October 1, 2025 • 19 mins
In this enchanting tale, a doll gifted to a young girl on her birthday embarks on a heartfelt journey filled with adventures and missteps, all in a quest to earn the love of her new mother. Join her as she navigates the challenges of acceptance and belonging. - Summary by Emma Hatton
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Chapter four of the Diary of a Birthday Doll by
Ethel Doo. This is a Liberaryvox recording. All liberyvox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit liberyvox dot org. Thursday March the twenty first,
nineteen hundred and seven. Thursday March the twenty first, nineteen
(00:20):
hundred and seven. That's all I can do, repeat over
and over to myself. Thursday March the twenty first, nineteen
hundred and seven. Thursday March the twenty first, nineteen hundred
and seven. I shall never forget this day, never, never,
For today is the day that my heart was broken,
(00:42):
just broken, broken into as least as many pieces as
that delicate China Doll's body broke into when she fell
out of mama'd Lou's arms. I wish I could stop
thinking of my terrible trouble, for the pain of it
is more than I can endure. Pain in mind where
I can can't catch hold of what is paining. That's
(01:02):
because of all the public disgrace and pain in the
body where it hurts when I touch, And that's because
of the hair brush. Everyone must be sleeping now HiT's late.
I guess they're dreaming, but no one would ever dream
that a poor little doll, still nameless, is lying awake,
so so so miserable. Mama Lou is sleeping in the
(01:25):
room next to this. Do you remember, you, poor little doll, that,
when you first came here, not so very long ago, either,
though it seems an age, you used to imagine that
some night you'd get into that room with Mamma Lou
and dressed in her white little bed, on her nice
little pillow, hug tight in her soft pink arms. Mad
(01:47):
and Glady's told me last Monday that they've slept with
Mamma Lou lots of times, and they prefer their own beds.
Gladye's even said that it's mighty uncomfortable to be squeezed
as tight as Mamma Lou squeezes in her sleep. I knew, though,
that they simply couldn't appreciate their great good fortune, And
I thought that perhaps, if I'm very good and patient,
(02:08):
maybe just once Mamma Lu might I've tried so hard,
and now it's all over. She just never seemed to
care for me, that's all. Only once did she kiss
me good night, and she was always saying I was
sick or untidy. Today though, has just crushed me altogether.
Thursday the twenty first in March nineteen hundred and seven.
(02:31):
Thursday the twenty first in March nineteen hundred and seven.
How did it all come about? How did it all
come about? The days started well enough. Mamma Luke came
in as usual before going off to school and woke
Maud and Gladdy's with a kiss. She didn't kiss me,
but I tried not to care. I'm used to that already,
(02:52):
And anyhow, I could see that she was beginning to
think it unfair to leave me out, before she explained quickly,
don't forget that you're on trial for a week, Dolly,
and that's why I must be strict with you. You've
got such staring eyes. I'm awfully afraid that you're stubborn
and maybe mischievous, and I want to see just what
sort of girl you are before I name you. She
(03:14):
even petted me under the chin just before she left.
As soon as the girls were awake, I told him
the good news about Teddy Bear. Weren't they delighted? Though?
And oh the fun Gladdy's and I had all morning.
Mat is so very dignified. She wouldn't join us, but
she couldn't even help smiling. We laughed so much. There
(03:34):
lay Teddy under the bed, never opening his mouth, and
we two girls were making the funniest remarks at him
all morning. Of course, we didn't mean to hurt his
feelings because we all liked him, but oh the fun
we had. Once I said, I'm sure he's lost his ton,
don't you think so? Glad and I thought we'd die
(03:55):
of laughing. And Gladdy, she's rather clever and snappy, said,
I bet some something happened to it in the trunk. Now,
I remember when Mamma Lou locked Master theodorean Oh, she
pronounced his name too funny for anything. He cried out,
oh my tongue, My tongue is caught on a keyhole.
