They looked at one another with eyes growing larger and rounder, and cheeks growing redder than the roses blossoming in the gardens. Then such a chatter began that even the birds had to stop singing to listen.
“I never heard of such a thing!” “How could they?” “Wouldn’t it be perfectly lovely?” And suddenly realizing what a blissful thing was in store for them, if it were really true, the children began to hug each other and dance about and squeal with joy, until their various mothers came to the windows to learn the cause of the commotion. When the little ones caught sight of them, remembering that they had not heard the wonderful news, they shouted:
“Let’s tell our mammas!” and quickly disappeared.
Janie Bell’s home was the nearest. She fairly flew up the steps and tumbled into the door as she said:
“O mamma, it’s going to begin to-morrow! Won’t it be lovely! A doll came in a gold carriage and she threw this bill, and a boy doll drove the white kittens all covered with ribbons and bells, and it was too pretty.… Do you think my dolls could come alive?”
Mamma wiped the little hot face and read the bill.