The Mighty Miss Malone Read Online Free PDF Page B

ruined, it’s still better off than most humans because the mouse only looks at the present, while people look to the past and end up being sad, or look to the future and end up worrying. No matter how well a mouse, or a human being, plans for the future, those plans ‘gang aft a-gley.’ In other words, no matter how well you think something through, many times schemes simply will not work out. They will go astray.”
    I already knew this, but I could never have said it like a poem. This sounded like something Father would say.
    “By the way, a former student of mine is graduating from Meharry dental school and plans on returning to Gary. I have prevailed upon him to take you on in September once he’s officially a dentist and starts practicing.”
    “A dentist? But my teeth don’t bother me.” Not too much.
    Mrs. Needham looked at me long enough to make me a little nervous. “A thorough checkup won’t hurt.”
    I wondered how she knew that my teeth
can
be a little sore some of the time, especially the back ones that are all hollowed out by cavities.
    She’d said this new dentist was just starting to
practice
. I’d rather wait until he started working for real. But I said, “Thank you very much, ma’am.”
    “You’re quite welcome, Deza. Now open the right bottom drawer of my desk and remove the bag, please.”
    I put a crumply brown paper sack on her desk.
    “Take out what’s inside, please.”
    Inside the bag there was a beautiful pair of new patentleather shoes and some folded-up clothes. Mother says it’s rude to set shoes on anything but the floor so that’s where I put them.
    “Do you wear a size five?”
    “I’m not sure.”
    “Try them on.”
    I picked up the first shoe. There were some socks rolled up in it.
    “Should I put on the socks too?”
    “Yes.”
    I was glad I was behind her desk and she couldn’t see my shoes and socks. My shoes are quite tired and my socks have been darned a million times. Jimmie says our socks and clothes are very religious because they are so holey.
    My hands were shaking, but I pulled the new socks on and slipped my feet into the shoes. I knew just how Cinderella felt! They were a little big, but maybe that was because mine were so tight. I sat on my socks so Mrs. Needham wouldn’t see them.
    She said, “My niece from Cleveland spent the summer with me a while ago and left a few things. I thought they might fit you.”
    Did Mrs. Needham really mean these shoes were for me?
    I walked out from behind the desk so she could see her niece’s shoes. I’d never felt this tall!
    The right-hand heel on my old shoes had fallen off. Jimmie tried to put it back on but it wouldn’t stay. He ended up pulling the left heel off so I wouldn’t walk with a limp.
    Mrs. Needham said, “What do you think?”
    “I’ve never
seen
such a beautiful pair of shoes, not even in a store window! Are you really going to let me have these?”
    “They may as well be put to good use.”
    “I’m going to save them until seventh grade!”
    “You don’t need to save them. My niece left a few pairs of shoes and I’ll give them to you as needed. Take them off and ask your parents if it’s all right for you to accept them.”
    “Yes, ma’am!”
    This horrible day was turning into the best day anybody ever had!
    “Empty the bag, Miss Malone.”
    I pulled out two brand-new half-slips and three pairs of blue underpants.
    The last thing I pulled out was even more beautiful and special than the shoes!
    I read this book about a place called Niagara Falls, which is a waterfall geologically located between the United States and Canada. The last thing in the bag made me think of it.
    The book said you could ride a boat called the
Maid of the Mist
right underneath these huge waterfalls and get covered with a cool mist the water made when it splashed on rocks. The last thing in the bag was just like the mist. It was a lovely, soft blue gingham dress! I ran my hand over the dress. This was