Don't you remember it? To you? Maud. I was just shrieking,
(04:17):
but Mad spoiled the fun a little by saying, now
you know it's not true, Gladys, and I'm sure that
I wouldn't make remarks about a young man who wouldn't
talk to me. She said this quite loud, and then
she coughed. I'm positive she was waiting for Teddy to say,
that's the way to talk, miss Maud, but he didn't.
I'm sure he didn't like it, for it certainly does
(04:39):
make you angry to talk and talk to a person
without being able to attract his attention. Well, the fun
lasted till Mamma lu came home from school. I'll never
laugh again, I'm sure never never. I noticed at once
that she was moving her jaws in a very queer way,
from the right side to the left, from the left
(05:00):
back to the right. I thought at first that she
was eating something, But for about two minutes she kept
chewing and chewing and looking down at us without a word.
And of course I knew that Mamma lou couldn't keep
on chewing one little mouthful of food for so long
without swallowing it right away. Maud sniffed and said pepsin
(05:22):
and Glatty's winter green, I think, And I said, girls,
what do you mean? Then Maud looked quite stern and said,
very severely, Mamma Lucy is doing something that is very naughty.
She is chewing gum, and her mama has forbidden her
to do it, expressly forbidden her. I've heard it myself,
(05:44):
but she wouldn't do anything that her mama has told
her not to do. I gasped, don't ask me to
believe that of my mama, lu maud It's only true.
Today must be one of her naughty days. She gets
them once in a while. I don't know whether I'm
I'm glad or sorry that Grandma Ellis is not home
again today. It would make her feel so sad to
(06:05):
see her Lucy disobeying her, and I'm sure that she
would be very angry. But then Mamma Lucy deserves to
be punished for being disobedient, and I am afraid she
won't confess. See how crooked her mouth looks already because
of that horrid stuff. She must have gotten it in
school from Winnie Campbell. I never did like that girl.
(06:27):
I was so shocked that I couldn't say a word
and just stared straight into Mamma Lu's eyes as she
bent over us, chewing just as fast as she could.
She picked me up and held me at arm's length
from her and said, first a cough, pause for a chew,
then a fever another chew, and now I've just got
(06:47):
to take it to the eye doctor. Three quick chews.
You must have something wrong with your eyes. I've never
seen a doll with such queer look as you have. No,
very likely not, Mamma lu I thought. Very few dolls
are unfortunate enough to have accidents before they are complete.
If I don't attend to your trouble while you're young,
(07:10):
you may go blind. Dolly. She looked sad for a moment,
then clapped her hands, laughed, and went on chewing. Oh
wouldn't that be just lovely, she cried, a blind doll.
I'll tell Winnie Campbell about it tomorrow. So it was Winnie.
Come on, Dolly, you poor blind child. You must have
(07:32):
an operation right away. You're awfully sick. Here. I guess
i'll undress you for the operation. Dear me, I was
scared while she was ripping out the thread that fastened
up my apron. Although I was glad to be rid
of that babyish thing, I was trembling all over. It
is just possible that I was nervous because I was
(07:54):
so shocked that she had disobeyed her mother. She sat
down in a chair and laid me, dressed only in
a chimiyes, face up on her legs. I think five
jews that time I counted them. Then I'll pick your
eyes out, Dolly, and then examine them to see what's
wrong with them. If they're all right, i'll stick them
(08:15):
back again. And if they're not, why you'll just have
big black holes for eyes. And be my poor blind child,
won't you be? Glad Dolly? Well hardly. I was half
fainting with terror. Now lie still and be good. I
won't hurt you, and it's got to be done. She
(08:36):
put one hand under the right and one hand under
the left side of my head and pressed a thumb
as hard as she could upon each eye. Maud and
Gladdy shrieked. I believe that I fainted, for I remember
nothing till I can't do it. Goodness, your eyes are strong,
Mamma Lou is grumbling. I'll have to leave them in.
(08:57):
They're fixed so tight. Oh, but mucilage is a faithful
friend that sticks to you forever. The danger was over.
Mama lu carried me back to bed, and it was sweet,
after my dreadful experience, to receive the congratulations that Gladys
and Maud poured in on me upon my lucky escape.
