AT THE FAIR
THE fair proved a great delight to the children. They had all been to
fine fairs patronized by fashionable matrons, whose names were quite
enough to insure success, but the country fair was an absolute novelty.
At the large city fairs, merry débutantes graced the booths, and sold
flowers, or tickets for the various games of chance.
Here in the mountain village all was different, and the novelty gave
greater interest.
Farmers' daughters were in the booths, and sold huge bouquets of
old-fashioned garden flowers, homemade candy, and honey, while one
rosy-cheeked lass dispensed sweet cider, or sweet apples, according to
the preference of her customer.
Uncle Harry purchased a huge stalk of hollyhocks for each of his guests,
but for himself he chose an enormous sunflower which he insisted looked
_fine_ in his buttonhole.
There was music, if it could be called music, furnished by the local
band.
Uncle Harry said he had never seen such independent people as those
musicians were. He declared that the music sounded, to him, as if each
man commenced to play when he chose, and stopped when he got ready,
regardless of what the other players were doing.
"Oh, I do believe that is the way they play!" cried Dorothy, laughing.
"Of course it is," cried Uncle Harry, "and a great deal of bother it
saves, for no one has to direct them; they do not know that they are
making discord, and thus they play and play with all their might, and
are absolutely care-free and happy."
There were heaps of giant pumpkins, and more red and yellow ears of corn
than they had ever seen before, while everywhere was laughter, and
friendly gossip, and chatter, that made the fair a jolly place in which
to roam about.
The children were determined to see every object in the big tent, and
while some were interested in one thing, others wished to see something
else, so they decided to divide into two groups.
One half of the little party turned to the right intent upon seeing some
gaudy patchwork quilts, while the others turned to the left declaring
their intention of investing all their pennies in the "fish-pond."
There were so many things to see on the way, that it was a long time
before they met, as they had agreed, at the entrance.
Somewhere on the way they had missed Uncle Harry, and they could not
imagine where he had gone.
It happened that Uncle Harry had seen a very small girl crying, and his
first thought was to help her, and thus dry her tears.
Upon questioning her, he found that the wee little maid had, by
accident, knocked a small doll from one of the tables, and had been
roundly scolded.
"That pretty girl with the black eyes says I did it a-purpose, but I
didn't," she cried, "I wanted to see it, and I just touched it, and it
tumbled off the table."
Her tears fell afresh, and in place of a handkerchief, she drew up her
blue-checked apron, and hid her face in it.
"Look up, little girl," Uncle Harry said, and his voice sounded so
kindly, that she at once peeped at him through her tears.
"Which is the table where all this happened?"
"That one," said the child, "and the big girl is looking at me now."
"Then give me your hand, and, just for fun, _we'll_ go and look at
_her_."
A moment she hesitated.
"Come," he said, and with a sunny smile, the little girl placed her hand
in his, and the big, handsome man with the wee country lass approached
the table together.
"I'll lift you up so you can see nicely," he said. "Now, which was the
doll that fell from the table?"
Before the child could reply, the girl spoke sharply.
"'Twas that one, sir, and her meddlesome fingers,--"
"Never mind about that," said Uncle Harry, then turning to the child he
said:
"Did you like that one best, or is that larger one finer?"
"That large one is the loveliest. I didn't _ever_ see one so fine as
that."
"We'll have that one, then," he said, offering a bill to the astonished
salesgirl.
"There, little girl, she's yours," he said, as he placed the big doll in
her arms.
"I can hold her a little while?" she asked, eagerly.
"You can hold her _always_, if you want to," he said gently, "I bought
her for you."
Rapturously she clasped the gift in her arms.
"Oh, I love you, because you are good," she cried.
"Then tell me your name," he said.
"I'm Lois Ann Ferguson," chirped the little girl, "and father is Sandy
Ferguson. Oh, there he is now. He's to play the pipes."
She ran toward a sturdy man dressed in Highland costume, and carrying
the bagpipes under his arm.
Mr. Ferguson glanced at her flushed cheeks, saw the gorgeous doll that
she flourished before his astonished eyes, and finally understood that
the tall, handsome stranger had bestowed it upon his wee daughter, as a
gift.
He took her little hand, and hurried forward, saying:
"I dinna ken why he should dae it for my wee lassie.
"I wad gladly thank ye, sir," he said, "but I'm lost in wonder that ye
made wee Lois sae blithe an' gay wi' the braw gift."
"She's a dear little lass," said Uncle Harry, "and when I found her
crying, I knew that a fine new doll would dry her tears. Don't bother to
thank me. I made myself happy, when I comforted her."
