The Cricket's Friends Part 13

The baby-house had many more articles of furniture, however, than did the larger apartment; for it was not only adorned by a toilet-table, a wee bath-tub, and a wardrobe, but there were ever so many cradles and high-chairs for the children.

"'Now look at the parlor,' cried Pet.

"I cannot begin to describe the magnificence of this drawing-room. Every thing was gilt and crimson in the appointments, which is certainly very good taste, whether doll or human being. There was a gilt chandelier, with pink wax candles ready to light at any time, gilt chairs, and centre-table holding vases filled with flowers, while the carpet and walls were crimson. Before the open piano was seated a very pretty doll in a flounced blue silk dress, trimmed with crystal drops; upon the sofa reclined her two sisters, one wearing white with a green sash, and the other pink barege; while the mother, in purple satin edged with white lace, occupied a large arm-chair, with her feet upon a footstool. At the billiard-table in the corner were several more dolls, one holding the cue ready to play a game.

"This is all that I can remember of the wonderful baby-house (it is a long time since I saw it last); but if there was any thing else that I have not mentioned, you may be sure Milly discovered it before nightfall, that birthday when she was six years old. When she had seen all these things, little Milly jumped up with a flush on her cheek, and turned to all the kind faces that were watching her surprise and pleasure. First, she gave her parents a kiss of thanks; then there was Sarah smiling in the doorway, and Nurse Hannah holding the baby, who looked quite solemn, with one thumb in its mouth, baby fas.h.i.+on. The boys then ran away to their skating again, for they thought they were too big and old, to show much interest in a baby-house; and the sisters were left to their play undisturbed. Of course there was no end of fun for the rest of that long, happy day. Milly and Pet had hardly leisure to eat their dinner, they were so absorbed with their new playthings. Such a confusion as they made in the neat little rooms, house-cleaning, re-arranging furniture and dollies! Such a number of meals as were served in that one afternoon alone! It is only a wonder that a single doll had any digestion left, or that Dinah could still show her white teeth in that contented smile; for any other cook would have given warning that she was about to leave, I am sure, who had to serve the quant.i.ties of sweetened water, sc.r.a.ped apple, and chalk dishes that she did. But Dinah did not lose her temper, although it was so severely tried, one would think; and the day's pleasure closed with a grand tea-party, to which Tom and d.i.c.k were invited. Then the baby-house was arranged, and the door closed for the night.

"When it was bedtime, Milly realized, for the first time, what a large girl she had grown, to have a place all to herself. Sarah brought a light, and prepared to put her charge to bed; but this Milly resisted indignantly. She was going to undress, and take care of herself; so she bade Sarah good-night very ceremoniously, and the nursery-maid went away laughing. There was a good deal of pattering to and from the nursery, however, after that. First, Milly ran across her mother's room, and along the pa.s.sage, to make a call upon the other children; and she looked back with a little s.h.i.+ver at comfortable Miss Pet sitting on the hearth-rug like a soft white kitten, and the baby asleep in the crib, as she returned to her _own room_ once more. Then the others made her a call, and envied her new dignity: only Pet whispered in an awed tone,--

"'Wont you be afraid when the light goes out, Milly?'

"'No, indeed,' said Milly bravely.

