so the days went by till the time came for the opening of the bazar. it was to be held in the little hall which served as a place of amusement for the community of summer visitors. here concerts were given, dances took place, lecturers found a platform. on this occasion it was decorated with greens from the woods. tea was served in a tent outside near a gypsy camp where pretended fortunes were told by a pretty girl with dark eyes, whose costume made one almost believe she really belonged to that wandering race. a bower of green in one corner of the hall sheltered the flower girls who offered all kinds of blooms, from a bunch of field flowers to a bouquet of american beauty roses. another table showed such an array of cakes and candies as made one's mouth water, while the articles of fancy work were so numerous that the children were afraid the half would not be sold. the dolls had a place of honor to themselves, the three donated by mrs. ramsey occupying the most conspicuous place.
dorothy and edna made their way to this table first of all, and dorothy was prompt in exchanging a quarter for her little doll in blue. "i was so afraid 144it would be sold first thing," she explained to edna, "and i still have seventy-five cents to spend on other things."
edna was not so fortunate, for the doll of her choice was already sold, while the impossible one among mrs. ramsey's trio, was far beyond her pocket-book. "it is marked three dollars," she whispered to dorothy. so she put this out of her mind, and decided that she would first buy something to take home to her mother and sister and then, if there were enough left, she might get one of the little dolls.
the room was beginning to be thronged with people, although the children had arrived early, and it was noticed that sales were being made rapidly. everyone was eager to buy, though the cheaper articles went first, and edna had some difficulty in getting something very pretty for the amount she could afford. however, miss newman came to her rescue.
"here is a little girl," she said to one of the ladies behind the table, "who has worked very hard for this bazar, and who wants something very nice to take home for her mother. what is the very prettiest thing you have for twenty-five cents?"
"why, let me see," said the lady smiling down at edna, and then casting her eye over the table, "there ought to be some of those nice little handkerchief cases. there were several on the table, but they went off like hot cakes. i will see if there are 145any more that haven't been put out." she rummaged around in the boxes at the back, and finally produced what she was looking for which pleased edna greatly, and it was handed over to her. next a pretty picture-frame was chosen for celia and the most important purchases were made.
dorothy and jennie were wandering around together, the doll in blue sitting up very stiffly where dorothy carried it on her hand. jennie's father had given her two dollars to spend, and she had already parted with most of it. the caramels and panuchee were not to be resisted, and there were so many pretty things that one's money did not last long. "i wish papa would come," she remarked to her two friends. "i know he would buy something for me when he knows i can't buy it for myself."
"there he is now," cried edna as a tall man was seen making his way toward them.
jennie wedged her way between ranks of small boys who were consuming peanuts and pop-corn, and reached her father's side. "oh, papa," she cried, "i am so glad you have come. there is such a lovely crocheted sacque over here that i want you to buy for me to give to miss eloise."
"for you to give to miss eloise? why shouldn't i be giving things to miss somebody-or-other?"
"because i think it would be nicer for me to. you can buy things for mother and me, if you want to."
"and for no one else?"
"oh, yes, you can get anything you choose for edna and dorothy."
"thanks for your kind permission. i think i know exactly what those young ladies would like. let's see about the worsted thingamabob first."
jennie led the way to the fancy table where the pretty light sacque changed hands, and with it under her arm, jennie followed her father across the room to where the array of dolls, considerably lessened in numbers, was displayed. mr. ramsey halted before the three which his wife had donated, and regarded them closely. "are those what your mother contributed?" he asked jennie.
"yes," she told him, "and they are the very prettiest ones."
"so they are," put in the lady in attendance, "but because they are the highest priced they have not been sold yet. don't you want one for your little girl, mr. ramsey?"
"i want three for three little girls," he said taking out a roll of bills. "where are edna and dorothy, jennie?"
"oh, they are over there at the candy table."
"see if you can get them to come over here. i can't be seen carrying three dolls around with me."
jennie wormed her way through the crowd with surprising agility and reached her two friends who had just bought five cents worth of panuchee apiece. "come over here," she said breathlessly; "papa 147wants to speak to you." tall as he was mr. ramsey was easily discovered and the three little girls were not long in reaching him.
"here you are," he said. "now, which one of you did i overhear expressing her admiration for this giddy creature in a ball dress?"
"oh, did you hear?" asked edna. "i think it must have been i who liked it so much."
mr. ramsey lifted down the doll and placed it in edna's arms. "o!" she breathed rapturously, "do you really mean she is mine? i don't know how to thank you."
"then don't try," replied mr. ramsey laughing. "now then, it seems to me i heard someone say that this one with the dark locks would be her choice. the voice sounded very much like dorothy's if i am not mistaken. how is that, dorothy?"
"oh, i did say i liked that one best."
"then yours she is." and dorothy was made happy by receiving the dark-haired doll into her arms.
"now, miss jane," continued mr. ramsey, "there is but one left for you. do you think you would like this smiling creature with the wonderful hat?"
"oh, papa, of course i would. if i had had first choice i would have taken that one."
"then here you are, my lady jane." and the third doll was embraced by her new mamma.
