[Illustration: HURRAH! WE ARE GOING TO SANDBAY.
_Page 1._]
TALES OF THE TOYS,
TOLD BY THEMSELVES.
BY
FRANCES FREELING BRODERIP.
AUTHOR OF "MY GRANDMOTHER'S BUDGET," "MERRY SONGS FOR LITTLE
VOICES," "MAMMA'S MORNING GOSSIPS," ETC.
With Illustrations by Tom Hood.
[Illustration]
LONDON:
GRIFFITH AND FARRAN,
(_Successors to Newbery and Harris._)
CORNER OF ST. PAUL'S CHURCHYARD.
MDCCCLXIX.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.--THE TURNING OUT OF THE TOY CUPBOARD 1
CHAPTER II.
THE HISTORY OF THE BALL; WITH THE STORY OF THE POOR WIDOW
WHO MADE IT 19
CHAPTER III.
THE HOOP'S ROUND OF ADVENTURES 33
CHAPTER IV.
THE FATE OF THE LEADEN TEA-THINGS 47
CHAPTER V.
THE MAKING OF THE KITE BY THE HOME CIRCLE 64
CHAPTER VI.
THE DOLL AND ALL HER MISTRESSES 79
CHAPTER VII.
THE TOY KITCHEN; AND ITS MAKER 98
CHAPTER VIII.
THE FATE OF THE SHUTTLECOCK 113
CHAPTER IX.
WHAT BECAME OF NOAH'S ARK AND ALL ITS BEASTS 129
CHAPTER X.
THE MARBLES AND THEIR PROCEEDINGS 142
CHAPTER XI.
WHY THE ROCKING HORSE RAN AWAY 159
CHAPTER XII.
THE MISHAP OF THE SKIPPING-ROPE 176
CHAPTER XIII.
THE HUMMING TOP'S HISTORY 194
CHAPTER XIV.
THE INTERRUPTION AND CONCLUSION 210
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
TALES OF THE TOYS.
CHAPTER I.--INTRODUCTORY.
THE TURNING OUT OF THE TOY CUPBOARD.
"Hurrah! We are going to have such a jolly holiday!" shouted Frank,
suddenly bursting out of his imprisonment in the slate closet, to the
great disturbance of his sisters, who were peaceably occupied with their
lessons.
"Frank," said Miss Watson, "I must really at last report you to your
Papa. I do not like to trouble him if I can help it, but I am afraid you
will oblige me to do so. I desired you not to leave the book closet
until you had made up your mind to sit straight on your chair, and go
through the multiplication table properly."
"We're to go to Sandbay for a month!" shouted Frank, capering about and
clapping his hands.
"To Sandbay, Frank! oh, how charming!" cried Celia and Florry, with one
voice.
"We shall be able to collect so many shells, and perhaps to get some
anemones!" said Celia.
"I shall make such gardens and ovens in the sand!" cried Florry, opening
her blue eyes as wide as possible. "I wonder what has become of my
spade?"
"I'll leave Pa no peace till he takes me out for a sail," said Frank,
whose antics had not yet subsided.
"I think you have all gone suddenly mad!" said Miss Watson. "Celia, I am
surprised at _you_! I have ceased to hope for quiet manners from Frank,
and Florry is so little, she scarcely knows better; but your giddiness
is not usual."
"I beg your pardon, Miss Watson," replied Celia, demurely; "only it was
so nice to think of going to the Sea."
"But I don't understand the matter now," said poor Miss Watson, looking
very mystified; "you knew nothing about this at breakfast, Frank, and
how your companionship with the books and slates in the cupboard has
enlightened you now, I don't know, nor can I give even a remote guess!"
"Why, the store cupboard in the dining room is next to the book closet,"
replied Frank, eagerly, "and just now, when I had got my hand on the
lock of the door to come out and tell you I had had enough of solitary
imprisoning, I heard Mamma come into the store cupboard (for some jam, I
daresay!) and she said out loud to somebody, 'I mean to take the
children for a month to Sandbay this summer!' That's what made me rush
out to tell the girls the good news!"
"Well, Frank, I never believed you guilty of the meanness of listening
before," said Miss Watson, rather severely.
"I didn't listen," said Frank, rather sulkily.
"You can hear very plainly in the book closet, Miss Watson," said Celia.
"When I have put away the books sometimes, I have heard Ellen laying the
luncheon in the dining room from the store cupboard door being left
open. I am sure we should not listen on purpose, and I don't think Frank
could help hearing it, if Mamma spoke distinctly."
