CHAPTER V
LITTLE SUSY'S SIX BIRTHDAYS,
CHAPTER V.
THE FIFTH BIRTHDAY.
THERE was something going on just before Susy's fifth birthday came that I shall have to tell you about, but you must not tell her.
In the first place, Robbie's mamma has made a pair of white trousers and a green jacket with a crimped ruffle in the neck, and sleeves, and he is going to wear them on the birthday and surprise Susy very much.
In the next place, papa is very busy indeed, making a great baby house, and Robbie can see it every day; but Susy knows nothing about it. Mamma is trotting round to all the shops, buying furni. ture for this house, and nurse is dressing a lady who is to live there.
Sarah, the cook, has made up her mind to bake a little pie for Susy ; and Mary has been out and bought a great sugar dog.
Robbie has a little book which he is to
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give Susy for his present, and his mamma reads to him stories from it when Susy is not by.
Susy knew she was going to be five years old, and she talked about it a great deal, and said her birthday never, never would come.
But at last it did come, and she awoke very eariy anu hopped out of bed to see if Robbie were awake too.
Oh, yes! he was awake, playing with his beloved Peggy, and telling her it was Susy's birthday; and nurse was making the fire and hurrying to get dressed.
So Susy gave him a good kiss, and ran into her mamma's room to get her five kisses, and laughing at the thought of the happy day she was to have. Hermamma was very glad to see her, and she kissed her on her lips, her cheeks, and her forehead, and then they laughed so that papa awoke, and he said:
"Oh! is that my little Susy?' and she jumped into his bed and kissed him, and asked him if he loved her, and said she loved him dearly.
But now it was getting late, and nurse was knocking for Susy to come to be dressed, and Robbie was in such a hurry to give Susy her book that he couldn't wait any longer, so he
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took it from under his pillow and told her how he went away down to Broadway to buy it for her.
Susy could read a little, and she opened the book and read, "The Lost Child."
This was the title of the first story, and it is a very pretty story.
While Susy was being dressed Robbie told her his mamma had read it to him.
After breakfast Susy went and whispered something to her mamma, and they went together into that same little room and prayed and thanked God; and after her mamma had gone away, Susy knelt down and prayed all by her. self.
When she came back to the nursery there were her papa and mamma and Robbie, standing smiling by the new baby-house.
Susy was so astonished that she could not speak a word, but she threw her arms around her papa and mamma and Robbie, and danced about and clapped her hands, and they all rejoiced together.
'This baby-house had four rooms in it, a kitchen, a dining-room, a parlor, and a bedroom, and there was furniture in every one.
In the parlor, in a nice chair, sat Miss Ellen, Susy's best doll, reading a book, and down in the
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kitchen there was black Dinah frying buck: wheat cakes!
When Susy saw that, she had to get up and dance again.
I believe those cakes were made of yellow flannel; but I don't know, I never tried to eat one.
Susy said she didn't care if it did rain, she should be very happy playing with her babyhouse with Robbie.
She said this when she heard her mamma say that Frank and Charlie could not come to visit her if it should rain.
It did not rain, but it snowed, and the wind blew, and by and by Susy's aunt sent her a little note which you shall see.
"My Drar Susy:
"T am sorry that Frankie and Charlie cannot spend the day with you to-day, as they have both bad colds.
If it does not snow too hard, suppose you come and spend it with them?
Give my love to your mamma, and tell her we want vou very much.
Frank sends you a little chair, with his love, and Charlie sends a book thot be thinks you will like.
"Your affectionate aunt, "Marra."
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aM Susy was delighted with this note, and de. lighted with the chair, and delighted with the book.
She said she was afraid she should go crazy if she had any more presents. Her mamma thought there was going to be a real snowstorm, and that Susy had better not go to her aunt's; and Susy thought so too, for she did not like to go and leave her new baby-house so soon.
So her mamma wrote a little note, excusing her, and she and Robbie began to play.
She told Robbie he must come to see her and make believe he was a little gentleman who wanted to engage a cook.
