A Dear Little Girl's Summer Holidays Part 19

Jennie led the way to the fancy table where the pretty light sacque changed hands, and with it under her arm, Jennie followed her father across the room to where the array of dolls, considerably lessened in numbers, was displayed. Mr. Ramsey halted before the three which his wife had donated, and regarded them closely. "Are those what your mother contributed?" he asked Jennie.

"Yes," she told him, "and they are the very prettiest ones."

"So they are," put in the lady in attendance, "but because they are the highest priced they have not been sold yet. Don't you want one for your little girl, Mr. Ramsey?"

"I want three for three little girls," he said taking out a roll of bills. "Where are Edna and Dorothy, Jennie?"

"Oh, they are over there at the candy table."

"See if you can get them to come over here. I can't be seen carrying three dolls around with me."

Jennie wormed her way through the crowd with surprising agility and reached her two friends who had just bought five cents worth of panuchee apiece. "Come over here," she said breathlessly; "papa wants to speak to you." Tall as he was Mr. Ramsey was easily discovered and the three little girls were not long in reaching him.

"Here you are," he said. "Now, which one of you did I overhear expressing her admiration for this giddy creature in a ball dress?"

"Oh, did you hear?" asked Edna. "I think it must have been I who liked it so much."

Mr. Ramsey lifted down the doll and placed it in Edna's arms. "O!" she breathed rapturously, "do you really mean she is mine? I don't know how to thank you."

"Then don't try," replied Mr. Ramsey laughing. "Now then, it seems to me I heard someone say that this one with the dark locks would be her choice. The voice sounded very much like Dorothy's if I am not mistaken. How is that, Dorothy?"

"Oh, I did say I liked that one best."

"Then yours she is." And Dorothy was made happy by receiving the dark-haired doll into her arms.

"Now, Miss Jane," continued Mr. Ramsey, "there is but one left for you.

Do you think you would like this smiling creature with the wonderful hat?"

"Oh, Papa, of course I would. If I had had first choice I would have taken that one."

"Then here you are, my lady Jane." And the third doll was embraced by her new mamma.

"I think you are the loveliest father ever was," said Jennie. "Oh, girls, isn't it fine that we have all three? Do let's find mamma and tell her." Holding their dolls very carefully they made their way through the crowd to Mrs. Ramsey, who was serving as cas.h.i.+er at a little table near the door. "Oh, Mother," cried Jennie, "do see our dolls. Papa bought us each one."

"Why it seems to me I recognize them as old friends," said Mrs. Ramsey.

"Aren't you glad papa bought them?"

"I am very glad if you are, and I should judge by your looks that you are not ill-pleased."

"I would rather have mine than anything else in the whole room," said Edna fervently. "I was so in love with this one in her party dress."

"And I did admire this dear child in her automobile coat and bonnet,"

chimed in Dorothy.

"And I am perfectly satisfied with mine," said Jennie. "Mother, what shall we name them?"

"Suppose you wait till we get back home. Just now I am pretty busy, as you may see."

"And have you taken in much money?"

"Nearly two hundred dollars according to the last count."

"Oh, that is a great deal, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is really more than we hoped to get, and I am sure we shall have the full two hundred, if not more, though there is not much left except eatables."

The little girls walked away proudly carrying their dolls. "Have you spent all your money?" Dorothy asked Jennie.

"No, not quite. Have you?"

"Nearly all. I think I have only about ten cents. Have you any, Edna?"

"A little. What are you going to buy with yours, Jennie?"

"I haven't decided, but I suppose something to eat or some flowers, for nearly all the cheap things are gone except those. I don't want my fortune told, do you?"

"No, I would rather spend it at the fishpond."

"Then let's go there. I think that will be more fun than anything else."

The fishpond was out of doors and had been so greatly patronized that it was a very difficult matter to keep it stocked with fish of proper quality, and latterly there had been frequent raids upon the candy stand for such things as might serve for fish. The three little girls standing in a row waiting their turn noticed a small chap holding fast to his smaller sister's hand. Both were deeply interested at each draw from the pond, and watched eagerly as the small packages were opened.

They were a quaint little pair, for the boy's trousers were very long for his short legs and his s.h.i.+rt sleeves were correspondingly short for his arms. The little curly-headed girl wore a very stiffly starched, very short frock which stood out all around and showed her chubby knees and bare legs. She kept her eyes fixed with admiring awe upon the three dolls, and lost all interest in the fish-pond as soon as the three friends arrived upon the scene.

"What did you get from the pond?" asked Jennie who was standing nearest the boy.

"Didn't get nawthin'." he answered.

"Oh, didn't you? Why not?"

"Didn't have no money."

"Oh, that was too bad. Did you spend it all before you knew there was a fishpond?"

"Naw. Didn't have none to spend."

"Oh." Jennie looked at the pair and then she looked at her two friends.

Edna interpreted the look and nodded understandingly, but Dorothy looked a little puzzled. The coast was not clear and Dorothy stepped up, but Edna gave her skirt a little twitch. "Wait," she whispered.

"What for?"

Then Edna said something in a low tone and Dorothy turned to look at the little boy and his sister who had crowded near to watch.

"Wouldn't you like to try?" asked Jennie.

"'Course I would," said the boy, but with no hope of such good luck.

"All right," said Jennie, laying down his nickel and handing him the pole.