Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves

OUT OF THE T

ly bursting out of his imprisonment in the slate closet, to the great di

I can help it, but I am afraid you will oblige me to do so. I desired you not to leave the book closet unti

month!" shouted Frank, caperin

w charming!" cried Celia a

o many shells, and perhaps to

" cried Florry, opening her blue eyes as wide as

kes me out for a sail," said Frank

prised at you! I have ceased to hope for quiet manners from Frank, and Florr

plied Celia, demurely; "only it was

new nothing about this at breakfast, Frank, and how your companionship with the books and slat

door to come out and tell you I had had enough of solitary imprisoning, I heard Mamma come into the store cupboard (for some jam, I daresay!) and she sa

lty of the meanness of listening befor

n," said Frank,

es, I have heard Ellen laying the luncheon in the dining room from the store cupboard door being left open. I am

and I do believe Frank above such mean, dishonest habits as that; and so I suppose I must overlook

nquired little Florry; "it's so nice to stand on

more pleasant things at the seaside than getting your feet wet

so love a dip in the cool, green salt water, and the dancing

Suppose a big wave carried you out of your depth, and no one was

their holiday before they have it, or even waste much time beforehand in planning how to spend it. We shall get no lessons at all this morning if we

he thoughts of the sea out of our minds till we have done. Look, Miss Watso

rueful air. "I wish the man who invented it had all the 'three times' from one to twelve

atson, smiling, "you will find the 'vexation' a pleasure, as you add

rank. "I daresay he counted up his ingots on his fingers. Such a leader as he was n

a worse example of your theory. He was an Oriel College man, and wrote a history of the world du

said Celia, "may I go now, please? I hav

hts of going to the sea have bewildered your little head so, that your fingers have tr

lessons; I am afraid that morning set a mark of "Careless!" in both Frank's and her score. However, school time ended at last, and off with a shout went Frank to hear all about the plans from Celia, for he

. The house is so very dirty and worn now, after our long residence in it, that we find it will be best to set about a thorough course of paint, paper, an

will find it more agreeable to leave the house in possession of

more thoroughly done, if everything is packed away, and we are all out of the house. It will be very pleasant to be away fr

rosy cheeks," replied Miss Watson, shaking hands with Mrs. Spenser, as she

ns, which were now taken in "pic-nic fashion," as Celia declared. For after the dining-room was cleared of its furniture, the schoolroom was obliged to be used for luncheon and dinner. And at last, joy of joys, the schoolroom itself had to be partially given up,

ave not yet fallen to my share, I won't fear them beforehand. I think all the garden inhabitants recognise

in tolerable order. And she found out the wisdom of her plan soon enough, for the confusion and trouble that reigned during the three days' holiday before they left, nearly drove poor Nurse out of her senses.

not to think of all these things, and seem to imagine that hats and caps, gloves and shoes grow on the bushes, and are produced by rain and sunshine, like the garments of the flowers! Most mothers and nurses

for fear it should be left behind, a proceeding that resulted in its being left in the refreshment-room at Hembery station, and only regained at the risk of Frank's being left behind; and it was finally forgotten in the carriage when they changed at Dawl

Pa gave you a bucket into the bargain; so now you ca

when she left it behind on the sands, there was a chance of its being brought back again. And Celia and her mother rambled about by the edge of the sea, and coll

e of such confusion and bustle,-such noisy voices and pattering feet,-was left empty to the echoes and the dust which now had time to settle peaceably over the bare boards and dingy windows. An old charwoman had the charge of it, and was to sleep in the kitchen; but as the workmen were not

bright tins and cheerful dishes. And the dusky shades of evening fell and wrapped it in still darker shadows, while the distant roar and din of the streets seemed to sound quite far off. So then the crickets, who felt sure s

irst, had pushed it quite back, though she had not observed the fact when she closed the nursery windows before she left. On the floor lay a heap of old leaden tea-things, mixed up with some of the inhabitants of a battered Noah's Ark which lay empty on its side on the top shelf. Several old marbles were nestled cosily up in an old toy kitchen which had been turned upside down to receive them. A humming-top, whose key had departed, lay side by side with a shuttlecock that had been shorn of half its feathers. The skipping-rope had become hopelessly entangled with the tail of the kite; the hoop had hung itself round the neck of a very ancient rocking-horse, whose mane and tail had long disappeared; to add to its misfortunes the poor animal now

at last," said the Ball, wit

ked the Doll; "you have almost taken a

eagerly, "or at least, I'll try to do so, for I have stood

n motion that had rested quiet so long. So that at last, the Rocking-horse even

it is quite worth while living in retirement for a while, if only to enjoy life once more whe

board has been stifling for a long while, and so now the

shly; "you have fanned out my last feather, and what I'm

den Teapot; "I'm sure I have been battered and dinted till I've

most of her members, "over and above parting with your relations. My twin brother was destroyed ages ago, and so was the

nterrupted the Ball, irreverently; "we shall was

e Shuttlecock, sarcastically; "you have never been

disentangle herself from the Kite, a proceeding that resulted in one of her ha

se, "we are not all of us quite so lively as you, my friend Bal

s to you!" muttered the Ball, as he took an extra ro

ed the Humming-top, and he began to buzz and hum in such a drony, drowsy fashion, that in sheer terror and dread, the Ball threw himself gallantly into the gap, and promised to tell the first story himself, on condition that he should be allowed to roll