Part 9 (1/2)
”Mr. Martin, they are going to count the votes for the doll.”
Edna's eyes grew big, and she could scarcely sit still from anxiety.
She kept craning her neck to see if anyone were coming from the direction of that special booth. Finally she was rewarded by seeing the doll delivered into the hands of a gentleman who made his way toward the platform.
There was another little girl who was quite as eager as herself. Edna had often seen her in church, and knew she was the daughter of wealthy parents. She wore very pretty, dainty clothes, and Edna found her eyes very often wandering in the direction of this little girl during service; but the object of her admiration once turned and made a face at Edna, which proceeding shocked her very much. ”I wouldn't do that in church,” she said to herself. ”I don't care if she is rich and comes in that s.h.i.+ning carriage; she is not a nice little girl. I like Maggie Horn much better.”
Therefore it was a very thrilling moment when the gentleman holding the doll mounted the stand, and said, ”I have here a very popular young lady. She comes from Mrs. Tuttle's booth, and has received so many votes that she must be quite anxious herself as to her future.”
Then reading from a paper, he said, ”I will only announce the two candidates who have received the greatest number of votes: Clara Adams, one hundred and twenty-seven; Edna Conway--” the little girl's heart stood still, and she clasped Miss Martin's hand convulsively, while she looked at her with something like reproach--”in behalf of Maggie Horn,” continued the gentleman, ”three hundred and one votes.”
There was silence a moment. ”I want to say,” the gentleman went on, ”that the little girl--whose representative I hope is here--is one of the inmates of the Home of the Friendless, rescued from a pitifully unhappy life by Edna Conway, who has also been the means of procuring for the little girl, no longer friendless, this beautiful doll. Will Miss Edna Conway please come forward?”
Growing red and white by turns; glad, fearful, ashamed, all at once, Edna went to the platform amid tremendous applause. Every eye was turned upon her, and she felt in this conspicuous position as if she should sink through the floor. Into her hands the lovely doll was given, and then the gentleman detained her by saying, ”One moment, my dear. The ladies of the fair want you to accept this little basket of flowers, with their love;” and a basket of exquisite roses was handed down.
Edna hardly knew how she got back to Miss Martin's side, but when she did reach there the doll was laid upon the bench, the flowers were handed to Mr. Martin, and the little child hid her face on her friend's shoulder, overcome by the situation.
”We'd better go now,” said Miss Martin, in a low voice, as she saw a body of girls ready to pounce upon Edna with hugs and kisses. ”I am sure Mrs. Horner would not like this fuss over her niece,” she continued to her father. And Edna was quite ready to leave, not liking herself to be fussed over.
Miss Martin and her father only stopped to see their little charge safe in the hands of her aunt and uncle, and with many thanks, Edna bade them a fervent good-night. In her delight she entered the sitting-room, forgetting to be a little girl that should ”be seen and not heard.”
”O, Uncle Justus!” she cried. ”See! see! the doll for Maggie; and look at my flowers! Look, auntie!”
”Not so loud, child,” reproved Aunt Elizabeth.
”Let me see. Yes, the doll is very pretty; and where did you get your flowers?”
[Ill.u.s.tration]
”Why,” returned Edna, innocently, ”the man said that the ladies of the fair gave them to me with their love, and I don't know why, for I didn't get a single vote but yours and Uncle Justus's.”
Aunt Elizabeth smiled, but she did not explain. ”Well, child,” she said, ”it was very kind of the ladies to pay the compliment to Mr.
Martin's little guest.”
”O, yes,” replied Edna, ”of course it was, and he liked it, too. I wish I had given him and Miss Martin more of the roses.”
”You had better put them in water, or they will all fade,” said Aunt Elizabeth; ”I have no doubt the ladies will remember Mr. Martin. Now go to bed, and try to get up when you are called so as to be ready for Sunday-school.”
”O, Aunt Elizabeth, just please tell me when I can take Maggie her doll.”
”I am afraid I shall not be able to go with you on Monday, for I have a meeting in the afternoon,” answered Aunt Elizabeth.
”Couldn't you find your way alone?” asked Uncle Justus.
”I think perhaps I could,” replied Edna, a little doubtfully, ”but I am not very good at finding my way about. Papa says my b.u.mp of locality was left out. I don't know what that means, but he said so.”
”Perhaps if I put you on the cars and tell the conductor to let you out at Pearl Street you could find your way,” said Uncle Justus.
”And what about the getting back?” put in Aunt Elizabeth. ”I think Edna will have to wait.”
But here again Miss Martin came to her aid, for the next morning after Sunday-school she made her way over to where Edna was standing waiting for Louis, and asked her about the matter.