“But this is New Hampshire,” said Ida, looking puzzled.
“Is it? I know it said ‘New Hampshire’ on the tickets, but I don’t call it ‘New Hampshire’ till I get where my grandmother is. But I’d just as soon,” she added quickly, for she was afraid she had not been exactly polite to this new friend, “and I’m so glad you live here.”
“I’m glad you’ve come,” said Ida. “Did you bring your dolls? Do you like to play ‘house’ or ‘school’ better?”
“I like to play both,” said Ella. “I brought my big doll, because she is the one I sleep with and the one I love best.”
“What is her name?”
“Minnie May Ida May. I like ‘May’ and that’s why I put it in twice.”
“You put in my name, too,” cried Ida joyfully. “I am so glad you chose it even before you ever saw me. I’m going to name my biggest doll over again, and call her Minnie May Ella May.”
“There wasn’t room for any more dolls in the trunk,” said Ella, “but I brought ever so many paper dolls and some pretty paper to make them some more dresses. I’ll give you some.”
“Oh, good!” Ida exclaimed. “My front steps are a splendid place to play with paper dolls; and there’s a deep dark crack where we can put them when they are naughty. We’ll have to tie a string around them though, so we can pull them up again. Come over now, will you? No, I forgot. My father raised some beans and they got mixed. He told me to pick them over this afternoon and put all the white ones in one box, the yellow in another, and the pink in another. He’s going to plant them in the spring.”
“I’ll help you,” Ella cried eagerly, “and we’ll play that we are in a castle where a wicked giant lives, and that he will whip us just dreadfully if we make any mistakes; and we’ll be thinking up some plan to get away from him.”