All About Johnnie Jones by Carolyn Verhoeff

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He promised to remember, and as soon as he was dressed, ran to the
window to watch for his guests. He did not have long to wait before they
began to arrive.

As soon as the children had removed their hats and coats, Johnnie Jones
led them to a long kindergarten table, which Mother had borrowed. Each
child sat down in a small red chair, and made a necklace of colored
beads, which was soon finished and tied about his neck.

When all the children had arrived and all the necklaces were finished,
the boys and girls gathered in the long hall, where Johnnie Jones's
roller coaster was ready for them. Each child had three rides, and
enjoyed them all, for the hall was unusually long, and with a good
start, one could go to the end of it, almost as fast as the lightning
flashes.

Of course, Johnnie Jones had his three rides after the others, because
he was the host, and the children his guests.

"Now we may go to the parlor for our games," he said as he led the
children down the front stairway.

The parlor was large, so there was room enough for the children to run
freely about. They played "Drop the Handkerchief," and "Blind-Man's
Buff," and "Going to Jerusalem," until they were tired and ready for a
more quiet game. Johnnie Jones let the others choose the games, and he
watched that every child had a chance to play.

After the children had rested a moment, Mother invited them to march
up-stairs again, for the "real" party. Johnnie Jones's auntie played the
piano for them, and the children formed in line and marched to the room
in which they had made the necklaces.

The same kindergarten table was there, and in the same place, but no one
would ever have known it, for it had been covered with a white table
cloth, and on it were vases of lovely pink roses, and dishes full of
pink and white peppermint candy. Exactly in the centre was a large
birthday cake with five pink candles, and every one of them lighted.
At each place was a dish of ice cream in the form of a pink and white
flower, though no flower ever had so sweet a taste.

At each place there was something else. There was a tiny automobile
delivery wagon, with a queer little doll chauffeur, and inside it were
bundles of candy. These were to be taken home, Mother said, and no one
was to open the bundles at the party. Of course no one did. Besides all
of these things, there were two paper bon-bons for each child, one to
open at the party, and one to take home.

The children were hungry after their games, and for a while they were
very quiet. When they had finished their ice cream, however, and had
eaten a piece of the birthday cake, with good wishes for Johnnie Jones,
they began to pull the bon-bons apart. Then there was noise enough, for
the bon-bons cracked and popped, and that made the children laugh.

All, that is, except one small girl who was afraid. She was sitting next
to Johnnie Jones, and she asked him to open his bon-bon without pulling
it apart. Johnnie Jones liked to hear the popping sound, and he could
not help thinking that Susie was foolish to object to it, but he
remembered that he must make everyone happy at his party, so he did as
his little neighbor asked.

Five o'clock came all too soon, and then it was time for the children
to return to their homes. When they were ready in their coats and hats,
they bade Mother and Johnnie Jones good-by. "Thank you for the good time
we have had," they said, as they turned their happy faces homeward,
wearing the necklaces and carrying the bon-bons and automobiles.

When everyone had gone, Mother held tired, happy little Johnnie Jones on
her lap.

"Did you enjoy your party?" she asked him.

"Yes, Mother dear," he answered. "I had a good time, and all the
children had a good time, and it was a beautiful party."

"It was a beautiful party," Mother agreed, "and I'll tell you why. It
was because both you and I did all in our power to make our company
happy. I am very glad," she added, "that Johnnie Jones is my little boy
and that he has enjoyed his birthday."

* * * * *

The Sleeping Beauty

In the early spring Mother would always tell this story to Johnnie
Jones.

Once upon a time there lived the most beautiful princess in the whole
world. She was so sweet that everyone loved her,--all the grown people,
all the children, and even all the animals. She wore such lovely dresses
that everyone who was permitted to see their beauty was filled with joy,
and she had a new one every day.

She lived in the most beautiful home in the whole world. The ceiling was
made of blue sky, the carpet of soft green grass, and the walls were
formed by lofty trees with their branches interlaced. Everywhere were
flowers of different colors, red and yellow and purple. I can't tell you
how lovely it was, or how happy the king, the queen and the beautiful
princess were who lived there.

One day the princess decided to make for herself a dress as white as
snow, trimmed with shining pearls and sparkling diamonds. If the queen
had known her intention, she would have forbidden the princess to touch
a needle. I will tell you why.

