FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36  
37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   >>   >|  
est anxiety, she worked them back and forth, and up and down. "Nothing's broken," she said at last, and drew a long breath. "It's there," said Phronsie, through a rain of tears; "and it hurts, Polly;" and she began to wiggle the big toe, where around the nail was settling a small black spot. "Poor little toe," began Polly, cuddling up the suffering foot. Just then, a small and peculiar noise struck her ear; and looking up she saw Joel, with a very distorted face, making violent efforts to keep from bursting out into a loud cry. All his attempts, however, failed; and he flung himself into Polly's lap in a perfect torrent of tears. "I didn't--mean to--Polly," he cried; "'twas the--ugly, old hammer! oh dear!" "There, there, Joey, dear," said Polly, gathering him up in the other corner of the old chair, close to her side; "don't feel bad; I know you didn't mean to," and she dropped a kiss on his stubby black hair. When Phronsie saw that anybody else could cry, she stopped immediately, and leaning over Polly, put one little fat hand on Joel's neck. "Don't cry," she said; "does your toe ache?" At this, Joel screamed louder than ever; and Polly was at her wit's end to know what to do; for the boy's heart was almost broken. That he should have hurt Phronsie! the baby, the pet of the whole house, upon whom all their hearts centered--it was too much. So for the next few moments, Polly had all she could do by way of comforting and consoling him. Just as she had succeeded, the door opened, and Grandma Bascom walked in. "Settin' down?" said she; "I hope your cake ain't in, Polly," looking anxiously at the stove, "for I've found it;" and she waved a small piece of paper triumphantly towards the rocking-chair as she spoke. "Do tell her," said Polly to little David, "what's happened; for I can't get up." So little Davie went up to the old lady, and standing on tiptoe, screamed into her ear all the particulars he could think of, concerning the accident that had just happened. "Hey?" said grandma, in a perfect bewilderment; "what's he a-sayin', Polly--I can't make it out." "You'll have to go all over it again, David," said Polly, despairingly; "she didn't hear one word, I don't believe." So David tried again; this time with better success. And then he got down from his tiptoes, and escorted grandma to Phronsie, in flushed triumph. "Land alive!" said the old lady, sitting down in the chair which he brought her;
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   12   13   14   15   16   17   18   19   20   21   22   23   24   25   26   27   28   29   30   31   32   33   34   35   36  
37   38   39   40   41   42   43   44   45   46   47   48   49   50   51   52   53   54   55   56   57   58   59   60   61   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Phronsie

 

happened

 

screamed

 

perfect

 
broken
 
grandma
 

consoling

 

succeeded

 

brought

 

walked


Settin
 

Bascom

 
opened
 
comforting
 

Grandma

 
flushed
 

sitting

 

hearts

 
centered
 
moments

triumph

 

accident

 
particulars
 

tiptoe

 
standing
 
despairingly
 

bewilderment

 
triumphantly
 
anxiously
 

escorted


success
 
tiptoes
 

rocking

 

struck

 

distorted

 

peculiar

 

cuddling

 

suffering

 

making

 

violent


attempts
 

failed

 

efforts

 
bursting
 
settling
 

Nothing

 

anxiety

 

worked

 

breath

 
wiggle