(09:19):
Mamma Lou meanwhile, sat on a chair and began to
play with her gum. What didn't she do with it?
She rolled it into circles, then cut it into squares
and diamonds with her sharp little teeth, pulled it into
tangible masses of thread, rolled it up again into a ball,
and popped it into her mouth. Ah, it made me sick.
(09:41):
I could just understand why her mama had forbidden her
to chew gum. At last, her conscience began to prick her.
Mama would be so angry if she saw me, wouldn't
she She said so solemnly. I wonder why I am
so naughty today. But Winnie Campbell coaxed me so hard.
I just had to take a piece. And anyhow, Mama
(10:03):
didn't tell me not to chew chewing gum. She said
to me, now, Lucy, I don't want you ever to
buy any chewing gum. You remember, don't you, Motty? That's
just what she said. I don't want you to buy
any and I didn't. I got it as a present.
Oh the sly child, Maud cried, she knows quite well
(10:25):
what her mamma meant. Did you ever, Well, today is
certainly one of her naughty days. See what she tried
to do with you, you poor dolly, and she'll be
up to more mischief today. I'm sure I couldn't get
as vexed as Maud could, but I did feel mighty sorry.
Poor Mamma Lou, I said to myself, So you're a
(10:46):
naughty child, Isn't that sad? Who would ever have thought it?
You look so sweet. I'm gonna read you some mother goosies.
Mamma Lu jumped up suddenly, mad, you're too old for them.
You may stay in bed, but Gladdie's and Dolly are
going to get out and listen. She tied a little
white bonnet on Glatty's head and sat her down on
(11:09):
the chair. Then she lifted me up and sat me
down in another Imagine how embarrassed I felt Gladdy's dressed
like a lady in a white and pink and me
with only a narrow tomaison and yesterday's pink ribbon in
my hair. Gladdie's sat beautifully like a lady. But I
was never very good at sitting. My joints were made
(11:30):
that way, and feeling as embarrassed as I did, I
was exceptionally clumsy. Mamma Lu was just asking who killed
cock Robin in an awfully stern voice, and frowning at
me as if she thought maybe I had done it,
though indeed I had never seen mister Robin in my life.
(11:50):
When I heard a bright, cheap jeep at the window,
at first I thought it was cock Robin come back
to life to accuse me, and I'm so scary, But
at once I remembered the sparrows again. Of course, I'm
sure I blushed to have perfect strangers see me dressed
like that the idea, and I was praying, praying that
(12:13):
Mammlu would stop reading and slip me back into bed.
When just how it happened I don't know, But maybe
I was stretching my neck the least bit to hear
what the sparrows were saying, or maybe I was dizzy
yet from my awful experience. But all of a sudden
I fell flat over on my side and bumped my
(12:36):
head real hard against the floor. I had just time
to catch one glimpse of Teddy under the bed. He
was looking at me very kindly. He has awfully nice
brown eyes. And then I heard the slamming of a book.
I was caught up roughly and shaken and shaken. You
naughty child, won't you behave? Cried Mamma lu in a
(12:59):
very angry voice. You're the worst child I've ever had.
And another shake and another. Oh those sparrows on the tree,
how surprised they look. I'm going to give you a
lesson once and for all, she continued, I will not
have such behavior in my family. She reached out for
a great big hair brush that was on the dressing
(13:20):
table near her. A hair brush, I thought, stupidly. Oh,
I was all dazed. What does she want with a
hair brush? My hair must be untidy, and I guess
she's going to comb me yet I trembled. I will
not have it, She went on, more and more excited.
Whennie Campbell knows how to make her children behave she
(13:41):
told me how today, and I'm just going to take
her advice. With a quick movement, she laid me over
her knee, face downward, rolled up my chmies, raised the
hair brush and no, no, I cannot repeat the rest.
