Mary's Rainbow

r a few minutes, the three had planned what they would do the very first thing in the morning; and the glances and smiles which passed between them during the meal, did not

el in the corner of the dining-room, carried it into the front hall and put it under the staircase. She waited until she saw them go into the libr

d to the library, the little ones had gone. A half hour later, he needed the hammer and nails; but they were not to be seen. After a long search, he thought he must have carried them to the telephone with him; but no, not a nail could he find. Suddenly, he remembered that he had promised to call up his lawyer that morning, and not being

ked the twin

irs with you. I have not s

be surprised if they were out in the yard

d it, and out sprang the pretty Angora kitten which the Doctor had brought to her little sisters a few evenings before. Down the hall toward the kitchen it fled, and Mary hurried out the side door to the yard. No sign of the children there, and Tom in the barn had not seen them that morning. She searched the basement and then returned through the kitchen and dining-room to the front hall, wher

o the box of nails before them and to the box cover in which lay a number of them c

ten the covers on his boxes of

ails and hammers and all things same as

re for them and can't imagine what has become of them. Surely, when he has nailed your box u

stand, Mary. We's makin

Put all the nails that you have wrapped so nicely into the box cover, and I shall ask Father to try to get along with tho

mournful as they crept o

it. Do you know anything

ry felt sure that they knew a great deal ab

the basket we fixed for you. Go right straight back there this instinct and don't be

smothered in the basket with that thick rug tucked in all around i

our nice s'prises ev'y single time, so you is! And we'

n we wrapped ev'y single nail so nice and smooth and packed the telefome book 'way, 'way down

again a better way. But I know something that would be a beautiful surprise for everybody in the whole house, and I am sure that no one else would think of doing it. There are things in the yard that we shall need at Bird-a-Lea, and if you three would go around and mark them with som

good color, Mary,

t we make ev'ything all red and blue and yellow all over?" she hastened to reply

kind of th

" And Dick bounded down the steps to put a

Come on, chilluns!" Berta led the way around to the back steps. A hoe and a spade stood between them and t

a puffeckly drefful long time to

e basket, Ber

n should be plainly marked, and the

we ought to mark

y! Doesn't you 'member? They's some in front and some in

a'l, so we can have nice rides in our own garden same as Dan

th us, I'll let you rid

s that,

ed cart that we harness a billy go

is a bil

er see a billy goat? He's just an

of a aman

big i

color

e color 'cept when he rolls in the dust, and he's got horns, and wh

I like a wheely-b

s a horse. He doesn't get mad very often; and when he does, we run behind trees so he can't

and Uncle Frank and Mary. It would be ever so much better if you would bring your billy cart and come to live at Bird-a-Lea. T

e how many children we have in our family. A fellow

then you will ride us in your billy cart, won't you, Dick? And when you come to

the garden benche

take this nice white walk. They's only all

lks and on the driveway. Everybody in the

red marks on everything they thought should be taken to the new

arked. Ourselves. We're no

andy came to call them to get washed before luncheon, she threw up her hands in horr

" and he had to turn aside and cough many times when he saw e

't nenny jes' 'zactly like these. And Beth and I can't 'member if they's nenny Kismus trees out there; so we

finer than this one in the country around our new home, pet. Santa Claus d

very well pleased, therefore, when they were dressed for the afternoon and sent out to play in the yard. The

s wrong now,

'After while,' and 'Not at present, thank you,' and all thing

nnybody for presents, Uncl

at all. We jes

Frank. Seems to me big folks are always sa

n this way. I must see what can be done about it. Surel

d and blue and yellow marks we made on ev'ything?" Beth lowered her

soon as I came out here.

ev'ybody to know jes' 'zactly the thin

looking untidy. I was thinking of hiring a man to put the yard in order after we go; but perhaps you would like to do it for me. There are a gr

ybe they's sp

for you. Beth doesn't like spiders and cr

need the proper things to work with. Tom's rake and broom are too large and clumsy for you. Supp

beaming. "Ev'ybody says they's puffeck

d wheelbarrow filled with garden tools and big sun hats. Berta came next with a small broom over each shoulder. Beth followed in the same man

ut all these things so ev'y

a hiding place for them in the barn. We are a little lat

the four took their

know the beauty grand s'prise we's going to make to-morrow morning

wasn't any room in the wheely-bal for it. But you'll take us for a

yn did not catch. He had been so long separated from his family that he was anxious to do everything he could to make them happy. "Making up for

e other evening, pet. What is

velvet, and inside is all white, shiny stuff and lace, and--and oh! it's jes beauty!

the Doctor chuckled. "We passed the undertaker's on t

ers looked a

e are safe in the country," Mrs. Selwyn declared, and the

it until Christmas when I shall tell Santa Claus to bring each of you a pretty brass bed for your dollies, with soft,

of relief, and Mary and Wilh