CHAPTER V. PATTYPANS
"What's the matter, Daisy?"
"The boys won't let me play with them."
"Why not?"
"They say girls can't play football."
"They can, for I've done it!" and Mrs. Bhaer laughed at the remembranceof certain youthful frolics.
"I know I can play; Demi and I used to, and have nice times, but hewon't let me now because the other boys laugh at him," and Daisy lookeddeeply grieved at her brother's hardness of heart.
"On the whole, I think he is right, deary. It's all very well when youtwo are alone, but it is too rough a game for you with a dozen boys; soI'd find some nice little play for myself."
"I'm tired of playing alone!" and Daisy's tone was very mournful.
"I'll play with you by and by, but just now I must fly about and getthings ready for a trip into town. You shall go with me and see mamma,and if you like you can stay with her."
"I should like to go and see her and Baby Josy, but I'd rather comeback, please. Demi would miss me, and I love to be here, Aunty."
"You can't get on without your Demi, can you?" and Aunt Jo looked as ifshe quite understood the love of the little girl for her only brother.
"'Course I can't; we're twins, and so we love each other more than otherpeople," answered Daisy, with a brightening face, for she consideredbeing a twin one of the highest honors she could ever receive.
"Now, what will you do with your little self while I fly around?" askedMrs. Bhaer, who was whisking piles of linen into a wardrobe with greatrapidity.
"I don't know, I'm tired of dolls and things; I wish you'd make up a newplay for me, Aunty Jo," said Daisy, swinging listlessly on the door.
"I shall have to think of a brand new one, and it will take me sometime; so suppose you go down and see what Asia has got for your lunch,"suggested Mrs. Bhaer, thinking that would be a good way in which todispose of the little hindrance for a time.
"Yes, I think I'd like that, if she isn't cross," and Daisy slowlydeparted to the kitchen, where Asia, the black cook, reignedundisturbed.
In five minutes, Daisy was back again, with a wide-awake face, a bit ofdough in her hand and a dab of flour on her little nose.
"Oh aunty! Please could I go and make gingersnaps and things? Asia isn'tcross, and she says I may, and it would be such fun, please do," criedDaisy, all in one breath.
"Just the thing, go and welcome, make what you like, and stay as long asyou please," answered Mrs. Bhaer, much relieved, for sometimes the onelittle girl was harder to amuse than the dozen boys.
Daisy ran off, and while she worked, Aunt Jo racked her brain for anew play. All of a sudden she seemed to have an idea, for she smiledto herself, slammed the doors of the wardrobe, and walked briskly away,saying, "I'll do it, if it's a possible thing!"
What it was no one found out that day, but Aunt Jo's eyes twinkled sowhen she told Daisy she had thought of a new play, and was going to buyit, that Daisy was much excited and asked questions all the way intotown, without getting answers that told her anything. She was left athome to play with the new baby, and delight her mother's eyes, whileAunt Jo went off shopping. When she came back with all sorts of queerparcels in corners of the carry-all, Daisy was so full of curiosity thatshe wanted to go back to Plumfield at once. But her aunt would not behurried, and made a long call in mamma's room, sitting on the floor withbaby in her lap, making Mrs. Brooke laugh at the pranks of the boys, andall sorts of droll nonsense.
How her aunt told the secret Daisy could not imagine, but her motherevidently knew it, for she said, as she tied on the little bonnet andkissed the rosy little face inside, "Be a good child, my Daisy, andlearn the nice new play aunty has got for you. It's a most useful andinteresting one, and it is very kind of her to play it with you, becauseshe does not like it very well herself."
This last speech made the two ladies laugh heartily, and increasedDaisy's bewilderment. As they drove away something rattled in the backof the carriage.
"What's that?" asked Daisy, pricking up her ears.
"The new play," answered Mrs. Jo, solemnly.
"What is it made of?" cried Daisy.
"Iron, tin, wood, brass, sugar, salt, coal, and a hundred other things."
"How strange! What color is it?"
"All sorts of colors."
"Is it large?"
"Part of it is, and a part isn't."
"Did I ever see one?"
"Ever so many, but never one so nice as this."
"Oh! what can it be? I can't wait. When shall I see it?" and Daisybounced up and down with impatience.
"To-morrow morning, after lessons."
"Is it for the boys, too?"
"No, all for you and Bess. The boys will like to see it, and want toplay one part of it. But you can do as you like about letting them."
"I'll let Demi, if he wants to."
