Baby Nightcaps Part 3

Pretty soon they came to where Ninny the goose lived. "Ninny, Ninny," called Jack; "do you want to go to the baker's with us to buy a loaf of bread?"

"Gabble, gabble, gabble," said Ninny; which was goose-talk for "Oh! of course I do;" and she flapped her wings, and stretched out her long neck, and made more of a goose of herself than ever, and was so glad at getting the invitation, that she created quite a hullabaloo with her gabbling; but for all that, Jack the boy, and Carlo the dog, and Minnie the cat, and Bunny the rabbit, and Jenny the wren, and Ninny the goose, all talking together, made a most enchanting party. They were all nice people; no owls, or tigers, or cross old cooks with broomsticks, or grisly bears. No, indeed! They were all perfect darlings; and were quite ready to travel to the very top of the North Pole, if there was any fun to be found there.

But the baker lived considerably this side of the North Pole, on the very top of a steep hill; and up they all ran, and hopped, and leaped, and jumped, till they got to the house.

But when they arrived there, they found the front door locked.

So Jack began to knock, and Carlo began to bark, and Minnie began to mew, and Bunny began to squeak, and Jenny began to chip, and Ninny began to gabble; but for all the knocking, and barking, and mewing, and squeaking, and chipping, and gabbling, n.o.body came to the door; and poor little Jack began to think he would never get his loaf of bread after all.

All of a sudden, Jack thought of the back door. Off they hopped, and ran, and leaped, and jumped, to the back of the house.

The hill went down on this side perfectly straight, like the side of a house, and there was scarcely room for them to stand.

Dear me! that door was locked too. So they each began again to knock, and bark, and mew, and squeak, and chirp, and gabble, as hard as ever they could; all crowding round the door in a bunch.

Just as they were making all the noise they could, suddenly--open flew the door! and out jumped a TREMENDOUS DOG!!! right into the middle of them, growling, and barking, and making his great white teeth snap together like a pistol shot!!

Frightened to death, Jack tumbled backwards over Carlo; Carlo tumbled backwards over Minnie; Minnie tumbled backwards over Bunny; Bunny tumbled backwards over Jenny; Jenny tumbled backwards over Ninny; and they all tumbled head over heels down the steep hill, with the TREMENDOUS DOG on top of the heap; and that's the last I ever heard of them.

"Oh! aren't you sorry?"

LITTLE HELEN.

One day last spring when Aunt f.a.n.n.y was in Charleston, she was walking up Meeting Street. Just before her she saw a pretty little girl, almost as white as snow, carried in the arms of a tall black woman, nearly as black as ink.

Aunt f.a.n.n.y went softly up behind them, and heard the old nurse say--"You make nurse shame, for carry such a big girl."

"But I so tired," said the little thing. "O my!"

"How much you tired?" said the old black nurse.

"I tired a dollar," said the child.

Then Aunt f.a.n.n.y laughed, and went up to her, and said--"Get down my little kitten, and walk with me."

So the nurse put her down, and she took hold of Aunt f.a.n.n.y's finger, and trotted along, quite pleased.

"What is your name little one?" said Aunt f.a.n.n.y.

"My name Helen, and I'm mamma's dear little baby. Here's my house; come in my house, do, please?"

So she pulled Aunt f.a.n.n.y in; and there at the side of the house was a large yard, and in it was such a lot of little children!

all playing soldiers together; some were white;--they were Helen's sisters and little brother;--and some were black; they were old nurse's children; and they were having such a nice time; and the last little black boy was ringing the dinner bell. Aunt f.a.n.n.y was glad enough to see them, but she could not stay; so she kissed Helen, her little new friend, and went away down the street, and that's the whole of this story--there!

[Ill.u.s.tration: All playing soldiers together.]

HOW LITTLE SUSIE WAS LOST AND FOUND.

Once upon a time there was a little old gentleman, very old indeed; his hair was as white as snow, his eyes were dim, and he had no more teeth than a baby. As to his ears, they were no use to him at all, for he could not hear a single word that was said. You might have fired off twenty cannons close to him, and he would not start half as much as when some one comes behind you, and says--Boo!!!

What a pity! because he was such a kind, little old gentleman.

If he saw a little child like you, he would smile, and put his hand in his pocket, and take out a piece of candy, and say--"Do you love candy?" then the child would say--just what you would say, if anybody should ask you--_you_ know. Then the little old gentleman would say--"I can't hear you, but I know you love it, so here is a famous piece for you."

One day the little old gentleman thought he would take a walk; so he put his hat on his head, his great coat on his back, his spectacles on his nose, took his cane in his right hand, and off he went.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Man pointing]

It was a bright, cold day in spring; the little birds were very busy building their nests, but he could not hear them chirping to each other so sweetly. Indeed, he could hardly see them. Poor little old gentleman!

As he was walking quietly along, he felt something very soft take hold of his hand, and grasp it tight. What do you think it was? He looked down, and there walking by his side, and holding his hand, was a tiny little girl.

She was looking up in his face, with her sweet blue eyes; her little bonnet had fallen back, and the fresh wind was blowing her pretty curls all about.

"My name is Susy," said the little girl; "please take me home; mamma will say--'Where is little Susy?'"

"I can't hear a word you say," answered the little old gentleman.

"Well, then, take me home 'ight away," said Susy; "_mamma_ can hear what I say. Please take me home, _grandpa_."

The dear little thing called him "Grandpa," because she thought all old gentlemen must be grandfathers.

"I can't hear a word, my poor child; I am deaf. Oh dear! what is it she wants? she must be lost," said the poor little old gentleman.

"Yes, I am lost," said the child; "and mamma wants Susy. She can't do without me. Papa, too. I'm his little mouse. I bring him his slippers when he comes home, and I sing to him about 'Three little kittens, lost their mittens.' Come, grandpa, take Susy home; ah, _do_;" and she looked up into his face with a sweet, coaxing smile, and clasped his hand tighter with her soft and pretty fingers.

"Oh, dear! oh, dear!" said the little old gentleman, "if I only could hear! But I can't! I am deaf."

So they walked along quite a distance, through the green lane, where the tender gra.s.s looked so dewy and fresh, and the first spring violets were peeping up; but no one came in sight, and the little old gentleman in his trouble, looked north, south, east and west, for somebody to come that could hear what the little one said.

All at once he thought, I will ask G.o.d to help me; and he said aloud, in a voice trembling with age--"Oh, my Heavenly Father!

help me to find a.s.sistance for this tender little lamb."

When Susy heard him say that, her rosy lip began to tremble, and a great tear came into each of her blue eyes. Poor little darling!

She knew something was wrong, but she did not understand why he could not hear her. She could hear _him_, and she did not know what it meant, to be deaf.

But now, as if in answer to the prayer, a carriage was seen approaching; and the little old gentleman said--"Don't cry, my little one; here, eat this candy, and don't cry. I will get you home safely."

As the carriage came near, he saw that there were two ladies inside, and he held up his hand and beckoned them to stop. One of them was a kind-looking lady, with soft gray hair; and he said to her--

"Madam, I am deaf. I cannot hear a single word. I was taking a walk, when this little child came up and put her hand into mine. I think she is lost; but I cannot hear what she says.