ANNY went to spend her vacation with her grandma, who lived in the country. For a whole week every day was pleasant, and she had a lovely time.
She picked berries for grandma to make pies. She drove the cows home from the pasture every night. She rode into the fields in the hay-cart, and came home on the big loads of hay. She fed the chickens, and played with the kittens. But at last there came a rainy day.
Fanny heard the rain pattering on the window the first thing when she awoke in the morning. As soon as grandma opened the door to call her, she cried out: "O grandma! see how it rains! What shall I do to-day?"
"You can stay in the house with me," said grandma; "I have not seen much of my little girl yet."
"Well, you must tell me what to do," said Fanny.
"You can go up in the garret and play. There is where your mother and aunt Sarah used to spend a good many rainy days," said grandma.
So, after breakfast, Fanny went into the attic. The attic was a very large room, containing old spinning-wheels, chests, boxes, and many other things—such as are always found in attics.
"Now for a grand rummage!" said Fanny, and she began to look over the boxes and chests to see what she could find. In some of the boxes there were books and papers. In one of them there were old dresses and bonnets. Fanny pulled the things out of this box, one after another, and as she reached the bottom, she cried, "Oh, what have I found! what have I found!"
It was a large old-fashioned rag-baby almost as large as a real baby a few weeks old. Its face and clothes were soiled and faded; its cap was torn and yellow; and it had but one shoe: but the little girl was delighted with it.