"No fear that they won't all want to, especially Stuffy," and Mrs.Bhaer's eyes twinkled more than ever as she patted a queer knobby bundlein her lap.
"Let me feel just once," prayed Daisy.
"Not a feel; you'd guess in a minute and spoil the fun."
Daisy groaned and then smiled all over her face, for through a littlehole in the paper she caught a glimpse of something bright.
"How can I wait so long? Couldn't I see it today?"
"Oh dear, no! It has got to be arranged, and ever so many parts fixed intheir places. I promised Uncle Teddy that you shouldn't see it till itwas all in apple-pie order."
"If uncle knows about it then it must be splendid!" cried Daisy,clapping her hands; for this kind, rich, jolly uncle of hers was asgood as a fairy godmother to the children, and was always planning merrysurprises, pretty gifts, and droll amusements for them.
"Yes; Teddy went and bought it with me, and we had such fun in the shopchoosing the different parts. He would have everything fine and large,and my little plan got regularly splendid when he took hold. You mustgive him your very best kiss when he comes, for he is the kindest unclethat ever went and bought a charming little coo Bless me! I nearly toldyou what it was!" and Mrs. Bhaer cut that most interesting word shortoff in the middle, and began to look over her bills, as if afraid shewould let the cat out of the bag if she talked any more. Daisy foldedher hands with an air of resignation, and sat quite still trying tothink what play had a "coo" in it.
When they got home she eyed every bundle that was taken out, and onelarge heavy one, which Franz took straight upstairs and hid in thenursery, filled her with amazement and curiosity. Something verymysterious went on up there that afternoon, for Franz was hammering,and Asia trotting up and down, and Aunt Jo flying around like awill-o'-the-wisp, with all sort of things under her apron, while littleTed, who was the only child admitted, because he couldn't talk plain,babbled and laughed, and tried to tell what the "sumpin pitty" was.
All this made Daisy half-wild, and her excitement spread among the boys,who quite overwhelmed Mother Bhaer with offers of assistance, which shedeclined by quoting their own words to Daisy:
"Girls can't play with boys. This is for Daisy, and Bess, and me, sowe don't want you." Whereupon the young gentlemen meekly retired, andinvited Daisy to a game of marbles, horse, football, anything she liked,with a sudden warmth and politeness which astonished her innocent littlesoul.
Thanks to these attentions, she got through the afternoon, went earlyto bed, and next morning did her lessons with an energy which made UncleFritz wish that a new game could be invented every day. Quite a thrillpervaded the school-room when Daisy was dismissed at eleven o'clock,for everyone knew that now she was going to have the new and mysteriousplay.
Many eyes followed her as she ran away, and Demi's mind was sodistracted by this event that when Franz asked him where the desertof Sahara was, he mournfully replied, "In the nursery," and the wholeschool laughed at him.
"Aunt Jo, I've done all my lessons, and I can't wait one single minutemore!" cried Daisy, flying into Mrs. Bhaer's room.
"It's a
ll ready, come on;" and tucking Ted under one arm, and herworkbasket under the other, Aunt Jo promptly led the way upstairs.
"I don't see anything," said Daisy, staring about her as she got insidethe nursery door.
"Do you hear anything?" asked Aunt Jo, catching Ted back by his littlefrock as he was making straight for one side of the room.
Daisy did hear an odd crackling, and then a purry little sound as of akettle singing. These noises came from behind a curtain drawn before adeep bay window. Daisy snatched it back, gave one joyful, "Oh!" and thenstood gazing with delight at what do you think?
A wide seat ran round the three sides of the window; on one side hungand stood all sorts of little pots and pans, gridirons and skillets;on the other side a small dinner and tea set; and on the middle part acooking-stove. Not a tin one, that was of no use, but a real iron stove,big enough to cook for a large family of very hungry dolls. But the bestof it was that a real fire burned in it, real steam came out of thenose of the little tea-kettle, and the lid of the little boiler actuallydanced a jig, the water inside bubbled so hard. A pane of glass hadbeen taken out and replaced by a sheet of tin, with a hole for the smallfunnel, and real smoke went sailing away outside so naturally, that itdid one's heart good to see it. The box of wood with a hod of charcoalstood near by; just above hung dust-pan, brush and broom; a littlemarket basket was on the low table at which Daisy used to play, and overthe back of her little chair hung a white apron with a bib, and a drollmob cap. The sun shone in as if he enjoyed the fun, the little stoveroared beautifully, the kettle steamed, the new tins sparkled on thewalls, the pretty china stood in tempting rows, and it was altogether ascheery and complete a kitchen as any child could desire.
