"I guess I isn't hurted much. But I might 'a' bin! I don't want no mo' pony cart rides!"
Before the children and Wopsie could get up they heard a voice calling to them:
"Bress der hearts! Po' li'l lambs! Done got frowed out ob de cart, an' all busted t' pieces mebby. Well, ole AuntSallie'lltake keer ob 'em! Po' li'l honey lambs!"
Glancing up, Bunny and Sue saw a motherly-looking colored woman coming across the grass toward them. She held out her fat arms to the children and said:
"Now don't cry, honey lambs! Ole Aunt Sallie will tuk keer ob yo' all!"
The nice old colored woman, who called herself Aunt Sallie, bent first over Sue, helping the little girl stand up.
"Is yo' all hurted, honey?" asked Aunt Sallie, brushing the pieces of grass from Sue's dress.
"Oh, no, I'm not hurt at all, thank you," Sue replied. "It was a soft place to fall."
"An' yo', li'l boy; am yo' all hurted?" she asked Bunny.
"No, thank you, I'm all right. I used to be in a circus, so I know how to turn somersaults, you see."
"What's dat! A li'l boy like yo' in a circus?"
Aunt Sallie seemed very much surprised.
"Oh, it wasn't arealcircus," explained Sue.
"No, it was only a make-believe one," Bunny said, as he began to brush the grass off his clothes. "We had one circus in grandpa's barn," he said, "and another in some tents. Say, Wopsie, is you hurted?" Bunny asked.
By this time the colored girl had found out there was nothing the matter with her. Not even one of her tight, black braids of kinky hair had come loose. She stood up, smoothed down her dress, and said:
"No'm, I'se not hurted."
"Dat's good," said Aunt Sallie. "It's lucky yo' all wasn't muxed up an' smashed, when dat pony cart upset. Now yo' all jest come ober t' my place an' I'll let yo' rest. I guess heah comes de boy what belongs t' de pony."
The short-legged boy came running across the field. He was very much out of breath, for he had run a good way.
"Any—anybody hurt?" he asked.
"No," said Bunny, "we're all right, and your pony's all right too, I guess."
It seemed so, for the pony was eating grass as if he had had nothing to chew on in a long while. But then perhaps running made him hungry, as it does some boys and girls.
The boy, with the help of Aunt Sallie, turned the cart right side up, fixed the harness, and then got in to drive back to the place where the other ponies and donkeys were kept.
"Wait a minute!" cried Wopsie. "I done didn't pay yo' all fo' de chilluns' ride yet."
"Oh, never mind," said the boy. "I guess the man won't charge you anything for this ride, because the pony ran away with you. It wasn't a regular ride. I won't take your money."
"Oh, then we can save it for ice-cream cones!" cried Sue, for Wopsie had been given the money to pay for the children's rides in the pony cart.
"Ice-cream cones!" cried Bunny. "I guess you can't get any up here!"
"Oh, yes yo' kin, honey lamb!" exclaimed Aunt Sallie, as she called herself. "I keeps a li'l candy an' ice-cream stand right ober dere," and she pointed across the grassy lawn. "I was in my stand when I seed yo' all bein' runned away wif, so I come ober as soon as I could. I sells candy an' ice-cream cones, but I won't sell ice-cream much longer, 'causeit'll soon be winter. Den I'll sell hot coffee an' chocolate. But I got ice-cream now, ef yo' all wants to buy some."
"Yes, I guess we do," stated Bunny. "Come on, Sue and Wopsie. We'll have some fun anyhow, even if we did get runned away with."
"We's mighty lucky!" said Wopsie, as she watched the boy driving back in the pony cart. The little horse was going slowly now. "I guess we'll walk back," went on the colored girl. "It isn't so awful far."
Following Aunt Sallie, who was quite fat, the children and Wopsie walked across the green, grassy lawn, for it was still green though it was now late in the fall. Soon the green grass would be covered with snow.