"It's very nice of you, Celia, to be always so ready to excuse your
brother," said Miss Watson, "and I _do_ believe Frank above such mean,
dishonest habits as that; and so I suppose I must overlook his
boisterous conduct this once, as the news he heard by accident seems so
exciting to you all."
"Oh, Miss Watson, don't you like the sea too?" enquired little Florry;
"it's so nice to stand on a heap of sand and let the waves come round
you."
"Well, Florry," replied Miss Watson, smiling, "there are many more
pleasant things at the seaside than getting your feet wet through; but I
suppose _you_ like letting the waves chase you!"
"Then there is the bathing," said Celia, delightedly; "I do so love a
dip in the cool, green salt water, and the dancing about in it, and
waiting for a great wave to come over one!"
"Girls ought to learn to swim!" said Frank, very sententiously. "Suppose
a big wave carried you out of your depth, and no one was near to fetch
you out again but the old Molly of a bathing woman!"
"I have not the least doubt in the world," said Miss Watson, "that you
will all enjoy your trip to Sandbay very much. But I think people should
_earn_ their holiday before they have it, or even waste much time
beforehand in planning how to spend it. We shall get no lessons at all
this morning if we are to be hindered like this, and the consequence
will be, Frank, that as so often is the case, you will spend your
playtime in going over them again."
"Suppose we all settle down steadily," suggested sensible Celia, "and
put the thoughts of the sea out of our minds till we have done. Look,
Miss Watson, it only wants a quarter to one, and we have finished all
but our copies!"
"There's the 'vexation' to be got through first, by me at any rate,"
said Frank, with a rueful air. "I wish the man who invented it had all
the 'three times' from one to twelve printed on him with a cat-o'-nine
tails, every time a fellow is forced to go through it!"
"When you are a rich old merchant in the City, Frank," replied Miss
Watson, smiling, "you will find the 'vexation' a pleasure, as you add up
your pounds and shillings, or calculate the value of your cargoes!"
"I wonder if Sir Walter Raleigh bothered his head with all this
rubbish," growled Frank. "I daresay he counted up his ingots on his
fingers. Such a leader as he was never wasted his time and trouble on
the bothering old multiplication tables, _I_ know."
"Raleigh was a scholar and a poet too, Frank," replied Miss Watson; "you
could hardly have chosen a worse example of your theory. He was an Oriel
College man, and wrote a history of the world during his captivity in
the Tower. He employed his imprisonment better than you have done, you
see!"
"I have finished my copy, Miss Watson," said Celia, "may I go now,
please? I have nothing more to do until the afternoon."
"Yes, Celia; but, Florry, how carelessly you have written yours! I am
afraid the thoughts of going to the sea have bewildered your little head
so, that your fingers have travelled along without any guidance, like
runaway horses with the coachman fast asleep!"
Florry blushed and hung her head over the ill-written book, and was
silent, for she knew that she had been thinking more of the pleasure
before her, and musing where her wooden spade could be, than of her
lessons; I am afraid that morning set a mark of "Careless!" in both
Frank's and her score. However, school time ended at last, and off with
a shout went Frank to hear all about the plans from Celia, for he had no
doubt she had been talking the matter over with Mamma. Miss Watson was
putting on her bonnet and mantle in order to return home for the usual
weekly half holiday, when Mrs. Spenser entered the room.
"I find, Miss Watson," said she, smiling, "that Frank's long ears have
managed to catch what Mr. Spenser and I have been arranging for the
summer holidays. The house is so very dirty and worn now, after our long
residence in it, that we find it will be best to set about a thorough
course of paint, paper, and whitewash, so that I have resolved to give
the children a month at Sandbay during these holidays, which will do
them all a great deal of good, I think."
"I hope it will, indeed," replied Miss Watson; "and I am sure you will
find it more agreeable to leave the house in possession of the workmen;
all painting and papering is so unpleasant to endure."
"Yes, indeed," said Mrs. Spenser, "I have a great horror of the whole
operation; and, besides, Mr. Spenser thinks it will be more thoroughly
done, if everything is packed away, and we are all out of the house. It
will be very pleasant to be away from the heat of town, and with plenty
of sea breezes to freshen up the children. Celia, I think, is looking
rather delicate."
"A little sea wind, and a few rambles on the shore, will soon bring back
her rosy cheeks," replied Miss Watson, shaking hands with Mrs. Spenser,
as she took her leave. "I hope you will all be very much the better for
the change."