"I wish there were mair like ye," said Sandy Ferguson, "an' some day
when ye're older, an' ha' a wee daughter of yer ain,--"
"I have a wife and baby girl now," was the quick reply, "and they are my
dearest possessions."
"An' I thought ye a braw, bonny laddie, wi' yer fair hair an' blue een!
Weel, weel, ye dinna hae tae live 'til ye're auld before ye ken tae dae
a kindly act," Sandy Ferguson replied, "an' later when I play the
pipes, an' Lois dances, she shall make her first bow tae her new
friend."
"Oh, Uncle Harry, _did_ you buy the new doll for the little girl?"
It was little Flossie, who, after having searched every corner of the
tent, had found him talking to the Scotchman and his little girl.
"Is he your own uncle?" little Lois asked, looking up into Flossie's
lovely face.
"Oh, yes," said Flossie, "and he's the best uncle in the world."
"I know he must be," said the little girl. "See how good he was to me."
They turned to join the rest of their party, and little Lois looked over
her shoulder, with one hand held fast in her father's, while with the
other she tightly clasped the precious doll.
"I saw the notice near the entrance when we came in, that a Scotch
farmer would play, and his little daughter would dance," said Uncle
Harry, "but that child is not much more than a baby. She cannot be more
than four. It will be amusing to see her dance, and Nancy Ferris will
enjoy it most of all."
They found the others reading the notice of which they had been talking,
and they were delighted when they heard what a very little girl it was
who was to dance.
They had a lunch served by girls dressed as dairy maids, and it was just
such a lunch as might have been enjoyed at a farmhouse.
The long table spread with its white cloth, and set with blue and white
dishes, was decorated by a garland of small sunflowers that lay upon the
cloth, down the centre, and the entire length of the table.
There were plates heaped with biscuit, there were dishes of both wild
and cultivated strawberries, and delicious cream to be eaten with them,
there were sandwiches and little cakes, honey enough to tempt the bees
to the feast, and the children thought it finer than a hotel dinner. How
they laughed, and chattered, as they enjoyed the spread!
Uncle Harry was in his sunniest mood, and told stories and jokes that
kept them amused, and seemed to be the gayest member of the party.
"Tell us a story about when you were a _little_ boy," said Flossie.
"My small niece thinks I'm nothing but a _big_ boy now!" he said.
"Well, the big Scotchman thought you were only a lad. I heard him say
so," said Flossie.
"When you were a boy were you ever naughty, _real_ naughty?" Floretta
asked.
She had been very quiet, and all were surprised at her question.
"Once upon a time, when I was little," said Uncle Harry, "I was very,
_very_ fond of good things, but the one thing that I liked better than
anything else was strawberry jam.
"I was always allowed to have it, but I felt sure that it would taste
even nicer if I had more of it at a time, and still finer if I could
have a long handled spoon, and eat it right from the jar.
"I used often to think how fine it would be if I, some day, could have
the chance to eat it that way, but I never could get even _very_ near
the jar.
"One day the opportunity came. My sister and I were in the nursery, and
the maid had been down-stairs for a long time.
"The rest of the family were away, and we were to have our tea in the
nursery, as usual, only, as we had had to remain at home, we were to
have an extra treat.
"Among other good things, we were to have strawberry jam.
"My sister, that is Flossie's mamma, was a little older than I, and she
was always trying to give me lessons in good behavior.
"'Now, Harry,' she said, 'while nurse is down-stairs, we might commence
to set our table.'
"'There isn't anything here to set it with but the tablecloth and the
jam,' I said, 'but you're a girl, so you know how to put the cloth on,
and I'll bring the jam.'"
"I guess Uncle Harry was so fond of the jam, that he liked even to
carry the jar," said Flossie.
"We wondered why the nurse stayed so long down-stairs," continued Uncle
Harry, "and I told my sister that I was tired of waiting for tea, and I
said I'd taste of the jam, if only I had a long handled spoon.
"'Why, Harry,' she answered in disgust, 'I wouldn't think you'd be so
naughty, but,--if you really _want_ to taste it, here's the spoon beside
the jar.'"
"And _did_ you?" questioned Dorothy.
"Well, yes, I have to admit that I did. In truth, I tasted and tasted
until my sister cried:
"'Why, Harry, you naughty boy! When you get done tasting, there won't be
any left!'
"'You won't care, because _you_ wouldn't be so naughty as to taste it!'
I said.
"'Oh, wouldn't I?' she cried. 'Well, you just let me take that spoon,
and you'll see!'