On hearing this, Robbie's nurse said, "Wait a minute!"
And she took him into another room and dressed him in his new clothes, so that when he came back he looked indeed like a little man. He came holding down his head and smiling, and putting both hands into his pockets.
Susy was astonished enough; she forgot all about her play and ran to call her papa, who came running in, fear. ing something was the matter.
But when he saw Robbie in his white trousers, he began to laugh, and he said he never saw anything so
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funny, and that he hoped his little boy had done now with girls' clothes forever.
Susy thought she would run down into the kitchen and tell Sarah to come and see Robbie; so away she went, and when she reached the kitchen she saw a little pie on the hearth, which made her forget all about Robbie.
She caught it up with both hands, but let it drop quickly, for it was very hot, as it had just been drawn from the oven.
Susy was so ashamed of herself for getting burned so carelessly that she would not ery, and Sarah brought a bowl of cold water and told her to put both hands in.
Susy did, and her fingers soon began to feel better, and she thought she would go and tell her mamma that she had burned them, but that they were now quite well.
Soshe went first to the parlor, but no mamma was there; then to her mamma's room, but she was not there.
She knew now she must be in the nursery, and just as she reached the door, oh! how her fingers began to smart again!
She ran in, crying and holding up her hands, and when Robbie saw her he began to cry too.
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When her mamma saw that Susy's fingers were burned she went to her great bag in which she kept all sorts of things to be used in sickness, and took from it an old, soft handkerchief, and asked nurse to bring something from the closet which she would find in the right-hand corner.
While nurse was looking for it, Susy held up her fingers, and her mamma saw that all were burned but one.
Nine little white blisters were pretty hard to bear, and Susy could not help crying while they were being dressed.
So her mamma was very sorry for her little darling, and she took her in her lap and began to talk to the fingers to make Susy laugh and forget her pain.
"Come, Mr. Thumb," said she, "and have a white cap on!
And Miss Little-Finger! don't get in my way while I dress your sister!
Why, Mrs. Fore-Finger! how you do behave !"
This nonsense amused Susy, and while she listened to it she felt a little relieved, and began to smile in the midst of her tears.
When the fingers were all nicely dressed, her mamma began to sing, and that made Susy forget all
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about her burns and laugh outright.
This is what was sung:
'< Susy Miller, she burnt her little finger ; Susy Miller, she burnt her little finger ;
Susy Miller, she burnt her little finger.
One little finger burnt ; One little, two little, three little fingers ; Fonr little, five little, six little fingers ;
Seven little, eight little, nine little fingers— Nine little fingers burnt !"
This amused Susy a long time; her mamma kept singing it over and over and over; and when she got tired of doing that she sung other songs about Susy's dolls, and about Robbie, till he drew near, riding on a stick,.to listen and admire too, with his little face all covered with smiles of delight. a While they were all busy in this way the door opened and Susy's dear Aunt Lizzy came in, As soon as she saw the little row of burned fingers she said she must repeat something funny to them that would make them feel well.
She did not know that Susy's mamma had been trying the same plan.
So she laid aside her cloak
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and furs, and made Susy come and sit in her lap.
Then she began:
"* Dance away, thumbkin, dancey; Dance away, merry men all, But thumbkin, he can dance alone!
Dance away, foreman, dancey; Dance away, merry men all, But thumbkin, he can dance alone!
Dance away, middleman, dancey; Dance away, merry men all, But thumbkin, he can dance alone!
Dance away, ringman, dancey; Dance away, merry men all, But thumbkin, he can dance alone!
Dance away, little man, dancey; Dance away, merry men all, But thumbkin, he can dance alone !"
This made Susy and Robbie laugh well, ] can tell you, and Aunt Lizzy and their mamma laughed too; and Robbie said he knew something funny that his great-crandmother used to say to his mamma's toes when she was a baby.
"What is it?" said Aunt Lizzy.
