Homepage
Login
Profile
BookClubs
dmBox
Read Ebook: Jimmy Boy by May Sophie
Font size:
Background color:
Text color:
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page Prev Page
Ebook has 778 lines and 23490 words, and 16 pages
Jimmy looked relieved.
"Didn't Aunt Vi give you some money to spend for candy?"
"Yes, mamma; two bits," . "But I want it! Gilly Irwin is coming in the morning to go to the candy stores with me. O mamma, please!"
"But, my dear, if I should pass by your faults you would forget them, and then you wouldn't improve. I really think you ought to go without your Fourth of July candy."
"Oh--Oh--Oh!"
"I shall not take away the money, however. You may simply drop it in your bank."
Jimmy twisted his neck and twirled his fingers, but said not a word.
Two people in this world were always right, he thought,--mamma and papa. Always right, and never changed their minds; so it wasn't of the slightest use to tease.
But Fourth of July, and not a speck of candy! Oh, dear!
SEVEN PEPPERMINTS
GILBERT IRWIN appeared at Mr. Dunlee's next morning, holding in his hand a tiny lizard-skin purse, containing a dime and a nickel.
"Come, Jimmy," said he; "let's go get our candy."
Before Jimmy could answer, the Chinese vegetable man, Quon Wo, drove up to the back door, calling out in a high, squealing tone.--
"What's a spinny-gee? Give us a spinny-gee!" laughed both the boys, running up to Quon Wo, whom they knew very well.
"Go 'way! Too much, talkee, talkee!" replied the Chinaman, grinning, and showing nearly all his white teeth. At the same time, being ready for a frolic, he pelted both the boys with a handful of spinach.
Vendla stood in the doorway with a basket and a pan. She bought potatoes and celery. These went into her basket, and then she held out the pan for something else.
Quon Wo knew what she wanted. He had promised her some nice fresh ducks' eggs; and there they were, under the seat of the cart in a pretty tea-chest.
"Duckee! Duckee!" said Quon Wo. "Duckee heap good!" and counted out the eggs into her pan, twelve of them, and then drove away.
The boys would have run after him, but Jimmy happened to remember why the ducks' eggs had been spoken for. John wanted to put them under a hen, to be hatched into ducklings. And here came John, carrying in his arms a white hen, squawking angrily.
"Oh, yes, you must, Polly White; yes, you must!" said John. "You've been wanting to for a good while, and now we're ready for you. Come, Vendla, bring on your ducks' eggs."
Vendla went to the stable with the pan; the little boys, the dog Punch and his friend Toby, Mrs. Porter's dog, close at her heels. After the eggs had been put in a nice nest of straw, John placed Mrs. White over them, covering her up with a basket.
"Now stay there," said John, "and see how you like it."
Polly was very young, and had never sat on any eggs before. She had thought it would be good fun; but when the basket was put over her, she felt as if she should fly. It was not pleasant to be shut up in the dark.
"How long will she have to stay?" asked Gilbert.
"Four weeks. 'Twill be easy keeping count; four weeks from Fourth of July."
The words "Fourth of July" reminded Gilbert that he must buy his candy.
"Come, Jimmy," said he, shaking his purse up and down. He liked to hear the coins jingle. "Where's your purse, Jimmy?"
Jimmy drew out of his pocket a small, very pretty mother-of-pearl portemonnaie, and sighed as he opened it. It held a nickel and a one-cent stamp.
"I can't buy any candy to-day; but you can buy yours all the same."
"Why can't you?"
"'Cause I can't."
"Oh, ho! been a bad boy?"
"Not much; not very; no!"
Then, as Gilly jingled his money again, Jimmy added rather tartly,--
"Not half so bad as you are, Gilly Irwin!"
"Me? Who said I's bad?"
"Well, you are; but your mamma doesn't know it, and that's why you don't be punished."
Gilly whistled. Perhaps he felt that there was some truth in this.
"Now you stop!" cried Jimmy. "My mamma always finds out things. She isn't talking all the time with ladies in the parlor, the way your mamma is."
"Pshaw! You think you have the best mamma and best papa and best everything!" exclaimed Gilly.
"So I have!" said Jimmy confidently.
This was more than even the mild-tempered Gilly could bear.
But Gilly refused to be crushed.
"Has your papa got a coat with gold cushions on the shoulders, Jimmy Dunlee? Does he go march, marching, when they beat the drum?"
"No; he just despises to go march, marching! He stays in his pulpit, I s'pose you know!"
The foolish dispute might have gone on much longer if Gilbert had not changed the subject by saying,--
"I want some cocoanut taffy."
But Gilly's "candy-man" was away that morning. He had just started with his wife and children for a picnic.
Jimmy did not care very much.
"See the folks, lots and lots of 'em, going to Fourth o' July," said he. "You can't get any candy to-day, Gil Irwin."
Add to tbrJar First Page Next Page Prev Page