A NEW PET
When Mr. Maynard came home that night he was treated to an account of the
whole affair, but as two or three of the little Maynards often talked at
once, the effect was sometimes unintelligible.
"It was the loveliest party, Father," said Marjorie, as she hung over one
arm of his chair, and arranged a somewhat large bunch of blossoms in
his buttonhole.
"Yes, it was," agreed Kitty, who hung on the other arm of the chair, and
investigated his coat pockets in the hope of finding a box of candy or
other interesting booty.
"It sure was!" declared King, who was sitting on a footstool near, and
hugging one knee with apparently intense affection.
"And what made it so especially delightful?" asked Mr. Maynard, as he
balanced Rosy Posy on his knee; "you tell me, Baby."
"It was a bootiful party," said Rosy Posy, with decision, "because we had
pink ice cream."
"That _was_ about the best part," said Kitty, reminiscently.
"Well, the pink ice cream part sounds delightful, I'm sure; but what was
the rest of the party about?"
"Oh, it was a May party," exclaimed Marjorie, "and we had May Queens, and
a May King, and May Princesses, and everything! I do love May, don't you,
Father? Everything is so bright and bloomy and Maysy. I think it is the
loveliest month in the year."
"Yes, it is a lovely month, Mopsy, and a good month to be out of doors.
Maytime is playtime."
"Yes, I know it; I made a song this morning about that. I'll sing it to
you." And Marjorie sang for her father the little verse she had mad about
Marjorie Maynard's May.
"Huh!" said King, "'tisn't your May, any more than anybody else's, Midget
Maynard."
"No, I know it; but I like to think the May just belongs to us Maynards.
Anyway we have it all. It is our May even if other people use it, too."
"I don't begrudge them the use of it," said Kitty; "of course, it's just
as much theirs as ours."
"Yes, of course," assented Marjorie; "I'm only just sort of imagining,
you know."
"Let me help you imagine. Midget," said her father. "How would you like
to imagine a whole May time that was all playtime?"
"For all of us?" rejoined Marjorie, her eyes dancing. "Oh, that would be
a lovely imagination! It would be like an Ourday all the time! And by the
way, Father, you owe us an extra Ourday. You know we skipped one when you
and Mother were down South, and it's time for another anyway. Shall we
have two together?"
"Two together!" cried King; "what fun that would be! We could go off on a
trip or something."
"Where could we stay all night?" asked Kitty, who was the practical one.
"Oh, trips always have places to stay all night," declared King; "let's
do it, Father. What do you say?"
"I don't get a chance to say much of anything, among all you
chatter-boxes. Rosy Posy, what do you say?"
But the littlest Maynard was so nearly asleep that she had no voice in
the matter under consideration, and at her father's suggestion, Nurse
Nannie came and took her away to bed.
"Now," said Mr. Maynard, "what's all this about Ourday? And two of them
together! When do you think I'm going to get my business done?"
"Well, but, Father, you owe them to us," said Marjorie, patting his cheek
in her wheedlesome way. "And you're not the kind of a business man who
doesn't pay his debts, are you?"
"I hope not; that would be a terrible state of affairs! And so I owe you
two Ourdays, do I?"
"Yes, one for April, and one for May."
It was the custom in the Maynard household to have an Ourday each month.
On these occasions both Mr. and Mrs. Maynard devoted themselves all day
long to the entertainment of the four children, and the four took turns
in deciding what the nature of the entertainment should be. Much of the
previous month their parents had been away, and the children looked
forward to the celebration of the belated Ourday in connection with the
one that belonged to the month of May.
"Before we discuss the question further," said Mr. Maynard, "I must tell
you of something I did to-day. I adopted a new pet."
"Oh, Father, what is it--a dog?" cried Marjorie.
"No, it isn't a dog; guess again."
"A cat!" Kitty guessed, while King said, "A goat?"
"Wrong, all of you," said Mr. Maynard; "now see if you can't guess it by
asking twenty questions."
"All right," said Marjorie, who was always ready for a game. "Is it
animal, vegetable, or mineral?"
"All three; that is, it belongs to all three kingdoms."
"Is it a house?" asked Kitty.
"No, it is not as big as a house."
"Is it useful or ornamental?" asked King.
"Both; but its principal use is to give pleasure."