When the princess was a tiny baby, the king and queen had forgotten to
ask one old fairy lady to the christening. As it happened, she wasn't a
good old fairy lady. Perhaps that is why she was forgotten. She came to
the christening without an invitation, which was very rude, and made
herself most disagreeable while she was there. She told the king and
queen that because they had forgotten her, the princess should one day
prick herself with a needle and immediately go to sleep, and that she
should never awake unless the splendid prince should chance to find her.

Now the princess did not know of this, and she forgot to tell her mother
that she intended to make the dress. That was the cause of all the
trouble.

The princess cut and sewed, and sewed and cut, until the dress was
finished. Then she laid aside her old gown, of red and brown, and
dressed herself in the new one. She was just about to replace the needle
in the workbasket, before showing herself to her mother, when, suddenly,
she pricked her finger.

Immediately she sank back on her bed fast asleep. At that very instant
the king and queen fell asleep, too. So did the animals, but the birds
flew away. Even the little flies, who had been buzzing on the walls,
went fast asleep. Then it was very still everywhere, because no one was
stirring to make a noise. Even the trees were quiet, for their leaves
had all dropped off, and they seemed to be sleeping too.

They slept a long, long time.

Then, the most splendid prince in all the world approached the palace
gate. This prince had wonderful golden hair, and he was clothed entirely
in shining gold. He rode in a chariot so bright that it could be seen
for many miles. His horses were swift and he travelled fast, on his
journey throughout the world.

When at last he reached the princess's house, he regarded it with
wonder.

"How very quiet," he murmured. "Can it be that anyone lives in this
gloomy place?"

He stepped out of his chariot and tiptoed in, through the open door. He
stepped so softly that no one could have heard him, but he shone so
brightly that he made the whole house light.

The splendid prince saw that everybody and everything was fast asleep.

In their rooms he found the king and queen.

At last he came to the room where lying upon her bed was the princess.

Very lovely she was, in her dress as white as snow trimmed with pearls
and diamonds. The prince leaned over to see her better, and he made the
diamonds sparkle so brilliantly that if you had been there you would
have needed to close your eyes.

"This is the most beautiful princess in all the world," said the prince.
"I wish she would waken."

Then he kissed her.

Immediately the beautiful princess opened her eyes and looked at the
prince. At that same moment the king and queen awoke from their sleep.
So did the animals, and all the flowers, and the little buds on the
trees. The flies began to buzz about on the walls, and the birds came
flying back, singing their sweetest songs.

The princess was very happy to be awake again. She attired herself in a
lovely dress, indeed the loveliest one that she possessed. It was bright
green, with jewels as clear as the rain drops. Then the king and queen
ordered a marriage feast, and the beautiful princess married the
splendid prince.

* * * * *

Johnnie Jones and the Butterfly

"Be careful! Don't step on that caterpillar," said Mother.

"Why not?" asked Johnnie Jones. "It's such an ugly caterpillar."

"It can't help being ugly," Mother answered, "and besides some day it
will be a beautiful butterfly."

"Really?" Johnnie Jones asked, much surprised. Then Mother told him a
story about a caterpillar and a butterfly.

Once upon a time, a little caterpillar was crawling slowly up a tree.
"Oh! dear," he said to himself, "I wish I had wings like the birds, and
could fly away to the top of a tree, instead of having to crawl slowly
about."

A beautiful butterfly was resting a moment near by and heard what the
little caterpillar said, "How would you like to be a beautiful butterfly
such as I am," she asked him, "and go flying about all day, sipping
honey from the flowers?"

"I should like it very much indeed," he answered, "but you see I am only
an ugly little caterpillar who can do nothing but crawl, and I have to
be very careful to avoid being stepped upon."

"I'll tell you a lovely secret,"
Whispered the butterfly.
"Next summer you will surely be
As beautiful as I,

"Because my gauzy wings you see,
Are very, very new.
A caterpillar once was I
And crawled about like you."

The ugly little caterpillar did not believe the beautiful butterfly. He
just laughed.

"Oh!" said the lovely butterfly,
"All that I say is true.
But you can't stay there very long,
There's work for you to do.

"To the very top of this big tree
You must begin to go,
Because all little crawling things,
They are so very slow.

"There you must even change your skin
Till it becomes dark brown.
And you must spin a rope of silk
To tie you tightly down.

