FOR OUR BOYS & GIRL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXI, Issue 288, 6 December 1890, Page 3 (Supplement)

FOR OUR BOYS & GIRL.

EDITM) BY pS FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT [Am. Rights Reserved.] Toppy Green's Garden Party. [Copyright.] jES STOK.Y OF A POCK-HOUSE CHILD. By Lillian L. Pkicb. •Now, mind you, Toppy '. No didoes while lam gone ! You are to knit fifty rounds B n yoar sock, an' sib on the back porch stiddy, an' keep the hens out o' them dryin' apples.'

"'Yes'm, 1 said Toppy. She struck one Scan libtle finger into a morning glory bell and looked up with a queer glance o£ her Wo bright twinkling eyes ab Mis 3 Mefritajbel.

'And mind you nobndy gits into the liouae. Be a good girl, Toppy, and mebbe I'll lot ye off with twenty-live rounds on your sock to-morrar.' Miss Mehitabel gathered up*be reins and Startedold Sukey oil towards Dover, whither that austere spinster mado fortnightly pilgrimages with butter and eggs. She°did nob see Toppy's small nose turn up at the magnanimous offer of twenfcy-fivo sroy yarn rows as a reward. Toppy hun tad tho eggs, Toppy churned the butter, and Toppy was usually as willing a littlo drudge as ever worked on a farm. But to-day Miss Toppy was in a state of flat rebellion, She watched the blue tailboard of the waggon vanish down the road. Them ehs picked up the comers of her.long brown apron and with speed in her heels, fire in Qer eyes, and vigour in her elbows, she shooed every chicken into the large winter shicken-coop, and shut it npfcighb. She returned slowly to tho house and picked up her grey sock and yarn ball from She place on the porch seat. 'You nasty, horrid thinea !' said Toppy, glaring at tho dangling iejj vindictively., With eudden energy she gave the needles a tos3 and swish, tho stocking landed among the grapa leaves of the arbour. Toppy danced a bare-footed double-shuille on tho soft turf.

'How'd ye git up there ?' sho asked, eyeJng the stocking with a lictle snapping, sideways quirk of her eye. ' You Hew up there, sockies, to git away from being mado Wuss lookin' than you are already.' She sauntered down to the gate with a Jaunty air and looked up and down the joad. 'Taint just time for em yet, she said, 'Guess I'll make me a wreath.' She invaded Miss Mehitabel's patch of marigolds. ' They hain't sweeb,' said Toppy, culling Jhem profusely, ' bub they'll make a jolly gold-lookin' crown.' She pulled them with long stems and wove a wreath very dexterously. When Sho had placed this firmly on her smooth, jnouse-coioured hair, braided into two pigtails which branched out behind her ears in perpetual defiance, Toppy waa an imposing spectacle. 'I'll wear dahlyers in my button holes,' she said, surveying her little shapeless calico jacket. 'Dahlyers are dandies fer trimdin'.'

A row of dahlias forthwith lefb their parent stems to adorn her slight figure, and Toppy skipped nimbly to the well, where Bhe leaned over the curb and surveyed the effect of such unwonted elegance in the mirror of water below. It was striking Enough to satisfy her notions completely. ' I do look perky,' she said, nodding cautiously, with a due regard for the equilibrium of the wreath. ' I bet I'd be good lookin' if Miss Mehitabel 'ud rig me up. .

A loud ' ahem' sounded from the region of the garden gate. Toppy turned arourd quickly. Her garden party had arrived in full force. There Wereeix'of them. They were poor-house children, the Bame as Toppy, and bearing the stamp of their pauperism plainly upon them. Such clothes, such misfit hats, such pathetic gowne and troueera ! Toppy flung open the gate with a magnificent air of hospitality. 'All here? Yes, there's Cracky and Tonij and Jinnie and Marty,|and Bobby and little Pete! You've had a hob walk ! Didn't nobody ask you where you was a comin' to, did they ? Sit down on tne porch !' ' Three on a seat and no squeezin'. Wait till I hook Miss Mehitabel's t.urkey-tail fan. It gives wind splendid and you can pass it 'round.'

