LITTLE STAY-AT-HOME AND THE WISHING-PIN
If Little Stay-At-Home had not found a red, white and blue pin on the 4th of July perhaps nothing fairylike would have happened.
She said to herself over and over,
“The Fourth of July, the Fourth of July
To be contented at home I’ll try.”
The children going to the Fourth of July celebration waved their hands to her and called, “Goodbye, Little Stay-At-Home, good-bye.”
Little Stay-At-Home knew that mother needed her at home, and she knew that the ironing had to be done.
As she got out the Clothes Horse she heard a voice call.
“Red, white and blue is your pin I see,
Why don’t you make wishes, one, two, three?”
Then the Ironing Board piped up,
“Red, white and blue for the Fourth of July
You can make wishes now if you try.”
The Iron acted in the strangest manner and began to run to and fro on the Ironing Board, saying,
“Fairies grant wishes by and by,
Hurrah, hurrah, for the Fourth of July.”
Little Stay-At-Home had never happened to see kitchen things act in such a comical manner.
She stood first on one foot, then on the other and said,
“Oh little pin red, white and blue
I want peanut bags, and fire crackers too.”
Then the first surprising thing happened.
A Peanut Bag sailed in the window and the Peanut Fairies sailed about as lively as crickets. They sprinkled and folded the clothes neatly.
Little Stay-At-Home clapped her hands and said,
“Oh little pin do not delay
I’d like more help on ironing day.”
Then the second surprising thing happened.
A Firecracker walked in proudly, jumped up on the Ironing Board and began to iron clothes as neatly as you please.
A cracked voice called,
“Ha, ha, ha, let’s work together,
Minding not the time nor weather.”
Little Stay-At-Home began to iron on the table, and the Firecracker ironed on the board. My! how fast the work went on.
Suddenly the little girl remembered she had one more wish so she said,
“To finish my work I always try,
But I’d like some fun on the Fourth of July.”
Then the third surprising thing happened.
In floated a red, white, and blue balloon with a basket below it, to ride in.
The Peanut Fairies jumped in the basket.
The Firecracker jumped in and Little Stay-At-Home jumped in beside him.
They sailed away to the Fourth of July celebration.
The Fireworks had not arrived.
Little Stay-At-Home wondered if she could have one more wish, so she rubbed her little Wishing Pin and wished that the Fireworks would come at once.
To the delight of all, they arrived and everyone shouted, “Hurrah, for the Fourth of July!”
After the Fireworks were over and the red lemonade was passed the strange company in the basket sailed right back in the kitchen window.
A sweet voice called,
“Wake up, wake up red, white and blue,
Wake up, I have a surprise for you.”
Mother stood in the doorway with a glass of red lemonade on a tray, and a dish of white ice cream, and cakes covered with red and blue sugar.
Little Stay-At-Home rubbed her sleepy eyes, her adventure seemed very real, and sure enough the ironing was all done!
Little Stay-At-Home and mother sat down to enjoy their treat. She told mother her adventures.
She put her hand to her dress.
THEY SAILED AWAY FOR THE FOURTH OF JULY CELEBRATION
“To be good I wish you’d always try
As you were this happy Fourth of July.”
Then the most surprising thing of all happened.
They saw a red balloon sailing over the house and a nutty voice called out,
“To help next year we’ll also try,
We wish you a happy Fourth of July.”
They next saw a white balloon sail over the house and a fiery voice called,
“If you’re good I’ll help you by and by
Just call on me next Fourth of July.”
The Firecracker sailed away in his balloon.
Then a blue balloon sailed over the house and a fairy voice called,
“I cannot stop with you but to call good-bye
Here’s your wishing pin for the Fourth of July.”
The Wishing Pin dropped right down into Little Stay-At-Home’s hand!
She called,
“Hurrah, for balloons that sail on high
Hurrah, hurrah, for the Fourth of July.”
Now that Little Stay-At-Home has the Wishing Pin to keep for all I know she may make three wishes every day.