"You will sleep through the long cold winter,
When the icy winds do blow.
You will sleep through the long cold winter,
When everywhere there's snow.

"But by and by, in the spring-time,
How happy you will be!
For you will wake and find yourself
A butterfly like me!

"Then work on, crawling little thing,"
Whispered the butterfly,
"For winter's coming very fast,
And so good-by, good-by."

The little caterpillar thought: "How could I possibly turn into a
butterfly? I have seen other caterpillars tie themselves to twigs, but
they always seemed very foolish to me."

However, that little caterpillar wanted more than anything else in the
world to become a butterfly, so he decided to try. He crawled slowly
up the tree until he found a branch that suited him exactly. Then he
selected a twig and spun about it a soft resting place of silk. He spun
a soft silken loop, too, with which he tied himself to the twig.

Very soon he lost all his bright color, and became as brown as the twig
itself. If you had seen him, you would probably have thought he was
nothing but a small brown leaf. When the cold, snowy days came, the
little caterpillar knew nothing whatever about them, for he was fast
asleep.

At last, after a long, long winter, there began to be signs of spring.
Soon, soft warm little rain drops began to fall on the chrysalis (for
that is what we call the sleeping caterpillar), whispering: "Spring is
coming and it's time to awake!" Soon, soft warm little sunbeams began to
dance on the chrysalis, whispering: "Spring is almost here, it is time
to awake!" Soon soft, warm little breezes began to blow the chrysalis
about, whispering: "Spring is here, and it is time to awake!"

Then, at last, the little caterpillar did awake. He slowly broke away
his old dried skin and the silk fastenings which he had spun so many
months before, and he crawled out in the sunshine, wet and still drowsy
after his long sleep. After a while he became warm and dry, and wide
awake in the bright sunlight, and then, suddenly, he felt that he had
wings! He looked in a rain-drop mirror, and there he saw himself a
beautiful butterfly.

Don't you think he must have been very proud and happy, as he spread his
wings and flew away to sip the honey from the flowers, and to play with
all the other butterflies, knowing that he would never again have to
crawl about on the ground?

"Oh! Mother dear," said Johnnie Jones, "let's take this caterpillar
home, so I can watch it turn into a butterfly."

Mother considered his idea a good one, so they carried the caterpillar
home on a twig, with many leaves from the tree towards which it had been
crawling. When they reached the house they placed twigs, leaves and
caterpillar in a glass jar, with netting over the top.

"We shall have to give it fresh leaves every day," Mother said, "until
it has eaten enough and goes to sleep. We can watch it carefully through
this glass jar."

Johnnie Jones knelt down beside the jar and whispered: "Ugly little
caterpillar, if you will tie yourself to that branch, and change your
skin, and go to sleep, next spring you will wake a beautiful butterfly."

[Illustration: When he spread his wings and flew away--]

Johnnie Jones was sure the caterpillar heard what he said, because
it went to sleep just as it was told. All winter long the little boy
watched it, and one day, in the early spring, really saw it come out
a gorgeous butterfly. When it spread its bright wings and flew away,
I wonder which was happier, the butterfly or Johnnie Jones.

* * * * *

Mr. and Mrs. Bird and the Baby Birds

"Listen to that bird!" exclaimed Johnnie Jones.

"That is Mr. Bird," Mother answered. "I shall have to tell you a story
about him and Mrs. Bird and their children."

Once upon a time Mr. Bird felt so happy and gay that he could scarcely
be quiet a single moment. It was spring-time again and he sang beautiful
songs to Mrs. Bird, about the sunshine and soft, sweet air, and about
the little home they would make in the old elm tree. Mrs. Bird would
listen for a while to his song and then they would both fly away to find
the twigs and straws with which to build the nest. Very hard indeed the
little birds worked, for each straw had to be carefully woven, in and
out and out and in, so that the nest should be quite firm and round.

As soon as the nest was ready, pretty little Mrs. Bird laid four lovely
blue eggs in it. She knew, and Mr. Bird knew, that there were four baby
birds asleep in the eggs, and so they were happier than ever before.

But now Mrs. Bird had to sit on the nest all the day long, to keep the
eggs warm. Of course, Mr. Bird had to feed her. He would fly all over
the park, finding good things to eat, and carry them back to drop into
Mrs. Bird's mouth. When she was no longer hungry, Mr. Bird would hop to
a branch near by, and sing to her.

