Read Ebook: Lady Rum-Di-Doodle-Dum's Children by Dickson Samuel Benjamin Marion Francis Illustrator

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Ebook has 949 lines and 70600 words, and 19 pages

"She told him all the confusion she had had, but he laughed, because he was a man, and such things never bother men. He jumped on the Southeast Wind again and rushed up, up, right into the clouds and broke them to small pieces. Of course, when the clouds were all broken, the rain fell out of them and all over the flower children. And then--it was just like eating chocolate cake, it was so nice. The flower children were washed and became bright; the sun came out because he was glad; the bees came buzzing around again, and all the world was happy. Then Queen Rosemary, on her throne in the sweetpeas, was pleased, so she forgave Peter for spilling the dewdrops. She told him, though, that whenever he was bad in the future she would tie him up, because she could count on the Southeast Wind to bring rain and do Peter's work.

"And so you see, whenever the sky grows black and the flowers look sickly and the sun hides, you may know that Peter has been misbehaving and cannot wash the children. But you must not mind, because the rain is sure to come to do his work, and there is always sunshine after the rain."

When Flip had finished his story Mother Dear hugged Father and whispered, "Who in the world is this wonderful boy?"

She did not say it very loud, but Flip heard her and got up, with his cap in his hand, and almost spilled Liza. He bowed and said:

"It isn't really wonderful. Stories like that always happen."

"Ridiculous!" said Father, in a very stern way. "Who are you? Where did you come from?"

"I'm Flip, Liza says," was the answer, "and so I must be."

"Please, Mother Dear," said Martha Mary. "He is nice, and Liza found him. Do you think he might stay for tea?"

"And tell more stories before bedtime," said Walter.

"And he found Hermit," said Liza.

Mother Dear whispered something to Father that no one else heard. Then Father said:

"Children, go up to the house and wait for us. We will ask Flip if he will stay this evening."

The children went rather slowly, for they were anxious to hear what was going to happen. It must have been exciting, for ten minutes later Mother Dear came to the veranda smiling, and Flip's eyes were all shiny, and Father was in the best of humor.

"Babes," said Mother Dear, "would you like Flip to stay here?"

"All evening?" asked Edward Lee.

"No. Much longer. As long as he wishes to. Perhaps always."

You should have heard the children shout. They hugged Mother Dear and hugged Father till his hair was all mussed and danced about Flip until he was all red; but Flip was easily embarrassed. Finally Father said:

"Silence," in an awesome tone, and added: "Philip is going to stay to work about the place and do chores and care for the flowers--AND tell you stories when you are half-way good and he feels like it. So you had better be good."

Away went the children to tell the wonderful news to Nurse Huggins, all excepting Martha Mary, who was rather curious.

"Mother Dear," she said. "Please, who is Flip and how did you get Father to let him stay?"

"Flip is a very fine boy," said Mother, "and he has aspirations."

"What are aspirations?" asked Martha Mary.

"You explain to her, Father," said Mother Dear.

But Flip had followed the other children, to be introduced to Cook and Nurse Huggins, so Martha Mary did not find out for ages and ages why Flip had aspirations or what they were.

IN WHICH WE BEGIN TO REALIZE HOW CONVENIENT IT IS TO HAVE A PERSON LIKE FLIP ABOUT THE PLACE, ESPECIALLY WHEN THERE IS NOTHING MUCH TO DO; ALSO WE HEAR OF MR. MORIARITY AND THE FAIRY WHO DID NOT HAVE A RED CHIN BEARD AND A BALD HEAD

It was really quite surprising to learn how easily Flip could be depended upon. When it rained, Martha Mary would only need to say:

"Please, do you think we might have a story?" And Flip would lead the way to the fireplace and, before you half knew it, you were in the middle of a delightful story. Or Liza might tumble into the ash can and hurt her nose. She would cry dreadfully--and Flip would cure the damage with a story. John might go sailing on the lake Ocean and leave no one to be Captain of the land army. Away the army--Martha Mary, Walter, Edward Lee, and Liza--would go to Flip for sympathy--and Flip's sympathy would be a story. Best of all were the stories he told in the Runaway Place where the poppies grew, lying on a small stack of hay, with his cap on his toe. There were so many told there that I hardly know which to tell to you first. Perhaps you would like the one about Mr. Moriarity.

"Of course you know," said Flip, "that every child has a fairy just as there is a fairy for every flower. But what I am going to tell you is much more surprising than that. Every grown-up, no matter how big or important he may be, has just as nice a fairy in charge of his affairs. The fairies of the grown-ups do not show themselves nearly as often as flowers or children fairies. You see, grown-ups have not the time to think of such things. Furthermore, they are usually ashamed to recognize them, and of course the fairies are proud and will not go where they are not wanted. Would you believe that Father has a perfectly lovely fairy and there is another little, golden-winged one that belongs to Mother Dear? Well, there is! I have never seen them, but there must be. You see, Fairies are dreams, and everybody has dreams; even Mr. Moriarity, the green grocer.