I cannot cannot. Mad and Gladdy's were sobbing softly. When
(14:01):
she carried me back to the bed, and there was
a heavy breathing through the room. It might have come
from Teddy Bear. I could not say a word. I
was bruised and stiff from my ribs to my knees.
It was such a large hair brush, and she had
used the bristly side part of the time. And then
the disgrace, the awful shame of being pressed down tight
(14:24):
till I couldn't move, and then publicly spanked with a
hair brush before Maud and Gladys and Ted and the
two other sparrows. My heart was broken, Yes, my heart
was broken. I felt that I could no longer look
at anyone in the face. So dreadfully had I been
disgraced if it had only been on my shoulder or
(14:46):
on my face, anywhere, but where it was, and before
so many people. I lay quite still in my misery.
Soon the heavy breathing stopped. Mod and Gladys seized their
soft sobbing, and Mama Luke cruel Mamma Lou sat in
a corner and chewed sulkily. I thought that the sparrows
(15:06):
had flown away. There was no sound outside the window.
I don't care, she exclaimed suddenly, I don't care if
I heard a whole lot. She's a bad child, very disobedient.
I disobedient, mamma lou Then what are you? Oh? I
hate this chewing gum, she said, jumping up quickly. Hear you,
(15:28):
naughty child. She ran over to me and stuck the
little round ball on the palm of one of my hands,
the sticky mast pa. Take good care of it and
try to be a better girl. Gladdies, get back to bed.
You're naughty too. She bundled us all up together in
a sheet, looked at us, said I don't care several times,
(15:51):
then half crying, Oh, I I do. Wish Mama were home,
but she won't be till tomorrow. Home mamma, mamma, And
she rushed out of the room. Silence again, Then suddenly
outside the voice of an old sparrow. Ah, then they
hadn't been gone. Jeep cheep. I am just struck speechless
(16:13):
with astonishment. And it takes a good bit to make
a sparrow dumb. I can tell you what a disappointment
did I see? And hear? All right, my son? Or
am I dreaming? No, Mamma, your eyes are very good yet,
answered the young sparrow sadly. But I myself can hardly
believe that the little girl is always so good to us,
(16:36):
and whom we both admire, so can have such a
bad temper. I've made up my mind that will take
nothing more from her, son, said the mother, very excitedly.
A child that can beat a sweet little doll in
such a heartless way is not the sort of little
girl I want to take favors from. I have some pride,
(16:57):
though I am in rather poor circums, Danzas just at present.
Don't you agree with me? Son? Yes, mamma, of course.
But what if we're very hungry, asked the younger sparrow weakly.
We'll be taken care of he that guards young ravens,
and he knew who that is. We'll look after two
little sparrows too, was the answer. I've a good mind
(17:20):
to go and tell her mother of how she behaved.
Oh please, don't, mamma, promise me that you won't. I
never did think that it's fair for birds to go
sneaking around windows just to be able to tell mothers
what their children do. It seems so underhand, pegging your pardon, mom. Besides,
(17:40):
you can tell that she's sorry already, and don't forget
how good she's been to us, promise, promise, well, since
you seem to be very anxious, I won't. But really,
And then I heard the rustling of their wings as
they flew away. Their sympathy was soothing, so are Ma's
Glady's sobbing and Ted's heavy breathing. But anyhow, I'll never
(18:04):
be happy again. I know I never will. The girls
have been awake all night. They've been lying close to me,
lovingly and too kind to say a word, for fear
they might wound my feelings. Once Glattie's whispered very low
Dolly didn't hurt very much, and a gruff voice from
(18:25):
beneath the bed commanded keep quiet. Can't you do you
think she likes to be asked impernent questions? It was Ted.
Poor Glatty shrunk back, terrified and hasn't opened her mouth since.
Poor Glattie's I know she didn't mean any harm. I
wish that Mamma Lou had put the girls to bed properly.
(18:46):
They're not used to lying awake all night. Poor Mamma Lou,
Why were you so naughty today? You've made me burn
all over with shame. Mama Lou, Oh will I never forget?
