Carolyn Wells

Marjorie's Busy Days Carolyn Wells

"What do you say, King, railroad smash-up or shipwreck?""I say shipwreck, with an awfully desert island.""I say shipwreck, too," said Kitty, "but I don't want to swim ashore.""All right," agreed Marjorie, "shipwreck, then. I'll get the cocoanuts.""Me, too," chimed in Rosy Posy. "Me tumble in the wet water, too!"The speakers in this somewhat enigmatical conversation were the four Maynard children, and they were deciding on their morning's occupation. It was a gorgeous day in earlySeptember. The air, without being too cool, was just crisp enough to make one feelenergetic, though indeed no special atmospheric conditions were required to make the fourMaynards feel energetic. That was their normal state, and if they were specially gay andlively this morning, it was not because of the brisk, breezy day, but because they werereunited after their summer's separation. Though they had many friends among the neighboring children, the Maynards were acongenial quartette, and had equally good times playing by themselves or with others. Their home occupied a whole block in the prettiest residence part of Rockwell, and the bigsquare house sat in the midst of about seven acres of lawn and garden. There were many fine old trees, grassy paths, and informal flower-beds, and here thechildren were allowed to do whatever they chose, but outside the place, withoutpermission, they must not go. There was a playground, a tennis court, and a fountain, but better than these they liked thecorner full of fruit trees, called "the orchard," and another corner, where grapes grew ontrellises, called "the vineyard." The barn and its surroundings, too, often proved attractive, for the Maynards' idea of playing were by no means confined to quiet or decorous games. The house itself was surrounded by broad verandas, and on the southern one of these, inthe morning sunshine, the four held conclav