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After a little coaxing, Robbie took Aunt Lizzy's hand, and beginning with her little finger, and so going on to her thumb, he said :
"Peedy, Peedy ; Pally, Ludy; Lady Whistle; Lody Whostle; Great Odomondod !"
Oh, how Aunt Lizzy laughed!
And she said she should go right home and tell it to her baby's toes, and see what they would say!
So she kissed them all, and put on her cloak and furs and went home, smiling all the way.
By this time Susy's fingers felt so well that she thought she would go and play with Robbie.
She said they would make visits to each other.
So she went to live in one corner of the room and Robbie in the other, and she said he might begin the play.
So Robbie came to visit her.
"How do you do, Mr. Miller?" said Susy.
"Won't you take a seat?"
"T tan't very well," said Mr. Miller, who could not pronounce the letter "c."
"How is your wife, sir?" asked Susy.
"Oh, she's pretty well.
She's dot a pain in her hand, I believe."
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"Well, sir, you may go now.
You've be haved very well, and Ill call to see you."
So she walked over to Robbie's.
"Tome in!" said Robbie.
"How do you do, Mrs. Miller 2"
"Very well, I thank you, sir.
Butone of my children is sick with lame legs.
She fell from the table and broke off her legs."
On hearing this Robbie began to laugh.
"You mustn't laugh, sir, when you hear that people's legs are broken off.
Good-by, sir!
I hope you will call soon."
Just then the bell rang for dinner.
"Oh, Robbie! don't you want to sit at the table with us?" said Susy.
She ran and asked leave, and his mamma said he might come, so they all went joyfully down together.
After dinner Susy went back to the nursery with Robbie, and they played with the babyhouse together.
She was very kind to Robbie, and let him take down all the chairs and tables; and he was so pleased that he kept stopping to kiss her and say :
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"My Susy! my Susy !"
Pretty soon their mamma came in and told them it had done snowing, and there would be time for a little bit of a walk before dark.
So nurse bundled them up in all their warm clothes, and away they went. Little children havea great deal done for them.
Every little child who reads this book has to be dressed three hundred and sixty-five times every year; and undressed three hundred and sixty-five times.
And every year they must have the same number of breakfasts, dinners and suppers.
And I hope they thank God for his kindness to them, at least as often as He provides some dear mother or nurse to do this dressing, undressing, and feeding for them.
Do you, Ellie?
Do you, Willie?
Susy and Robbie had a nice walk.
Their mother took them to a bookstore, where she bought a book for a sick child whom they were going to see, and while it was being tied up neatly she took up another book and read a short story in it.
It was a German story, and she repeated it to Susie and Robbie as they walked home:
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"Two boys were once playing under a tree, when a nut fell from it near them.
One of them picked it up.
The other boy said:
"It is my nut, for I saw it fall'
"«No, it is mine,' said the other, 'for I picked it up.'
"Just then a larger boy came along, and he said :
"What are you disputing about?
"The little boys told him.
"<Give it to me, he said; 'I will decide your quarrel for you.'
"So he cracked the nut, and gave one-half the shell to one boy, saying, 'This is for you, because you saw the nut fall.'
He then gave the other half shell to the second boy, saying, 'This is yours, because you picked up the nut.'
"Then putting the kernel into his own mouth, he said, 'And this is for my trouble in cracking ieie "Oh, what a naughty boy!" said Susy.
Robbie smiled, but did not say a word.
I am sure he would not have done so.
" Susy," said their mother, "the little girl for
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whom I bought this book was born on the very Jay you were, so this is her birthday too. And [ thought I would send her a present, because she is sick, and poor too."
" How much did it cost, mamma?"
" Three shillings, I believe."
"Mamma, haven't I three shillings of my own 2"
"Yes, dear."
" And mayn't I pay for this book and send it to the little girl ?"
"T thought you were saving your money to buy a Bible ?"
"Yes, mamma, but I can wait till I learn to read better.
And I should like to give my money to that little girl."
Her mamma was very willing.
She only wanted Susy to think a minute before she decided to give up the Bible.
Robbie said, "I'll div that little dirl my orange !"
