CHAPTER IV
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX BIRTHDAYS.
CHAPTER IV.
THE FOURTH BIRTHDAY.
Susy was very much surprised on the morning of the day she was four years old to hear her mamma call her to come and take her four birthday kisses.
She had forgotten all about birthdays, it was so long since she had had one.
She sprang out of bed and ran in to her mamma, who kissed her this time on her mouth, on each cheek, and her forehead; and seemed to love her even more than usual.
Soon after breakfast she took Susy away into that little room to which she was in the habit of going alone, and they knelt down together and held each other's hands, while mamma thanked God very much for giving her such a dear little girl, and for letting her live four years; and asked
Him, if he pleased, to let her live another year, and to make her his own little lamb. Susy was
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very happy to think she had been called God's own little lamb, and she kissed her mamma and said she loved God, and meant to be a good girl, because He was so good.
Then they went into the nursery, and Susy's papa gave her a beautiful book full of pictures and a great number of new blocks.
Susy liked the book best, but she liked the blocks too; and she and papa and Robbie built a castle, which she said looked like the tower of Babel.
Robbie was full of fun, and he soon overturned the tower, shouting with all his might, when he heard the noise it made in falling.
Susy did not think it fair for Robbie to spoil her play, but her papa said he was such a little boy she must excuse him.
Then Robbie ran up to her saying, " Pease 'cuse Robbie!" and kissed her and petted her face, so Susy had to smile and forgive him, he was such a little darling.
After that they built several castles on purpose for him to overturn ; and Susy was happy all day, because she had given up her own pleasure just to gratify him.
Now Susy's mamma was very busy, getting ready for the birthday party.
This time they expected
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somebody beside Robbie and the dollies.
Mamma had written and sent invitations to Frank and Charlie, Susy's cousins, and to little
Hatty Linton, who was visiting them.
They were to come early and stay till dark; and Frank's mother and Hatty's aunt were coming too, for they loved to see children happy.
At twelve o'clock they all arrived, and there was a great time getting off cloaks and hoods and tippets and mittens; and Charlie had to display his jacket and trousers, which he never had worn till thisday; and Frank was in a hurry to see Susy's presents, and so they all talked and laughed together.
Only Susy and Hatty were standing all this time, looking very gravely at each other; Susy holding fast to her mamma's hand, and Hatty squeezing up as close to her aunt as possible.
Susy thought Hatty a sweet little girl, after she had looked at her a long time, and she ran to Frank and said to him:
" Hatty Linton may have my best doll all day."
"Oh, Cousin Hatty! hear what Susy says!" cried Frank.
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"She's my cousin, too," said Susy.
" No, she isn't, she's only your cousin-in-law," said Frank.
Everybody laughed on hearing this; at least all the mothers and aunties did, and Frank looked very well pleased with the new relationship he had invented.
Susy then led her cousins and her cousin-inlaw up to the nursery, where all her toys were brought out, and Robbie was waiting patiently in his little chair.
Frank and Charlie ran to kiss him; and after a few moments Hatty went and kissed him too.
He and Hatty looked a little like each other, Frank said.
They had both fair, curling bair, and black eyes and round rosy cheeks.
Robbie felt very shy for some little time after Hatty had kissed him.
He sat still in his chair, with his eyes fixed upon the ground, and his hands lay folded in his lap.
But before long he began to play with his blocks, and all the other children sat around him on the floor, helping him.
Susy felt. like a little queen ; everybody was so kind to her, and
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the chridren all kept saying, "Let's do as Susy says; it's her birthday."
Oh, how they played!
Frank built such noble houses, and Charlie arranged the little village so nicely!'
And Hatty held tightly in her arms Susy's doll, taking care to keep near tobbie all the time, so as to kiss his soft white neck every now and then.
When they had played quietly a long time, Frank wanted to play "hide the handkerchief," and he said, "Susy must hide it first, because it is her birthday."
Frank was six years old, and he knew how to play this, and a great many other things.
So he made all the children cover their eyes, and then showed Susy where to put the handkerchief.
They all liked this play.
Even little Robbie ran about, pretenaing to look in all the nooks and corners; and when it came Frank's turn to hide the handkerchief he contrived to hide it in a place Robbie peeped into every time.
Oh, how Robbie laughed when he found it!
Robbie's nurse kept her eye upon her little pet, for she was afraid he might get hurt among
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the other children.
But they were all gentle, good children, and were so happy and pleasant that even a little bird might have played safely with them.
"How old are you, Robbie?" said Hatty, putting her arms around him.
Robbie did not know.
His nurse said he was a little more than two years.
"Did he have a birthday, too?" asked Hatty.
"Oh, yes, indeed he did!" said nurse; and she opened a drawer and showed Hatty some new toys and books which were given him on the day he was two years old. Just as the other children came running to look at Robbie's drawer, which was full of toys and books, the bell rang downstairs.
