The Goody-Naughty Book Part 4

"WILLIE WON'T" 9

MOLLIE AND THE POUTS 11

INDIAN HUGHIE 14

"I FORGOT" 16

HOW SAMMY WAS CURED 18

THE GOING-TO CLUB 23

WHEN P'RAPSY SAID "YES" 26

WHAT HAPPENED TO WAGGLES 30

[Ill.u.s.tration: "S-s-s-t!" spit p.u.s.s.y, scurrying to the top of the pump]

"WILLIE WON'T"

It was baking day at Willie Wright's house. Willie was on hand, as usual, to sc.r.a.pe the dish and tease for raisins.

Suddenly Jennie the cook threw up her hands. "Oh, dear," she cried, "I forgot to order baking powder! Willie, will you--"

Bang! went the door, and off ran Willie down the path, with Laddie at his heels.

"I won't go to the store!" he grumbled.

"Wil-lie!" called Jennie from the house.

"Won't, won't, won't!" Willie screamed.

The next-door p.u.s.s.y was sunning herself in the Wrights' yard.

"Sic 'em, Laddie!" cried Willie.

"Wow-wow!" barked Laddie joyously.

"S-s-s-t!" spit p.u.s.s.y, scurrying to the top of the pump.

"Wil-lie-e-e!"

Willie dropped down beside the fence, out of Jennie's sight. "She c'n go herself," he said.

Laddie cuddled down beside him. It was warm in the sun, and the locusts were droning drowsily in the gra.s.s.

"Oo-ff! Oo-ff! Oo-ff!" snored Laddie.

Willie nodded--and nodded--and nodded.

"Ho-ho!" came a voice over the fence. "Willie Won't! That's a funny name!"

"Funny!" retorted another voice. "It's ugly. Willie Will would be far nicer."

"n.o.body named Willie Will would ever set a dog on a cat," came a third voice.

"No," said a fourth, "nor run off and hide when there are errands to do."

And then the four began to sing--

"Willie Won't's a horrid boy!

No one will like him till He helps when people want him to And turns to Willie Will."

Willie jumped to his feet and looked around. The neighbors' sunflowers nodded solemnly over the fence.

"Willie Will," they seemed to urge.

Willie started for the house. "Willie Will," he echoed, as he went up the path.

[Ill.u.s.tration: She sat on the couch and sulked because she could not go out to play with Little Sister]

MOLLIE AND THE POUTS

Until the Pouts got to work on Mollie she was a very pretty little girl.

But when she sat on the couch and sulked, and sulked, and sulked because she could not go out to play with Little Sister, the Pouts turned her into a very ugly little girl indeed.

"Ouch! You hurt!" cried a little voice, just as a Pout drew Mollie's mouth down at the corners.

Mollie started. She had forgotten that she was holding Dear Doll Dainty by the arm, and she let go of her in her surprise.

"Well!" cried Dear Doll Dainty. "It's a wonder that fall didn't break my head. Why didn't you lay me nicely on the couch? My, what a sour face!"

With that, Dear Doll Dainty stepped up to her own special trunk, which stood open in the center of the floor, and put on her hat and slipped into her coat.

"Wh-what are you going to do?" asked Mollie, staring.

"Going away, of course. I don't care to belong to a little girl with the Pouts."

Dear Doll Dainty walked to the door.