You may think that Mrs. Bird grew tired of sitting there on the nest day
after day. You may think Mr. Bird became tired of feeding Mrs. Bird, and
of singing to her, day after day. But neither one seemed to grow tired
at all. They just watched and waited, as the days went by.

After a while the little baby birds began to wake up, and one day Mrs.
Bird heard a queer scratching sound that made her very glad. The babies
were beginning to break open the shell! Peck! Peck! Peck! Soon a little
head came out of the shell. Crack! Crack! Crack! and there was a little
bird in the nest for Mr. and Mrs. Bird to love and take care of.

By the time the first pieces of shell had been thrown from the nest,
another little bird had broken through. Then came another, and still one
more, until there were four baby birds in the nest, all crying as loud
as they could, "Peep! Peep! Peep! please give us something to eat."

Then both Mr. and Mrs. Bird had to fly away to seek their own breakfast,
and to bring some to the children. You never saw such hungry babies!
They kept their parents busy all the day long, bringing them food. They
weren't very polite to each other, either, those baby birds. They would
crowd and push, and almost send each other out of the nest, trying to
get every morsel, instead of each waiting his own turn to be fed. But
then, they were only birds and did not know any better.

Day after day, they were fed by their parents. Night after night, they
were kept warm under Mrs. Bird's wings. No wonder those baby birds soon
grew big and strong. They were ever so much prettier when they grew big
enough to wear feathers.

Soon, one little bird felt so strong, that he said he wanted to fly
away, too, and see what the ground and other trees were like.

"Not to-day," Mrs. Bird told him. "Wait until your wings are a wee bit
stronger, and then I'll teach you to fly."

When both Mr. and Mrs. Bird had flown away, this same little bird said
to his brothers: "It seems quite easy to fly; all you need to do is to
flap your wings. I think I'll try it alone."

"You had better not!" the others told him.

"Yes, I will," the little bird said.

He hopped to the edge of the nest, and began to flap his wings. He did
not quite dare to raise his feet, though, for he felt rather timid when
he looked down and saw how far away the ground seemed to be. But he
flapped his wings so vigorously, pretending to fly, that he lost his
balance and fell. He was not hurt, for the grass was tall and soft, but
he was greatly frightened, and cried out for his mother.

Mrs. Bird was too far away to hear him, but a little girl did. She
picked him up very gently, and ran to show him to her father.

"Look at this cunning little bird which I have found! May I keep it for
mine?" she asked him.

"No," said her father. "See, it is only a baby bird, which has fallen
from its nest, and is crying for its mother. Show me where you found it;
perhaps I can reach the nest if we can discover it among the leaves."

The little girl pointed out the tree to her father. He placed a ladder
against it, and, climbing up, was able to drop the little bird into its
home.

In a few days Mr. and Mrs. Bird were ready to teach all their babies
to fly.

"Come on," they said, "spread your wings, jump into the air, and fly
just a little way, to that other limb of the tree."

Three of the little birds obeyed at once, and reached the resting place
in safety. But the fourth little bird was afraid to try, because he had
fallen before.

"Don't be a coward," urged his father and mother. "You fell before
because your wings were not strong enough to bear you up, but now you
will have no trouble."

The little bird wouldn't budge.

The parent birds knew it was time for him to learn, so they pushed the
foolish little fellow out of the nest, and watched him spread his wings,
and flutter to the ground. There he found more courage, and after a
while he flew up to join his brothers on the tree.

"I was sitting at my window," Mother told Johnnie Jones, "and saw it all
happen. Of course I can't understand the language of birds, and I am not
sure I have repeated exactly what the parent birds said to the babies,
or what the babies said to each other, but only what they seemed to say.
Anyway, everything happened as I have told you."

"Soon the babies could fly nearly as well and as far as the old birds,
and after that the little nest was left quite empty, rocked by the wind
in the old tree top."

* * * * *

The Coming of Little Brother

Almost all of the children who attended the kindergarten where Johnnie
Jones spent his mornings, had a baby brother or sister at home. They
spoke of "their babies" so often and enjoyed so much making presents to
take them, that Johnnie Jones wished for a baby at his house, and talked
to Mother about it.

One night, Mother said she had a secret to tell him. He was glad, for he
liked to have secrets with Mother, who told him a great many, because he
could keep them so well.