"i think you are the loveliest father ever was," said jennie. "oh, girls, isn't it fine that we have all three? do let's find mamma and tell her." holding their dolls very carefully they made their way through the crowd to mrs. ramsey, who was serving as cashier at a little table near the door. "oh, mother," cried jennie, "do see our dolls. papa bought us each one."
"why it seems to me i recognize them as old friends," said mrs. ramsey.
"aren't you glad papa bought them?"
"i am very glad if you are, and i should judge by your looks that you are not ill-pleased."
"i would rather have mine than anything else in the whole room," said edna fervently. "i was so in love with this one in her party dress."
"and i did admire this dear child in her automobile coat and bonnet," chimed in dorothy.
"and i am perfectly satisfied with mine," said jennie. "mother, what shall we name them?"
"suppose you wait till we get back home. just now i am pretty busy, as you may see."
"and have you taken in much money?"
"nearly two hundred dollars according to the last count."
"oh, that is a great deal, isn't it?"
"yes, it is really more than we hoped to get, and i am sure we shall have the full two hundred, if not 149more, though there is not much left except eatables."
the little girls walked away proudly carrying their dolls. "have you spent all your money?" dorothy asked jennie.
"no, not quite. have you?"
"nearly all. i think i have only about ten cents. have you any, edna?"
"a little. what are you going to buy with yours, jennie?"
"i haven't decided, but i suppose something to eat or some flowers, for nearly all the cheap things are gone except those. i don't want my fortune told, do you?"
"no, i would rather spend it at the fishpond."
"then let's go there. i think that will be more fun than anything else."
the fishpond was out of doors and had been so greatly patronized that it was a very difficult matter to keep it stocked with fish of proper quality, and latterly there had been frequent raids upon the candy stand for such things as might serve for fish. the three little girls standing in a row waiting their turn noticed a small chap holding fast to his smaller sister's hand. both were deeply interested at each draw from the pond, and watched eagerly as the small packages were opened. they were a quaint little pair, for the boy's trousers were very long for his short legs and his shirt sleeves 150were correspondingly short for his arms. the little curly-headed girl wore a very stiffly starched, very short frock which stood out all around and showed her chubby knees and bare legs. she kept her eyes fixed with admiring awe upon the three dolls, and lost all interest in the fish-pond as soon as the three friends arrived upon the scene.
"what did you get from the pond?" asked jennie who was standing nearest the boy.
"didn't get nawthin'." he answered.
"oh, didn't you? why not?"
"didn't have no money."
"oh, that was too bad. did you spend it all before you knew there was a fishpond?"
"naw. didn't have none to spend."
"oh." jennie looked at the pair and then she looked at her two friends. edna interpreted the look and nodded understandingly, but dorothy looked a little puzzled. the coast was not clear and dorothy stepped up, but edna gave her skirt a little twitch. "wait," she whispered.
"what for?"
then edna said something in a low tone and dorothy turned to look at the little boy and his sister who had crowded near to watch.
"wouldn't you like to try?" asked jennie.
"'course i would," said the boy, but with no hope of such good luck.
"all right," said jennie, laying down his nickel and handing him the pole.
the boy shot her one look of delight and surprise and let his line drop into the pond. when he drew it out with a package dangling from the hook, he turned to his little sister. "come on, sis," he said, "you and me'll open it together."
curly-head followed him with pleased expectancy, and when they opened the package to disclose several pieces of panuchee, it was share and share alike.
"that's a nice generous boy," whispered jennie to her companions. "i know what i am going to do; i am going to let him spend the rest of my money."
"and i'll let the little girl spend mine," declared edna.
"where do i come in?" asked dorothy. "to be sure i have only ten cents and it wouldn't go a great way. i wonder if there are any more children who haven't had any money to spend."
"i don't see how we can find out," said jennie, "for they might pretend if we asked. this little fellow told without our asking, you see."
"oh, well, i know what i can do. i will buy him something to take home to his mother, and that will be just as good."
during this time the two children had been devouring the candy, and soon had finished the last piece. "do you want to fish in the pond?" edna asked the little girl.
"yeth," she answered bashfully.
"then come on." she was given the pole and with a rapturous giggle drew forth another package which proved to contain two little cakes, which soon followed the way of the candy.
"now they must have some ice-cream," decided jennie.
"you don't suppose it will make them sick, do you?" said dorothy.
"of course not. it hasn't made us sick, and why should it make them? we have eaten twice as much stuff as they have."
this silenced dorothy, and the children were made happy by being served with two saucers of ice-cream which they ate solemnly, aware that they were being watched by their benefactors.
when the last drop had vanished jennie and edna each took her last nickel and gave it to the children. "now," said they, "this is for you to spend anyway you like."
"and this," said dorothy, bringing forth her ten cents, "is for you to spend for your mother. now don't forget," she charged the boy. "you understand it is to buy something for your mother."
he nodded, and without a word started at once for the fish-pond, the money clutched safely in one hand and the other holding the fat little fingers of 153his sister. evidently there was no joy in life equal to fishing, in the eyes of this son of a fisherman.
"do you suppose he is going to spend it all at the fish-pond?" said dorothy as she watched him trudge off.
