Five Happy Weeks | Page 2

law and the prophets,
Johnnie, oughtn't you to give up to Mabel and Edith, once in a while?"
"I don't ask him to very often," said Edith.
"Well, I do!" said Mabel.
"Yes, Miss Simms, I believe I ought to, more'n I have," said Johnnie,
quite earnestly. "I'm bound to be a gentleman; and a gentleman is
always polite to the ladies. I've seen that with father and mother many a
time. So, Mabel, you take mamma her fruit;" and with that, Johnnie
handed her the basket, and made a low bow.
Miss Simms seated herself in the window, took out her scissors and a
great roll of patterns, and then said,
"Edith, dearie, will you ask your grandma or Aunt Catharine, if they
know where the merino is for your new dresses?"
"Are we to have new dresses?" said Edith; "it's the first I've heard of it."
"Oh, children don't know everything in this house," said Miss Simms,
laughing. Grandma came bustling in with bundles nearly as big as
herself.

"You had better measure Edie first, as she is on the spot; and then I'll
help sew on her skirt, while you are cutting out for Mabel."
"I'm glad I'm not a girl," said Johnnie, "always having to bother with
new frocks."
"Mrs. Evans is wise to go South now," said Miss Simms to grandma.
"I've been hoping she would, it's far too bleak for her here."
Edith opened her blue eyes very wide, and then they filled with tears.
She hid her head in her grandma's bosom.
"Why, child, you little goose, it is to make your dear mother well. And
you three small folks are going part way with her."
At this Edith's sudden tears dried up very quickly, and her face made
itself into a question mark.
"You three children, and I myself, are going to see your Aunt Maria, in
Virginia."
Johnnie began to turn somersaults to show his delight at the news. He
ran off for further information, and came back saying, "I never heard
anything so splendid in my life. We are to start a week from to-day
Edith. Mamma's going South to get well, and we're going South too, to
get acquainted with our Aunt Maria."
The children thought they must pack up their treasures at once; and as
everybody was just then too busy to notice them very much, they made
a remarkable collection. Edith brought out her Paris doll, and its
wardrobe, her baby carriage hung with blue satin, and its pillows
trimmed and ruffled with lace, her favorite books, and her best china
tea-set.
"I could not travel in comfort without Miss Josephine," she said with
much dignity, as she seated herself in the parlor, with her treasures
around her. "I could not stir a step without her."

Mabel brought her Maltese kitten, and her Spitz dog, and tied a cherry
ribbon round Fido's neck, and a blue one round Queenie's.
"Now I am ready to go!" she said.
As for Johnnie, he had so large a collection of must-haves, and
can't-do-withouts, that he went to ask his father's advice. Mr. Evans
came into the parlor, and laughed as he looked at his little girls, and
their anxious faces.
"My dears," he said, "we are not to be off for a week yet, and when we
start we cannot carry much baggage. The old Romans called baggage
impedimenta, because it hindered them on their way; and that is just
what it is, a hinderance. We must leave all our treasures at home."
"Even Queenie and Fido? They will break their hearts," said Mabel.
"Even Miss Josephine?" said Edith. "She will pale away and die
without me!"
"If I could take my wheelbarrow and my box of tools, I would be
satisfied," exclaimed Johnnie.
"Now, children," Mr. Evans explained, "you are going to see a good
many new things; and if you leave your property at home, it will be
safe, and will seem new and delightful when you get back. Fido and
Queenie will go to Aunt Catharine's and pay a visit too."
"I don't believe the week will ever come to an end," sighed Edith, and
she repeated the sigh a dozen times that busy week. But it did. Miss
Simms cut and basted and fitted. Friends came to help. The furniture
was covered. The house was securely fastened. At last they all went on
board the Richmond steamer, on which they spent two very sea-sick
nights and a day. After that it stopped at the Norfolk wharf. It lay there
some hours, but before it started again, Aunt Maria came with a great
roomy carriage, and took away the children. At the last moment
grandma had decided not to go, so the brother and sisters felt rather
forlorn when