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Page 45
"But, Grandma," said Marjorie, "the Dunns really need help. They
can't seem to do anything and they haven't anything to do with."
"But you're too young, my child, to know what they do need. You
must be content to help them under the direction of some one older
than yourself. Mrs. Dunn, I fear, is not a thrifty or hard-working
woman. She has not been here long, and I know little about her;
but I've been told that she quite spoils that oldest child and
makes the second one do all the work."
"The second one is named Hoopsy Topsy," said Marjorie, laughing;
"and she's like her name. She's always tumbling down and racing
about, with her dress torn and her hair in her eyes, like a
perfect witch. The Elegant Ella is quite different. Truly,
Grandma, they're a funny lot, and if you go there this afternoon,
mayn't we go with you?"
"No," said Mrs. Sherwood, "I shall go by myself, to-day, and
investigate the case. Perhaps some other time I may take you
children."
The girls were disappointed, but when they found they couldn't go,
they went out to Marjorie's porch to talk it all over.
"I think," said Marjorie, "it's our duty to do something for those
children. Just think, Molly, we have everything we want, and they
have nothing."
"I'll tell you what, Mopsy: let's sew and make things for them;
dresses, you know, and aprons."
"I can't sew fit to be seen, Molly; and 'twould take me all summer
to get one apron made. I'd rather give them things that we have.
Why, I'd rather give Ella my best parasol than to try to sew
anything for her!"
"Oh, don't give her that lovely parasol! We'll think of something
else. Suppose we invite them all to dinner; you one day, and I
another."
"I don't believe Grandma would like that. And, anyway, that would
only give them dinner for two days; we couldn't keep it up, you
know. But, Molly, I'll tell you what! Let's have a fair, or a
bazaar or something,--and make some money for them that way."
"Just the thing! That would be lovely. Where shall we have it?"
"Right here in this porch. Uncle Steve'll help, I know. And I'm
sure Grandma won't mind our doing that."
When Marjorie laid the plan before Mrs. Sherwood that lady quite
approved of it.
"Now, that's something sensible," she said; "it will be very nice
for you girls to make things, and have a pretty little fair, but
don't go down there again and sweep rooms for those people. I'm
very sorry for poor Mrs. Dunn, but in this neighborhood there are
not many poor people, and as the farmers are all kind-hearted I do
not think she will suffer for lack of food while her injuries keep
her from her work."
"Isn't there any Mr. Dunn?" asked Marjorie.
"No; he died a few months ago. That is why she had to come here
and live in that forlorn little cottage. She hopes to support
herself and her children by going out to work each day, but until
her burns get well of course she can't do that."
"I'm sorry for her," said Marjorie, decidedly, "and I hope we'll
make a lot at our fair to help her along."
When they told Stella about the plan for the fair, she thought it
all great fun. She did not seem to care much about the Dunns or
their needs, and positively refused to visit the little old
cottage, but she was ready to work for the fair with all her
might.
There seemed to be no end to the pretty things Stella knew how to
make. She was a clever little artist, and she painted cards,
pictures, and trinkets of all sorts, which Molly and Midge helped
to make up into various salable fancy articles.
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