"It is the most beautiful secret in all the world," Mother said.
"Spring-time is coming very fast, and next month, when the trees and the
flowers wake up because winter is over and gone, a dear little baby is
coming to live with us."

"Oh! Mother dear, I am so glad!" said Johnnie Jones. "But why does the
baby wait so long? I want him this very day."

"Dear," Mother answered, "the baby is still fast asleep, just as the
little flower buds are, and we must watch and wait until he comes. It
will not be very long, little son, and then how happy we'll be, you and
Father and I!"

"At first the baby will be too small and helpless to play, and will need
his big brother to take care of him so that he may grow tall and strong.
Then, by and by, he will be able to run about and talk, and play with
you. But always, always, he will need you to help him, and teach him,
and care for him."

After that evening, when Mother had whispered the beautiful secret to
him, Johnnie Jones would ask her each day: "Will our baby wake up and
come tomorrow?" But Mother could not tell him, so they just waited, and
made ready, day after day.

At last one bright, warm morning when Johnnie Jones awoke, he saw Father
bending down over his bed with such a happy face that he asked at once:
"Has our baby waked up and come?"

"Yes," Father answered, "there is a Little Brother in Mother's room, and
she says she can't wait any longer to show him to you."

Johnnie Jones was very much excited and, as soon as possible, he tiptoed
into Mother's room. Father had asked him to be very quiet.

"Come here, dear," Mother said, "I have been waiting such a long time
for you." She drew him down beside her, and showed him a tiny baby boy
no larger than a doll.

As Johnnie Jones leaned down to see, the Little Brother opened his eyes
wide, and looked at him. Johnnie Jones was too happy to say a word. He
sat down close to the bed, and Father placed the baby in his arms.
Johnnie Jones held him very carefully, so that he might not hurt him or
let him fall.

"He is your Little Brother," Mother said softly, "your Little Brother to
love and take care of all your life. You will always remember that,
won't you?"

And Johnnie Jones always did.

* * * * *

Little Brother and Johnnie Jones

Little brother was a merry baby with a smile for everyone. Soon he was
old enough to be on the floor with Johnnie Jones, and to build houses of
blocks, and play with the toys. He learned to walk very early, when he
was less than a year old. Then indeed, he kept the family busy, guarding
him from harm.

One day he found the sharp scissors, which Johnnie Jones had to take
away very quickly before he could cut himself. Another day he tried to
eat a paper of pins, and Johnnie Jones had to run very fast to reach him
in time. That one baby kept Father and Mother, Johnnie Jones and Maggie,
all busy, because he was too young to know that some things are
dangerous for babies to have.

Sometimes, because he was too little to know any better, he objected to
having the scissors, or knives, or cookies, taken away. Then what do you
suppose he would do? He would run straight to Johnnie Jones and pull his
hair! He always seemed to feel happier after that.

It hurts to have one's hair pulled, but Johnnie Jones seldom cried or
was cross with the baby. He would just laugh and run away when he saw
him coming for his hair. Besides, that bad habit did not last long, and
you may be sure that Johnnie Jones was glad when it was broken!

The first word the baby learned to say after "Mama" was "Buddy," and he
meant Johnnie Jones. He knew when it was time for the big boy to come
home from kindergarten, and he would stand at the window watching for
him. As soon as he saw him coming he would wave his hand, and run to the
steps to meet him. Then they would have a romp. Their favorite game was
"I Spy."

One day they were playing "I Spy," and Little Brother was hiding.
Usually it was very easy to find him, because his favorite hiding place
was the nearest corner. But this time he wasn't there when Johnnie Jones
looked, nor anywhere in the room or hall.

"Where can he be?" Johnnie Jones asked Mother.

She came to help him. They called the baby but heard no answer. Then
they began to be worried and looked in every room. Suddenly they heard a
great splash in the bath-tub. They ran into the bathroom, and there they
found the baby.

Little Brother had forgotten he was playing "I Spy." He had wandered
into the bath-room, and climbing on a chair dropped the soap into the
tub which was full of water. Then, very soon, he dropped himself in,
too! That was the splash the others had heard.

Mother and Johnnie Jones lifted him out, wet as he could be, and very
much frightened.

"You dear little rascal!" exclaimed Johnnie Jones. "Didn't you know you
couldn't swim?"

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