"Mr. Moriarity's fairy was the prettiest little fairy you have ever seen. Guess why? Because fairies do not take after their owners' looks. If they did, Mr. Moriarity's fairy would have to be a little red-faced creature with a red chin beard and watery blue eyes and a bald head. But fairies take after their owners' dreams, and this was Mr. Moriarity's dream: He wanted to be a great musician and play music that would make all the world glad. He had always loved music; in the olden days in Kerry County, when he was no larger than John, he used to creep out of his bed at night, tiptoe into the barn, and hide in the straw to listen to Tim, his big brother, sing about a girl called Kathleen Mavourneen, and Peggy Machree, and The Low Back Car to the cows and pigs. The cows would moo and the pigs would squeal their applause, and then Mr. Moriarity, who was called Andy in those days, would tiptoe back to his blankets and hide his head and sing Peggy Machree in a tiny voice. It was not at all good music, but it made him feel good. So he dreamed about the day that he should be a great musician and all the people would clap and the pigs squeal and the cows moo when he played. He wanted to play the violin because it sounds like the wind singing in the heather, but violins cost a great deal of money and lessons cost more, and Andy's father was only a poor vegetable grower near the bogs. So it looked as though Andy would never be rich enough to have his dream. His fairy became unhappy and pale, because music fairies are the frailest, most delicate little things, and lovely melodies are sunshine for them.

"One day Andy was out in the heart of the moor listening to the wind in the purple heather and singing a song that he had made all himself. His fairy was sitting on a wild rosebush listening to the music. I know I have a perfectly awful voice, but this is the song he sang:

"'The wild rose is my fairy love, my lady love, my pretty love. The wild rose is my fairy love and I don't care who knows it. She dances for the moorland green, the Irish green, the hillside green, And smiles and smiles and smiles upon the breeze that blows it.'

RESENTMENT AGAINST ENGLAND.--POPULAR FEELING IN THE UNITED STATES.-- CONDUCT OF THE PALMERSTON MINISTRY.--HOSTILE SPEECHES IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.--MR. ROEBUCK.--LORD ROBERT CECIL.--CONDUCT OF THE TORIES.--OF THE LIBERALS.--CRITICISMS OF THE BRITISH PRESS.--SOUTH COMPARED WITH IRELAND.--UNITED STATES DEMANDS COMPENSATION.--REFUSED BY ENGLAND.-- NEGOTIATIONS.--JOHNSON-CLARENDON TREATY.--REJECTED BY SENATE.-- CHARACTER OF TREATY.--SPEECH OF MR. SUMNER.--POSITION OF PRESIDENT GRANT.--NEGOTIATION CLfect dance of Spring. Up jumped old Moriarity, forgetting all about his rheumatism, and he danced with the fairies just as he had done when he was a boy. Right in the middle of it, when his face was all red and his eyes burning, out came Mrs. Moriarity and she held her hands on her hips and stared. But all of a sudden she caught Andy's eye and he laughed, so up she pulled her skirts to her knees and commenced to dance with him, singing at the top of her voice all about Paddy Dear. She made such a noise that out came the five Moriarity children and they could hardly believe their eyes, for they had never seen their mother and father act that way before. But there was no need of worrying; out into the poppy field they skipped and there, by the light of Lady Rumdidoodledum and a million other stars, danced Mr. Moriarity and Mrs. Moriarity and the five little Moriaritys, with oodles and oodles of fairies. All of a sudden Mrs. Moriarity felt a stitch in her side and she stopped and took Mr. Moriarity by the ear and led him into the house. Moriarity's fairy was so happy that she laughed and wept all night.

"So now, whenever things go a little bit wrong, Moriarity throws aside his vegetable bag, calls his wife and children, and out to the fields they go to dance in the evening light. Moriarity sings Kathleen Mavourneen and Peggy Machree and The Low Back Car, and out come all the fairies and dance, too. Of course, Mr. Moriarity's voice is still pretty bad, so the cows all moo and the pigs all squeal, but the poppies smile and the wild rose bows and the fairies are happy as happy can be."

IN WHICH MARTHA MARY INVADES THE CASTLE, AND FATHER PROVES THAT HE CAN DO OTHER THINGS BESIDES WRITING BUSINESS IN BIG BOOKS. ALSO SOMEONE ARRIVES

Father was very busy in his den, with the blinds all drawn and the small log fire lit and a huge stack of papers on his desk. So Martha Mary was rather afraid when she tapped at his door; you see, the Den was Father's private property, just like a castle, and no outsiders, not even the children, went in very often.

"Who is there?" called Father.

"Please, it is me," said Martha Mary.

"Who is 'me'?" demanded Father.

"Martha Mary, and may I come in?"

Father shoved the big pile of papers aside and opened the door.

"Well, Sister," he said, "what is the trouble? Has Liza fallen in the lake?"

"Father! No! Liza never does."

"Then what is the trouble?"

Martha Mary put her arm about Father's waist just as she always did when she wanted to ask him a favor. Father always would grant the favor then.

"Please," she said. "Do you think you could do something for us?"

"Depends what, Sister."

"Well, Mother Dear has gone to town and Flip has driven her to the train and we have played everything and don't know what to do. So we thought, as long as Flip wasn't here, you might be able to tell us a story. Do you think you could?"

Before he had finished what he supposed, Martha Mary had danced down the hall and back she came with the whole Sherman family, including Hermit. It only needed Mother Dear and Flip to make the invasion of the den complete. Hermit was the oldest, so he chose the rug before the fire and Liza lay down by his side. Walter and Edward Lee each sat on an arm of Father's Morris chair, Martha Mary sat on the floor with her head on Father's knee, and John lay on his stomach before the fire and pulled Hermit's tail.

Father took some time to commence, so Martha Mary, who knew it would be hard work for him, tried to help him along.

"You don't need to tell about Fairies," she said. "Kings and queens will do, or even every-day people. And Flip never begins with 'once upon a time.'"

"Is that so?" asked Father. "Well, I am going to be different. My story is going to commence with 'once upon a time' and it isn't going to be about Kings or Queens or Fairies, or not even every-day people."

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