Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-02
The Back Yard Fence.

Dorothy peeped through the knot
! hole in the backyard fence in state of
high excitement. The four little Nc
ed with all her heart to be with them.
AS far back as she could remember,
Dorothy had wished she had sister
to play with. hut to have three sisters
--or, what delight! And yet each one
of the little McFees had three sisters.
When they played house they would
haye-a fla ther and mother and a caok,
and a little waiter, while In Qorothy's
case all these characters had to be TAX
en- by dolls, What did it matter that
the little MeFees Wore patched dresses,
and lived In tiny two-roomed house?
Dorothy thought them the happiest of
mortals, and longed ardently to be
friends with them.
She went back into the house after
she had gazed through the. knot hole
awhile.
Mamma" she said, "de yeu think
they will ever invite me to come and
play with them2''
Perhaps So" said mamma.
::Rut how can they when they have
never even seen me?" asked Dorothy,
in doleful tones. "Couldn't l go and
see them just once, and then, If they
didn't like me, they wouldn't need to
invite me to come again?'
Suppose you didn't like them," said
mamma, smiling.
"Oh, but do" said Dorothy :TheN
are just as nice and polite to each 9TH
er as if they We're company, and Katie
she's the biggest one-keeps Maud
clean when their mother goes away to-
work. They're all clean all the time,
and they do have such nice times play
Ing. house. Don't you think might
go just once?"
;Wait a few days" said mamma.
sand We shall see about it,
On the day the McFees had moved in
the little house, Dorothy had begged
her mother to allow her to go and play
with them, and mamma had said she
might go when they invited her. But
that time seemed as far off as ever. for
the fence dividing the back. yards was
of high. close boards, and the McFaes
had never even had glimpse of their
little neighhor.
So. for many days. Dorothy contin-
ued to watch the McFees through the
knot hole, and to imagine how delight
full it would be when she could play
with them.
One morning she started out with
her doll for a STROLL in the back yard,
but came rushing back moment later
in brea athless amazement.
"Mamma," she cried. 1.-THE back yard
fence is down fat on the ground"
ssIs it, indeed:' said mamma, coming
to the door to look. Sure enough, the
back yard fence was lying in ruins.
"Do you think it's a miracle, man.
ma2" asked Dorothy, solemnly.
II hardly think so," said mamma;
"there was a very heavy wind last
night, and 1 think that may account
for it."
"Well, it's as good as a miracle, any
way, and now maybe they'll ask me to
come and play with them,' said Doro-
thy.
She walked into the back yard and
kHeTe were tne tout. MSf ees EnaylHS
uader their apple tree They looked at
Dorothy and her doll admiringly, but
they never thought of such a thing as
asking her to come and play. Poor
Dorothy walked UP and down near the
rmuined fence. with hope almost gone
from her heart.
''They don't want to play with me-"
.she said to herself, land it doesn't do
a bit of good that the fence is blown
down."
But just then, as she passed the place
nearest the apple tree, she heard Mary
say to Katie:
Il just wish she'd ask US to come
over and play with her.