And a how any massive gum It is just paralyzing
my hand all night long. I'm repeating Thursday, the twenty
(19:07):
first of March nineteen hundred and seven. Thursday, the twenty
first end of Chapter four
Chapter four of the Diary of a Birthday Doll by
Ethel Doo. This is a Liberaryvox recording. All liberyvox recordings
are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer,
please visit liberyvox dot org. Thursday March the twenty first,
nineteen hundred and seven. Thursday March the twenty first, nineteen
(00:20):
hundred and seven. That's all I can do, repeat over
and over to myself. Thursday March the twenty first, nineteen
hundred and seven. Thursday March the twenty first, nineteen hundred
and seven. I shall never forget this day, never, never,
For today is the day that my heart was broken,
(00:42):
just broken, broken into as least as many pieces as
that delicate China Doll's body broke into when she fell
out of mama'd Lou's arms. I wish I could stop
thinking of my terrible trouble, for the pain of it
is more than I can endure. Pain in mind where
I can can't catch hold of what is paining. That's
(01:02):
because of all the public disgrace and pain in the
body where it hurts when I touch, And that's because
of the hair brush. Everyone must be sleeping now HiT's late.
I guess they're dreaming, but no one would ever dream
that a poor little doll, still nameless, is lying awake,
so so so miserable. Mama Lou is sleeping in the
(01:25):
room next to this. Do you remember, you, poor little doll, that,
when you first came here, not so very long ago, either,
though it seems an age, you used to imagine that
some night you'd get into that room with Mamma Lou
and dressed in her white little bed, on her nice
little pillow, hug tight in her soft pink arms. Mad
(01:47):
and Glady's told me last Monday that they've slept with
Mamma Lou lots of times, and they prefer their own beds.
Gladye's even said that it's mighty uncomfortable to be squeezed
as tight as Mamma Lou squeezes in her sleep. I knew, though,
that they simply couldn't appreciate their great good fortune, And
I thought that perhaps, if I'm very good and patient,
(02:08):
maybe just once Mamma Lu might I've tried so hard,
and now it's all over. She just never seemed to
care for me, that's all. Only once did she kiss
me good night, and she was always saying I was
sick or untidy. Today though, has just crushed me altogether.
Thursday the twenty first in March nineteen hundred and seven.
(02:31):
Thursday the twenty first in March nineteen hundred and seven.
How did it all come about? How did it all
come about? The days started well enough. Mamma Luke came
in as usual before going off to school and woke
Maud and Gladdy's with a kiss. She didn't kiss me,
but I tried not to care. I'm used to that already,
(02:52):
And anyhow, I could see that she was beginning to
think it unfair to leave me out, before she explained quickly,
don't forget that you're on trial for a week, Dolly,
and that's why I must be strict with you. You've
got such staring eyes. I'm awfully afraid that you're stubborn
and maybe mischievous, and I want to see just what
sort of girl you are before I name you. She
(03:14):
even petted me under the chin just before she left.
As soon as the girls were awake, I told him
the good news about Teddy Bear. Weren't they delighted? Though?
And oh the fun Gladdy's and I had all morning.
Mat is so very dignified. She wouldn't join us, but
she couldn't even help smiling. We laughed so much. There
(03:34):
lay Teddy under the bed, never opening his mouth, and
we two girls were making the funniest remarks at him
all morning. Of course, we didn't mean to hurt his
feelings because we all liked him, but oh the fun
we had. Once I said, I'm sure he's lost his ton,
don't you think so? Glad and I thought we'd die
(03:55):
of laughing. And Gladdy, she's rather clever and snappy, said,
I bet some something happened to it in the trunk. Now,
I remember when Mamma Lou locked Master theodorean Oh, she
pronounced his name too funny for anything. He cried out,
oh my tongue, My tongue is caught on a keyhole.
Don't you remember it? To you? Maud. I was just shrieking,
(04:17):
but Mad spoiled the fun a little by saying, now
you know it's not true, Gladys, and I'm sure that
I wouldn't make remarks about a young man who wouldn't
talk to me. She said this quite loud, and then
she coughed. I'm positive she was waiting for Teddy to say,
that's the way to talk, miss Maud, but he didn't.