For the rest of the next week--the last but one before the holidays
began--Binswood Villa was a scene of endless bustle and confusion. The
children enjoyed it all immensely, and rejoiced secretly at the little
interruptions to the usual routine of their daily lessons, which were
now taken in "pic-nic fashion," as Celia declared. For after the
dining-room was cleared of its furniture, the schoolroom was obliged to
be used for luncheon and dinner. And at last, joy of joys, the
schoolroom itself had to be partially given up, and the weather being
very warm and dry, the last few days' school was held in the arbour in
the garden. The children enjoyed the remove greatly; but Frank declared
that it was a sore trial to Miss Watson, for she had earwigs up her
sleeve and snails on her gown!
"I am too fond of a garden, Frank, to mind even these mishaps," said
Miss Watson, laughing; "and as they have not yet fallen to my share, I
won't fear them beforehand. I think all the garden inhabitants recognise
_you_ for their lawful prey, for I can see a little money-spinner spider
making a tour of your collar now!"
Then there was all the packing to be done. Mamma very wisely got over
her share of the business during the quiet hours when the young folks
were at school, and, therefore, managed to get everything stowed away in
tolerable order. And she found out the wisdom of her plan soon enough,
for the confusion and trouble that reigned during the three days'
holiday before they left, nearly drove poor Nurse out of her senses. But
at last even all these worries were happily got over, and Celia's
treasures safely put away, Frank's bat and ball and cricket-shoes hunted
up, and Florry's missing wooden spade found behind the clock-case.
Mrs. Spenser and the Nurse had the worst part of the business even now,
in arranging and packing all the frocks and pinafores, socks and jackets
in small compass for their long visit. Young folks are very apt not to
think of all these things, and seem to imagine that hats and caps,
gloves and shoes grow on the bushes, and are produced by rain and
sunshine, like the garments of the flowers! Most mothers and nurses
could tell a very different tale; and could, if they pleased, prove,
that if little girls were as idly managed as the doll family are, life
would not be so easy or quite so pleasant, to the juveniles at least.
At last the happy day of the journey arrived, and the Spensers, with all
their luggage, were safely crammed into a couple of cabs, and borne off
to the railway station on their way to Sandbay. Little Florry persisted
in carrying her precious wooden spade, for fear it should be left
behind, a proceeding that resulted in its being left in the
refreshment-room at Hembery station, and only regained at the risk of
Frank's being left behind; and it was finally forgotten in the carriage
when they changed at Dawlish junction, its little tired owner being
carried fast asleep in Nurse's arms. And so before Papa left them all
comfortably settled in their airy lodgings at Sandbay, he was obliged to
take his tearful little girl to the one toy-shop and buy her a new one.
"Which you gained by, Florry," remarked Frank; "for Pa gave you a bucket
into the bargain; so now you can make ovens enough to bake all the rolls
in Sandbay!"
And then, like a good-natured brother as he was, he printed Florry's
name in great capital letters on her spade, with the name of the house
they lived in, so that when she left it behind on the sands, there was a
chance of its being brought back again. And Celia and her mother rambled
about by the edge of the sea, and collected shells and sea-weed, or took
long walks through the pretty country round Sandbay, till the rosy
cheeks Miss Watson prophesied became quite Celia's usual look.
Meanwhile, Mr. Spenser having seen the little colony comfortably
established, returned back to town, for he was going to stay with a
sister who lived near his own house, in order to keep an occasional
watch over the workmen. And so the town villa, which a few hours before
had been the scene of such confusion and bustle,--such noisy voices and
pattering feet,--was left empty to the echoes and the dust which now had
time to settle peaceably over the bare boards and dingy windows. An old
charwoman had the charge of it, and was to sleep in the kitchen; but as
the workmen were not to come till the day after, she contented herself
with merely sweeping down the house in the afternoon, ready for the
whitewashers next day; and then, locking all up safe, with old Growler,
the dog, inside, she set off, after an early cup of tea, to get in her
provisions for the next day.
It was, indeed, a change! The bed-rooms had lost their nice white little
beds and curtains; the drawing-room was a dusty desert, with no piano
and no work-tables; while the kitchen yawned like a gloomy cavern,
stripped of its bright tins and cheerful dishes. And the dusky shades of
evening fell and wrapped it in still darker shadows, while the distant
roar and din of the streets seemed to sound quite far off. So then the
crickets, who felt sure something unusual must be the matter, chirped,
and made enquiries of each other, in the most noisy manner; while the
mice, quite enraptured with the quiet and vacancy, came out and had
regular pic-nic parties all over the house.
The furniture and packages had all been stowed away in one large room at
the top of the house, which had then been securely locked and fastened.
