A Little Girl in Old New York

e stood for Susan. The little girl was summoned, and the three, after the fashion of little girls, sat very stiff on their chairs and looked at ea

r a nosegay for them." Flower roots and shrubs had been brought d

up Houston Street. If something wasn't done to control immigration, we should soon be overrun. The Croton water had been such a great and wonderful blessing. And did her little girl go to school anywhere? Josie and Tudie went up First Avenue by Third Street to a Mrs. Craven, a rather youngish widow lady, who had two daughters of

wouldn't think of sending Ha

ry delicate child,"

ther, "but she is small for her age. And a

ng men belonged to you. And t

hed and betrayed her pride in

" Mrs. Dean went on. "I never

try girl than little lilybud Hannah. But they were all eager now, and even her cheeks were pink. They had talked themselves into friendshi

lied: "Why, yes, if her mother is willing. Sat

eyes entreated so wistfully. And t

er mother with a touch

stoop that evening. Ben was reading a book, Jim was trying the toes of hi

sie has seven dolls and Tudie four. Tudie gave two of hers away, and Josie has a lovely big wax doll that her aunt sent fr

d this in a

fully. "They're not much if they pla

half the boys at least, already, and all the boys that lived on the block. He

u'd just die of envy! Rosabelle May, think of it! And Lilian Alice Ludlow. Lily

y name?" asked the

lowly. "I just said it so it sounded like Anna. And Lily said she'd s

her will let me.

nice white apr

Hanny," began Ben, lo

only eleven.

is little sister down. To tell the truth she was very ambitious to know the Underhill

going up the street, "I half believe the little gi

never thought of it. But I d

d-what wil

ything. You don't suppose I'm a goose in pin-feathers, do you? I want to get acquainted with them. Of

many girls already. Jim wasn't a bit afraid of being called a "girl boy." Quite a number of people were sitting out on their stoops. It was the fashion then. Some of the ladies were knitting

r three had a small grass door-yard in front. Two girls were walking up and down with their arms

w in well-acted surprise.

er had not been arranged a few hours ago. "And this is

d called her "queer" and laughed. The child's f

sked Lily with the utmost nonchalan

s would come. She could never like this gir

for her size that mother would

the little girl, wh

ou? Jim thinks he wouldn't go b

ur head's level," in those days. But Jim answered for his

had all the talk, and they chaffed each other merrily.

ntly, and the little girl said in a

th them, so he could come back with her. But

said. "Come down a

ough. "Why didn't you ask them to walk up our way! And you

n't lik

ozen times a day, and walk to school with them, and they're nice

e girl be

re only eight, and I'm almost thirteen. And Lily Ludlow's nearly

e little girl. How could s

here, I'll ask father to take us to Tompkins Square on Sunday, and you shall p

the end of her starchy apron. Jim wa

ght the wolves would eat you up if y

using the back parlor as a sitting-room, and everybody seemed talk

d he would shortly be a full fledged M.D. He was so jubilant and the r

"Where's the hundred

the money yet. I thought the annou

tuck up there'll be no li

! But even his schoolmate was momentarily distanced by the thought of such a prize.

her white gown, half expecting a caller. When Lily entered

Rutgers-well, I suppose she isn't quite grown up, for she doesn't wear re

get acquainted with the young woman. And all

d her sister. "You might as well lo

reet, and capable of doing repairs. They rented out the second floor, as they could not afford to keep the whole house. But since Chrissy had found out that they were distant connections of some Ludlows quite well off and high up in

riod. He thought he found a great many in London. And even amon

They "made believe" days and nights, and measles and whooping cough, and earache and sore throat. Josie put on an old linen coat of her father's and "made believe" she was the doctor. And oh, the solicitude when Victoria Arabella lay at the point of death and they had to go round on tiptoe and speak in whispers

e white tablecloth and Josie's pretty dishes. There was a pitcher of hot water to make cambric tea, square lumps of sugar, dainty

uite an art in skipping gracefully without breaking step. When they wer

. He sat on the stoop and talked a little while with Mr. Dean, and said most cordially the other girls must come and

" had won a prize of one hundred dollars. And when Joseph passed

consideration, "if any of us get sick wi

Underhill. "That will be hi

. "He might come and live with us

tise in the ho

r us at all?" she

had faith in him," return

l, and when she had an opportunity she

"he might doctor Tabby, but I wouldn't

nd disappointment. "And if I was sick

her soft little face with his whiskers, and both of them laughed. But Joe promi

est vegetables there were in market, and the meat for the day. Their milk came from the Odells in West Farms, and their butter from Yonk

nsidered enough. They had green-apple pie. There was a very early pie-apple on the farm and George had brought some down for his mother. He was

would have been delightful but for the awful coldness of it! It froze the roof of her mouth and made an ache in t

do with that cream?" almost shrieked Ma

d the little girl

d laughed as if she would have a fit. There was a suspicious sound

came

nd I'll trade it for your peak of Greenland." He took

ha. When I am a big woman and make ice-cream I shall

ildren pulled, when they went off with a loud explosion in the middle and made you jump. There were real fire-crackers that the boys had, an

with them. Mrs. Dean was very glad to accept for herself and the children. There was a young lady next door, Miss Weir, that Margaret liked very

y shot up into heaven; there was a ship on fire, which really frightened her. And, oh! the noise and the people, the shouting and hurrahing, the houses trimmed with flags, the brass band that

stock of historical knowledge and knew what Fourth of July sto

explosive merit when touched by a piece of lighted punk. There was no school that day, and Steve took them up to West Farms to exp

her age? Is she real stro

her a little geography and arithmetic. She could hem very nicely now. She had learned to knit lace, and do some fancy work that was then called lap stitching. You pulled

ite bed-ticking, folded at the bottom. Every white stripe you worked with zephyr worsted in briar stitch or herring-bone or feather stitch. You cou

wonderful fairy stories. She was enraptured with the "Lady of the Lake," and some of Mrs. Howitt's stories and poems. She had learned her way about, and could go out to t

boys were to go up to Yonkers and help George and

with large eyes and a mysterious expression, begged her to come into the parlor and see something. She smiled and took Hanny's

and then mine forever and ever. Joe gave fifty dollars of his prize money tow

. The sound seemed to fascinate her. Margaret caug

e courage to ask for a piano, but it's the one thing above

I'm sure I don't see where you're going to get time to learn everything. And you'll

yed on the shady side of the street. The little girls had "Ring around a rosy," that I think Eve's grandchildr

o lords quite

or your daug

and averted war. And "Tag" never failed with its "Ana mana mona mike." You find c

d colored woman sat there, with a gay Madras turban, and a little table before her, that had a mysterious spring drawer. On one side she had a

okin' h-o-t. B-a-ked pears, baked pears-Get away, chil

a bit of paper. Wooden plates had not been invented. And the high art was to lift up your pear by the stem and eat it. Sometimes a mischievous companion would joggle your arm and the stem would come out-and oh, the pear would drop in