Maida's Little Shop

Table of

s were the busies

stock that Mrs. Murdock left. In the third place, she must order new stock from the wholesale places. And in the

quest, at his rooms on Mount Vernon Stree

were piercing enough, but it seemed to Maida that the round-glassed

once a month and I've told them to keep right on a-coming even though I ain't there. They'll sell you your candy, pickles, pickled limes and all sich stuff. You'll have to buy your toys in Bosto

e you to get out of t

ten, when he looked at that lady, his eyes "skrink

m and it's sich an everlasting bother keeping them in stock. But you're young and spry, and maybe you won't mind jumping about for every Tom, Dick and Harry. But, remember," she added in parting, "don't git expensive things. Folks in that neighborhood ain't got no money to fool away. Git as many things as you can for a cent a-piece. Git s

the subway. Maida had never walked so far in her life. But her father had told her that if she wanted to keep the shop, she must

derful as fairy beings to her-for would they not all be her customers soon? And yet, such was her excitement, she could not remember one face after she had passed it. A single picture remained in her mind-a picture of a little girl standing alone in the middle

St. Mark's in Venice

St. Mark's, all went out of her head entirely

cried, "how nice a

fused, dusty, cluttery look had gone. But with its dull pai

w, drew out the drawers that lined the wall, pulled covers from the boxes on the shelve

g on the shop. This is a preliminary tour of investigation.

now, of course. Maida limped over to the window. "Oh, oh, o

agreed, "not much bigger than

o the gate. On either side of these spread out microscopic flower-beds, crowded tight with plants. Late-blooming dahlias and asters made s

ied the bunches of green. "Syringa bush in one corner. Lilac bush in the other. Nasturtiums at the edges. Morning

. Indeed, this was the first time that she had ever tried. It was as if her fee

or you, Petronilla," Billy said, nodding his hea

imed when he saw it and Maida shook her hands, bu

pouring in through every one of them. But it was not the four window

ou think it's too cold, Granny

"'Tis loike me ould home in Oireland. Sure 'ti

ly. "What you say goes, Granny. No

ery high, most of them triangular in shape because the stairway had to turn so often. And upstairs-af

Billy explained, "and these two big ones are to

y-weeny more sun in this one. I think Granny ought to have it, for she loves the sunshine on her old bones. You know, Billy, Granny an

ettled! I hope you realize, Miss Maida, Elizabeth, Fairfax, Petronilla, Pinkwink

ust be. This house was here when Dr. Pierce was a little

e to walk straight here, Petronilla, to keep from falling down. That old wooden wainscoti

ed hands. "Manny's the toime Oi've snibbed a latch loike that in Oireland,

y said. "Sixteen panes of glass each. I

t me wash the windows?"

nd and sthrong,"

furnish the room," Bil

tell me!"

You've got to wait till it's all finis

protested. "But then of course I sha

cantile career, Miss Westabrook, I think you'll find that yo

recognized the tone that he always employed when he was joking her. Beside, his eyes were al

t the things downs

ortant day. Behind locked doors and sealed w

terious measurements, to open and shut doors, to examine close

tious Mrs. Murdock. Two boxes bulged with toys, too broken or soiled to be of any use. These they threw into the ash-barrel at once. What was left they dumped on

came running downstairs in great alarm-on jumping with every jump-rope-the short ones tripped him up and once he sprawled headlong-on playing jackstones-Maida beat him easily at this-on playing marbles-with a piece of crayon he drew a

at Billy recognized to be "bulls-eyes"-round lumps of candy as big as plums and as hard as stones. Billy said that he loved bulls-eyes better than terrapin or

slate-he made this squeak so that Maida clapped her hands over her ears. They found single pieces from sets of miniature furniture, a great many dolls, rag-dolls, ch

oxes. At noon, Billy went out and bought lunch. Still squatting on the floor, the three of th

Maida did not see the little sh

utting in a furnace, putting in a telephone, putting in

o dry. "Will it ever, ever, EVER dry?" Maida use

s were ready for thei

t color it is-I can't wait

ink" was all she

the furni

ces in Boston picking out new stock. Granny Flynn accompanied her or sta

ten she had to go to bed before dark. She sa

t halls, lined with parallel rows of counters. The counters were covered with boxes and the boxes were fil

rdock's advice, "Get as many things as you can for a cent a-piece." The expensive toys tempted her, but al

sale," Billy advised her. "You must make it look as tempting as possible. I thi

bed at night. By the end of the week, she could see i

uld see the completed house Monday morning. It seemed to Maida that th

et out a little squeal of joy. "Oh, I would never know it," she

white. The walls had been colored a beautiful soft yellow. Back of the counter a series of shelves, glassed in by sliding doors

g pile of boxes in the corner. "Now, while Granny and I are putting some

aid, bubbling with importance. "But you pro

ling peculiarly. He continued

o up there. From time to time, she heard Granny and Billy laughing. "One of Billy's jokes," she said to hers

e called to Granny and to Billy to come

emitted a lon

ke it?" Maida

of work, Petronilla,

, colored "agates" were displayed at the sides. Jump-ropes of variegated colors with handles, brilliantly painted, were festooned at the back. One of the window shelves had been furnished like a tiny room. A whole f

d out carefully on saucers and platters of g

o fill that bowl with a

foine," Granny Flynn said, "Oi

rooms, Petronilla," Billy

room. Then she squealed her delight, not once,

. A fire spluttered and sparkled in the fireplace, and drawn up in front of it was a big easy chair for Granny, and a small easy one for Maida. Familiar things lay about, too. In one corner gleamed the cheerful face of the tall old clock which marked the hours with so silvery a voice and the moon-changes by such pretty pictures. In another corner shone the polished surface of a spidery-legged little spinet. Maida loved both these things almost

he room stood a ta

you've remembered everything. I thought I heard a b

upstairs?"

s." Maida flew up the stairs as

Billy had selected. In Granny's room, the walls imitated a flowered chintz. But in Maida's room every panel was different. And they all helped to tell the same ha

to them, "Did you ever see any place

do," Billy said

time, Maida slept in the