Just as she had said, Aunt Sallie kept a little fruit, candy and ice-cream stand in the park. Soon the children and Wopsie were eating cones.
"Does yo' chilluns lib 'round yeah?" asked Aunt Sallie, as she stood back of her little counter, watching Bunny and Sue.
"We live at Aunt Lu's house—that is we'repaying her a visit," said Bunny. "We live a good way off, and we were on Grandpa Brown's farm all summer. We're going to stay here in New York over Christmas."
"Dat's jest fine!" exclaimed Aunt Sallie. "An' I suah hopes dat Santa Claus'll bring yo' all lots ob presents. Be yo' dere nuss maid?" Aunt Sallie asked of Wopsie.
"No, Wopsie's a lost girl," said Bunny.
"Lost? What yo' all mean?" asked Aunt Sallie. "She don't look laik she's lost."
"But I is," Wopsie said. "I'se losted all mah folks. Miss Baker, dat's de Aunt Lu dey speaks ob, she tuck me in. She's awful good t' me."
"We all like Wopsie," explained Sue. "She takes care of us."
"Wopsie!" exclaimed Aunt Sallie. "Dat suah am a funny name. Who gib yo' all dat name, chile?"
"Oh, dat's not mah real name," Wopsie explained. "Miss Lu jest calls me dat fo' short. Mah right name am Sallie Alexander Jefferson!"
The old colored woman jumped off thechair on which she had been sitting. She looked closely at Wopsie.
"Say dat ag'in, chile!" she cried. "Say dat ag'in!"
"Say what ag'in?" Wopsie asked.
"Yo' name! Say yo' name ag'in!"
"Sallie Alexander Jefferson. Dat's mah name."
To the surprise of Bunny Brown, and his sister Sue, Aunt Sallie threw her arms around Wopsie. Then the nice old colored woman cried:
"Bress de deah Lord! I'se done found yo'!"
She hugged and kissed Wopsie, who did not know what it all meant. She tried to get away from Aunt Sallie's arms, but the old colored woman held her tightly.
"Bress de deah Lord! Bress de deah Lord!" Aunt Sallie cried over and over again. "I'se done found yo'!"
Somehow or other Bunny understood.
"Is you Wopsie's aunt that we've been looking for?" he asked. "She lost her folks, you know, when she came up from down South. I heard Aunt Lu say so. Are you her aunt?"
"I suttinly believe I is, chile! I suttinly believe I is!" cried Aunt Sally. "Fo' a long time I'se bin 'spectin' de chile ob mah dead sister t' come t' me. Mah folks down Souf done wrote me dat dey was sendin' li'l Sallie on, but she neber come, an' I couldn't find her. But bress de deah Lord, now I has! I suttinly t'inks yo' suah am mah lost honey lamb! Her name was Sallie Jefferson. Jefferson was de name ob mah sister what died, an' she say, 'fore she died, dat she'd named her chile after me. So yo' all mus' be her."
"Maybe I is! Oh, maybe I is! An' maybe I'se found mah folks at last!" cried Wopsie, or Sallie, as we must now call her. There were tears of joy in her eyes, as well as in the eyes of Aunt Sallie.
"If you ask Aunt Lu maybe she could tell you if Wopsie is the one you're looking for," said Bunny.
"Dat's what I'll do, chile! Dat's what I'll do!" cried Aunt Sallie. "I'll shut up mah stand, an' go see yo' Aunt Lu."
And, a little later, they were all in Aunt Lu's house.
"Well, what has happened now?" asked Aunt Lu, as she saw the strange colored woman with Wopsie and the children.
