w dresses was a
long pasteboard box which she opened, smiling at our expectant faces.
From it she drew the biggest, prettiest doll-baby we had ever seen, in a
blue silk frock with a sash to match. She had real hair, curly and black
as a coal, and round black eyes and a cherry-ripe mouth. I reached out
both hands, and a cry of rapture rushed from my heart to my lips--an
inarticulate gurgle of ineffable happiness.

My mother did not see my gesture. I hope she did not hear the cry. She
laid the doll-baby in Mary 'Liza's arms.

"Mrs. Hutcheson, who was your mother's dearest friend, sent that to you
with her love."

For me there was a trumpery book, with very few pictures, and a good
deal of reading in it--also from Mrs. Hutcheson.

"She thought it might coax you to learn how to read. I was ashamed to
have to say that my little girl does not know her letters yet," said my
much-tried parent. "And your father brought you a Noah's Ark."

I received book and Ark without a word, and marched toward the door, my
heart ready to break.

"What do you say for your presents, Molly?"

I stood stock-still, my eyes on the floor.

My mother quietly and sorrowfully took the painted Ark from my hand.

"When you can say 'thank you,' and stop pouting, you can have it back,"
she said, in gentle severity.

I dashed from the room around the house to the end porch. It was high
enough for me to stand upright under it and the sides were screened by a
climbing sweetbrier. I had often played Daniel in the lion's den there,
assisted by a caste of small colored children. They were the lions, I,
with the choice of parts, electing invariably to play the persecuted
and finally triumphant biped. The fury of forty wild beasts was in my
heart, as I pushed aside the prickly branches and crept into my lair.
The den was paved with bricks, loosely laid. With a pointed stick I
pried one up, and scooped out with my hands a grave deep enough to hold
the hateful book with the few pictures and the much reading. I thrust it
in without benefit of clergy, hustled the earth back upon it, pounded
the brick into place, and lay flat down upon the dishonored tomb.

Mam' Chloe found me there at dinner-time, fast asleep. She dragged me
back to consciousness and the open air by the heels. Not in wanton
cruelty, but she was a large woman, and could get at me in no other way.
While she washed and made me decent in clean frock, apron, and
pantalettes, she scolded me for