Marjorie's Busy Days   By: Carolyn Wells (1862-1942)

Busy Days. Page 144]

MARJORIE'S BUSY DAYS

BY CAROLYN WELLS

AUTHOR OF THE "PATTY" BOOKS

GROSSET & DUNLAP PUBLISHERS NEW YORK

Made in the United States of America

Copyright, 1906 By DODD, MEAD & COMPANY Published, October, 1908

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE

I A JOLLY GOOD GAME 1

II AN EXASPERATING GUEST 15

III PICNIC PLANS 28

IV AN OURDAY 43

V A NOVEL PICNIC 55

VI THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL 72

VII THE JINKS CLUB 84

VIII SPELLING TROUBLES 99

IX A REAL ADVENTURE 114

X IN INKY PLIGHT 130

XI THE HALLOWE'EN PARTY 143

XII TOTTY AND DOTTY 159

XIII A FAIR EXCHANGE? 172

XIV A NOBLE SOCIETY 190

XV DISTURBED CITIZENS 204

XVI ROSY POSY'S CHOICE 220

XVII A SUBSTITUTE GUEST 235

XVIII THANKSGIVING DAY 252

XIX A SPOOL OF YARNS 265

XX THE CHARITY BAZAAR 278

CHAPTER I

A JOLLY GOOD GAME

"What do you say, King, railroad smash up or shipwreck?"

"I say shipwreck, with an awfully desert island."

"I say shipwreck, too," said Kitty, "but I don't want to swim ashore."

"All right," agreed Marjorie, "shipwreck, then. I'll get the cocoanuts."

"Me, too," chimed in Rosy Posy. "Me tumble in the wet water, too!"

The speakers in this somewhat enigmatical conversation were the four Maynard children, and they were deciding on their morning's occupation. It was a gorgeous day in early September. The air, without being too cool, was just crisp enough to make one feel energetic, though indeed no special atmospheric conditions were required to make the four Maynards feel energetic. That was their normal state, and if they were specially gay and lively this morning, it was not because of the brisk, breezy day, but because they were reunited after their summer's separation.

Though they had many friends among the neighboring children, the Maynards were a congenial quartette, and had equally good times playing by themselves or with others. Their home occupied a whole block in the prettiest residence part of Rockwell, and the big square house sat in the midst of about seven acres of lawn and garden.

There were many fine old trees, grassy paths, and informal flower beds, and here the children were allowed to do whatever they chose, but outside the place, without permission, they must not go.

There was a playground, a tennis court, and a fountain, but better than these they liked the corner full of fruit trees, called "the orchard," and another corner, where grapes grew on trellises, called "the vineyard." The barn and its surroundings, too, often proved attractive, for the Maynards' idea of playing were by no means confined to quiet or decorous games.

The house itself was surrounded by broad verandas, and on the southern one of these, in the morning sunshine, the four held conclave.

Kingdon, the eldest, was the only boy, and oftener than not his will was law. But this was usually because he had such splendid ideas about games and how to play them, that his sisters gladly fell in with his plans.