Right in the middle of a fine story, Grandfather came
into the room and asked, “Isn’t there
going to be any dinner to-day?” And sure enough
it was five minutes to twelve o’clock!
Grandmother jumped up and hurried to the kitchen and
Grandfather said, “Well, isn’t it too
bad it’s a rainy day?”
“Rainy?” exclaimed Mary Jane, for she’d
forgotten all about the rain and her lonesomeness
of the early morning. “Rainy? Why,
Grandfather! Rainy days are the best days of
all when they’re days at Grandmother’s
house!”
“This sewing business and feeding chickens and
watching mice is all very well,” said Grandfather
one day, “but I’d like to know where I
come in? If it wasn’t for having good company
at meal time and for about ten minutes after supper
in the evening, I’d never guess I had a little
granddaughter visiting me—I wouldn’t,
indeed!”
Mary Jane looked very serious. She wasn’t
quite certain sure whether Grandfather was really
disappointed in her or whether he was only teasing.
Grandmother saw she was puzzled and helped her out
by saying, “Very well, Mr. Hodges, then you
should find something your little great granddaughter
likes to do!” And from the way Grandmother’s
eyes twinkled, Mary Jane knew that she understood
Grandfather was only teasing. And, oh, dear,
but she was relieved! It’s fine to go
visiting; but it’s dreadful to be visiting and
disappoint folks; and Mary Jane was glad to know she
hadn’t.
“That’s exactly what I’m doing,
my dear,” laughed Grandfather. “I’m
finding something.”
“Are you really, Grandfather,” cried Mary
Jane happily. “Let’s go do it now!
I’m all through my dessert; may I please be
excused, Grandmother?” and Mary Jane prepared
to slip down from her chair.
“No use,” said Grandfather with a shake
of his head. “It isn’t ready yet.”
“Not ready?” echoed Mary Jane. “Does
it have to be ready before we do it?”
“It surely does,” laughed Grandfather,
“That’s the reason we haven’t done
it before.”
“But I think I’ll like it without being
ready,” suggested Mary Jane as she went around
to his chair. “Let’s see if I wouldn’t.”
“No, sir, you can’t tease me that way,
Pussy,” laughed Grandfather. “You’ll
have to wait.”
“Is it alive?” asked Mary Jane, who by
this time was fairly bubbling over with curiosity.
“Well, yes,” replied Grandfather and he
chuckled to himself in high glee.
“Is it big as me?” asked Mary Jane.
“One way ’tis and another way ’tisn’t,”
said Grandfather.
“Oh, dear!” sighed Mary Jane, “that’s
the kind I never can guess!” Then she thought
carefully for a real good question. “Is
it brown or gray?”
Grandfather leaned back and laughed. When he
finally could answer he said, “It’s partly
grayish brown and some day it may be all brown for
a’ I know.”
