The Louisa Alcott Reader

and none of the children at school will have one like

rry that big thing," called Nurse from the window, as the red umb

o go up in a balloon," answered Lil

she saw three big fellows close by, she stooped for a stone, and just at that minute a gale of wind nearly took the umbrella out of her hand. She clutched it fast; and away she went like a thistle-down, right up in the air, over river and hill, houses and trees, faster and faster, till her head sp

ild would, "I smell candy!" She picked a cherry and ate it. Oh, how good it was!--all sugar and no stone. The next discovery was such a delightful one that she nearly fell off her perch; for by touching h

tle tree; then she climbed down and strolled along, maki

colors and tastes; and every sort of fruit grew on these delightful trees. Little white houses soon appear

the sweetest voices. Bits of babies rocked in open-work cradles, and sugar boys and girls played with sugar toys in the most natural way. Carriages rolle

a moment she understoo

et!

come a

littl

ellow

re you

to yo

very

lums yo

very

the ca

every

rops

sses

our ri

your

sugar

you

almon

ily a

for th

owers

at o

h! wha

o frien

ey hon

lip t

ll yo

se or

rk or

arts ar

ittle

eel no

re you

at you

is a

est to

ou ca

ou go

ast I

r Cand

more ca

e I've

t! S

t! T

dle-

dle-

s and dancing along toward a fine palace of white cream candy, with pillars of stripe

ay long, with no tiresome school or

colored candies, and the beds of spun sugar. A fountain of lemonade supplied drink; and floors of ice-cream

fferent kinds of sweeties, talking to the little people, who were ver

a punishment The old people tasted of peppermint, clove, and such comfortable things, good for pain; but the old maids had lemon, hoarhound, flag-root, and all sorts of sour, bitter things in them, and did not get eaten much. Lily soon learned to know the characters of her new friends by a single taste, and some

e they could eat; and Lily thought this much better than throwing away the pies, as she had to do at home. They had candy-pulls very often, and made swings of long loops of molasses candy, and bird's-nests with alm

re was no sun, as it would have been too hot; but a large yellow

. The way they grew old was to get thinner and thinner till there was danger of their vanishing. Then the friends of the old person put him in a neat coffin, and carried him to the great golden urn whic

e delicious; and everybody went in their best clothes, and danced at the ball till they got so warm half-a-dozen would stick together and have to be taken to the ice-cream room to coo

wished she would go away, for they were afraid of her. No wonder, when she would catch up a dear sugar baby and eat him, or break some respectable old grandmamma all into bits because she reproved her for naughty ways. L

n away out of the city, fearing some one would put

t of this horrid stuff," she said to herself, as she hurried over the mountains of Gibraltar R

w at last a great smoke in the sky, smelt a spi

eating some poor traveller like me," she said, thinking

y were made of cookies set on lumps of the brown sugar; and queer people, looking as if made of

f," said Lily, going into a grove of spice-trees, and sitting down on a sto

g toward the trees with a pan, evidently afte

at her with his black currant eyes, while h

place this is, if you please," answered Lil

from?" asked the gingerbread

e been there a long time; but I got tired of

Bonbons, who never work and are all for show. They won't own us, though we are all related through our grandparents Sugar and Molasses. We are

do. I'm sure it must be interesting," said Lily, picking herself up

nd the funny gingerbread man trotted off toward his ki

gingerbread, and I have my hands full," he said, dashing about, stirring, rolling out, and slapping the brown dough

from the oven. She liked the queer fellow, and presentl

your na

ger

was very quick, and she fancied he

the other kitchens full of workers, who were all of differ

e up the heaps of gingerbread on a little car that ran alo

ired of doing th

nd I never shall be till I've done

the prize, and how are you prom

o rise till I am able to go over the hills yonder into the blessed land of bread, and be one of the happy

wonder you want to go; I'm tired of sweets myself, and long for a

eave my ginger behind when I go, and get white and round and beautiful, as you will see. The Gingerbread family have never been as foolish as some of the other cakes. Wedding is the worst; such extravagance

ike frosted pound better," she said, looking over to the nex

uch butter ever to be healthy. Let it alone, and eat cookies or seed-cakes, my dea

