Maida's Little Shop

Table of

he brilliant sunshine put a sparkle on the whole world. Slates of old roofs glistened, brasses of old doors glittered, silver of old name-plates shone. Curbstones, sidewalks, doorsteps glimmered and gleamed. The wet, ebony-black trunks of the maples smok

xpanse. Two of them were Molly and Tim Doyle, the third a little girl whom Maida did not know. For a time she watched them, fascinated. But, presently, the school

ed in the wake of their frail craft, they managed to sail them from one end of the puddle to the other. Maida followed the progress of these merchant vessels

"Oh, Tim!" Molly said. But she said it without surprise or anger. And Tim lay flat on his stomach without moving,

of dolls in her fat arms. She sat down at the puddle's edge and began to undress them. Maida idly watched the busy little f

met Dicky Dore swinging through the water. Between them they fished all the dolls out. One was of celluloid and another of rubber-they had floated into the middle of the pond. Two china babies had sunk to the very bottom-their white faces smiled placidly up through the water at

naughty, naughty girl! How could yo

them a baff," B

l tangled up in eyelashes and a little pink rosebud of a mouth, folded

ughty, is I?

ida said, giving her a bear-hug. "I don't see ho

in the neighborhood-although," he added with pride, "I think Delia's going to be pretty nearly as naughty when she gets big enough. But Betsy Ha

y on Betsy's part. She gathered the dolls under her cape, huggin

ined. He gathered up the dresses and shooing B

t owns the parrot-well, Miss Allison painted one of her old chairs red and put it out in the yard to dry. Then she washed a whole lot of lace and put that out to dry. Next thing she knew she looked out and there was Bets

. She had a vague imaginary picture of

ns away about twice a week. Mr. Flanagan's always finding her and lugging her home. I guess every po

She was carrying a huge feather duster

oyously. "I hope she'll do

y. "They're an awful lot of trouble but you can't help

a little

guess if Molly fishes him out once afte

to the shop door. "You know I shall be lonely when all the childre

smile shone bright. "Sure, I'll come

ait until you hear about Betsy Hale." She told the whole

e best choild this side of Heaven that you was. Alw

ved. "I wish I had been a naughty child-people love naughty

that you was to be naughty. You cud ha

n't you think of one single, naughty thin

ed down at her, considerably puzzled. Then a light seemed to break i

u was that mad for having to take the stuff that you sat oop in bed and knocked i

ughter. "Did I really, Granny?" she asked in delight.

Granny. "Faith and 'twas the bad little gyurl th

its. Granny heard her say "Every bottle!" a

o, three, four, five friends-Dicky, Molly, Tim, Betsy and Laura-th

ixth friend, although

. Suddenly around the corner came a wild hullaballoo-the shouts of small boys, the yelp of a dog, the rattle and clang of tin dragged on the brick sidewalk. In another instant ap

d like a scarlet comet from across the street. It was the little girl wh

were a princess and her big eyes cast flashing glances about her. Jet-black were her eyes and hair, milk-white were her teeth but

he yanked the cans from its tail with a single indignant jerk. Fondling the trembling

you boys treating a poor, helpless animal like this again, I'll shake the breath out of your body-was he the beautifullest dog

ur n

hile I'm about! He was a sweet little, preci

urt with the puppy, opened a

to me, now," she s

nging at this mome

rlet cape?" Maida asked Dorothy and Mabel

" they answer

said in a whisper, and "My mommer won'

t?" Mai

-boy," Mabel

Maida asked Billy

ed. "Why, a tom-boy is a

ried after a few moments of thought.

ly answered, takin

ovement of her body. She never walked. She always crossed the street in a series of flying jumps. She never went through a gate if she could go over the fence, never climbed the fence if she could vault it. The scarlet cape was always flashing up trees, over sheds, sometimes to the very roofs of the houses. Her principal diversion seemed to be climbing lamp-posts. Maida watched

n a doorway until after the bell rang. A little later she sneaked out of her hiding place, joined Arthur Duncan at the corner, and disappeared into the distance. Just before twelve they both came back. For a few moments, they kept well concealed on a side str

stified by them and yet she had an uncomfortable feeling. They were so stea

a asked Dicky Dore one evening

ace lighted up. "

tom-boy," Maida o

ught to see her playing stumps. There's nothing a boy can do that she won't d

to be tom-boys. This

that she doesn't g

ned. "Hook

Maida repeated i

ed Maida's face but her expression was still puzzled. "Pr

said. "I und

. She gets fierce beatings for it at home, too. Funny thing about Rosie-she won't tell a lie. And when her mother asks her about it, she always tells the truth.

like this. She was convinced that Rosie Brine was a very naughty little gir

ery brave," sh

ky, don't they have the good times! They go down to the Navy Yard and over to the Monument Grounds. Sometimes they go over to Boston Common and the Public G

ted the deeds of stronger children. Maida knew exactly ho

ing?" she said. "I'm just beginning to feel as if I c

sometime," Dicky prophesi

," Maida said. "I wish she'd come into the s

e W.M.N.T. is meeting now and we're all

ida repeated. "Wha

"It's the name of our club. Rosie and Ar

ng. She noticed that Rosie seemed very fond of all helpless things. She was always wheeling out the babies in the neighborhood, always feeding the d

r comes into the shop," Maida s

metimes she earns it on the sly taking care of babies. She loves babies and babies always love her. Delia'll

to Maida's great delight, the tinkle of t

osie said, marching to the counter wi

brilliant than those that bloomed in her cheeks. A frown between her eyebrows gave her face almost a sullen look. But to offset thi

try them?"

, d

ck dash forward of her whole arm, she threw the top to the f

ed. Then in fervent admiration:

as pie if you know

l you te

Begin

ched her. Rosie's face softened with the same p

," Maida thought. "

tep by step, making Maida copy everything that she did. At first Maida was too eager-her hands actually

, "You'll soon learn. All you want to do is to practi

ee me in the evening sometime. Come th

s got anything to say about letting me, if

d soon the scarlet cape was a

the bell rang. When Maida ope

he hurried her into the living-room where Billy Potter was talking with Granny. "This is Rosie Bri

trying to make up her mind whether he was a boy or a man. The problem seemed to grow more perplexing as the evening went on. For part of t

liked the canaries better than anything. "Just think of having six!" she said. Then,

here was no way of getting acquainted, for you always stayed in th

I kept hoping that you'd come in. I hope you'll come often,

, don't you?" Rosie ask

I don't

loves to get people over there and then show off before them. And t

of Miss Allison's parrot. "What do you thi

. "His name is Tony. I have lots of fun with him.

have severa

ide

ng. That's wher

do your pa

ez-vous' so much that sometimes we would ha

imals besides parrots?" Ro

s and parokets and-I guess I've forgotten some of them. But if you like animals, you ought to

they bel

fath

es he keep a bird-place?"

tle puzzled too. She did not

id he se

sold any. He gave a g

Maida walked as far

a?" Rosie asked suddenly, he

. I love

our thro

w to cross her throat

She sent me to bed for being naughty. And I got up and dressed and climbed out my

tone, "Please never do it again." In

al into her yard, watched her climb over the

inking so deeply that she did not notice how quiet they all were in the living-room.

d, cuddling her face against h

ith her over

e studied her keenly, "you're beginning to look like a real live