"Oh, we was runned away with in the pony cart," explained Sue, "and we got spilled out, but we fell on some piles of grass and didn't get hurt a bit. And Aunt Sallie found us, and we bought ice-cream cones of her and—"
"And—and she's Wopsie's aunt, what we've been looking for," interrupted Bunny, fearing Sue would never tell the best part of the news. "This is Wopsie's aunt," and he waved his hand toward fat Aunt Sallie. "She's been looking for a lost girl, and her name is Sallie, and—"
"Dat's it—Sallie Jefferson," broke in the colored woman. "Mah name is Sallie Lucindy Johnson, an' I had a sister named Dinah Jefferson down Souf. So if dis girl's name am Sallie Jefferson den she may be mah sister's chile, an', if she am—"
"Why, den I'se found mah folks! Dat's what I has!" cried Wopsie, unable to keep still any longer. "Oh, I do hope I'se found mah folks!"
Aunt Lu and Mother Brown were very much surprised when Bunny Brown and his sister Sue came in with Aunt Sallie; and when they heard the story told by the nice, old colored woman, they were more surprised than before.
"Do you really think she can be Wopsie's aunt?" asked Mrs. Brown.
"It may be," answered Aunt Lu. "We can find out."
"Oh, I do hope I'se got some folks at last!" said Wopsie, over and over again. "I do hope I's gwine t' hab some folks like other people."
Aunt Lu asked Aunt Sallie many questions, and it did seem certain that the old colored woman was aunt to some little colored girl who had been sent up from down South, but who had become lost.
And if Aunt Sallie had lost a niece, and if Wopsie had lost an aunt, it might very well be that they belonged to one another.
"We can find out, if you write to your friends down South," said Aunt Lu to the old colored woman.
"An' dat's jest what I'll do," was the answer.
It took nearly two weeks for the letters to go and come, and all this while Wopsie was anxiously waiting. So was Aunt Sallie, for Bunny and Sue learned to call her that. She would come nearly every day to Aunt Lu's house, to learn if she had received any word about Wopsie.
And, every day, nearly, Bunny and Sue, with Wopsie, or Sallie, as they sometimes called her, would go to Central Park. They would walk up to Aunt Sallie's stand, and talk with her, sometimes buying sticks of candy.
For now it was almost too cold for ice-cream. Some days it was so cold and blowy that Bunny and Sue could not go out. The ponies and donkeys were no longer kept in the park for children to have rides. It wastoo cold for the little animals. They would be kept in the warm stables until summer came again.
Wopsie, or Sallie, still stayed at Aunt Lu's house, with Bunny and Sue. For Aunt Lu did not want to let the little colored girl go to live with Aunt Sallie, until it was sure she belonged to her. Aunt Sallie had made money at her little candy stand, which she had kept in the park for a number of years, and she was well able to take care of Sallie and herself.
"As soon as I hear from down South, that Aunt Sallie is your aunt, you shall go to her, Wopsie," Aunt Lu had said.
"Well, Miss Baker, I suttinly wants t' hab folks, like other chilluns," said the little colored girl, "but I suah does hate t' go 'way from yo' who has bin so good t' me."
"Well, you have been good, and have helped me very much, also," said Aunt Lu.
One day there was a flurry of snow flakes in the air. Bunny and Sue watched them from the windows.
"Oh, soon we can ride down hill!" cried Sue. "Won't you be glad, Bunny?"
"I sure will!" Bunny said. Then, coming close to Sue he whispered: "Say, maybe if we went up on the roof now, we could have a slide. Let's go. The roof is flat, and we can't fall off on account of the railing around it. Come on and have a slide."
"I will!" said Sue.
Putting on their warm, outdoor clothes, the children went up on the flat roof. There was plenty of snow up there, and soon they were having a fine slide. It was rather funny to be sliding up on the roof, instead of down on the ground, as they would have done at home, but, as I have told you, New York is a queer place, anyhow.
After a while Bunny and Sue grew tired of sliding. It was snowing harder now, and they were cold in the sharp wind.
"Oh, Bunny!" cried Sue, "I wonder if Santa Claus can get down this chimney? It's the only one there is for Aunt Lu's house, and it isn't very big. Do you think Santa Claus can climb down?"
