APRIL 18: The Button Bag
“In a work bag,” said daddy, “there lived a button bag. The button bag was made of blue and white cambric, I believe you call it, and it had a blue silk ribbon around it at the top—I suppose a sort of neck-tie, one might say.
“At any rate, in this bag were loads and loads of buttons. The button bag was a very large button bag, and the work bag was a very large work bag.
“Whenever any one wanted a button, or whenever any one said they had lost a button or that a button was off, the work bag was taken out and then a button was found—always a button for everything that needed a button.
“And when any member of the household wanted to do a little mending, for everything that lacked a button there was always found to be one.
“What did the buttons and the button bag have to say to all this? Were they pleased they were so useful? We shall hear.
“‘When is the party going to be?’ asked the big, white button, with the shining face.
“‘Pretty soon,’ said the little green button, ‘pretty soon.’
“‘I’ve been to lots of parties,’ said a button with a funny little face, a face of some old, old knight or lord or something very noble!
“He had two sisters and a brother and the four of them were all just alike. They had never been used, as nothing had ever come up that needed their time and their presence. They had been in the button bag for years. But, of course, they were kept, for there might be a time, no one knows when or how soon, when the buttons with the faces might be just the ones wanted.
“‘It’s so nice,’ said the one who had just spoken, ‘that we arealways sure of a home. It’s so nice. Some would throw us away and would say they had no use for a lot of old buttons taking up room when they were about sure we’d never be used.
“‘But we don’t have to worry, for the mistress of the house who owns the work bag and the button bag and all the buttons, always says that we don’t eat or drink, meaning we don’t cost her any money, and we might be useful some time.
“‘She’s a sensible lady, yes she is. And we’re sure of a home, quite sure of one.
“‘But as I said I have been to a great many parties. Although I have lived in the button bag such a long time, once I lived on a handsome dress, oh, such a handsome dress, and then I went to great balls and parties and all.’
“‘Ah,’ said a big black button, ‘I’ve had a nice life, too. I’ve lived on fur coats. I’ve been on several, and I’ve been out on glorious bracing winter days when the snow came in my face and body all at once!
“‘I’ve been for sleigh-rides where bells jingled and where my button heart leaped for joy!’
“‘And I,’ said a little brown button, ‘have on the other hand been about in the summer. I belonged to a lovely bathing suit which belonged to a little girl, and I used to see the sand made into castles and bridges and rivers, and all sorts of marvelous things, and the lovely ocean would go over me—oh, it was so cool and refreshing!
“‘And all about me were happy, smiling people. Every one was shrieking with delight. If I had known how to shriek I would have called at the top of my voice, if I had a voice:
“‘“Oh, the button is happy, too, the button is so happy!”’
“‘Well,’ said the tan button, ‘we must get ready for the party, as we must frolic all night and then be back in our places by morning, so it won’t confuse or mix any one up who may sew in the morning.’
“‘Right,’ said all the buttons.
“So they all borrowed old pieces of ribbon from the bag and little pieces of thread, and they dressed themselves in fine array, and then they danced and sang in their little button voices, which, of course, aren’t real voices, but only make-believe ones. This was their song:
“‘The buttons are we, happy, gleeful and glad;We are of all kinds and we never are sad.We love those who use us and even those who do not;Ah, yes, indeed, we’re a merry, merry lot!’”
“‘The buttons are we, happy, gleeful and glad;We are of all kinds and we never are sad.We love those who use us and even those who do not;Ah, yes, indeed, we’re a merry, merry lot!’”
“‘The buttons are we, happy, gleeful and glad;We are of all kinds and we never are sad.We love those who use us and even those who do not;Ah, yes, indeed, we’re a merry, merry lot!’”
“‘The buttons are we, happy, gleeful and glad;
We are of all kinds and we never are sad.
We love those who use us and even those who do not;
Ah, yes, indeed, we’re a merry, merry lot!’”