Nancy and Plum Read Online Free PDF Page B

were already seated at their special table, eating little hot chicken pies and baked apples and thick cream, and on each side of Marybelle, seated on little new red chairs, were two of the most beautiful dolls Nancy and Plum had ever seen. They were almost three feet tall, their thick shining real hair hung down their backs in long curls; their dresses were pale blue and pale pink silk; they each wore a white ruffled pinafore; their shoes were pale blue and pale pink Mary Janes and they each had dimples, real eyelashes and teeth.
    “Oh, Marybelle,” said Nancy, “what beautiful dolls. Did you get them both from your mother?”
    Marybelle said, “No, stupid, my mother didn’t give them to me. Aunty Marybelle did. Don’t get so close to them, you might get them dirty.”
    Plum said, “It seems odd to me that you would get two dolls.”
    Mrs. Monday said, “Nancy and Plum, take your seats at the supper table and BE QUIET!”
    It was Plum’s turn to say the grace and when all thechildren had bowed their heads Plum’s clear sweet voice intoned with proper reverence but much louder than usual:
    “God is great and God is good,
And we thank Him for this food.
By His hand may we be led,
Give us Lord our daily bread.
And forgive us ALL FOR OUR SINS—
even stealing
!”
    When Plum finished the grace she winked at Nancy, and Nancy, who had just taken a bite of oatmeal, choked. Plum didn’t mind scorched oatmeal, in fact she thought scorching improved the flavor, but tonight, even though she was very hungry, it was so badly burned she couldn’t eat it. Hungrily she turned and watched Mrs. Monday and Marybelle gorging themselves on their chicken pies until finally Marybelle looked up and caught Plum’s watching eyes, whispered to Mrs. Monday, and Mrs. Monday said, “Pamela, either turn around and eat your supper or go to your room.”
    Plum said, “The oatmeal is so badly burned we can’t eat it, Mrs. Monday. May I ask Katie for something else?”
    Mrs. Monday said, “Katie has not returned from her Christmas holiday yet and there is nothing else.”
    Plum said, “Are there any more baked apples?”
    Mrs. Monday said, “ GO TO YOUR ROOM !”
    But Plum didn’t. She left the dining room and went up thestairs, stamping loudly so that Mrs. Monday would be sure and hear her, then sneaked down the back stairs to the kitchen, slipped out the back door, went out to the barn where Old Tom was milking, told him about the burnt oatmeal and asked him if he’d get her a few apples from the root cellar.
    Tom said, “Did you get the eggs I left for you this morning?”
    Plum said, “Oh, yes, Tom, and they were perfectly delicious. Thank you very much.”
    Old Tom said, “Go get that dipper and bring it over here and I’ll give you some of this nice warm milk. How old are you, Plum, about six?”
    Plum said, “I’m eight years old and I’ll be nine in June.”
    Old Tom said, “Well, you’re sure little and scrawny for your age. You better eat more.”
    Plum said, “I eat everything Mrs. Monday gives me but she takes away my meals for punishment so much that I’m lucky if I get one meal a day.”
    Old Tom said, “Haven’t you and Nancy got anyone—I mean, have you no relatives at all?”
    Plum said, “We’ve only got Uncle John and he doesn’t care a thing about us.” Then Plum thought of the two dolls and so she said, “At least we didn’t used to think he did.”
    “What changed you?” Old Tom said, remembering the two little girls spending Christmas Eve in the barn.
    “Something we found in the trunk room this morning,” Plum said. “Only please don’t say anything. We’re not sure yet.”
    “I won’t say anything,” Old Tom said. “Now come on and let’s get some apples.”
    When Plum had her apron filled with big red apples, she tiptoed up to the back porch but Mrs. Monday was in the kitchen supervising the children while they cleared up and washed the dishes, and the front door was locked, so she