Lyman Frank Baum

American Fairy Tales Lyman Frank Baum

No one intended to leave Martha alone that afternoon, but it happened that everyone was calledaway, for one reason or another. Mrs. McFarland was attending the weekly card party held by theWomen's Anti-Gambling League. Sister Nell's young man had called quite unexpectedly to take herfor a long drive. Papa was at the office, as usual. It was Mary Ann's day out. As for Emeline, shecertainly should have stayed in the house and looked after the little girl; but Emeline had a restlessnature."Would you mind, miss, if I just crossed the alley to speak a word to Mrs. Carleton's girl?" sheasked Martha."'Course not," replied the child. "You'd better lock the back door, though, and take the key, for Ishall be upstairs.""Oh, I'll do that, of course, miss," said the delighted maid, and ran away to spend the afternoonwith her friend, leaving Martha quite alone in the big house, and locked in, into the bargain. The little girl read a few pages in her new book, sewed a few stitches in her embroidery andstarted to "play visiting" with her four favorite dolls. Then she remembered that in the attic was adoll's playhouse that hadn't been used for months, so she decided she would dust it and put it inorder.