Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-06

is good thing. Mother, why shouldn't we
teach them cooperative dressng2"
Beth and Ben wiggled out of the proper
position, and wondered why anything so
tresome need come UP before grace, but
Betty asked eagerly:
What does that mean, father?"
You'll see tomorrow morning" he said
mysteriously. Lets see,'' he continued,
meditatively. Beth could be cleaning her
nails while Ben buttoned her shoes and
Betty fastened her dress. Why, mother,
that idea of mine is eXcellent!'
1t was not as interesting as Backyardville
to the children, so they did not stop to ask
questions before they took up their tickets
for the second excursion.
What does it mean" asked Ben .dubi-
ously.
You don't mean we are to get In a tub.
do your inquired Betty little scornfully.
wait and see,S said Sue. Sub means
substitute, you know. l couldn't think Of
anything to rhyme with tub except rub,
yardville go straight past Fort Honey
suckle and Rubbish Flats to the Pigeon
Grounds"
But we don't know where those places
are said Beth.
"Oh. we can find them. Backyardvilie's
only sixtyfeet long. you know" said Ben.
1.-The workmen who named the parts Of
Backyardville overlooked those places so
the owner has put up signs himself said
Sue.
AS soon as the train reached Backyard
Vile Ben made a rush to the back gate and
called back:
Here's a sign. What does it say, Betty?'
RUBBISH FLATS.
"Ashes, first floor; Garbage, second floor
Betty's face had puzzled look as she
read the sign aloud, and she then burst out
laughing. ITS just like the people who
put their names the front door when
they live upstairs and downstairs, too. You
see. the garbage can is on stool, SO It's
higher than the ash barrel"
nd
they turned to see her sitting cross-legged
in an old tub which stood inside the place
where Father Waiter used to keep his
pigeons when he was a boy. Here's a
letter in the tub"
What funny post Office" said Ben.
why, this Is Pigeon Grounds Why
didn't we think Of it or name it something,
anyway? We might have had another
penny" said Betty, looking about regret
fully.
A roof extended from the top of the fence
half way to the lattice, wire fencing being
stretched the rest of the way and also
used for the fourth side of the cage. In
one corner Of the cage was heap of sandy
soil.
We're to pile the sand around the tub
to make a mountain with a lake on top
and then turn the hose on the tub to fiji
the lake" announced Betty when she had
read the note. when we get through
that I'm to turn back another fold Of this
paper and see what we are to do next"
By luncheon time five folds of the paper
had revealed their secrets and doll baby
pleasure ground was more than half COM
pieted. The sea shells they had brought
from the seashore last year were put
around the edge of the tub with a few
oyster shells to fill in. Around the noun
tainside was narrow but we'll defined
roadway, up which might travel Ben's
iron train of cars or Beth's wooden horse
and cart Those articles had come from
the children's room to Backyardville on a
freight train which by some people might
have been mistaken for sister Sue.
At the foot Of the mountain a thin layer
or sand had been spread and packed till It
was smooth and even enough for cro-
quet ground. 1t was great fun to wonder
what things would be used for the different
parts of the croquet set. A fine set they
finally made Of
Silk spools for mallet heads.
Steel or wooden skewers, for mallet han
dies (The first should be driven in: the
last stuck in a hole made in the spool by
penknife)
Steel hairpins, for wickets.
Wooden meat skewers, for stakes
White marbles, for balls. fThe colors
should be marked on them and also on the
stakes by red blue, green and black pen
cils.)
A road and a cross road were marked ont
and here and there were set up iamn nosts
made of tiny candles stuck in cotton snoolg
On each side of the road were made deem
cutters, paved with small stones.
They look like the cutters at Soldiers,
Home, don't they?" asked Ben 1--WE must
keep ours as clean as they keen theirs
They have miles and miles of gutter, but
ing up between the stones
1T takes awful hard work to do thar"
said Betty. There, Benz some dirt blew
on our gutter just then, and you didn't
} lump 70 take it off," Betty and Beth
Ben flung himself down on the ground
but he did smile. ~ guess I don't cars