Tales of the Toys, Told by Themselves

p backwards out of the way, he was eagerly accorded the warm thank

hope sincerely that my successors will have something more interesting to relate.

to scatter the Marbles to all the corners of the room, and to knock down the Doll also. "My

"I can't bear much more

at all rickety, I can assure you, for your light weight; and I will keep you ou

lecock; "people need not be clumsy unless they choose. It i

ays was a giddy young thing. But where are all the Marbles

et into fresh scrapes; there's the Kite just in your way, and if you poke a

d against the door, for although he was a careless, awkward fellow, h

e company, I will also do my best. My first step in life was to be hung with several of my companions at the door of a toy shop at Sydenham. Here, however, I did not stay long, for I was selected by a little boy, called Edward Moore, who had saved up his pocket money for many weeks in order to purchase me. My first unfortunate beginning occurred almost a

ld gentleman, after abusing and threatening my poor Teddy well, limped off, and my disconsolate owner had time to peep down the areas, and try to recover his lost property. I had no idea of remaining bu

e's bells, and a-calling one up in the middle of cooking! I s

natured, because you've got such a laughish mouth! Do give me my hoop,

Mary, which it isn't, for it's Jane! You're very saucy, and have no call to mak

n, and nearly knocked off a grand young lady's smart hat, who walked grumbling

n errand to a shop in the middle of the most frequented street, and he had now become so used to his indispensable companion, that he took me with him, of course. We went, on very merrily, till we came to the corner of a crossing, when, thinking he could send me over before a great coal waggon came too near, Teddy gave me such a tap that I bounded ov

ng me in the catastrophe. But that short moment had been enough to satisfy the horrified china merchant as to the author of the damage, and making a rapid spring across the road, he seized Teddy by the collar, and sternly

oops as was seen,-nine willow cheeseplates,-and oh my! what a sigh o

taking me in one hand, he laid the other on Teddy's shoulder, and marched off in the direction of Willow Lodge, with the bill in his pocket. I must really draw a veil over the dreadful picture of the scene there, as my feelings will not allow me to do justice to the ange

saw daylight again it was spring-time, for the lilacs and laburnums were in full flower. How glad I was to rub off a littl

dkerchief; 'you must not let me into any more scrapes, for I could only get you again by promi

hese were not of a serious order; for instance, when I just happened to run against little Polly Stubbs, a small toddling body of two years old; and upset her. But, then, after all, she was a very waddley sort of duck on her feet, and was very good tempered, so after the first shriek, she scrambled up with her little fat roley-pole

and came right into the middle of a brood of young ducklings, with their fat majestic mother waddling after them. Oh there was a scatter, as I rushed into the middle of them like a steam-engine coming, express into a flock of sheep! Some tumbled headlong into the pond hard by, others scrambled off out of the way as they best could, while old mother duck quacked and waddled like one possessed. But one poor little lame duckling, the last of the

kes, that I privately christened "wobblers!" Well, he had just given me a wobbler, when a horrid pebble came in my way; and what business pebbles have in the way in the middle of a foot path I never could discover. They are quite out of their own track, and very much in the way of elderly ladies and gentlemen who have pet "callosities." Why, every toddling child tumbles over them, and as for my family, we abhor them! Let them be kept to their beaches, and brooks, and not interfere with our few suburban enjoyments! Well, as I was saying, when indignation got the better

his youth to do more than walk or jog-trot under any treatment whatever, had at this unlucky time taken it into his long-eared head to run away full gallop with his owner, a deaf old woman, hanging on to the front of the little cart, with all her market produce jumbled together as it had never been before. Down he came thundering upon us, and before poor Teddy could catch me up, while he had but scant time to get into the hedge himself, I got entangled in the wretched little brute's rough legs, and down we all came, old woman, donkey, cart, and all, with a perfect set of fireworks of oni

the crabbed old woman laid all the blame on him, and following him slily home, beset the house, and made such a fuss, that Teddy got in the wars again worse than ever. His mother believed his account of the mischief, bec

no one I'd sooner give it to than Frank Spenser, my old schoolfellow. Pa's so angry with

to care for a hoop, but he did not like to hurt the poor boy by refusing, so he took me with a very good grace, and promised to take great care of me; which he cer