I
[Illustration]
If any one had invited AH-NI-GHI´-TO to go back to the Snowland the day
after her return to her Grossmamma’s house, she would not have listened
a moment; for there was so much to tell, and do, and see, and learn that
in her opinion she could not possibly spare time for another visit to
the far-away land.
Yet, the next summer, when her father went off again in the great black
ship, to the land where all AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S queer fur-clad friends
lived, there was a big lump in her throat, and something that looked
very much like tears in her eyes, when she found that she and mother
were going to remain at home this time.
But she was nearly five years old now, and father said she must soon go
to school and learn a great deal by the time he returned; and if she
would be a very good girl, and do just what mother said, he would tell
Santa Claus to bring her a sister.
AH-NI-GHI´-TO was much pleased. She wanted a playmate very much and
promised to do all she was told; and father sailed away.
All through that summer AH-NI-GHI´-TO roamed about on a farm, where
everything was new to her. She had bunnies to pet; chickens to feed;
nests to hunt; cows to be driven to pasture in the morning and brought
back in the evening; butter to be churned; flowers to be gathered and
arranged; and really so many things to be done of which she had never
even heard, that the days were hardly long enough.
The summer came to an end quickly and AH-NI-GHI´-TO returned to her
“Grossy’s” home and to her kindergarten, of which she was very fond.
Then Christmas came bringing many pretty toys for her, and soon
afterward, coming home from the kindergarten one day, AH-NI-GHI´-TO
found the dearest little sister waiting for her. At first she thought
father had brought her, and was quite disappointed to learn that she had
been sent, but as sister brought a letter from “dear old Dad” in which
he told AH-NI-GHI´-TO that she must be very good so that she might set
sister a good example, she began at once to take the part of elder
sister.
All through the winter and spring and well into the summer AH-NI-GHI´-TO
was a happy little girl. Each day sister grew to be more of a playmate,
and the two little girls had merry times together; sometimes on the bed,
sometimes on the floor, and often on the white, warm sand of the
seashore. But one morning sister was not well and did not care to frolic
with AH-NI-GHI´-TO. She would lie still and only smile a little
sometimes, too sick to enjoy the fun. The next evening she went to sleep
and even AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S kisses could not awaken her. Poor
AH-NI-GHI´-TO, this was her first grief and she was nearly heart-broken.
It was a long time before she could believe it was better for sister to
be an angel in heaven where she would have no pain and where
AH-NI-GHI´-TO would rejoin her some day and they would never be
separated again.
[Illustration:
“_The Black Ship which sailed for the Snowland_”
]
[Illustration:
“_AH-NI-GHI´-TO was Six Years old now._”
]
It seemed that AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S happy days were over for a while, for
soon after this the big black ship which had sailed for the Snowland
early in the summer to bring AH-NI-GHI´-TO’S father news of her and his
homeland, returned with the sad tidings that he had been caught by the
cruel Jack Frost far up in the Snow country during the cold, dark winter
and had his feet frozen. Though his letters told AH-NI-GHI´-TO and her
mother that he was quite well now, still they had their doubts, and
AH-NI-GHI´-TO said, “Oh, mother, can’t we go to father? I think he must
need us to take care of him.” Her mother agreed that when the ship went
north again the next June, she and AH-NI-GHI´-TO would go too.
AH-NI-GHI´-TO could not see why they must wait so long. Why not go at
once? She had quite forgotten that in the far north the long, cold night
was now beginning and that all the sea was frozen solid. For four months
father would have no sunlight: only the faint light of the stars and
once a month the moon. Only when the summer came again with its bright
warm sun to thaw the ice and allow the ship to plough her way through,
could she go to him.
AH-NI-GHI´-TO was six years old now and was going to _real_ school, but
all her spare time she spent in getting ready for her coming visit to
father in the Snowland.
She made many picture scrap-books, and paper dolls (with dozens of
dresses for them) to give to the little Danish children who had been so
kind to her when father’s ship stopped at their villages on the way home
with the great Star stone. All her pennies were carefully saved that she
might buy other presents for her many little friends. So the winter and
spring passed, and at last came the day, July 7, when AH-NI-GHI´-TO bade
Grossy and Tante good-bye, promising to surely return in the early Fall
and perhaps bring father too.