Children -- Conduct of life -- Juvenile fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction
"Phebe," said she, with a quiver in her voice, when she received the
tomato pincushion, "I like you just as well as if you wasn't black. And,
Katinka, I like you just as well as if you wasn't Dutch. You can cook
better things than Norah, if your hair _isn't_ so nice."
This speech pleased Katinka so much that she patted the letter O's on
each side of her head with great satisfaction, and was very sorry she
had not made some chocolate cakes for Dotty to eat in the cars.
Uncle Henry did not like to part with his bright little niece. She had
been so docile and affectionate during her visit, that he began to
think her very lovely, and to wonder he had ever supposed she had a
wayward temper.
The ride to Indianapolis was a very pleasant one. Katie thought she had
the care of the whole party, and her little face was full of anxiety.
"Don't you tubble yourself, mamma," said She; "_I_'ll look out the
winner, and tell you when we get there."
"Don't let her fall out, Horace," said Mrs. Clifford; "I have a headache,
and you must watch her."
"Has you got a headache, mamma? I's solly. Lean 'gainst ME, mamma."
Horace wished the conductor had been in that car, so he could have seen
Miss Flyaway trying to prop her mother's head against her own morsel of a
shoulder--about as secure a resting-place as a piece of thistle-down.
"When _was_ it be dinner-time?" said she at last, growing very tired of
so much care, and beginning to think "'Naplis" was a long way off.
But they arrived there at last, and found Mr. Parlin waiting for them at
the depot. After they had all been refreshed by a nice dinner, and
Flyaway had caught a nap, which took her about as long as it takes a fly
to eat his breakfast, then Mr. Parlin suggested that they should visit
the Blind Asylum.
"Is it where they make blinds?" asked Dotty.
"O, no," replied Mr. Parlin; "it is a school where blind children
are taught."
"What is they when they is blind, uncle Eddard?"
"They don't see, my dear."
Flyaway shut her eyes, just to give herself an idea of their condition,
and ran against Horace, who saved her from falling.
"I was velly blind, then, Hollis," said she, "and that's what is it."
"I don't see," queried Dotty,--"I don't see how people that can't see can
see to read; so what's the use to go to school?"
"They read by the sense of feeling; the letters are raised," said Mr.
Parlin. "But here we are at the Institute."
They were in the pleasantest part of the city, standing before some
beautiful grounds which occupied an entire square, and were enclosed by
an iron fence. In front of the building grew trees and shrubs, and on
each side was a play-ground for the children.
"Why, that house has windows," cried Dotty. "I don't see what people want
of windows when they can't see."
"Nor me needer," echoed Katie. "What um wants winners, can't see out of?"
They went up a flight of stone steps, and were met at the door by a blind
waiting-girl, who ushered them into the visitors' parlor.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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