"Then she blew out the candle, and sprang into bed, just to show Pet how much she enjoyed it all. But when they had trotted back, and it was all dark, she began to see strange shapes from out of the darkness, and to hear rustlings all about that she had never noticed in the shelter of the nursery, until she fell asleep. She was awakened by a noise that made her heart leap into her throat with a single bound. It was something between a gurgle and a groan; and so frightened grew little Milly, that she stole out of her warm bed, and paused, trembling, on the threshold of her mother's room to listen. What do you suppose the noise was, after all? Milly almost laughed at herself when she discovered; it was her papa snoring loudly. She was so glad that no one knew of her fright, the first night she slept alone, that she nestled into bed again, and pulled the blankets almost over her curly head. The moonlight came peeping into the window in silvery beams; and, after looking out upon the clear sky, where a few stars twinkled, Milly saw a wonderful sight. Down the moonbeam, which formed a pathway paved with sparkling hues, floated tiny fairy figures, bearing in their midst upon a litter, formed of a lily-cup, their queen. Milly thought she had never dreamed of any thing half so beautiful. s.h.i.+mmering colors wrapped each little sprite in a misty glow, while their wings were frosted like those of a b.u.t.terfly. As for the queen, she was ten times more radiant than any of her subjects, as a queen should be; and, when she moved, a faint musical sound tinkled from the chains of turquoises, which were fastened about her waist; from thence they twined in festoons all about her small person. She was further distinguished from the rest by a starry crown upon her head, and a wand tipped with the same radiance in her hand.

"'Here we are, at last,' said the moonbeam fairy in the sweetest voice.

'Give me your hand, Milly.'

"The little girl extended it half-fearfully, and the fairy leaped into the outspread palm, dancing lightly over the pink-tipped fingers in doing so.

"'Don't be afraid of me,' she said. 'I never hurt any child in my life, I a.s.sure you.'

"The other fairies climbed upon the bed also, some clinging to the curtain ta.s.sels, some perched among Milly's curls, and others sat at their ease on the footboard.

"'It is Milly's birthday,' rustled the elves, like the soft patter of raindrops among forest leaves.

"'Yes: we have come a long way to see you, for we live in the moon,'

said the fairy; 'and it is only when she lowers silver ladders to the earth, that we can make a visit down here.'

"'I am so glad you all came to-night,' exclaimed Milly; 'only how did you know, away up there, that it was my birthday?'

"'Ah!' returned the fairy smiling, 'we always know every thing, you may be sure. The angels tell us, especially about those that are good upon the earth. Now to-night my twelve sisters are also down here somewhere; this one flitting into the attic windows of the city streets, where there is sickness and sorrow; that one whispering words of comfort in dreams of warmth and plenty to the little wayfarer, sleeping upon a cold doorstep; while another is hovering over the broad sea, to lead the poor, rude sailor's thoughts home.'

"'Do you live in a palace?' asked Milly.

"'Yes: we live in a palace beside a silver lake; and we are called the twelve sisters of the fairy lake, because we all sprang into life from a single bubble of foam, blown through the reed of our Father, the water G.o.d, who rules over rivers and fountains in the moon.'

"'How wonderful!' commented Milly.

"'Let us be doing something, mistress,' piped a restless elf, who had never been at rest a moment, but who skipped and danced about like a firefly; once, indeed, turning a summersault, and landing upon Milly's nose.

"'What shall we do?' said the queen.

"'Oh! any thing else but talk, please; we can do that at home,' replied the elf.

"'Shall I show you my new baby-house?' inquired Milly, who supposed that the fairies must find as much to interest them in it as she did herself.

"At this the restless elf darted off, and was followed by the others; while the queen waved her wand, and, to Milly's astonishment, the door, which she had carefully locked, flew wide open. The fairy again waved her wand; and from every tiny chandelier sprang jets of light, that shone through the windows, and sparkled over the handsome furniture in the most beautiful manner.

"'Will you come to see the fun?' asked the fairy; and Milly, all curiosity, followed her midnight guests across the room.

"The restless elf next borrowed the queen's wand, and, stepping into the window of the bedroom, tapped each of the sleeping dolls with it upon the head.

"'Come, come! get up, you lazy creatures!' cried the roguish elf, enjoying himself immensely.

"All the dolls began to move about and yawn, as if they were just waking up. Milly thought she had never imagined any thing so delightfully funny as the little babies winking their bright black eyes, and crying so that the nurses had to rock the cradles to keep them quiet.

"'Now, then,' said the elf, 'you all dress yourselves as quickly as possible, and then I will tell you what to do.'

