Little Sky-High Or, The Surprising Doings of Washee-Washee-Wang   By: Hezekiah Butterworth (1839-1905)

Or The Surprising Doings of Washee Washee Wang

by

HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH

Author of "In the Days of Jefferson," "The Bordentown Story Tellers," "Little Arthur's History of Rome," "The Schoolhouse on the Columbia"

[Illustration]

The "Nine to Twelve" Series ===========================

LITTLE DICK'S SON. Kate Gannett Wells.

MARCIA AND THE MAJOR. J. L. Harbour.

THE CHILDREN OF THE VALLEY. Harriet Prescott Spofford.

HOW DEXTER PAID HIS WAY. Kate Upson Clark.

THE FLATIRON AND THE RED CLOAK. Abby Morton Diaz.

IN THE POVERTY YEAR. Marian Douglas.

LITTLE SKY HIGH. Hezekiah Butterworth.

THE LITTLE CAVE DWELLERS. Ella Farman Pratt.

=========================== Thomas D. Crowell & Co. New York.

[Illustration: "IT OPENED A GREAT MOUTH, AND SMOKE SEEMED TO ISSUE FROM IT." Page 41.]

New York: Thomas Y. Crowell & Co. Publishers Copyright, 1901 By T. Y. Crowell & Co. Typography by C. J. Peters & Son. Boston, U. S. A.

NOTE.

The story of Sky High is partly founded on a true incident of a young Chinese nobleman's education, and is written to illustrate the happy relations that might exist between the children of different countries, if each child treated all other good children like "wangs."

28 Worcester Street, Boston. March 22, 1901 .

CONTENTS. PAGE I. Below Stairs 7

II. Before the Mandarin 13

III. Lucy's Cup of Tea 20

IV. How Sky High Called the Governor 26

V. Sky High's Wonder Tale 31

VI. The Mandarin Plate 35

VII. Sky High's Kite 39

VIII. A Wan 44

IX. Lucy's Jataka Story 48

X. Sky High's Easter Sunday 51

XI. Sky High's Fireworks 55

XII. A Chinese Santa Claus 62

XIII. A Legend of Tea 68

XIV. Mrs. Van Buren's Christmas Tale 70

XV. In the House Boy's Care 76

XVI. In the Little Wang's Land 82

LITTLE SKY HIGH.

I.

BELOW STAIRS.

The children came home from school Charles and Lucy.

"I have a surprise for you in the kitchen," said their mother, Mrs. Van Buren. "No, take off your things first, then you may go down and see. Now don't laugh a laugh that hurts anyone's feelings is so unkind tip toe too! No, Charlie, one at a time; let Lucy go first."

Lucy tip toed with eyes full of wonder to the dark banister stairs that led down to the quarters below. Her light feet were as still as a little mouse's in a cheese closet. Presently she came back with dancing eyes.

"Oh, mother! where did you get him? His eyes are like two almonds, and his braided hair dangles away down almost to the floor, and there are black silk tassels on the end of it, and kitty is playing with them; and when Norah caught my eye she bent over double to laugh, but he kept right on shelling peas. Charlie, come and see; let me go with Charlie, mother?"

Charlie followed Lucy, tip toeing to the foot of the banister, where a platform stair commanded a view of the kitchen.

It was a very nice kitchen, with gas, hot water and cold, ranges and gas stoves, and two great cupboards with glass doors through which all sorts of beautiful serving dishes shone. Green ivies filled the window cases, and geraniums lined the window sills. A fine old parrot from the Andes inhabited a large cage with an open door, hanging over the main window, where the wire netting let in the air from the apple boughs.

On reaching the platform stair, Charlie was as astonished as Lucy could wish.