"We'll look," Bunny said.
But the chimney was so high that Bunnyand Sue could not look down inside. They were very much worried as to whether St. Nicholas could get into Aunt Lu's rooms to leave any Christmas presents.
"Let's go down and ask her how Santa Claus comes," said Sue.
"All right," agreed Bunny, and down they went.
But when they reached Aunt Lu's rooms, Bunny and Sue found so much going on, that, for a while, they forgot all about Santa Claus.
For Aunt Lu was reading a letter, and Wopsie was dancing up and down in the middle of the floor, crying out:
"Oh, I'se got folks! I'se got folks!"
"Is Aunt Sallie really your aunt?" asked Bunny.
"Yes'm! She is. She is! I'se got folks at last!" and up and down danced Wopsie, clapping her hands, the "pigtails" of kinky hair bobbing up and down on her head.
And so it proved. The letters from down South had just come, and they said that Sallie Lucindy Johnson, or "Aunt Sallie," as the children called her, was really the aunt towhom Wopsie, or Sallie Jefferson, had been sent. The card had been torn off her dress, and so Sallie's aunt's address was lost. But that meeting in the park, after the pony runaway, had made everything come out all right.
The letters which Aunt Lu had written before, and the messages she had sent, had not gone to the right place. For it was from Virginia, that Wopsie came, not North or South Carolina, as the little colored girl had said at first. You see she was so worried, over being lost, that she forgot. But Aunt Sallie knew it was from a little town in Virginia that her sister's child was to come, and, writing there, she learned the truth, and found out that Wopsie was the one she had been so long expecting. So everything came out all right.
"Oh, but I suah is glad I'se found yo' at last!" said the nice old colored woman, as she held her niece in her arms.
"I suppose you are going to take her away from us?" said Aunt Lu.
"Yaas'm. I'd like t' hab mah Sallie."
"Well, now she can go. But I want you both to come back for Christmas."
"We will!" promised Aunt Sallie and little Sallie.
The word Christmas made Bunny and Sue think of what they were going to ask their Aunt Lu.
"Where does Santa Claus come down?"
"Is that chimney on the roof big enough for him?" asked Sue. "And hasn't you got an open fireplace, Aunt Lu?"
"No, we haven't that. But I think Santa Claus will get down the chimney all right with your presents. If he doesn't come in that way, he'll find some other way to get in. Don't worry."
So Bunny Brown and his sister Sue waited patiently for Christmas to come. Several times, when it was not too cold, or when there was not too much snow, the children went up on the roof. Once they took up with them a box, so Bunny could stand on it. He thought perhaps he could look down the chimney that way.
But the box was not high enough, and Bunny slipped off and hurt his leg, so he and Sue gave it up.
THE CHILDREN SAW MANY WONDERFUL THINGS IN THE STORES.THE CHILDREN SAW MANY WONDERFUL THINGS IN THE STORES.
Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue at Aunt Lu's City Home.Page 243.
Two weeks passed. It would soon be Christmas now. Bunny and Sue were taken through the New York stores by their mother and aunt, and the children saw the many wonderful things Santa Claus's workers had made for boys and girls—dolls, sleds, skates, toy-airships, Teddy bears, Noah's arks, spinning tops, choo-choo cars, electric trains, dancing clowns—little make-believe circuses, magic lanterns—so many things that Bunny and Sue could not remember half of them.
The children had written their Christmas letters, and put them on the mantel one night.
In the morning the letters were gone, so, of course, Santa Claus must have taken them.
Then it was the night before Christmas. Oh, how happy Bunny and Sue felt! They hung up their stockings and went to bed. Their rooms were next to one another with an open door between.
"Bunny," whispered Sue, as Mother Brown went out, after turning low the light; "Bunny, is you asleep?"
"No, Sue. Are you?"
"Nope. I don't feel sleepy. But does youthink Santa Claus will surely come down that little chimney, when Aunt Lu hasn't got a fireplace for him?"
