Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-03-21
TOfsY on TIE TOP ElOCa
By CLARA J. DENTON.
Copyright. 1901. by George W. Jacobs & Co..
CHAPTER III.
A New Acquaintance,
By CLARA J. DENT

"A new acquaintance.
l. Nettie shyly drew a little nearer to the
gate.
do you want to come mr. she said, po-
| 1itely
| 'Oh. no." was the answer. IT was going
by. and heard you laugh: never heard
| any one laugh in here before. SO let down
| the little door and looked In
How did you know the door was therer'
'0h. everybody around here knows about
| It,"
/ do they7 That seems queer hadn't
seen It."
"oh. that's just because you didn't know
It was here" explained the visitor. wisely:
| watch me- now. and Til shut 1t up"
She took her face from the opening. put
her hand in and pulled the little door to-
| ward her; 1t closed with a snap.
: You can see the door now. can't your
| asked the voice from the other side.
| on, yes. was Nettie's answer, but 1
don't see any way that you can make 1t fly
/ open"
| That's because 1t opens only from this
! side" said The little girl. throwing the door
again and b bringing her face to the
| to you. can shut 1t up and you can't call
me back: but If you get tired of me and
shut the door. can open 1t again."
! Yes, said Nettfe. Il see, but what's 1t
for?"
| She had faint notion that the opening
had not been made for the simple purpose
of giving little girls chance to get ac-
| quainted.
| "Oh. it's for the milkman and the butcher.
| and the grocers, and all that sort Of thing"
| oh. yes. so the gate can be kept locked
and bad boys can't steal the flowers and
do. but wouldn't you like to come inT
Maybe. II go to the house and ask Mrs.
| Mullard she'll send a bell-boy or a maid
| to open the gate for you"
L M Anrsk 40 %hak
I'm going on an errand: and. besides, my
mamma wouldn't allow 1t at all. She
doesn't know Mrs. Mullard, so she wouldn't
IKE s.r to f have me =, In her yard My mamma
| well. don't know" said Nettie, doubt
fully. II don't believe she has time to be;
| but your mamma doesn't know my mamma.
either. 80 maybe she wouldn't like to have
you talk to me-"
"oh: that's different. you know. talk to
| everybody most"
Nettie was astonished at this frank state
| ment. and stood silent. It seemed impossi-
bic to say anything interesting to q girl
| who dared to talk to everybody" and so
| must have heard great many wise things.
AT this moment the cat. having shifted
her position on the railing. Topsy turned
about to follow her and then discovered
| that matters at the gate needed her prompt
attention. She bounded down the path in
her usual noisy manner.
oh" said the visitor, there comes your
doggie. My. but he's pretty. and how he
barks at me. What's his Manner
She isn't mine" said Nettie, "and her
creature. and see THIS little girl"
Nettfe took the dog up in her arms and
| held her where the visitor could see her
brown eyes and cunning little black nose.
| How she does bark" said the stranger
"Wfll she bitter
mo" was the answer, mot unless. you
put your hands on her She doesn't like to
| In cd yuif
| my. but she's cute. I thought had the
incest pet in the world, but do believe she
| even beats my hem"
| Your hen!' said Nettie. in her surprise
almost letting Topsy fall ooh. dear. have
you hen? I never saw one"
At this the little girl burst out laughing.
| Ion. my; oh. my. You are lots of fun:
never saw hen!' and she laughed SO loud
| ly that Topsy began to bark again.
"Of course" said Nettie. as soon as the
clamor had died out, Il have seen pictures
| of hens.'
'But weren't you ever in the country?'
| mot since 1 was three years DID, and of
course, can't remember much about it. 1
/ know there were lots of trees and grass,
| and 1t seems when think Of it just like the
| park. but I can't remember seeing any
hens"
Nor cows, nor pigs?"
Nettie shook her head. and then buried
| her face In Topsy's soft hair. She was real
| ly very much ashamed Of her ignorance.
Nor ducks?" persisted the other little
girl.
| Again Nettie shook her head, but did NOT
lift her face.
Nor little bessie calves, nor sheepr'
| Nettfe looked up. 81 may just as we'll
keep on shaking my head" she said "if
you are going to ask me about all those
| things. Tor never saw any of them, except
| in books.
"oh: books" said the other little girl.
| scornfully. II hate books"
| Hate books" exclaimed Nettfe in a tone
| V, 7 inst
love them. love them. and my mamma says
they are the best things in the world. When
Him." said the other. loftily. I'm not,
| can tell you. hate to write"
What are you going to do? Live in the
| country and keep hens?"
| We'll, I guess not" was the angry an
! swer. fYou don't catch me living in the
country. No, I'm going to wear silk dresses
| with trains and go to ball every night
| IKE my mamma does: that's the most fun"
| oh, yes, said Nettie meekly. Il suppose
| 1t is. but you like your hen so much 1
| "Of course, like my hen." interrupted
| the other. ''and she laid a lot of eggs and
| now she's got some little chicks, and when
they're big enough to fry I'm going to sell
| them to the meat man."
"Oh." exclaimed Nettie, what for? Why
| The stranger tossed her head and quickly
interrupted again. what for? why. for
money, of course, and it's to be my very
own money, TO 90 just what please with,
because, you see, I worked for that hen"
Worked for it?" repeated Nettie with
renewed interest. The talk had now reach
ed basis that she well understood
DO you have to work. hard" was
the word she was about to USE but she
| remembered that the hand which reached
| In after the little door was very white and
was decked with glittering ring: so she
quickly caught herself and used the word
often instead.
mo. indeed" said the visitor, 1T don't
have to work at all. But you see every
summer l go to visit my Aunt Nancy,
papa's sister. She lives on a farm and
everybody there works. So last summer
the very first minute that got there Aunt
Nancy said: Now. if you'll work like a
right good girl while you're here, I'll give
you one of those finest hens to take home
with you. You've got good big yard to
keep her in, and she'll give you plenty OF
fresh eggs So worked, tell you. They
just kept me busy about all the time pick
ing up chips and wiping Dishes"
Ibid you like 1t ??
mo. indeed, didn't. but wanted that
hen, awfully. So when got ready to come
away. what do you suppose my Aunt Nancy
said?'