Aunt Jo's Scrap-Bag, Vol. 5 / Jimmy's Cruise in the Pinafore, Etc.

in St. Paul, Mi

Lucy, Susy, Lizzy, Marjory and Maggie. There was no mamma, but Mrs. Gibbs, the housekeeper, wa

and papa busy at his desk in the library, with the door open because he liked to

y in their own recess, the entrance to which was barricaded with chairs to keep out the "babies," as they called the li

go till next Saturday. Flora is so disappointed she would cry if I had not taught her to b

y travel in the house? It is such a pity to wait when the children are in such a hurry to go," answered Marjory, set

riages, and boats, and railroads, and hotels, and accidents. It is a long jour

ng the car bells very loud or scream much when the accidents happen," said

called Mr. Plum, hearing his name and the magic word "railroad,"

rm of his chair, pouring out their small tribulations as

a. You know she asked us, and we looked out the way on the map and got all ready, and now it rains and we are dreadfull

and she will send them back when they get homesick," proposed

?" crie

we?" aske

nd tell you all about their advent

as the full splendor of this proposition dawned u

will! Let's d

and Lizzie, forgetting their tea pa

turn exclaimed so loudly that

d with very small feet in red and blue boots. Dora was a blonde and Flora a brunette, otherwise they were just alike and nearly new. Usually when people go travelling they put on their ha

ill happen you know. Are you prepared for that?" asked Mr.

Flora on the table, her black eyes staring

ull of maternal anxiety. But Susy, Lucy and Lizzie cried: "Let her g

d be sure you come back to me," whispered Marjory,

brown paper, leaving their heads out that they might see the world as they went along. Being carefully fastened up with several turns of cord, Mr.

t to be prepared for such distinguished visitors," said papa, takin

tten, and as he sealed it up Mr. Plum sa

st time, sh

oice, while the other sisters danced round the

a as he whisked on his coat and ha

oked back waving his umbrella at them, till he vanished round the corner, with a reassuring pat o

hurt at our leaving them for the new dolls," said Maggie, rummaging in the baby-house, whither

to hear from them in a week or two. Parcels go more slowly than letters, an

they did, but week after week went by

m and learn much that their

ee their companions, so listened to the whispering and rustling that went on about them. The newspapers all talked politics, and some of them used such bad language that the dolls would have covered their ears, if their hands

was not grinding my nose against the rough side of this l

to kick it away, but it won't stir, and keeps droning on about repo

sently, when the letters and papers fell

re often sorted in the cars, and in that way we shall see something of the world, I

sent letters and papers flying here and there as if a whirlwind was blowing. A long box lay beside the dolls who stood nearly erect leaning

be in it?" said Flo

you please, and I want my mother," sobbed a voice from the

to travel with the monster," whispere

atural history is very useful; I've heard mamma say so, and I shall talk with him while

a great river, where he was just learning to play happily with his brot

thized with him, while a shabby bundle directed to "Michael Dolan, at Mrs. Judy Quin's, next door to Mr.

imly silent till they were tumbled into another mail bag,

be good to him," said Flora, for the little alli

'm sure. The dangers of travelling are great, but we are safe and comfortable now, I think,"

some," answered Flora, briskly, little dre

y, and then all the mail bags rolled one over the

gether as they heard the splash of water, the shouting

ays looked after," said a large envelope with a

a jaunty pink letter, with a scent of

and my clothes are drippi

g dolefully, as its gay colors began to run, "I shall be in a nice mess if I e

he evening papers," said a dingy sheet called the "Barahoo Th

s I do." With which philosophic remark "The St. Louis Cosmos" folded the

up the bag, and before the dolls could recover their wits they were spread out on the floor of a mai

er her as they spun along, for a slight accident like this did not del

d into my eyes and the red of my cheeks is quite gone, I'm sure," answered Dora, as her wet dress

ie flying past. I do hope that poor baby got away and swam home to his mother. The upset into the river

the scene of devastation within. Everything was in great confusion after the accident, so it is not strange that the dolls were not missed when they slowly sli

nd mould forgotten by everybody," said Dora

p, though I don't know just how it's done. If they don't, we are in the path and some of those children are sur

basket full of berries on her head arranged in pretty pottles ready for the market. Seeing the red

pped them there for her. She could not read the direction and hurried home

lipped them out of the wrapper and smoothed their damp skirts

ng persons. It is a great relief to be able to stretch one's limbs and stand

the display of musical instruments about the room, and longing to stop her ears, for several of the children were playing on the violin, flute, horn or harp. They were street musicians, and even the baby seemed to be getting read

ively tooting of the boys, while the girls gazed at the lovely dolls

oyed the new toys immensely, and even despondent Dora was cheered up by the admiration she received; w

neat-handed little maidens gluing, tacking and trimming, while they

d off to the beer gardens to play again, for they lived in Chicago, and th

came to order a set of furniture for her new baby-house, and seeing two shabby dolls reposing in a fine bed she asked about them. Her mamma spoke German so Minna

