Clematis Part 4

Clematis shook her head.

"What would you like to do, dear?"

Clematis thought a moment.

"I should like to help Katie in the kitchen. She must need some little girl."

Miss Rose smiled. "If Clematis can get down into the kitchen, she can see her kitten," she thought. "She is a sly little puss herself."

"I don't think you could go down tonight, but if you are a good girl I am sure Katie will want you to help her before long."

Clematis smiled.

"Come now, and I will ask Jane to show you the doll house."

So the little girls took Clematis over to the doll house that stood in the corner.

Jane opened the front door, so they could look in and see four pretty rooms.

Lace curtains hung at the tiny windows. New rugs were on the floors.

There was a tiny kitchen, with a tiny stove and tiny kettles, all just like your own house. It was enough to make any girl happy.

It was so much fun that Clematis forgot to be sad, and was not ready to leave the doll house when the bell rang once more. It was bedtime.

"That is the sleepy bell," said Jane, closing the door to the doll house, and running toward the stairs.

Clematis was at the end of the row, as the girls went out of the playroom, and Miss Rose spoke as she pa.s.sed through the door.

"I will show you where you are to sleep, my dear. You go with the other children, and I'll come in a few minutes."

Clematis followed the other children up the stairs to the sleeping rooms.

Miss Rose soon came, and together they went to the room at the end of the hall.

How sweet that room looked to the tired little stranger!

A white iron bed stood against the wall, near the window. A small table held a wash basin and pitcher. There was a cup and soap dish, too.

Two clean towels hung near by.

Best of all was the little white bureau, with a mirror. The mirror had a white frame.

There was a pink rug before the bureau, and beside the bureau was a white chair.

"Oh, my!" cried Clematis, "see the flowers on the wall!" The pink wall paper was covered with white roses and their green leaves.

Miss Rose took a white nightdress from the bureau, and laid it on the bed.

"Now, Clematis, I shall give you just ten minutes to undress. When I come back I want you to be all ready for me."

Miss Rose went out, and Clematis started on her shoes.

"I guess she don't know how fast I can undress," she said to herself.

When Miss Rose came back, in ten minutes, she found Clematis already in bed, and half asleep.

"Why Clematis, this will never do!" Miss Rose pulled back the sheet and made Clematis sit up.

There, beside the bed, was a pile of clothes. There were the stockings, just as she had pulled them off.

The boots were thrown down on the clean gingham dress, and the fresh ap.r.o.n was sadly crushed.

"I am sorry, little girl," said Miss Rose, "but you will have to get right up."

"Why?" asked Clematis.

"No little girl can go to bed without was.h.i.+ng her face and hands. No little girl can leave her clothes like this."

"Isn't this my room?" said Clematis, slowly getting out of bed.

"It is for tonight. We always let a new child sleep alone the first night."

"Wasn't I quick in getting into bed? Why must I get up?"

"Look, dear. Look at that pile of clothes."

"Oh, I always leave them there," replied Clematis. "Then I know just where to find them in the morning."

"We don't do so here, Clematis. Now please pick up the clothes, fold them, and put them on the chair.

"Then put your boots under the chair, and take off your pretty hair ribbon."

Clematis gathered the clothes together, but she was not happy.

"I know you are tired, dear, but I am tired too, and we must do things right, even if we are tired.

"Now I must show you how to wash, and brush your teeth, and then have you say your prayers, before I can leave you."

"Oh bother!" sighed Clematis.

"No, we mustn't say words like that. Come now, we will get washed."

Miss Rose poured some water from the pitcher, and made Clematis wash her hands, and arms, and face, carefully. Then she took a toothbrush from a box and gave it to her.

"What is this for?" asked Clematis.

"Why dear," answered Miss Rose in surprise, "that is a tooth brush."