
at least try to teach her, for I don't know how I should succeed in the
attempt."
"Oh! you would succeed beautifully, and it need not take up much of your
time, as Landis Court is nearer you than it is to us, and you could run
over for a little while any time. But you can see when you go whether it
is worth while to speak of the matter."
"It would be just lovely!" was Marty's opinion.
"Now, Marty," cautioned her mother, "don't you say anything about it to
Jennie. Just let Cousin Alice do it in her own nice way."
"A thousand thanks," said Cousin Alice with her gay laugh. "I'll be sure
to do my prettiest after that."
When they made the visit, however, it was found useless to mention
crocheting or any other subject to Jennie. Her attention was altogether
absorbed by the doll. Mrs. Scott happened to be at home, and while she
was bustling around getting chairs for her visitors and Marty was
introducing her cousin, Jennie never took her eyes from Laura Amelia.
Presently she said in a trembling voice,
"May I hold your doll a minute?"
"I brought her for you," said Marty, handing the doll.
"For me to hold a minute?"
"No; to keep. She's your dolly now."
Jennie looked perfectly bewildered at first, and then when she began to
understand the matter she clasped the doll in her arms and burst into
tears.
Marty was very much frightened. "Oh! don't let her cry," she said to
Mrs. Scott. "It will make her sick."
"Never mind, missy; she'll soon be all right. Come now Jennie, don't
cry. Sit up and thank the little lady for the beautiful present. But
it's too much to give her. Who'd ha' thought of you bringing such a
handsome doll! And just what she's always wanted but never looked to
having. I'm sure I don't know how to thank you," and the poor woman
threatened to follow Jennie's example, and cry over their good fortune.
Then Cousin Alice came to the rescue by suggesting that Marty should
tell Jennie the doll's name and show her wardrobe. The little girls were
soon chattering over the contents of the box, and Miss Alice learned
from Mrs. Scott that the doctor had been to see Jennie. He said he saw
no reason why with proper treatment she should not become well again,
though it was likely she would always be somewhat lame and perhaps never
very strong. He had sent her strengthening medicine and said she must
drink milk every day.
Then began better times for Jennie than she had ever had in her life
before. First, as she would have said herself, there was the doll to
love and cherish, to dress and undress, to talk to and to put to sleep.
Then there were the books and pictures, for between Marty and Edith, who
also came, her stock of them increased rapidly. Then there was the
decrease of pain and the increase of strength, for what with the
bathings and rubbings that the doctor ordered, and the nourishing food
that Mrs. Ashford and Miss Alice sent, she began to get greatly better.
When she arrived at the point of sitting propped up in bed for several
hours at a time, Miss Alice spoke of the crocheting and found her
exceedingly willing to learn. She took it up quite rapidly too, and very
much enjoyed working with the bright worsteds.
Miss Alice was greatly interested in her pupil and sometimes made quite
long visits, teaching her or reading to her, and her visits made the
little invalid so happy that she got better all the faster.