"Well, a funny mix-up followed, in which we each tried to get possession
of the spoon and the jam. We were laughing while we struggled for it,
but at last, one of us slipped, and fell, dragging the other down; the
jar of jam tipped over, and her white frock, my gray jacket and
trousers, and even my long, yellow curls became smeared with the jam.
"Nurse opened the door, and screamed with terror, for the red jam looked
as if we had been terribly hurt, and it was some time before we could
convince her that we were not cut or bruised, but only _very sticky_!
"Then came the scolding, and my sister tried to screen me.
"'Harry couldn't help tasting it, he's so fond of jam,' she said.
"'Well, he's got a good share of it, inside and out,' said nurse,
grimly.
"'She's got as much as I have,' I said, 'just look at her frock!'
"Of course our clothes were changed, and the jam cleaned from the
polished floor, but we had our tea without jam.
"Nurse said we could eat our biscuits with the _memory_ of the jam we
had already enjoyed."
"Oh, Uncle Harry," cried Flossie, "I wish, even though you were naughty,
she'd let you have more jam. She didn't know how good you'd be when you
grew up."
"I still am fond of jam!" he said, and the children laughed to see him
pour honey over his berries that already were covered with sugar.
"You like _anything_ that's sweet!" said Dorothy, "whether it's jam, or
sugar, or honey,--"
"Or little girls," said Uncle Harry. "You notice, I made this party all
little girls, and I'm having a _lovely_ time."
"So are we," laughed Dorothy.
"And he says 'lovely' just as we do," said Nancy, "he does it to make us
laugh."
"Then why don't you laugh?" said Uncle Harry, and they _did_ laugh,
every member of the party, and laughed because they could not help it.
And when the merry feast was over, they hastened to the small tent where
the old gypsy was telling fortunes.
Each had intended to have her fortune told, and thus learn what the
future held for her.
To their great surprise, she flatly refused to tell any child's
fortune, saying that she would only foretell events for "grown ups." The
little girls were rather afraid of her, but Uncle Harry boldly offered
his hand, saying:
"Am I big enough to hear my fortune?"
"No nonsense, young lad," she said, while the children dared not laugh.
She bent over his palm for a moment, then she solemnly said:
"You're a brave lad, and you need to be for you will fall in love with a
girl who'll have red hair, and the temper that usually goes with it."
"O dear!" sighed Uncle Harry.
"Don't worry, young man," said the old gypsy, "because it will be some
months before you marry."
"Indeed," said Uncle Harry, "and what shall I do if the girl proves to
have the temper you prophesy? Shall I try to calm her by holding her
under a pump, or would you advise tying her until she feels less fiery?"
"Young man, this is no laughing matter," was the sharp reply.
"Guess it isn't!" said Uncle Harry. "I've seldom been so discouraged.
Here am I, a man who has a lovely wife and baby girl, and yet I've got
to marry a red-haired girl, with a temper like chain lightning! Who was
ever in a worse fix?"
The old gypsy flew into a rage. "You're poking fun at me!" she cried.
"There! There! The fun was worth that!" he cried, laying a handful of
small coins on the table before her.
In her eagerness to count the money, she forgot her wrath, and they
hastened from the tent, where, safely outside, they were free to laugh
as much as they chose.
As they re-entered the large tent, they saw that near the centre, a
space had been cleared, and there was a crowd of people waiting, as if
expecting some attraction to be exhibited.
They had not long to wait, for almost immediately the Scotch piper
appeared, and tightly clasping her precious new doll in her arms was wee
Lois, dressed in Highland costume.
Placing her doll on a table, and making sure that it was safe, she ran
forward, courtesied first to Uncle Harry, as she had promised, and then,
to the music of the pipes, the wee lassie did the "Highland Fling."
She was such a round, dimpled little girl, one would never have dreamed
that she could dance with such infantile grace.
And when she had finished, with another courtesy, they crowded around
her, and it was Nancy who most generously praised her. Dear little
Nancy, who danced like a fairy, never had a jealous thought in her
loving heart!
It was Uncle Harry who caught little Lois, and lifted her so that he
could look into her eyes.
"I want my dolly, now," she cried, anxious lest it be lost or stolen.
Dorothy brought the doll, and the child clasped it to her breast.
"My wee lassie said she wisht she had a gift tae gi' ye," said Sandy.
"I have a dear little girl of my own, and I prize her baby kisses," said
Uncle Harry. "Will _you_ give me one, little Lois?"
She clasped her arms around his neck, and kissed him softly.
"Best man next to father," she said.