Daisy stood quite still after the first glad "Oh!" but her eyes wentquickly from one charming object to another, brightening as they looked,till they came to Aunt Jo's merry face; there they stopped as the happylittle girl hugged her, saying gratefully:
"Oh aunty, it's a splendid new play! Can I really cook at the dearstove, and have parties and mess, and sweep, and make fires that trulyburn? I like it so much! What made you think of it?"
"Your liking to make gingersnaps with Asia made me think of it," saidMrs. Bhaer, holding Daisy, who frisked as if she would fly. "I knew Asiawouldn't let you mess in her kitchen very often, and it wouldn't besafe at this fire up here, so I thought I'd see if I could find a littlestove for you, and teach you to cook; that would be fun, and useful too.So I travelled round among the toy shops, but everything large cost toomuch and I was thinking I should have to give it up, when I met UncleTeddy. As soon as he knew what I was about, he said he wanted to help,and insisted on buying the biggest toy stove we could find. I scolded,but he only laughed, and teased me about my cooking when we were young,and said I must teach Bess as well as you, and went on buying all sortsof nice little things for my 'cooking class' as he called it."
"I'm so glad you met him!" said Daisy, as Mrs. Jo stopped to laugh atthe memory of the funny time she had with Uncle Teddy.
"You must study hard and learn to make all kinds of things, for he sayshe shall come out to tea very often, and expects something uncommonlynice."
"It's the sweetest, dearest kitchen in the world, and I'd ratherstudy with it than do anything else. Can't I learn pies, and cake, andmacaroni, and everything?" cried Daisy, dancing round the room with anew saucepan in one hand and the tiny poker in the other.
"All in good time. This is to be a useful play, I am to help you, andyou are to be my cook, so I shall tell you what to do, and show you how.Then we shall have things fit to eat, and you will be really learninghow to cook on a small scale. I'll call you Sally, and say you are a newgirl just come," added Mrs. Jo, settling down to work, while Teddy saton the floor sucking his thumb, and staring at the stove as if it was alive thing, whose appearance deeply interested him.
"That will be so lovely! What shall I do first?" asked Sally, with sucha happy face and willing air that Aunt Jo wished all new cooks were halfas pretty and pleasant.
"First of all, put on this clean cap and apron. I am ratherold-fashioned, and I like my cook to be very tidy."
Sally tucked her curly hair into the round cap, and put on the apronwithout a murmur, though usually she rebelled against bibs.
"Now, you can put things in order, and wash up the new china. The oldset needs washing also, for my last girl was apt to leave it in a sadstate after a party."
Aunt Jo spoke quite soberly, but Sally laughed, for she knew who theuntidy girl was who had left the cups sticky. Then she turned up hercuffs, and with a sigh of satisfaction began to stir about her kitchen,having little raptures now and then over the "sweet rolling pin," the"darling dish-tub," or the "cunning pepper-pot."
"Now, Sally, take your basket and go to market; here is the list ofthings I want for dinner," said Mrs. Jo, giving her a bit of paper whenthe dishes were all in order.
"Where is the market?" asked Daisy, thinking that the new play got moreand more interesting every minute.
"Asia is the market."
Away went Sally, causing another stir in the schoolroom as she passedthe door in her new costume, and whispered to Demi, with a face full ofdelight, "It's a perfectly splendid play!"
Old Asia enjoyed the joke as much as Daisy, and laughed jollily as thelittle girl came flying into the room with her cap all on one side, thelids of her basket rattling like castanets and looking like a very crazylittle cook.
"Mrs. Aunt Jo wants these things, and I must have them right away," saidDaisy, importantly.
"Let's see, honey; here's two pounds of steak, potatoes, squash, apples,bread, and butter. The meat ain't come yet; when it does I'll send itup. The other things are all handy."
Then Asia packed one potato, one apple, a bit of squash, a little patof butter, and a roll, into the basket, telling Sally to be on the watchfor the butcher's boy, because he sometimes played tricks.
"Who is he?" and Daisy hoped it would be Demi.
"You'll see," was all Asia would say; and Sally went off in greatspirits, singing a verse from dear Mary Howitt's sweet story in rhyme:
"Away went little Mabel, With the wheaten cake so fine, The new-made pot of butter, And the little flask of wine."