FullReads

We went to the Blinded Lady’s house right after dinner. We couldn’t wait any longer.

The Blinded Lady pretended she was surprised to see us.

“Mercy me!” she said. “What? Have these children come again? Muddy feet? Chatter? And all?” She thumped her cane! She rocked her chair! She billowed her skirts!

We weren’t frightened a bit! We sat on the edge of our chairs and laughed! And laughed!

There was a little white table spread with pink-frosted cookies! There were great crackly glasses of raspberry vinegar and ice! Old Mary had on a white apron!–That’s why we laughed! We knew we were expected!

My Father explained it to everybody.

“As long as Carol couldn’t speak his piece,” he said, “It didn’t seem fair that any of the children should speak ’em! So the children have all written their pieces to read aloud and—-“

“But as long as Carol wasn’t able to read his aloud,” cried my Mother, “it didn’t seem fair that any of ’em should read theirs aloud! So the children’s father is going to read ’em. And—-“

“Without giving any clue of course,” said my Father, “as to which child wrote which. So that you won’t be unduly influenced at all–in any way by–gold-colored hair, for instance or–freckles—-“

“Or anything!” said my Mother.

“U-m-m-m,” said the Blinded Lady.

“Understanding of course,” said my Father, “that we ourselves have not seen the papers yet!”

“Nor assisted in any way with the choice of subject,” said my Mother. “Nor with the treatment of it!”

“U-m-m,” said the Blinded Lady.

“I will now proceed to read,” said my Father.

“So do,” said the Blinded Lady.

My Father so did.

He took a paper from his pocket. He cleared his throat. He put on his eye-glasses. He looked a little surprised.

“The first one,” he said, “seems to be about ‘Ginger-bread’!”

“Ginger-bread?” said the Blinded Lady.

“Ginger-bread!” said my Father.

“Read it!” said the Blinded Lady.

“I will!” said my Father.

Ginger-bread is very handsome! It’s so brown! And every time
you eat a piece you have to have another! That shows its
worth as well as its handsomeness! And besides you can smell
it a long way off when you’re coming home! Especially when
you’re coming home from school! It has molasses in it too.
And that’s very instructive! As well as ginger! And other
spices! The Geography is full of them! Molasses comes from
New Orleans! Spices come from Asia! Except Jamaica Ginger
comes from Drug Stores! There are eggs in ginger-bread too!
And that’s Natural History and very important! They have to
be hen’s eggs I think! I had some guineas once and they
looked like chipmunks when they hatched. You can’t make
ginger-bread out of anything that looks like chipmunks! It
takes three eggs to make ginger-bread! And one cupful of
sugar! And some baking soda! And—-

“Oh Tush!” said the Blinded Lady. “That isn’t a picture! It’s a recipe!–Read another!”

“Dear me! Dear me!” said my Mother. “Now some child is suffering!” She looked all around to see which child it was.

Carol kicked Rosalee. Rosalee kicked me. I kicked Carol. We all looked just as queer as we could outside.

“Read on!” thumped the Blinded Lady.

My Father read on.

“This next one,” he said, “seems to be about Soldiers!”

“Soldiers?” said the Blinded Lady. “Soldiers?” She sat up very straight. She cocked her head on one side. “Read it!” she said.

“I’m reading it!” said my Father.

The most scrumptious sight I’ve ever seen in my life is
Soldiers Marching! I saw them once in New York! It was
glorious! All the reds and the blues and the browns of the
Uniforms! And when the Band played all the different
instruments it seemed as though it was really gold and
silver music they were playing! It makes you feel so
brave! And so unselfish! But most of all it makes you wish
you were a milk-white pony with diamond hoofs! So that you
could sparkle! And prance! And rear! And run away
just for fun! And run and run and run down clattery
streets and through black woods and across green pastures
snorting fire–till you met more Soldiers and more Bands
and more Gold and Silver Music! So that you could prance
and sparkle and rear and run away all over
again,–with flags flying!