"How lovely!" cried Marjorie. "I guess it's a fountain! Oh, Father, where
are you going to put it--on the side lawn? And will it have goldfish in
it, and shiny stones, and green water plants growing in it?"
"Wait a minute, Mops; don't go so fast! You see, it isn't a fountain, and
if you should put water and goldfish in it, you'd spoil it entirely."
"And any way, Father," said King, "you said it was a pet, didn't you?"
"Yes, my boy, a sort of pet."
"Can it talk?"
"No, it can't talk."
"Oh, I made sure it was a talking machine. What kind of a sound does it
make?"
"Well, it purrs sometimes."
"Then it is a kitten after all," cried Kitty.
"No, it isn't a kitten. It's bigger than a kitten."
"An old cat!" said Marjorie, scornfully.
"Pooh," said King, "we'll never get at it this way. Of course it isn't a
cat! Father wouldn't make so much fuss over just a cat."
"But I'm not making a fuss," protested Mr. Maynard; "I only told you I
had adopted a new pet, and suggested you guess what it is. If you give up
I'll tell you."
"I don't give up," cried Kitty; "what color is it?"
"Red," answered her father.
"Ho!" cried Kitty, with a sudden flash of inspiration, "it's an
automobile!"
"Right you are, Kitsie," said her father, "though I don't know why you
guessed it so quick."
"Well, nothing else is red and big. But why do you call it a pet? And how
does it purr?"
"You're so practical, Kitty, it's difficult to make you understand; but I
feel quite sure we'll all make a pet of it, and when you once hear it
purr, you'll think it a prettier sound than any kitten ever made."
"Is it really an automobile, Father? And have you bought it? And shall we
ride in it? Where is it? Where are you going to keep it? When will it
come? How many will it hold? Where shall we ride first?"
These queries were flung at Mr. Maynard by the breathless children
without waiting for answers, and as Mrs. Maynard came in just then,
Mr. Maynard told the story of his new acquisition.
"I've been looking at them for some time, as you know, Helen," he said,
looking at his wife, "and to-day I decided upon the purchase. It's a
big touring car, and will comfortably accommodate the whole Maynard
family and a chauffeur beside. It will arrive day after to-morrow, that's
Monday, and after a few short spins around this neighborhood, I think by
Thursday we may be able to start for an Ourday trip in it."
"A whole Ourday in an automobile!" cried Marjorie; "how gorgeous and
grand! Oh, King, isn't it just splendiferous!"
Marjorie sprang to her feet, and grasped her brother round the neck, and
they flew round the room in a sort of a wild Indian war-dance that went
far to express their joy and delight at the prospect.
"Two Ourdays, you know, Father," said Kitty, nestling quietly to
her father's side as her madcap brother and sister whirled round
the room. But they brought up with a round turn, though a little
dishevelled-looking, to hear Mr. Maynard's reply to Kitty's remark.
"Yes, two Ourdays at once!" Marjorie cried, affectionately pulling King's
hair as she spoke. He returned the caress by pinching her ear, and said,
"Will it be two Ourdays together, Father, or one at a time?"
"If you two young tornadoes will sit down quietly for a moment, you may
hear of something to your advantage," said Mr. Maynard, smiling at his
two eldest children who were rather red-faced and breathless from their
recent exertions.
"Sure we will!" cried King, and drawing Marjorie down with him, they fell
in a heap on the floor, and sat there awaiting further disclosures.
"You see," Mr. Maynard began, "as Marjorie says, Maytime is,--what?"
"Playtime," supplemented Marjorie, quickly.
"Well, then, if Maytime is playtime for the Maynards, why shouldn't we
play all through the month of May?"
"Play every day,
All the month of May,
All the Maynards may
Play all day!
Hooray! Hooray! Hooray!"
sang Marjorie who often improvised her songs as she went along. This was
not a difficult one to learn, and King and Kitty took up the refrain, and
they sang it over and over with great gusto, until Mrs. Maynard begged
for a respite.
"But of course you don't mean anything like that?" said Kitty, when the
song had ceased.
"But that's just exactly what I do mean. What do you think of the plan of
the Maynards going a-Maying in their own motor car, and taking the whole
month of May for it?"
Marjorie's eyes opened wide. "I know what you mean!" she exclaimed; "you
mean a tour--a tour through the country in an automobile! I've heard of
such things!"