I'm sure he didn't like it, for it certainly does
(04:39):
make you angry to talk and talk to a person
without being able to attract his attention. Well, the fun
lasted till Mamma lu came home from school. I'll never
laugh again, I'm sure never never. I noticed at once
that she was moving her jaws in a very queer way,
from the right side to the left, from the left
(05:00):
back to the right. I thought at first that she
was eating something, But for about two minutes she kept
chewing and chewing and looking down at us without a word.
And of course I knew that Mamma lou couldn't keep
on chewing one little mouthful of food for so long
without swallowing it right away. Maud sniffed and said pepsin
(05:22):
and Glatty's winter green, I think, And I said, girls,
what do you mean? Then Maud looked quite stern and said,
very severely, Mamma Lucy is doing something that is very naughty.
She is chewing gum, and her mama has forbidden her
to do it, expressly forbidden her. I've heard it myself,
(05:44):
but she wouldn't do anything that her mama has told
her not to do. I gasped, don't ask me to
believe that of my mama, lu maud It's only true.
Today must be one of her naughty days. She gets
them once in a while. I don't know whether I'm
I'm glad or sorry that Grandma Ellis is not home
again today. It would make her feel so sad to
(06:05):
see her Lucy disobeying her, and I'm sure that she
would be very angry. But then Mamma Lucy deserves to
be punished for being disobedient, and I am afraid she
won't confess. See how crooked her mouth looks already because
of that horrid stuff. She must have gotten it in
school from Winnie Campbell. I never did like that girl.
(06:27):
I was so shocked that I couldn't say a word
and just stared straight into Mamma Lu's eyes as she
bent over us, chewing just as fast as she could.
She picked me up and held me at arm's length
from her and said, first a cough, pause for a chew,
then a fever another chew, and now I've just got
(06:47):
to take it to the eye doctor. Three quick chews.
You must have something wrong with your eyes. I've never
seen a doll with such queer look as you have. No,
very likely not, Mamma lu I thought. Very few dolls
are unfortunate enough to have accidents before they are complete.
If I don't attend to your trouble while you're young,
(07:10):
you may go blind. Dolly. She looked sad for a moment,
then clapped her hands, laughed, and went on chewing. Oh
wouldn't that be just lovely, she cried, a blind doll.
I'll tell Winnie Campbell about it tomorrow. So it was Winnie.
Come on, Dolly, you poor blind child. You must have
(07:32):
an operation right away. You're awfully sick. Here. I guess
i'll undress you for the operation. Dear me, I was
scared while she was ripping out the thread that fastened
up my apron. Although I was glad to be rid
of that babyish thing, I was trembling all over. It
is just possible that I was nervous because I was
(07:54):
so shocked that she had disobeyed her mother. She sat
down in a chair and laid me, dressed only in
a chimiyes, face up on her legs. I think five
jews that time I counted them. Then I'll pick your
eyes out, Dolly, and then examine them to see what's
wrong with them. If they're all right, i'll stick them
(08:15):
back again. And if they're not, why you'll just have
big black holes for eyes. And be my poor blind child,
won't you be? Glad Dolly? Well hardly. I was half
fainting with terror. Now lie still and be good. I
won't hurt you, and it's got to be done. She
(08:36):
put one hand under the right and one hand under
the left side of my head and pressed a thumb
as hard as she could upon each eye. Maud and
Gladdy shrieked. I believe that I fainted, for I remember
nothing till I can't do it. Goodness, your eyes are strong,
Mamma Lou is grumbling. I'll have to leave them in.
(08:57):
They're fixed so tight. Oh, but mucilage is a faithful
friend that sticks to you forever. The danger was over.
Mama lu carried me back to bed, and it was sweet,
after my dreadful experience, to receive the congratulations that Gladys
and Maud poured in on me upon my lucky escape.
(09:19):
Mamma Lou meanwhile, sat on a chair and began to
play with her gum. What didn't she do with it?
