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Read Ebook: A Day at the County Fair by Burnett Alice Hale
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Ebook has 255 lines and 10265 words, and 6 pages
A DAY AT THE COUNTY FAIR
THE INVITATION
"Oh, push it harder, much harder, so I can go away up to the tree tops," cried Jerry. "Don't you just love to fly through the air this way?"
Mary Lee gave the swing one more push.
"There!" she exclaimed, "that's the best I can do, Geraldine White. I'm hot all over now," and she dropped down on the soft grass at the foot of a big tree.
"After the old cat dies, I'll give you a fine swing," promised Jerry. "You'll think you're in an airship."
"Indeed you won't," protested Mary. "It's horrid and makes me feel ill. Oh, look," she exclaimed, "here comes Beth Burton."
Flying down the street, her hair streaming behind her, came Beth, her cheeks aglow and her dark eyes dancing with excitement.
Mary had run at once to meet her and Jerry followed as soon as she could stop the swing.
"It's the loveliest news," panted Beth when she had reached them--"an invitation."
"Oh, do tell us what it is," demanded the other two in chorus.
"Well," continued Beth, placing an arm about each as they all walked up the path, "it's to go motoring. My uncle Billy is going to take us," and she gave each girl a little hug. "But that isn't all," she added. "There's a surprise on the end of the ride."
Jerry danced up the path with joy.
"A motor ride and a surprise all in one day," thought Jerry.
"I think it's just dear of him to ask us to go, too," said Mary. "He could have taken you alone."
Beth smiled, as she replied:
"It wouldn't be half as much fun without you, and I don't know what the surprise is, either; Uncle Billy wouldn't tell me."
Jerry suddenly stopped dancing.
"Mary Lee," she said, "you're just as big a goose as I am. We've never asked Beth when it's to be."
"Why, to-day, of course," was the laughing answer; "that's why I hurried so. We'll stop for you both at eleven o'clock, and Uncle Billy says he'll bring us all back safely by six o'clock to-night. I do hope your mothers will allow you to go."
"Oh, mercy! I must hurry. I'll have to ask Mother, and then change my dress," and Mary darted down the path. "I'll come back here when I'm ready," she called to them over her shoulder.
"I shall have to hurry home, too," laughed Beth, "but, Jerry, before I leave, do go in and ask your mother if you may go."
It took but a moment for Jerry to reach the house and in another she had reached the room where her mother sat sewing.
"Oh, it's going to be such fun! May I go? The whole day, and a motor ride, and a surprise, too. Isn't it sweet of Beth?"
"Jerry, what are you talking about?" asked Mrs. White; "a motor ride and a surprise; what do you mean, dear?"
"Oh," giggled Jerry, "I always get mixed up when I talk fast," and standing beside her mother, she explained about the invitation she had just received from Beth.
"Indeed you may go, and I'm sure you will enjoy it very much," was her mother's reply. "But now you'd better run upstairs and get ready, for you haven't much time."
Jerry, happy to receive her mother's permission, flew to the door.
"It's all right, Beth dear," she called. "I may go."
"Oh, I'm so glad," answered Beth; "be sure you're ready at eleven."
THE MOTOR TRIP
"Mercy, goodness! Five minutes to eleven, and I can't find my hat," and poor Jerry darted from one closet to another in her search. "Where do you suppose it is?"
"It's just where you left it," answered Mary, who had arrived ten minutes before and had been helping Jerry hunt for the missing hat. "Now stop running around and try to think a minute."
Jerry stood still and thought very hard.
"Why, I believe it's--it's in my hat box, you dear thing! Why didn't you tell me to do that before?" and Jerry darted up the stairs to her room, and in another minute called out:
"Yes, here it is, safe and sound," at which Mary burst into laughter.
"Honk, honk!" sounded from without.
"Here they are,--here they come," and both girls flew to meet Beth, who had just stepped out of the car as it stopped before the house.
Mrs. White followed the girls down the path and Uncle Billy smilingly promised her to have the girls home before dark.
"Jerry, you sit in front for a while with Uncle Billy," suggested Beth. "I think it will be nice if we take turns riding beside him."
"Fine idea," laughed Uncle Billy, "then I can get acquainted with all of you."
Jerry climbed in the front seat while Mary and Beth sat in the wide seat behind, with a large wicker lunch basket on the floor before them.
"Good-bye," they called as the car started, and Mrs. White waved her handkerchief until they were out of sight.
It was the beautiful month of September and the leaves were turning to red and gold. The air was soft and cool against their faces and the sky was dotted here and there with tiny white clouds that looked like little ships sailing on an ocean of blue.
Uncle Billy had headed the car toward the west and it sped down the country road, leaving the town of Merryvale far behind. Past fields and farms they flew, through woodlands and over little bridges under which ran tiny, bubbling brooks.
"It's like being in fairyland," whispered Mary. "Look, the leaves have made a gold and crimson carpet."
"Yes, and at night the fairies dance in the moonlight," answered Beth, "and drink honey from the blue bells. Wouldn't that soft mossy bank make a lovely throne for the queen?"
"What are you two talking about?" demanded Jerry, turning around in her seat and facing them. "I don't believe you know that Beth's Uncle Billy let me drive this car for a long way and he hardly helped at all."
"Well, I should say we didn't, or we'd have been scared to death," laughed Beth.
"Well, it's not half as dangerous as driving an airship, and I'm going to do that some day. I'd love to go away up above the clouds."
"And talk to the man in the moon, I suppose," teased Mary.
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