"Wise child!" said her father; "well, that's exactly what I do mean. A
tour through the country in our own motor, and in our own Maytime. How
does it strike you?"
"It strikes me all of a heap!" cried Marjorie, throwing herself into her
father's arms; "tell me more, quick! Seems as if I can't believe it!"
"I can't believe it, either," said Kitty, slowly; "but I 'spect I can by
the time we get ready to start. When are we going, Father?"
"On Thursday, if Mother can be ready."
"Oh, yes, I can be ready. I've only to get a few things for the children
and myself to wear on the journey."
"Yes, we must all have up-to-date motor togs, I'm sure," and Mr. Maynard
looked about as happy over the projected trip, as any of his children.
"But, Father," said Marjorie, "how can you take so much time away from
your business? You said you couldn't take two Ourdays together because
you were busy."
"I didn't say exactly that, dearie, and anyway I was only joking, because
I knew I was going to spring this surprise on you in a few minutes. I
have arranged, of course, to be away from my business for nearly a month,
and have planned to spend the greater part of May taking this motor trip.
We will go to Grandma Sherwood's first, and stay a few days,--"
"To Grandma Sherwood's? Oh, glorious!" And again Marjorie was seized with
a paroxysm of joy, and this time she caught Kitty, and led her off for a
mad dance round the room. "Just think of it, Kit," she cried, "we'll be
at Grandma Sherwood's together, and you can see the lovely room she fixed
up for me, and the house in the tree, and everything. Oh, Kitty!"
"But I'm going to be there all summer, anyway," said Kitty, as she
finally induced Marjorie to tumble on the divan amid a heap of sofa
pillows.
"Yes, I know; but that's different. But what fun for us all to be there
together for a few days! Did you say a few days, Father?"
"Yes, I did; but if you're so turbulent, and excitable, and noisy I think
a few hours'll be enough for Grandma and Uncle Steve."
"It may be enough for Grandma, but it won't for Uncle Steve," declared
Marjorie; "he loves rackety-packety children!"
"Well, he'll get his desires fulfilled when you get there," said Mrs.
Maynard, smiling; "but perhaps the trip there will calm you down a little
bit."
"No, it won't! It just makes me more and more crazy all the time I think
of it! Oh, Father, won't we have a lot of our Ourdays all at once!"
"Indeed we will, enough to last for several years ahead. For if you debit
me with last month's deficiency, of course you must credit me in the
future."
"Oh, no, this rule doesn't work both ways! We'll just take all the
Ourdays that we can get whenever we can get them. But what are we going
to do after we leave Grandma's?"
"Well, if you all agree, I thought we might go over to New York and see
your other grandma."
"Go to Grandma Maynard's, too! Oh, what fun we will have!" and Marjorie
looked as if her cup of bliss were full and running over.
"And after that," said Mrs. Maynard, "if none of you object too
seriously, we thought perhaps a little run up through New England would
prove attractive."
"Mother," said King, looking at her twinkling eyes, "you planned all this
out before? It's no surprise to you!"
"Very true, King; your father and I planned it while we were on our
Southern trip. We had such a delightful outing, it seemed only fair that
we should take you children for a trip also. And your father has been
thinking for some time about buying an automobile, and as he can take the
time now, it all works in beautifully."
"Beautiful! I should think it was!" cried Marjorie; "and Mother, will we
all have motor coats and goggles, and all those queer things that they
wear in automobiles?"
"You won't have any queer things, and I doubt if you'll need goggles; but
you and Kitty shall have pretty motor coats, and pretty hoods and veils.
We'll go on Monday to buy them."
"Oh," sighed Marjorie, "it just does seem too good to be true! It's like
a fairy dream, and I 'spect I'll wake up every minute. What about
lessons, Mother?"
"We've thought of that; but as your lessons would stop the first of June
anyway, you'll only lose a few weeks, and so we're going to take you all
out of school for that time. For this year, at any rate, Maytime shall be
playtime for the Maynards."
"I'm so glad I'm a Maynard, and live in the Maynard family," said Kitty,
with a deep sigh of satisfaction.
"So'm I," declared Marjorie; "there never was such a nice family, with
such a bee-yootiful father and mother!"
And as if this were a signal for a general onslaught, the three young
Maynards made a dash for the two older Maynards, and nearly choked them
with well-meant but rather athletic embraces, which was their fashion of
expressing approval and appreciation.