Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-06-11
Topsy Turvy.
BY NJ. s. HANDY


Mildred not only had a nursery full of
toys of every description, but out in the
yard had playhouse that was the envy OF
all the children in the neighborhood. 1t
had several rooms completely furnished
even to shades and ruffied curtains; little
porch in front. and either side of the
sizes. All in all. the place was paradise
for dolls and for their little mistresses
we'll
1t is very unpleasant to tell that Mildred
was very poor housekeeper II you went
into her house without giving her notice
you would find it in the most wretched dis
order. Doll clothes would be strewn all
over the floor, the lids of the kitchen stove
would likely be on the blue satin parlor
chairs, and the remains of tea party were
always left on the table. Mildred's mother
thought the bright. shiny dishpsn and little
towels marked with M would encourage
Mildred to wash her dishes and put them
away in her dainty little white china closet,
but nothing seemed to help Mildred keep
her home In order. Her brothers got into the
habit of calling the playhouse ''Topsy
Turvy Terrace. until mother actually
locked the front door and forbade Mildred
and her friends from playing there for a
week
One afternoon Ruth and Edith came over
| to play with Mildred. and the children
pleaded so hard for another trial. promising
to tidy up when through, that Mildred
mother consented.
Everything went we'll until o'clock
when Mildreds visitors thought they'd
swing a while and put the house in order
later. Their memories were very short.
the swing was unusually interesting for
at dinner time Mildred's mother sent her
little girl to the playhouse to make good
her promise of leaving things In order
How Mildred grumbled She wished there
mad never been such thing as play
house. or toys, either. She was very in
dignant at her friends for leaving the bur-
den on her alone, and instead of getting to
work right away she sat down the floor
with book. Topsy Turvy Terrace never
looked so hopeless, but when the fairies
Willing Hands and Happy Hearts take
hold it is wonderful how quickly things fly
into their places. These little fairies were
evidently busy somewhere else on this day,
for they were nowhere to be seen in Mil
dred's house.
Mildred was talking aloud to herself: II
don't see why grown people like things in
order anyhow. Children detest it. If the
coll clothes are in the trunk l can never
find thing. l like everything out on the
floor. So | don't waste any time hunting for
it. l just love things upsdedown"
"Oh, you do?' replied voice at her ell
DOW. m surprised! AS you have every
thlng III the world you want. [ suppose
We'll have to give you that too
who are your asked Mildred. Il don't
know you
I'm the fairy who tries to make spoiled
chlldren less disagreeable. It's a thankless
JOB, though, and l wish our queen would
give me something else to do. You say
you like your things all upsidedown Do
you really mean it,
Il do, indeed" said Mildred '.Td no Nor
fectly happy if there was no such thing az
order IN the world
Here suddenly everything seemed to
swing around Mildred felt dizzer and dir
NO 1.,ri,
at once she came to stop and what do
you suppose she discovered? That her
ioHely playhouse was really upsidedown.
one mad to climb to the roof in order to
get IN at the door Her pansy beds in
stead OF displaying their velvety. purpIa
pc talS. showed ugly black roots instead
The pictures on the wall absolutely fright
cred, as all the people were upsidedown
Just imagine the effect! Cows and animals
or all kinds with their legs in the air and
looking as if they would land on her head
IN a minute. The dainty little rugs mother
had made for the floor were scattered wrong
slde up on the ceiling. with none to walk
on them but flies. Tables were overturned
chairs on their 'uppers,'' while the dolls
were hideous sight! Their sweet smiling
faces could not even be seen, for their
skirts completely enveloped them Para
soils were turned wrong side out exposing
their ugly ribs instead of their siken lacy
coverings, while the blue satin chairs show
cd only their skeleton springs. The worst
OF all, however, We're the books Not one
line could Mildred read, for every letter
was standing on its head in true circhs
1ashlon. Even Mildred's name in the front
looked like this:
'ydEd NOdI 'dHHQ1IV
"Oh this is terrible" shrieked Mildred,
very much after the fashion of Alice in
Wonderland. Il did not know what a diff
derence it would make to have things up
| sidedown! Nothing is any use at all! Why
was SO foolish as to wish for this-it is all
my fault. Mother says 1 am the worst
Child for seeking trouble she ever saw and
l guess she will think more than ever
after this dreadful occurrence. What can
l do to bring things back again, Oh. OH
OH. sobbed Mildred It's night time and
l want to go home" Everything was SO
unusual 1t was no wonder Mildred was ter
rified. Although she was eight and large
/ for her age, she kicked on the door and
screamed Mamma very much as If she
had been two. and small for her years.
Mother was just on her way to the play
| hot Sc to hunt for Mildred. who had been
gone such a long time. She did not know
what to make OF Mildred'S tears and her
| scarlet cheeks and her trembling hands.
Mildred tried to explain. but on looking
around for proof found everything exactly
whe re it should have been-that is. except
| the things Mildred and her friends had
played with in the afternoon.
How mother laughed as she and Mildred
hurriedly put things to rights. Mildred, af-
ter she could convince herself that it was
all a horrible dream. laughed, too.
From this time on Nidred's house was
known everywhere as Topsy Turvy Ter
race" but her mother never again had to
insist on it's being kept in order. Mildred
seemed to have a horror that her belong
ings would repeat the habit they had
formed on that dreadful afternoon, when
she had wished they might, for good and
all be upsidedown