"I—I guess so, Sue."
"Come, you children must get quiet and go to sleep!" called Mother Brown. "It will be Christmas, and Santa Claus will be here all the quicker, if you go to sleep."
And at last Bunny Brown and his sister Sue did go to sleep. The sun was not up when they awoke, but it was Christmas morning.
"Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas!" cried Bunny and Sue as they ran to where they had hung their stockings.
They found many presents on the chairs, over the backs of which hung their stockings, which were filled with candy and nuts.
"Oh, Santa Claus came! Santa Claus came!" cried Sue.
"Yep! He found the chimney all right!" laughed Bunny.
And such a Merry Christmas as the children had! There were presents for Mother Brown, and Aunt Lu, and some for Mary the cook, and Jane, the housemaid, and later inthe day, when Sallie and her aunt came, there were presents for them, also.
And when dinner time came, and the big turkey, all nice and brown, was taken from the oven, and put on the table, Mother Brown said:
"And now for the best present of all!"
She opened a door, and out stepped Daddy Brown!
"Merry Christmas, Bunny! Merry Christmas, Sue!" he cried, as he caught them up in his arms and hugged and kissed them.
And a very Merry Christmas it was. Mr. Brown had come to spend the holidays with his family in New York. And such fun as Bunny and Sue had telling him all their adventures since coming to Aunt Lu's city home. I couldn't begin to tell you half!
"I don't believe we'll ever have such a good time anywhere else," said Sue, as she hugged her new doll in her arms.
"Oh, maybe we will," cried Bunny, as he ran his toy locomotive around the room.
And whether the children did or not you may learn by reading the next book of thisseries, which will be named: "Bunny Brown and His Sister Sue at Camp Rest-a-While." In that I will tell you all that happened when the children went out in the woods, to live in a tent, near a beautiful lake.
"And so you two found Wopsie's aunt for her, did you?" asked Mr. Brown as he sat down, after dinner, with Bunny on one knee and Sue on the other.
"Well, I guess it was the runaway pony that did it," said Bunny, with a laugh. And I, myself, think the pony helped; don't you?
"Oh, Bunny!" whispered Sue that night, as she went to bed, hugging her new doll. "Hasn't this been a lovely Christmas?"
"The best ever," said Bunny, sleepily.
And so, for a little while we will say Merry Christmas, and good-bye, to Bunny Brown and his sister Sue.
Would you like to know what became of the good friends you have made in this book?Would you like to read other stories continuing their adventures and experiences, or other books quite as entertaining by the same author?On thereverse sideof the wrapper which comes with this book, you will find a wonderful list of stories which you can buy at the same store where you got this book.
Use it as a handy catalog of the books you want some day to have. But in case you do mislay it, write to the Publishers for a complete catalog.
Author of the Popular "Bobbsey Twins" Books, Etc.
Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding.Every Volume Complete in Itself.
These stories are eagerly welcomed by the little folks from about five to ten years of age. Their eyes fairly dance with delight at the lively doings of inquisitive little Bunny Brown and his cunning, trustful sister Sue.
BUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUEBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON GRANDPA'S FARMBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE PLAYING CIRCUSBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CAMP-REST-A-WHILEBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT AUNT LU'S CITY HOMEBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE BIG WOODSBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON AN AUTO TOURBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR SHETLAND PONYBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE GIVING A SHOWBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT CHRISTMAS TREE COVEBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE IN THE SUNNY SOUTHBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE KEEPING STOREBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AND THEIR TRICK DOGBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE AT A SUGAR CAMPBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON THE ROLLING OCEANBUNNY BROWN AND HIS SISTER SUE ON JACK FROST ISLAND
GROSSET & DUNLAP,Publishers, NEW YORK
For Little Men and Women
Author of "The Bunny Brown Series," Etc.
Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding.Every Volume Complete in Itself.
