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It didn’t make my Father laugh.

“Now see here, you young Lunatics,” said my Father. “If you think your Mother and I are going to drag you up the main village street–acting like this?”

We were sorry, we explained! But it had to be!

When we got to the village street we bumped right into the Old Doctor. We bumped him pretty hard! He had to sit down! I climbed into his lap.

“Of course I don’t know that it’s you,” I said. “But I think it is!”

The Old Doctor seemed pretty astonished. He snatched at my Father and my Mother.

“Great Zounds, Good People!” he cried. “What fearful calamity has overtaken your offspring?”

“Absolutely nothing at all,” said my Father, “compared to what is going to overtake them as soon as I get them home!”

“We’re playing blinded,” said Rosalee.

“We’ve been to see the Blinded Lady!” I explained.

“We’re going to get prizes,” said Rosalee. “Real prizes! A Peacock Feather Fan!”

“And the Choice of Cats!” I explained.

“For telling the Blinded Lady next Saturday,” cried Rosalee, “the prettiest thing that we’ve ever seen!”

“Not just the prettiest!” I explained. “But the most preciousest!”

“So we thought we’d shut our eyes!” said Rosalee. “All the way home! And find out what Sight it was that we missed the most!–Sunshine I think it is!” said Rosalee. “Sunshine and all the pretty flickering little shadows! And the way the slender white church spire flares through the Poplar Trees! Oh I shall make up a picture about sunshine!” said Rosalee.

“Oh, Sh–h!” said my Mother. “You mustn’t tell each other what you decide. That would take half the fun and the surprise out of the competition!”

“Would–it?” said Rosalee. “Would it?” She turned to the Old Doctor. She slipped into the curve of his arm. The curve of his arm seemed to be all ready for her. She reached up and patted his face. “You Old Darling,” she said. “In all the world what is the most beautiful–est sight that you have ever seen?”

The Old Doctor gave an awful swallow.

“Youth!” he said.

“Oh, youth Fiddle-sticks!” said my Father. “How ever would one make a picture of that? All arms and legs! And wild ideas! Believe me that if I ever once get these wild ideas and legs and arms home to-day there will be—-“

We never heard what there would be! ‘Cause we bumped into the Store-Keeping Man instead! And had to tell him all about it!

Nobody kissed the Store-Keeping Man. He smelt of mice and crackers. We talked to him just as we would have talked to Sugar or Potatoes.

“Mr. Store-Keeping Man,” we said. “You are very wise! You have a store! And a wagon! And a big iron safe! And fly-papers besides!–In all the world–what is the most beautifulest thing that you have ever seen?”

The Store-Keeping Man didn’t have to worry about it at all. He never even swallowed. The instant he crossed his hands on his white linen stomach he knew!

“My Bank Book!” he said.

My Father laughed. “Now you naughty children,” said my Father, “I trust you’ll be satisfied to proceed home with your eyes open!”

But my Mother said no matter how naughty we were we couldn’t go home without buying pop-corn at the pop-corn stand!

So we had to tell the Pop-Corn Man all about it too! The Pop-Corn Man was very little. He looked like a Pirate. He had black eyes. He had gold rings through his ears. We loved him a good deal!

“In all the world–” we asked the Pop-Corn Man, “what is the most beautiful–est sight that you have ever seen?”

It took the Pop-Corn Man an awful long time to think! It took him so long that while he was thinking he filled our paper bags till they busted! It was a nice bustedness!

“The most beautifulest thing–in all zee world?” said the Pop-Corn Man. “In all zee world? It was in my Italy! In such time as I was no more than one bambino I did see zee peacock, zee great blue peacock stride out through zee snow-storm of apple-blossoms! And dance to zee sun!”