Toppy whisked into the house and returned with the fan. * There now. What ye sniffin , for, Cracky f The small towhead of six who responded to the name of Cracky stuck out a very small, dusty, bare foob to Toppy with a soft Bob. 'Bog 'tung me,' he said with pathoa. And sure enough the poor little sole was all fed and swollen. * 'Gracious!' said Jinrsie. *And you didn't holler, Crack I Good for you ! Why diden yon tell me ?" 'He wanted his Toppy to pub mud and plantains on it, , said Toppy, coddling him, 'Scoot down to the brook, Tom, an' pull Some big plantains, while I gib the mud.' The tiny foot was tenderly bound up, Jlarthy v 8 hair received a good combing at *he hands of her hostess, 'little Pete waa furbished into respectability with water and £ salt rack towel, and then the party began. Six yellow pumpkins were placed in a Circle out behind the hop poles. _' Them's chairs, ladies and gentlemen, sit tfshti down,' said Toppy, capering gleefully till the marigolds and dahlias showed signs Bf tipsy confusion. 'Huh!' said Bob, coming down with a Bounce on his pumpkin, which threatened to rend that vegetable marrow in two. ' This is queer style . 'Shut right up, Bobby Smith, or go tome,' said Marthy. • These is the same as them little efcools at the minister's, made But o' carpet, and it's lurrible stylish to sit 3a thorn.' Hui> was convinced. ■ Three overturned milk pans served for tablop. There were apples, bread and butter, a jug of milk, the largest fraction of a molasses cake, and a pile of cookies. For assert there were some half-ripened hazel Suite and some early-ripe, sour grapes. How the hungry eyes of the children diwied as Toppy brought the viands on! "hoy began with low ' Ahs,' which grad- ■ JwUy rose to squeals as luxury overtopped luxury, and Pete put his small teeth into a cookie with a enap that told of keenest apcetite.

Toppy watched them eafc with her arms *a her hips and satisfaction in her eyes. I Taste good, Marthy? , Awful,' replied Marthy with a mouth ""I of apple. 'Miss Mehitabel is terrible good in givin' away her vittles.' ioppy'g lipa became a thin line. , Her syehda lowered slowly. ■ She prebpnded soe saw a refractory chicken in the! hops Met made a.eudden dash among the poles. Bub Tom had his suspicion's. He £*c from his pumpkin and followed »°PPy* She efcood quietly aW tlie

vines, looking flushed and uneasy. * Top, , eaid Tom, * did yon hook all them things for us ?'

'Yes/ said Toppy, compelled by his tone to a reply, ' but I hain't eat as much as I wanted to fer a week so's to make it fair. And to-night I'll tell jest her and git an awful whoppin'. That's all. But I work hard, Tom, and don'fj have no fun, nor nothin'.- So I'm. havin' my lark to-day. Now, don't you go tollin' tho others.' ' And you'll gib a whoppin' ?' said Tom, slowly. 'No, I won't toll 'em, Toppy, but darned if I'll eat another mouthful, 1 and he drew up hia thin frame very proudly. The revelry in tho pumpkin circle increased. Jinnie sang ' Captain Jinks,' Bob recited a piece learned at a Christmas entertainment, and then Toppy gave them a lecture Afterward there was a grand promenade through the garden and barn, into the parlour to have a peep at its sombre horse-haired elegance, and finally out to tho field to see Barnio. Barnie was Mi?a Mehitp.bel's 3-year-old colt, and a regular beauty.

'He's wild yet, , said Toppy ; ' only half broken, and he won't) come to nobody so quick as me.'

She armod herself with an enticing ear of yellow corn and they started for tho pasture. It was a long sloping lot covered with clover rowen. The colt was in an upper corner. They could see the whisking of his tail as he stood with his head across the rails as if he had sought tho wood lot cover for the shade. ' That's queer for Barnio to do,' eaid Toppy in a puzzle. ' You kin only peck through the bars, young ones, for that colt's a kicker. , She started across the lot swinging her ears of corn by the husks, and singing in a cooing tone, ' Here, Barnie, Barnio, Barnie !' Barnio bore out his reputation as a kicker by raising his unshod heels and beating tho ground furiously as Toppy advanced towards him. ' What ails you ?' cried Toppy in a tone oE superior command. 'You don't think I'm scared of your heols, Barnie Laterafc, do you ?' Buk on nearing the fence she saw to her intense astonishment tho cause of Barnie's demonstrations. A rope noose had been thrown over bis head and drawn almost to the choking point, Tho rope was fastened hastily to a tree trunk in the wood, and a man, who had been preparing to tako down the fence rails at Toppy'a first hail, stood glaring angrily ab her. Ho was it flashily-dressed man. A wood rotid led down for a milo through tho woods to tho Sbawangunk Club-house. Toppy knew men of questionable reputation often congregated there from the city. Hothin" , daunted, s-bc climbocJ upon tho rails as light and nimbly as a squirrel and addressed tho man. What do you want with Miss Mehitabel's Barnie, mister ?' ' Get off of that, you kid, and clear out,' growled tho man, pouring a string of oaths out at her which might well have frightened a more carefully-reared child. ' Who cares for your swearing ?' said Toppy, winding her supplo solos close on the old rail and standing up, with marigold crown skewing rakishly over one eye, to survey this very evident horse thief more fully. 'You can't steal my Barnio with mo here, I tell you tbat !' Barnie whinnied at her shrill, wellknown tones, and stood still. The man made a sudden dive for her, but Toppy had half expected it. She swayed sidewaye as his hand camo oufc, grasped Barnie's mane, and with a Bpring leaped lightly from tho fence to the colt's back, whero she settled, striding him like a boy, with a look of triumph at the man. ' Now, mister !' Bhe criod, in excitement, • Barnie has never had no one on his back bvj<s me, and he'll send you higher'n a kiio if you try it 1 As soon as you ontie that rope, you bet I'll show you : how this colt kin scoot F And here I stay !' Conscious of hor advantage, sho showed her littlo white teeth at him in a mocking smile. ' I'll climb that fence and murder you !' threatened the man. ' You darsent, fer that rope hain't tied tight enough around that tree bub what I could git over there while you're gittin' over here, an' let Barnie loose !' 'You little imp.' * An' if you lead Barnie off, you'll take me, too, mister, or he won't go a step.' Toppy sat there, her heels clinging to Barnie, and her eyes flashing, clearly the mistress of the situation. Tho man reflected. Then he whipped out an ugly-looking knife, and rapidly cub a long, thin switch. ' I'll see if this won't tickle you off that horse's back,' he said.with a cruel glance at the little brown legs. ' No, 'twon't,' returned Toppy, turning pale, but nob a whit daunted. ' You kin switch till you Ml me, but I won't git off!' Then aa a fine stinging cut came across her foot she pulled it up as high as she could under her little scant skirt, and said between her teeth, doubling her fists and winking back the teare, ' I won't git off! Tom !' she cried out, in ehrill treble tones, ' Hun to tha mill — for Neczer and — hur —ry '.' She looked over hor Ehoulder to be sure Tom had started, and then eat there bearing the blows with all the courage she could muster, though the pain brought the tears dropping on Barnio's mano. Barnie danced, as stray lashes tickled his sleek coab, but he know who was on his back, and indulged in no more kicking. Tom fled at top speed to the mill for the man who did work for Miss Mehitabel, bub was that day jobbing down there. Before he could reach it, however, a rescuer appeared it* Miss Mehitabel herself. Sho had made a quick market, and, suspicious of Toppy, had driven home early.