d currants, citron, and lemon peel. It was a very busy place; for every one cooked all the time, and never failed and never seemed tired, though they got so hot that they only wore sheets of paper for clothes. There were piles of it to put over the cake, so that it shouldn't burn; and they made c

said Snap, stopping at last before a hole in the grou

th its name; and Lily was amazed when she read "Weber," "C

hy, that's where mamma gets her hard gingerbread, and Weber'

fectioners, and people think the good things come out of the cellars under their saloons

nd watched Snap send down load after load of gingerbread to be eaten by children, who

calling, "One vanilla, two strawberries, and a Charlotte Russe," "Three stews, cup coffee, dry

" said Lily, longing to hop down, but

Snap, tossing the last cooky after the dumb-waiter

to learn; only our cook hates to have me mess round, and is so cross th

. Don't waste your time on cake, though plain gingerbread isn't bad to have in the house. I'll teach

t ho

till I'm called by the chimes and go to get my soul," s

to work with all her might, after Snap had

hich was a sheet of gingerbread in a frame of pie-crust hung up before her, with the directions written while it was soft and baked in. The third sh

held together by a gelatine binding, with her name stamped on the back

ead all it contained; for just then the clock

gerb

the

ask is

ul i

it

muffin

weet lo

very

iscui

me th

y,

no

sea o

e thi

n your

yeast-ca

u rise

e brea

seemed to fall from heaven; and running to a great white sea of flour, he went in h

her; for it was a great event, and all were glad that the dear fellow was promoted so soon. Suddenly a cry was heard, and up rose a beautiful white figure on the farther side of the se

n find him again," said a gentle Sponge cake, with a sigh, as all went back to their work

t meal, for the loaves of bread that built the houses like bricks and paved the streets, or in many shapes formed the people, furniture, and animals. A river of milk flowed through the peaceful land, and fountains of yeast rose and fell with a pleasant foam and fizz. The ground was a mixture of many meal

the charm of the homelike landscape, in s

ill. One was a golden boy, with a beaming face; the other a little girl in a shiny brown cloak, wh

you. Muffin told u

, feeling as if she had seen both thes

ay, and work up to the perfect loaf by degrees. My name is Johnny C

hree ran away as fast as they could tear, down the hill, over a bridge, into the middle

e?" asked Lily, when sh

grigs all day long. It's school-time now, and we must go;

ou'll like it. We have yeast to-day, and the experiments are very jolly," added Johnny

sed a ruin, Sally told her to wait and see why they chose strong walls and plenty of room overhead. All round was a circle of very small biscuits like cushions, and on these the Bread-children sat. A square loaf in the middle was t

The experiments with the yeast were quite exciting,--for Fraulein Pretzel showed them how it would work till it blew the cork out, and go fizzing up to the sky if it was kept too long; h

ad or hot cakes to spoil their young stomachs. Hearty, happy boys and girls they were, and their yeasty souls were very li

oon Johnny took her to the cornfield, and showed her how they kept the growing ears free from mildew and worms. Then she went to the bakehouse; and here sh

harissa?" he asked, as he rolled and folded his

n make good bread when I go home. She is rather old-fashioned, and likes me to be a nice housekeeper. I didn't th

py souls by eating good plain food. Not like this, though these rolls are better than cake. I

e other wonderful place?" asked Lily, a

d woman who makes the world better for being in it, or be crumbed into the golden porringer of a baby prince who is to rule a kingdom. Isn't that a noble way to live, and

hould be glad to do anything to help the world along, even making good bread in a kitchen," answered

deal that she never forgot. But at last, when she had made the perfe

hink I had given her strength or pleasure by my work," she

herever you say. I'm sorry to have you go, but I don't wonder you want to see your mother. Don't forge

t seeing him, my dear old friend,"

nd chose to pass into your bread rather than any other; for he said

nd excellent, else he will be disappointed and hav

her loaf close, wished three times to be in

day, and made such good bread that other girls came to learn of her. She also grew from a sickly, fretful child into a fine, strong woman,

alone, Jocko ... j

large