"oh, never mind if he does. no doubt his mother will be just as well pleased with what he brings from there as anything."
by this time the tables in the hall were swept of nearly everything salable, and the tea had given out in the tea-tent. only a few persons remained, and these were making ready to go. as they passed the fish-pond, they saw that the lines were taken in and the young lady in charge was preparing to shut up shop. ahead of them young fisherman and curly-head were toddling home, each clutching a parcel.
"i wonder what they have," said jennie. "let's run after them and see."
they were not long in catching up with the toddlers. "what did you get?" asked jennie.
the boy slowly unwound a long piece of string from the package and brought to view a piece of soap. "that's for mother," he said.
"thith ith for muvver, too," said curly-head holding out a small paper bag. jennie opened it to find therein a roll of tape.
the little girls tried to keep from laughing, but hardly succeeded. "you'd better toddle home," said jennie. "the bazar is over."
the children did not stir, but watched their friends depart. when they were nearly out of hearing, came back to them these words: "the ice-cream was awful good." so did young fisherman make known his appreciation. curly-head echoed his words, but her little voice did not carry far enough for the girls to hear.
"where have you been?" asked mrs. ramsey when they at last returned to the hall.
"we've been spending the last of our money," jennie told her. "did you make two hundred dollars, mother?"
"we think so, though it has not all been turned in yet. your money seems to have lasted pretty well if you have just spent the last of it."
jennie laughed, and then told about the funny pair with their piece of soap and roll of tape. but somehow it didn't appear so funny to her mother as she expected it would, for instead of laughing she gathered the three children to her and kissed them all three, murmuring, "you dears."
when all the returns were made it was found that a little over the two hundred dollars had been taken in, and this was expected to be quite enough to buy furniture for the new house when it should be built. cap'n si was quite overcome, but had few 155words. it was not like his kind to express many thanks. the house was to be begun at once that it might be ready before cold weather. enough had been subscribed for a beginning to be made, and several gentlemen had pledged themselves to see it through in case there should be a lack.
the dolls returned in state to the house from which they had been taken, and the matter of names was much discussed. finally edna decided that she would name hers after mrs. ramsey and so her doll was called virginia. dorothy wavered between edna and jennie, but finally concluded the latter would be more in keeping with the occasion. jennie was not long in making up her mind that eloise should be the name of her doll.
"i have always thought it such a lovely name," she said, "and miss eloise will be so pleased, i know," as indeed she was.
mrs. morrison and louis had gone home just before the bazar came off, as they were to stop on the way to see mrs. morrison's sister, but louis told edna that his uncle justus had persuaded his mother to send him to boarding-school the next year, and strange to say he liked the idea, so it will be seen that uncle justus did have the talk he had in mind that evening of the sailing party. edna was not allowed to go away without having the sail to gosling island, and this time there was no headache to interfere, but all went smoothly, and the sail home by moonlight was something to be 156remembered. it was decided that the ramseys should go as far as boston with the little girls when they were ready to go home, and that a stop of a couple days should be made. miss newman and miss eloise closed the little bungalow, but hoped to return to it another year.
"i never dreamed of such a wonderful summer," miss eloise told her three little friends as they were taking that moonlight sail. "to think that i, poor invalid i, should actually have earned some money, and am so much better that i may be able to earn more. oh, my dears, you don't know what it means to me to help sister who has sacrificed her life to me. i am going to tell you that she gave up her lover and all her dream of a happy home, such as other women have, because i must be her first care. i want you to know how dear and good she is, for i don't think people always appreciate her. i have found that out since i have been more in the world and have seen more people."
this little group was to itself, miss eloise lying on a pile of rugs and the children around her. the others were in another part of the vessel.
"i am glad you told us," said edna, "for now we shall always remember how good she is, and we shall love her more than ever, but we can't help loving you best, miss eloise."
"oh, my dear, don't say that. i don't deserve half as much love as sister."
however this might be, it was a fact that no one could help loving miss eloise the best, though the little girls said to one another that night, "we must try to be extra nice to miss newman next year, because miss eloise wants us to."
it seemed quite as if it were time to go when the little bungalow was closed and the cottages, one after another, showed no sign of lights at night. there was a sound of hammers over on the point where the new house was going up for cap'n si, and it was expected the family would move in by christmas. the children wondered what kind of furniture would be bought with the two hundred dollars, but this they could not know till next year. however, amelia told jennie that her ma rather guessed they'd have a parlor organ if they didn't have anything else, and amelia was much set up in consequence.
"dear me," said mrs. ramsey when she was told this, "i was afraid of that. it is just like these people. but what is one to do?"
the days were growing shorter and september was well on its way when the trunks were packed ready for the start for home. "i should feel dreadfully about your going if i didn't expect to see you so soon," said jennie the night before her friends were to leave.
"we have had the loveliest time," edna told her, "and we're such intimate friends now that i am 158sure we shall never be anything else, even when we are very old."
but here mrs. ramsey appeared to say that if all three were to sleep in one bed, as they had begged to be allowed to do this last night, they must stop chattering and go to sleep. so there were only faint whispers for a little while after that and then these ceased.