But one nook had been neglected in the midst of all the bustle. Busy as
she had been with preparing the summer clothes, putting away all the
winter ones, and setting aside all in her own particular domain, Nurse
had utterly overlooked the old toy cupboard! It is true it was now
seldom used; for even Florry cared little for the broken and discarded
toys it contained, and so it was not to be wondered at that the old
store of rubbish had not been remembered. Some officious person had
unlatched the door and left it ajar, and a good blast of wind in the
afternoon, when old Mrs. Davis set the window open first, had pushed it
quite back, though she had not observed the fact when she closed the
nursery windows before she left. On the floor lay a heap of old leaden
tea-things, mixed up with some of the inhabitants of a battered Noah's
Ark which lay empty on its side on the top shelf. Several old marbles
were nestled cosily up in an old toy kitchen which had been turned
upside down to receive them. A humming-top, whose key had departed, lay
side by side with a shuttlecock that had been shorn of half its
feathers. The skipping-rope had become hopelessly entangled with the
tail of the kite; the hoop had hung itself round the neck of a very
ancient rocking-horse, whose mane and tail had long disappeared; to add
to its misfortunes the poor animal now lacked the whole of one leg, and
part of another, and being past mending, it had not seen daylight for a
long while. A doll, with one arm, and whose bland, faded face had lost
all expression with her missing eyes, presided in a solemn manner over
the whole. The shelf above was empty, with one exception, for on it lay
a very large ball, made of leather in many pieces, carefully joined
together. Why it had been placed in the old toy cupboard was a mystery,
for it seemed nearly new from the brightness of its colours and the full
roundness of its form. That it was gifted with more strength and
vitality than its companions was evident enough, for it gave a violent
roll on the shelf, and then bounded suddenly down into the midst of its
companions.
"And so _we've_ got a holiday at last," said the Ball, with a lively
frisk as he spoke.
"Oh! don't be so rough," faintly shrieked the Doll; "you have almost
taken away all the little breath I had left!"
"I'll fan you with the greatest pleasure!" said the Kite, eagerly, "or
at least, I'll try to do so, for I have stood here so long, that I am
quite stiff, but I'll do my best!"
And so he vigorously flapped backwards and forwards, till all the dust
was set in motion that had rested quiet so long. So that at last, the
Rocking-horse even was roused from his long slumber, and hobbled out of
the corner on his lame legs.
"How very pleasant!" exclaimed the Ball, hopping about with the greatest
agility; "I declare it is quite worth while living in retirement for a
while, if only to enjoy life once more when we come back to it again.
How's the Doll now?" enquired he, politely, bounding towards her.
"Better I hope," puffed the Kite; "but you know this cupboard has been
stifling for a long while, and so now the first breeze of fresh air is
almost too much for us all."
"Speak for yourself," snapped the Shuttlecock, very peevishly; "you have
fanned out my last feather, and what I'm to do now I can't think; I'm
nothing but cork and leather!"
"We are none of us much to be boasted of," remarked the old leaden
Teapot; "I'm sure I have been battered and dinted till I've no shape
left. But one gets used in time to being trodden on."
"Yes, indeed, and to get one's horns and legs snapped off," chimed in an
eager lilac wooden Cow, who certainly had lost most of her members,
"over and above parting with your relations. My twin brother was
destroyed ages ago, and so was the scarlet cat's, and there's not even
one elephant left in the ark, nor a camel, nor a canary, nor a ladybird,
nor a bear."
"Oh! never mind your elephants and ladybirds," interrupted the Ball,
irreverently; "we shall waste all our time in this arguing and
quarrelling!"
"It's easy for you to talk, young man," remarked the Shuttlecock,
sarcastically; "_you_ have never been into the battle of life, or lost
all your feathers."
"This is very stupid work," said the Skipping-rope, coiling about and
trying to disentangle herself from the Kite, a proceeding that resulted
in one of her handles coming off, and the Kite being shorn of the tassel
at the end of his tail.
"Well, what _are_ we to do with ourselves," asked the Rocking-Horse, "we
are not all of us quite so lively as you, my friend Ball. To us a
holiday conveys the idea of _rest_, not restlessness."
"Then I should think holidays were superfluous things to you!" muttered
the Ball, as he took an extra roll out into the room; "but what are we
to do, then?"
"Tell stories," suggested the Doll, and the Rocking-Horse and Kite
seconded the motion. The Ball bounded about very impatiently, and
proposed a game of play, but he was outvoted, and the first motion was
carried. But the noise of the argument had awakened the Humming-top, and
he began to buzz and hum in such a drony, drowsy fashion, that in sheer
terror and dread, the Ball threw himself gallantly into the gap, and
promised to tell the first story himself, on condition that he should be
allowed to roll softly about the room for the rest of the evening. This
was very willingly agreed to, and all the party being comfortably
arranged, the Doll having taken care to ensure the services of the Kite,
the Ball begun his proffered story in the following manner.
[Illustration]
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