In rising wrath sho discovered the treed sock, the deserted pumpkin banquet with its revelation of broken meats from her own pantry, and lastly she spied the unbidden guests leaning panic-stricken over the bars of the closed lot. Toppy's marigold wreath was a shining mark in the eun. Miss Mehilabel tossed Peter and Bob aside, and strode across the lob to fetch this gallivanting young maid-servanb to terms. Neither Toppy nor the man saw her until sho had time to stand in dumb amazeinenb and take in the whole situation.

' You scoundrel!' cried Mias Mehitabel in awe-inspiring tones, and a second later her strong arm lifted Toppy to the ground. Barnie'a noose was off his head, and tho man had vanished down the wood road.

Poor Toppy! Between fear of Mica Mehitabel and intolerable pain, she lay, a small heap in the clover, sobbing bitterly. Miss Mehitabel stood and looked ab her for several minutes in silence. Then she glanced ab the nodding row of heads behind the bars. Suddenly Toppy was lifted into her arms and carried to the house. Miss Mehitabel placed her —oh, wonder of wonder ! —on the sitting-room lounge. She heard her sending home the thoroughly subdued garden party with two cookies and an apple apiece. Then she came in and went to work at Toppy'a swollen limbs, with arnica and soft bandages. Toppy dared not apeak as she watcnea the grim face. 16 relaxed strangely, ac she put the pitiful floral decorations, now wilted to the last degree, out in the woodshed. ' So you would have saved Barme, oh ?— Even if that scamp had half-killed ye ?' ' Yes'm,' eaid Toppy, meekly. • Did you sling that sock up in the grape arbour ?' ' Yes'ia.' • And pen up the chickens V 'Yes'm. , ■ • An' hook my vittles V

' Yes'm.' 'An , have a party?' • Yea'ra. , ' Well now, tell me all about it. I won't whip you—not even if you took my pound cake.' Thus encouraged, Toppy made an ooen confession. Miss Mehitabal picked up her own yarn sock and knitted vigorously. The rocker creaked to and fro. Toppy watched her in increasing wonder. 'So them children git pretty hungry, hey 1 An' you go half full so's you kin feed em up, on the sly?' "Yes'm, , murmured Toppy. > /ell, now, gee hero ; if I let 'em come here every Saturday afternoon and have a tea-party, d'ye think you kin let my punkins and pantry alone, an' do yer stint on that stoekiti' in peace, without shyin' it into th , grape arbour?' A lump came into Toppy's throat ab that kindly, good-humoured tone. She saw a pplendid vista of 'fun' in righteous fashion. She cried such tears as no lash could ever have brought to her eyes, and limping impulsively across the floor, she leaned over and kissed Miss Mehitabel with a sound smack. That lady dropped her knitting in something like confusion. Then her hard hand stroked Toppy's pigtails softly, and with a queer blur in her eyes, sho said, ' Toppy, you were a good child to save our Barnie.' And Toppy's sins wero forgiven.