These books for boys and girls between the ages of three and ten stands among children and their parents of this generation where the books of Louisa May Alcott stood in former days. The haps and mishaps of this inimitable pair of twins, their many adventures and experiences are a source of keen delight to imaginative children everywhere.
THE BOBBSEY TWINSTHE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE COUNTRYTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE SEASHORETHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SCHOOLTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT SNOW LODGETHE BOBBSEY TWINS ON A HOUSEBOATTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT MEADOW BROOKTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT HOMETHE BOBBSEY TWINS IN A GREAT CITYTHE BOBBSEY TWINS ON BLUEBERRY ISLANDTHE BOBBSEY TWINS ON THE DEEP BLUE SEATHE BOBBSEY TWINS IN THE GREAT WESTTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT CEDAR CAMPTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AT THE COUNTY FAIRTHE BOBBSEY TWINS CAMPING OUTTHE BOBBSEY TWINS AND BABY MAY
Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York
Author of The Bobbsey Twins Books, The Bunny Brown Series, The Blythe Girls Books, Etc.
Durably Bound. Illustrated. Uniform Style of Binding.Every Volume Complete in Itself.
Delightful stories for little boys and girls which sprung into immediate popularity. To know the six little Bunkers is to take them at once to your heart, they are so intensely human, so full of fun and cute sayings. Each story has a little plot of its own—one that can be easily followed—and all are written in Miss Hope's most entertaining manner. Clean, wholesome volumes which ought to be on the bookshelf of every child in the land.
SIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDMA BELL'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT AUNT JO'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COUSIN TOM'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT GRANDPA FORD'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT UNCLE FRED'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT CAPTAIN BEN'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT COWBOY JACK'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT MAMMY JUNE'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT FARMER JOEL'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT MILLER NED'SSIX LITTLE BUNKERS AT INDIAN JOHN'S
Grosset & Dunlap,Publishers,New York
Individual Colored Wrappers and Text Illustrations Drawn byWALTER S. ROGERS
Honey Bunch is a dainty, thoughtful little girl, and to know her is to take her to your heart at once.
Little girls everywhere will want to discover what interesting experiences she is having wherever she goes.
HONEY BUNCH: JUST A LITTLE GIRLHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST VISIT TO THE CITYHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST DAYS ON THE FARMHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST VISIT TO THE SEASHOREHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST LITTLE GARDENHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST DAYS IN CAMPHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST AUTO TOURHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST TRIP ON THE OCEANHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST TRIP WESTHONEY BUNCH: HER FIRST SUMMER ON AN ISLAND
GROSSET & DUNLAP,Publishers, NEW YORK
Attractively Bound. Illustrated. Colored Wrappers.
Marjorie is a happy little girl of twelve, up to mischief, but full of goodness and sincerity. In her and her friends every girl reader will see much of her own love of fun, play and adventure.
MARJORIE'S VACATIONMARJORIE'S BUSY DAYSMARJORIE'S NEW FRIENDMARJORIE IN COMMANDMARJORIE'S MAYTIMEMARJORIE AT SEACOTE
Introducing Dorinda Fayre—a pretty blonde, sweet, serious, timid and a little slow, and Dorothy Rose—a sparkling brunette, quick, elf-like, high tempered, full of mischief and always getting into scrapes.
TWO LITTLE WOMENTWO LITTLE WOMEN AND TREASURE HOUSETWO LITTLE WOMEN ON A HOLIDAY
Dick and Dolly are brother and sister, and their games, their pranks, their joys and sorrows, are told in a manner which makes the stories "really true" to young readers.
DICK AND DOLLYDICK AND DOLLY'S ADVENTURES
GROSSET & DUNLAP,Publishers, New York
Transcriber's NotesObvious punctuation errors repaired.The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text willappear.
Obvious punctuation errors repaired.
The remaining corrections made are indicated by dotted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mouse over the word and the original text willappear.