She rolled it into circles, then cut it into squares
and diamonds with her sharp little teeth, pulled it into
tangible masses of thread, rolled it up again into a ball,
and popped it into her mouth. Ah, it made me sick.
(09:41):
I could just understand why her mama had forbidden her
to chew gum. At last, her conscience began to prick her.
Mama would be so angry if she saw me, wouldn't
she She said so solemnly. I wonder why I am
so naughty today. But Winnie Campbell coaxed me so hard.
I just had to take a piece. And anyhow, Mama
(10:03):
didn't tell me not to chew chewing gum. She said
to me, now, Lucy, I don't want you ever to
buy any chewing gum. You remember, don't you, Motty? That's
just what she said. I don't want you to buy
any and I didn't. I got it as a present.
Oh the sly child, Maud cried, she knows quite well
(10:25):
what her mamma meant. Did you ever, Well, today is
certainly one of her naughty days. See what she tried
to do with you, you poor dolly, and she'll be
up to more mischief today. I'm sure I couldn't get
as vexed as Maud could, but I did feel mighty sorry.
Poor Mamma Lou, I said to myself, So you're a
(10:46):
naughty child, Isn't that sad? Who would ever have thought it?
You look so sweet. I'm gonna read you some mother goosies.
Mamma Lu jumped up suddenly, mad, you're too old for them.
You may stay in bed, but Gladdie's and Dolly are
going to get out and listen. She tied a little
white bonnet on Glatty's head and sat her down on
(11:09):
the chair. Then she lifted me up and sat me
down in another Imagine how embarrassed I felt Gladdy's dressed
like a lady in a white and pink and me
with only a narrow tomaison and yesterday's pink ribbon in
my hair. Gladdie's sat beautifully like a lady. But I
was never very good at sitting. My joints were made
(11:30):
that way, and feeling as embarrassed as I did, I
was exceptionally clumsy. Mamma Lu was just asking who killed
cock Robin in an awfully stern voice, and frowning at
me as if she thought maybe I had done it,
though indeed I had never seen mister Robin in my life.
(11:50):
When I heard a bright, cheap jeep at the window,
at first I thought it was cock Robin come back
to life to accuse me, and I'm so scary, But
at once I remembered the sparrows again. Of course, I'm
sure I blushed to have perfect strangers see me dressed
like that the idea, and I was praying, praying that
(12:13):
Mammlu would stop reading and slip me back into bed.
When just how it happened I don't know, But maybe
I was stretching my neck the least bit to hear
what the sparrows were saying, or maybe I was dizzy
yet from my awful experience. But all of a sudden
I fell flat over on my side and bumped my
(12:36):
head real hard against the floor. I had just time
to catch one glimpse of Teddy under the bed. He
was looking at me very kindly. He has awfully nice
brown eyes. And then I heard the slamming of a book.
I was caught up roughly and shaken and shaken. You
naughty child, won't you behave? Cried Mamma lu in a
(12:59):
very angry voice. You're the worst child I've ever had.
And another shake and another. Oh those sparrows on the tree,
how surprised they look. I'm going to give you a
lesson once and for all, she continued, I will not
have such behavior in my family. She reached out for
a great big hair brush that was on the dressing
(13:20):
table near her. A hair brush, I thought, stupidly. Oh,
I was all dazed. What does she want with a
hair brush? My hair must be untidy, and I guess
she's going to comb me yet I trembled. I will
not have it, She went on, more and more excited.
Whennie Campbell knows how to make her children behave she
(13:41):
told me how today, and I'm just going to take
her advice. With a quick movement, she laid me over
her knee, face downward, rolled up my chmies, raised the
hair brush and no, no, I cannot repeat the rest.
I cannot cannot. Mad and Gladdy's were sobbing softly. When
(14:01):
she carried me back to the bed, and there was
a heavy breathing through the room. It might have come
from Teddy Bear. I could not say a word. I
was bruised and stiff from my ribs to my knees.