Nurse said this was to call them down; so she took Robbie in her arms, Frank led Susy, and Charlie and Hatty followed, till they reached the dining-room.
When they entered the dining-room they found Susy's papa and mamma, and Frank's mamma and aunt, waiting for them; and in the midst of the floor stood a round table covered
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Pat| with a white cloth.
A nice little feast was spread upon the table; not exactly dinner, and not exactly tea, but very pleasant to the eyes of the children, who were all hungry after their play.
Now the parents of these children did not approve of overfeeding little folks with sweet things, but they had provided everything they could think of that it would be safe to eat.
Beside, Susy's papa had been to a wedding party the previous evening, and a lady had sen& to Susy a great many mottoes and some delicious grapes.
Some of these were arranged prettily on the table, and the children were lifted into their seats, and Susy, looking very grave indeed, began tc pour out for each a tiny cup of cocoa.
Frank said he should like to sit there and pour it out, as he was the eldest, but his mother laughed at him a little, and said she never heard of such a thing as agentleman's pouring out tea when ladies were present.
Charlie said he wanted to pour out because he was the young: est; but his mamma laughed at him too, saying
Hatty and Robbie were both younger than he; so Charlie gave up very pleasantly, and was
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very happy, drinking his cocoa and eating small, thin slices of bread and butter.
And so were they all.
Even Robbie, on this great occasion, had alittle of everything; but he was a good boy, and when his nurse asked him to let her save his mottoes and grapes till to-morrow, he gave them all to her.
I wish I could tell you how they all looked, sitting there, talking as fast as their tongues could fly, and enjoying all the good things so pleasantly.
Susy was so happy that she could not help throwing her arms about Hatty, who sat next her, and kissing her many times; and she kept all the largest grapes for Robbie, and offered the big pieces of cake to her cousins, though they were too polite to take them.
I think nobody enjoyed this feast more than the grown folks, though they only sat and looked on.
Little children do not kuow how dearly their papas and mammas love them.
When everyone had had enough they were taken down from their high chairs, and the big books on which some of them sat; and Susy's papa made believe he was a lion, and that they
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were nice fat little things, just fit for him to eat up.
So he began to growl, and to scamper all about the room; and the children ran and laughed, and crept under the sofas, and hid behind their mammas; and I began to be afraid the house would come down, they made such a noise.
At last the lion caught Susy, and while he was eating her up, the other children sat down to take breath, for they were as tired as they could be.
Frank went and whispered to his mamma, and she whispered to Hatty's aunt, and at last rank said he was trying to persuade his mamma to ask Hatty to repeat a piece of poetry.
Hatty was not yet three years old, but she could repeat a great many stories and poems, and it was very pleasant to hear such a little girl do this.
But I will tell you about it.
Little Hatty was lifted up toa seat on the table where all could see her, and the children arranged themselves where they could hear her.
Susy got upon her papa's knee, who kept kissing her and loving her dearly ; Robbie ran to his mamma's lap, and Frank and Charlie were
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in low chairs, close by their mother.
Then Hatty began in a soft, clear voice, and repeated that beautiful hymn, "I think, when I read that " and said every word so sweet story of old, clearly and distinctly that not one was lost.
Then she said the first chapter of John.
Ido wish you could have heard her.
She was then lifted down, and they all thanked her for the pleasure she had given them, and Susy's mamma asked her if she could sing.
She said she could, and Frank and Charlie said they could sing too; so they all sang, "There is a happy land."
Now, Robbie listened as hard as he could, and wanted to sing too, but he did not know how; only, whenever they were going to say "happy land," he would shout "happy lamb!" and this pleased the children so much that they kept singing the hymn over and over, just to hear his little eager voice come in at every verse.
They sang, "Mary had a little lamb," after this, and other songs; and then Susy begged her mamma to sing the funny German song she and Robbie were so fond of.
Mamma was almost ashamed to sing it before all those grown-
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ou up folks, but she did not like to refuse Susy, so she began thus:
The moon it shines, The baby whines ; The clock strikes twelve :
It's getting too late to toil and delve.
In quiet nights The mousie bites ; The clock strikes one:
May naughty dreams little cradles shun !
Little Bo Peep Is fast asleep ; The clock strikes two :
May good girls be many, of naughty girls few The wind it blows, The cock he crows; The clock strikes three:
The ship sails quietly over the sea The horse says neigh, He wants some hay; The clock strikes four:
The coach is standing before the door,
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The hen cackles, The duck quackles; The clock strikes six:
Time to get up and pick mother some sticks, The cook will bake A nice little cake; The clock strikes seven:
Put on the pudding, and boil till eleven.
Yon shall be fed With milk and bread; The clock strikes eight:
Come! eat your breakfast, before it's too late!
The children liked this song very much, but it was now time for Frank and Charlie and Hatty to go home.
They kissed each other, and were wrapped up, and away they went; and Susy and Robbie were soon fast asleep in their own little beds, getting ready for the next birthday, next year !