BEDTIME TALES

New Zealand Times, Volume LIII, Issue 12549, 11 September 1926, Page 16

BEDTIME TALES

MARY VERONICA AND MRS NOAH Mary Veronica Jane wasn’t a verv nice child. She took a special delight in quarrelling with her dolls, and, because they couldn’t do just as she told them, she pulled off their arms or legs or something. One afternoon, just before Mary Veronica Jane’s birthday, her auntie was looking round the toy department in a big shop. “Whatever can I buy?’’ she asked. There was a lovely Noah’s Ark as big as a doll’s house. In fact, Mary Veronica Jane could just have crawled into it. Should she buy it? She picked up Mrs Noah. Then a very strange thing happened. That good lady* distinctly opened her mouth, and said: “I'll look after that little niece of yours.” Then what could her auntie do but tell them to pack it and have it ready to be sent to the house in time for the birthday morning? Marv Veronica Jane was as excited as she could be when the dav came. She had dolls and animals and books by the dozen, but by three o’clock at least half the dolls had lost a bit of themselves, the animals’ legs were hanging and the books were knocked about. Then she was promised that she could play with the Noah’s Ark. It was a breathless moment when she crawled inside, for it rocked, and you could imagine that you were out at sea. As Mary Veronica Jane stumbled in she trod on a monkey. “Just you look where you are going,” he shouted. She was so surprised that for the first time for many months she said, “I beg your pardon.” Then she sat on the seat and began to rock herself backwards and forwards. "Whew! Not so fast, if you please,” squeaked a fat little pig. “It reminds me of a storm. I don’t like it.” She took no notice, but rocked all the faster. “Oh, please, please,” he wailed. “I feel dreadfully ill. lam dying.” But still she only laughed and went on rocking. “I am dead,” he groaned. Then a loud voice called out, “What’s the matter? Why are you quarrelling in there?” “It’s Mary Veronica Jane’s fault. Please come and save me, Mrs Noah, quickly.” The little fat pig wasn’t quite dead. Mary Veronica Jane couldn’t understand what was the matter. It all seemed a nightmare, for Mrs Noah appeared from nowhere and picked her up by the back of her pinafore and shook her. y “Now, will you stop annoying the others. Play quietly, or If shall bring Mr Noah along to you.” Mary Veronica Jane wanted to cry, but decided that she had better not, so she sat on the floo/ and waited for something to happen. “Come and play bears?” asked a great big grizzly bear. “Don’t .want to,” she answered, sulkily. “I shall bite you. then,” the bear threatened. “:Silly old thing.” She was really getting cross. “Don’t be rude.” He was actually sitting up on his hind legs, laughing at her. Mary Veronica Jane was really furious ; she picked him up and broke him in half with sheer temper. “Now she’s done it,” shrieked all the animals in chorus. “We’ll show her!” The monkeys scratched, the lions pulled her hair, the elephants snorted at her, the crocodile nibbled the chocolate in her pocket, which she was saving till bedtime, and the other animals did all the annoying things they could invent. As for the poor little bear who was laft, he just sat down beside his broken-in-two brother and sobbed his heart out.

“Oh! Oh! Oh!” he groaned. Then Mrs Noah appeared again. “What’s the meaning of all this uproar?” Up jumped the second grizzly bear. “Boo! Boo! Boo! She’s killed my little brother.” “Let’s kill her!” shrieked the other animals. “Save me, Mrs Noah. Oh, please, save me,” Mary Veronica Jane screamed. But Mrs Noah only laughed. “Hurry up,” she said to the animals, “it’s nearly tea time.” Fortunately for Mary Veronica Jane, Mr Noah had also been brought upstairs by the terrible noise. Mr Noah was a kind man ; he jumped into the middle of the room, and with one hand smacked his stick all round, and with the other boxed the ears nearest to him.

“Whew!” Except for the tingling pains Mary Veronica Jane was free. “Now go, and never come here any more,” they all shrieked at her when order was restored. “I am going with her,” screamed Mrs Noah. “And if ever she breaks her toys again she shan’t escape either. Good-bye.” Mrs Noah and Mary Veronica Jane stepped out into the nursery together. She is quite careful nowadays. But after that escape, who wouldn’t be?