It was such a large hair brush, and she had
used the bristly side part of the time. And then
the disgrace, the awful shame of being pressed down tight
(14:24):
till I couldn't move, and then publicly spanked with a
hair brush before Maud and Gladys and Ted and the
two other sparrows. My heart was broken, Yes, my heart
was broken. I felt that I could no longer look
at anyone in the face. So dreadfully had I been
disgraced if it had only been on my shoulder or
(14:46):
on my face, anywhere, but where it was, and before
so many people. I lay quite still in my misery.
Soon the heavy breathing stopped. Mod and Gladys seized their
soft sobbing, and Mama Luke cruel Mamma Lou sat in
a corner and chewed sulkily. I thought that the sparrows
(15:06):
had flown away. There was no sound outside the window.
I don't care, she exclaimed suddenly, I don't care if
I heard a whole lot. She's a bad child, very disobedient.
I disobedient, mamma lou Then what are you? Oh? I
hate this chewing gum, she said, jumping up quickly. Hear you,
(15:28):
naughty child. She ran over to me and stuck the
little round ball on the palm of one of my hands,
the sticky mast pa. Take good care of it and
try to be a better girl. Gladdies, get back to bed.
You're naughty too. She bundled us all up together in
a sheet, looked at us, said I don't care several times,
(15:51):
then half crying, Oh, I I do. Wish Mama were home,
but she won't be till tomorrow. Home mamma, mamma, And
she rushed out of the room. Silence again, Then suddenly
outside the voice of an old sparrow. Ah, then they
hadn't been gone. Jeep cheep. I am just struck speechless
(16:13):
with astonishment. And it takes a good bit to make
a sparrow dumb. I can tell you what a disappointment
did I see? And hear? All right, my son? Or
am I dreaming? No, Mamma, your eyes are very good yet,
answered the young sparrow sadly. But I myself can hardly
believe that the little girl is always so good to us,
(16:36):
and whom we both admire, so can have such a
bad temper. I've made up my mind that will take
nothing more from her, son, said the mother, very excitedly.
A child that can beat a sweet little doll in
such a heartless way is not the sort of little
girl I want to take favors from. I have some pride,
(16:57):
though I am in rather poor circums, Danzas just at present.
Don't you agree with me? Son? Yes, mamma, of course.
But what if we're very hungry, asked the younger sparrow weakly.
We'll be taken care of he that guards young ravens,
and he knew who that is. We'll look after two
little sparrows too, was the answer. I've a good mind
(17:20):
to go and tell her mother of how she behaved.
Oh please, don't, mamma, promise me that you won't. I
never did think that it's fair for birds to go
sneaking around windows just to be able to tell mothers
what their children do. It seems so underhand, pegging your pardon, mom. Besides,
(17:40):
you can tell that she's sorry already, and don't forget
how good she's been to us, promise, promise, well, since
you seem to be very anxious, I won't. But really,
And then I heard the rustling of their wings as
they flew away. Their sympathy was soothing, so are Ma's
Glady's sobbing and Ted's heavy breathing. But anyhow, I'll never
(18:04):
be happy again. I know I never will. The girls
have been awake all night. They've been lying close to me,
lovingly and too kind to say a word, for fear
they might wound my feelings. Once Glattie's whispered very low
Dolly didn't hurt very much, and a gruff voice from
(18:25):
beneath the bed commanded keep quiet. Can't you do you
think she likes to be asked impernent questions? It was Ted.
Poor Glatty shrunk back, terrified and hasn't opened her mouth since.
Poor Glattie's I know she didn't mean any harm. I
wish that Mamma Lou had put the girls to bed properly.
(18:46):
They're not used to lying awake all night. Poor Mamma Lou,
Why were you so naughty today? You've made me burn
all over with shame. Mama Lou, Oh will I never forget?
And a how any massive gum It is just paralyzing
my hand all night long. I'm repeating Thursday, the twenty
(19:07):
first of March nineteen hundred and seven. Thursday, the twenty
first end of Chapter four
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