THE HOUSE OF THE GRANDMOTHERS.CHAPTER II.—Mary Ellen’s Birthday Celebration.
There were two or three other events in her baby days that little Mary Ellen always wished she could remember.
THE BIG CAT-BASKET.
THE BIG CAT-BASKET.
THE BIG CAT-BASKET.
One was her first birthday celebration. It was not like any that any other little baby ever had. Little Mary Ellen had a birthday when she was six months old!
The youngest of the four great-grandmothers, Mrs. Persis, was talking one day with Madam Esther, the next-to-the-oldest great-grandmother. “It is time Nan’s baby had some kind of a celebration,” said she. “Why not let her have a birthday the day she is six months old?”
“Who ever heard of such a thing!” Madam Esther gasped.
“Why,wehave!” laughed Grandmother Lee, Mary Ellen’s father’s mother. “All we six here have heard of it, hav’n’t we, just this very minute?”
“Well, thisisan idea,” said Grandmother Camp, Mary Ellen’s mother’s mother. “A birthday at six months old! Still, if we choose, what is to prevent? I’ll ring for Nan.”
They were all in Miss Persis’ room, the large southwest corner room, in their rocking-chairs, sitting in the sun. The cats lay in the big cat-basket, basking in the golden warmth.
When Mama Nan came in, her mother told her the plan. “Did I ever hear anything so absurd!” cried Mama Nan.
Papa Dick said, “Why not?” and helped the plan on.
So Mary Ellen had the celebration. It was held in Mrs. Persis’ sunny sitting-room, and she was taken in in her best embroidered robe and blue ribbons with a pink rose stuck in each bow, and the cats had new blue ribbons with rosebuds tied in—and what do you think was the center-piece on the tea-table?
Why, Mary Ellen herself, on a pink sofa pillow, nestled in among the big lace ruffles!
And her birthday presents? Six white sugar-candy doves. And when, one by one, they were held up to her face to see, what do you think Mary Ellen did? At the last dove she put out her little pink tongue on its white breast and had her first taste of candy.
MARY ELLEN AND THE CANDY DOVE.
MARY ELLEN AND THE CANDY DOVE.
MARY ELLEN AND THE CANDY DOVE.
It was a beautiful time, and too bad it was little Mary Ellen couldn’t ever remember it!
Ella Farman Pratt.