Maria Plum must have been expecting her dolls all this time. Shall I?" asked the mamma, as she read t

a lady who bought two whole sets of the

their brown paper cover and s

d Dora, as they drove along with little Clar

the dear Poppleheimers. We shall see," answered Flora, wisely, for Clara had soon tossed the

lo and Do they were left out of the trunks for Clara to play with on th

ail-bag," groaned Dora, after hours of great suffering, f

drawing lines with a pencil all over their faces till they looked as if tattooed by savages. Even brave Flora was worn out and longed for rest, fin

ving the car and carried them after his master, trotting soberly along with the bundle in his mouth, for fortunate

umped up on the carriage seat and laid his load on his master's knee, pa

dge will like a look at them before we send them along;" and into the young man's pocket the

nose to be sure they were there as they drove through the bustling s

be taught to be kind to dumb dolls as well as dumb animals," said Do

er spirits were depressed by bad treatment, but just then a door opened and she cried o

beds with a small pale face on every pillow. All the eyes that were open brightened w

let me pat him first,"

flower, please?" ask

in his pocket," and a little fellow who sat up among

are going to will lend them for a few days. We shall not need them longer I'm afraid

g enough to hold 'em," said the woman, leading the way to a corner where the palest of all the pale fac

ide her, while Jip proudly beat his tail on the floor

w and then with a tender little finger, or to kiss them softly, saying, "Dear babies, it is

e, and may be these children are angels," whispered Dora, looking at the sweet face turned towa

to be cured. It is a sweet place, I think, and this child much nicer than that horrid C

breath to rock me," said Do, who lay nearest the little bosom that

y, contenting herself with looking at the other children and liste

ir heads were only wood, the sweet patience of the little creature seemed to waken something li

e of the crying or the moans some of the poor babies could not repress. She often sent one or the other to cheer up some little neighbor, and in this way Do and Flo became small sisters of

heir battered cheeks against the lips that whispered faintly, "Be sure you send 'em to the little girl, and tell her-tell her-al

the morning, and there was no breath in th

tly, as they watched the white image carried out in the weeping nurs

bin or rag-bag. I wonder if there is a little Heaven anywhere for good dolls?" answered Flora, with what l

loved us as dear Midge did," whispered Dora, trying to kiss the blue flow

or motherless baby?" asked the doctor when

ere sent to, and please, I'd like to keep my word

olets, for everybody loved the pauper child sent to die in a hospital, because Ch

violets did them good, for the soft perfume clung to them long afterward l

he Doctor wrote a little note telling why he had kept them, and was just about t

along, Fred?" as

g that I'd rather not have it knock about

er that, and to hear him say that he was going through Boston to the mount

ng there," said Flora, as they set off

lora liked to hear the fashionable gossip about clothes and people and art and theatres, but Dora preferred the

we will have dolls' weddings and balls, and a play, and be as fine and fa

o cultivate my mind as fast as I can. That girl says she is in college, and named over more studies than I c

doll. I mean to be a real Westerner, and just enjoy myself as I please, without caring

che of Boston papers fell upon the audacious doll. But Flo was undaunted, and shouted

Here she admired everything, and read all the evening in a volume of Emerson's Poems from the bag, for

ted herself to a long chat with the smart bag w

um. When the parlor door opened to admit her he was much embarrassed, for, advancing with a paternal smile and the dolls extend

she read the note Aunt Maria's bright eyes were full

s, and send the dear old things back

, and spent his vacation there. The dolls were re-painted and re-dressed till th

n out to St. Paul and surprise the children. By a singular coincidence Mr. Beacon had railroad bu

ped at the hospital in New York, and went on better friends than before a

r they started in June and it was early in September when Aunt Maria appeared befo

most attractive box was produced from the Russia leather bag, and

ed with a few pictures of the most exci

d both," said Aunt Maria, laughing, as she handed over the remar

nterest, and was as true a

en, as they laid by the precious work and enthroned the travel

ere was a wedding at the Plums'. Not a doll's wedding, as Flo had planned,

were set aloft among the roses on the wedding-cake, their proper place as everyone said, for th