His mamma smiled, and as soon as they got home she sent the book and the orange to the little sick child, who had been lying still all
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day in bed, with no birthday presents, and who was made very happy by means of Susy and Robbie.
There were still a few minutes left before dark, and Susy said she was going to be a doctor and go and visit her patients.
She told Robbie to lie down on the floor and make believe he was sick.
So she put on a pair of spectacles and a cap, and took her papa's goldheaded cane from the closet and set out. When she came to Robbie she said:
" You are very sick with weakness, Mr. Miller.
I shall have to bleed you."
"Oh, no; I don't want to be bleeded !" said Robbie.
"Lie still, sir!
I won't bleed you, if you will.
I will give you six pills.
Open your mouth and let me see your tongue.
It's as red as fire.
Let me feel your pulse.
Why, it is going!
I guess you won't die.
People don't die when their pulse keeps going.
You may soak his feet when he goes to bed, nurse."
"Yes, sir," said the nurse, "I will."
Susy then went to see her doll, Ellen.
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"Let me feel your pulse," said she.
"Oh, it doesn't go at all!
Iam afraid you'll die.
But don't cry.
Ill give you some oil, and perhaps that will set it a-going.
And I guess ['ll put a blister on your arm."
'Then she went to Peggy.
"How do you do, Peggy?
Not very well, did you say?
Well, here is a dose of salts for you.
Don't make faces!
Drink it right down.
I'll call again to-morrow.
Oh, you needn't cry and beg me to come back; I'm going to see my mother, and ask her to tell mea story.
Come, Rob."
"Oh, yowre a great doctor, aren't you?" said the nurse, laughing.
Then Susie led Robbie down into the parlor, where their mamma sat waiting for them.
She kissed them and asked them if they had had a happy day, and they both said they had.
So then she told them a story.
"Once a little angel saw the door of heaven open a little way, so he thought he would fly out just for an hour or so.
He flew and flew a long time, and at last he came to a house.
The window was open, so he flew in.
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"¢Qh! see that beautiful white bird!' said one of the children.
"«No, Iam not a bird; I am a little angel !' said he.
And he looked lovingly at all the children, who left their toys and came and stood around him.
They felt afraid, yet pleased, too.
"See his wings!
They are as white as snow ! whispered one.
"And look at his golden ringlets! said another.
"¢ And his white hands,' said a third.
"The little angel sat down in one of their small chairs and began to look about him, out of those large, friendly eyes.
"Then the children brought their books and toys, and let the dear angel look at them. Then they brought their baby sister, and the little angel smiled a most beautiful smile, and kissed the lovely, rosy baby.
By and by the children began to play.
They were gentle, good children.
If they had been naughty the angel would have been frightened.
He would not have stayed with them so long.
"Let us be kind and pleasant!' said the
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children.
'Angels like to be with people who love each other.'
"¢ When he goes home I wish he would let me go with him!' said one.
'I want to be a little angel !
"And then they played again.
The angel stayed all day.
It made them happy to turn around every now and then and see him there, looking so peaceful, so kind, so loving !
"But when it grew dark the angel stretched his beautiful white wings and flew home to heaven.
Then the children all cried, and held out their hands and said, 'We would have given him all our things, if he would have stayed !'
And the youngest said, 'I was going with him!
I want to be a little angel !
"Then his mother kissed him and said, 'All the beautiful things in this world could not keep an angel away from heaven.'
"Then the children said, 'Heaven must be a happy place if it is full of such angels as that.'
"And their mother said, 'Yes! indeed, it must, and you shall all go there if you are good and love Jesus!"
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"Ts that a true story, mamma?" asked Susy.
"No, not quite true.
But it is true that you will see bright angels when you go home to heaven."
"T wish I could go now!" said little Susy.
Then she kissed her dear mamma, and she and Robbie went to bed and dreamed very sweet dreams indeed.
And their mother kissed them in their sleep, and prayed in her heart that they might be holy, happy children on earth, and angels in heaven when they came to die.