"He left them in the bedroom, roused Dinah in the kitchen, and the genteel waitress in the dining-room; then he returned to the parlor, tried the piano, whistling a tune, at the same time winking so drolly at Milly, that she laughed with delight; played a round or so at the billiard-table, and then seated himself in the large arm-chair. In the mean while, the dolls were grumbling over the whole affair.

"'I never heard of such a thing,' said the fat mamma, smoothing her hair before the looking-gla.s.s, 'to turn us all out of bed at this time of night, and set all babies crying, too!'

"'Never mind, mamma,' said the daughter in blue silk, shaking out her flounces: 'it is the little lady's birthday, and we can take a nap to-morrow.'

"'Yes,' chimed in the pink-barege sister; 'and she never has broken us, you know.'

"'I am sure I am afraid of my legs, if that Miss Pet only looks at me, for fear they will be smashed,' echoed the white-muslin lady, looking mournfully at her china boots.

"'If Pet could only hear her talk!' whispered Milly to the fairy queen; when lo! in toddled the young lady, and, putting her arm about Milly's neck, stood looking at the wonderful sight also.

"'I am so glad you can see it too, Pet!'

"'By this time the dolls had made their toilets; all except the babies that were left in charge of their nurses, some of whom trotted them upon their knees, or fed them with pap out of tin mugs, while others still rocked the cradles, and the seamstress st.i.tched upon the sewing-machine.

"'First, we will have a dance,' said the elf, cutting a caper in mid air. 'You stupid dolls! why don't you act as though you were made of something better than wood?'

"'We are made of the best French china and kid,' retorted the dolls indignantly, as they all huddled together in the corner, and stared at the elf with their round eyes.

"'They are afraid of you; join your companions on the roof,' commanded the queen.

"The elf made a wry face, for he desired to play pranks upon the dollies; but he flew up at the royal command to where the others were cl.u.s.tered about the chimneys, and hung himself by one leg from an eave, with his queer little face and twinkling eyes close to Milly. Left to themselves, the inmates of the baby-house felt more at their ease. The blue-silk daughter commenced to play a lively air upon the piano, to which all the younger dolls began to dance; and such waltzes, polkas, and quadrilles as were performed never were seen before.

"'You would think they had been to dancing-school all their lives,' said the fairy.

"'What fun we are having!' exclaimed a pretty doll, with red cheeks, mincing along. 'I was only made last week, and I had no idea the world was such a nice place.'

"'You need not think you are to go on in this way all your life,'

snapped another, who was rather ill-natured, because her nose was broken. 'We are all bewitched to-night.'

"'Are we?' returned rosy-cheeks. 'I should like to be so always, then.'

"In the mean while, the stout mamma had done nothing but doze and nod upon the sofa, with a fine lace pocket-handkerchief over her head, while all the music and dancing had gone on so merrily about her. But no sooner had the genteel waitress arranged every thing below stairs, and tinkled the little silver bell, than she whisked off the covering from her face, and rose briskly to go to supper.

"Such a feast as awaited them! There was _real_ tea and coffee bubbling in the urns; the wooden cakes, pies, and ices, were wooden no longer; or, if they were, the dolls certainly found them delicious. As for Dinah, the cook, she was as busy as possible, not only making various dishes over the fire, but boxing the ears of her children, and scolding them when they did not bring her pepper or salt just to the minute.

Then, what a pet she was in when any thing burned upon the stove!

"Milly watched all the busy little figures until her very eyes ached, and the clock, upon the dining-room wall of the baby-house, struck one, two, when out popped the bird above, without any one's pulling the silk tag, and chirped 'cuckoo' quite distinctly. At this the moonbeam fairies fluttered from their perch upon the gables, and circled in rings of flame and purple and gold and blue, quickly succeeding each other; while the moonlight streamed brighter and brighter, wrapping every thing in a dazzling cloud.