The Blue Birds' Winter Nest Part 15

Just then, an expressman drove up and spoke to Ike.

"Right to the front door--that is the B. B. & B. B. Publis.h.i.+ng Company's shop," replied Ike with pride.

Uncle Ben signed for the safe delivery of a large flat box and the children crowded about to watch Ned and Jinks open it.

The box was marked "Gla.s.s" and "Handle with Care," so Ruth ran over to her uncle to inquire about it.

"Do you know what is in it?" asked she.

"I believe it is the box that failed to arrive with the other things,"

he replied, smiling.

"Do tell what it is," persisted Ruth.

"Why? You'll soon see, and it would spoil the surprise if I told you,"

said Uncle Ben.

Ruth skipped back to the circle formed about the case watching Ned take out the nails very carefully. Soon Jinks and he had the top boards off and then started to lift out the excelsior. This disposed of, a flat paper parcel was seen. Ned lifted it out, and seeing another one underneath, Jinks took it out also. Meredith and Don looked to see if there were any more, but excelsior seemed to fill the bottom of the box.

"Who has a knife?" asked Ned, not finding his own in his pocket.

"Here, here! hurry up and cut the twine!" shouted Don.

Ned took Don's knife with the broken blade and rusty handle, and smiled as he hacked away at the twine. After several vigorous efforts the string parted and several hands hurried to tear off the heavy paper.

A large picture of Benjamin Franklin, in a heavy oak frame, came out from its wrappings.

"Oh, isn't that fine!" cried several voices.

"Just our man, isn't he?" laughed Ned, pleased as could be.

"If I had a head like that I could invent machines, too," grumbled Don, feeling of his round little head in disgust.

While the others laughed at the remark, Meredith turned to the other parcel which Jinks held on the floor. The twine was soon cut and the papers taken off to reveal the strong features of Abraham Lincoln.

"Ho, that's best yet!" cried the boys who felt a deep admiration for the man whose picture stood before them.

Mr. Talmage and Mrs. Catlin came in during the exhibition of pictures, and the former said, "Just what you needed to complete the office appearance."

"Yes, indeed, Uncle Ben, and we thank you heaps and heaps!" exclaimed Ned, carrying his picture into the office.

Jinks followed and Don started to drag away the box that stood in the midst of the circle of children.

"Better see if there are any more!" called Uncle Ben, warningly.

Don dropped upon his knees and sought in the excelsior.

"Oh! here's some more and I almost threw them away!" he cried, as he dragged forth several small packages.

Upon being opened they proved to be a number of pictures of famous publishers and inventors of printing machinery.

"Won't they look just great, though!" came from several pleased boys.

"Why, come to think of it," said Mrs. Catlin, "my husband has a number of fine plates of machines and things of that kind. He was connected with the Vivla Machine Company, you know, and they manufactured presses and printers' tools. They might look well if added to this collection."

Everyone agreed that the more the better, and then Dot remembered that Mrs. Catlin had not seen the office and machinery.

"Walk right over and see how officey our office looks with your desk and table," she cried.

"And Mrs. Talmage sent in the chairs," added Betty.

"And my mother sent the carpet," added Norma, pointing to the green rug.

"And father says we may have his typewriting machine and table here when he's away from home," said Ruth, eagerly.

Mrs. Catlin praised the arrangement, and then asked to be shown the wonderful machinery that was to do such great work.

"Dear me, I heartily regret that I am not a little girl so that I might glory in this office and work," sighed Mrs. Catlin, coming back to the grown-ups.

"You don't have to be 'little,' Therese," laughed Mrs. Talmage. "You are one of this juvenile club as surely as if you were but ten. Why, you couldn't pa.s.s the place without coming in to ask for news."

"To tell the truth, I was going to the village, but I heard the happy shouts away out on the road and so I just wanted to know the cause,"

confessed Mrs. Catlin, smiling.

"I hope I may live a few years longer to see the results of this work,"

sighed Aunt Selina.

"You will, Flutey, you will!" cried Dot, enthusiastically. "What Uncle Ben told you was really truly true!"

"And just think, Mrs. Catlin, Flutey is going to write a long serious story for our magazine all about the war that she was in!" cried Betty Stevens.

The grown-ups smiled at Betty's idea of a "serial" story, but Mrs.

Catlin looked surprised.

"Why, I never knew you were from the South?"

"I'm not, but I was visiting there during an exciting time, and Ben thinks my experience will make a readable story," replied Aunt Selina.

Mrs. Catlin looked at the aged lady with interest and said how much she would like to hear the tale. Suddenly, however, she slapped her gloved hands together and spoke.

"Now, what reason is there that I should not have some pages in this magazine?" she asked.

"Show us any good reason for taking our s.p.a.ce and you may have it,"

teased Mrs. Talmage.

"Then put me down for another serial. I have a collection of short stories that Mr. Catlin wrote of his adventures in Alaska. It does not seem much like an adventure to go to Alaska nowadays, but forty years ago it was as if one were leaving this hemisphere for the unknown. Some of his tales are intensely interesting," said Mrs. Catlin.

"Why, friends, we are getting so many notable articles and writers together that we will soon have to raise the subscription price,"

laughed Mr. Talmage.