The Four Corners Abroad Read online

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  JEAN WITH A PIGEON ON EACH SHOULDER WAS PERFECTLY HAPPY.

  _Frontispiece_]

  The Corner Series

  THE FOUR CORNERS ABROAD

  By AMY E. BLANCHARD

  George W. Jacobs & Company Philadelphia.

  Copyright, 1909, by GEORGE W. JACOBS & COMPANY _Published August, 1909_

  _All rights reserved_ Printed in U. S. A.

  CONTENTS

  I. THE FOURTH IN PARIS 7 II. THE DAY OF BASTILLE 25 III. HOUSEKEEPING 43 IV. A GLIMPSE OF SPAIN 65 V. A FIESTA 87 VI. SPANISH HOSPITALITY 105 VII. ACROSS THE CHANNEL 125 VIII. IN LONDON TOWN 145 IX. WORK 165 X. A NIGHT ADVENTURE 187 XI. SETTLING DOWN 209 XII. ALL SAINTS 229 XIII. THE FAIRY PLAY AND ITS CONSEQUENCES 247 XIV. "STILLE NACHT" 267 XV. IN THE MOUNTAINS 289 XVI. HERR GREEN-CAP 313 XVII. GOOD-BYE MUNICH 335 XVIII. JACK AS CHAMPION 357 XIX. A YOUTHFUL GUIDE 377 XX. TOWARD THE TOE 397

  ILLUSTRATIONS

  Jean with a pigeon on each shoulder was perfectly happy _Frontispiece_

  Nan volunteered to go for supplies _Facing page_ 52

  Mary Lee was snapping her fingers and taking her steps " " 96

  Jo managed to get next to the driver " " 150

  The children stood in awe and delight at the Krippen " " 270

  CHAPTER I

  THE FOURTH IN PARIS]

  CHAPTER I

  THE FOURTH IN PARIS

  IT was at Passy that a little party of American girls were discussingthe afternoon's plans one day in July. The three older girls weremost interested; the two younger were too much engrossed in a game ofDiabolo to notice very much what the others were talking about.

  "You see it's raining," said Nan Corner, a tall girl with dark hair,"so we can't go in the Bois as we intended."

  "Neither do we want to follow Aunt Helen's example and go hunting forantiques," put in Nan's sister, Mary Lee. "What do you say we do, Jo?"

  Jo Keyes was drumming on the window-pane and looking out at the ratherunpromising weather. "I see an American flag, girls," she said. "Hailto you, Old Glory!--Goodness me!" She turned around. "Do you all knowwhat day it is? Of course we must do something patriotic."

  "It's the Fourth of July!" exclaimed Nan, "and we never thought of it.For pity's sake! Isn't it ridiculous? We never made very much of itat home, but over here I feel so American when I remember Bunker Hilland Yorktown and our own Virginia Washington, that I could paint myselfred, white and blue, and cry 'Give me liberty or give me death,' fromout the front window."

  "I beg you'll do no such thing," said Mary Lee, the literal.

  Nan laughed. The twins stopped their play and began to take an interestin what was being said. "Do paint your face red, white and blue andlean out the front window, Nan," said Jack; "it would be so funny."

  "Let Mary Lee do it," said Nan, putting her arm around her littlesister; "she's already red, white and blue."

  "Let me see, Mary Lee, let me see," said Jack, eagerly.

  The others laughed. "Blue eyes, white nose, red lips," said Nan,touching with her finger these features of Mary Lee's.

  "You fooled me," said Jack disgustedly. "I thought she might havelovely stripes or something on her face."

  "Foolish child," returned Nan, giving her a squeeze. "We must dosomething, girls, and look 'how it do rain,' as Mitty would say."

  "Can't we have torpedoes or firecrackers or some kind of fireworks?"asked Jean.

  "The gendarmes might come and rush us all off to the police court if wedid," Jo told her. "They're so terribly particular here in Paris, thatif a cab or an auto runs over you, you have to pay damages for gettingin the way."

  "Thank heaven we're Americans," said Nan fervently. "I am more eagerthan ever to flaunt my colors. Of all unjust things I ever heard itis to run you down and make you pay for it. They needn't talk to meabout their _liberte_, _fraternite_, and _egalite_. I'll give a centimeto the first one who thinks a happy thought for celebrating, myselfincluded."

  Jo was the first with a suggestion. "Let's have a tea and invite thegrown-ups, your mother and Miss Helen. We might ask that nice MissJoyce, too. We can have red, white and blue decorations and dressourselves in the national colors, and it will be fine."

  "The centime is yours," cried Nan. "You always were a good fellow withideas, Jo. Now let's set our wits to work. Who dares brave the elementswith me? I shall have to go foraging in the neighborhood."

  "I'll go," cried Jack.

  "I'd love to go foraging," said Jean.

  "If you want any assistance in carrying bundles, I'm your man," saidJo.

  "Then you twinnies would better stay at home with Mary Lee," said Nan.

  "But we do want to go, too," begged the two.

  "I don't see why you want to get yourselves all drabbled, and verylikely you'd take cold," remarked Mary Lee. "For my part I'd muchrather stay in."

  This quite satisfied Jean, but Jack still pouted until Nan suggestedthat she help Mary Lee arrange the room and think up their costumes;then the two oldest girls with umbrellas, rubbers and waterproofs setout. Mrs. Corner and Miss Helen had gone to the city to attend to somebusiness at their banker's and would not return till later, therefore,the girls concluded, it would be an excellent time to try theiringenuity; they had been accustomed to do such things before now andtheir imaginations, never rusty at any time, were in good working order.

  "I know what I shall do," said Mary Lee, as soon as the door closedafter Nan and Jo. "I shall sew red stripes on one of my white frocks. Ihave some Turkey red I was going to make into a bag; I'll use that."

  "What can we do?" queried Jean.

  "We shall have to get the room ready first," Mary Lee told her, "andthen we'll think of our dresses. Go into Aunt Helen's room, Jack, andget all the red Baedekers you can find, and if you see any blue books,bring them, too. Jean, go into all our rooms and bring any red-bordertowels you see."

  "What are you going to do with them?" asked Jean, pausing at the door.

  "You'll see. Trot along, for we haven't any too much time."

  Jean ran off and presently came back with a lot of towels hanging overher arm. These Mary Lee disposed over the largest sofa pillow so as togive the effect of a series of red and white stripes, setting a bluecovered cushion above the first. When Jack returned with the books,which she managed to drop at intervals between the door and the lounge,Mary Lee made neat piles on the table of the red and blue coveredvolumes, the white edges giving the required combination of color.

  "There are a great many more red than blue ones," remarked Jack,watching the effect of Mary Lee's work. "I know what we can do, MaryLee, we can cover some of the books. I saw some blue wrapping-paper inAunt Helen's room."

  "A good idea. Great head. Bring it along, Jack." And again Jackscampered off to return in a few minutes with the blue paper which MaryLee used to cover the books needed.
r />   "That does very well," she commented, surveying her work with pleasedeyes. "Now we'll have to wait till Nan comes before we can finish uphere. Fortunately Aunt Helen has blue and white tea things, and theywill need only to be set on a red covered tray. I won't do that yetbefore I see what Nan and Jo bring back with them. Now, I'm going tosew the stripes on my skirt. We will see about you chicks when Nancomes."

  She went off bent upon carrying out her design of wearing a redstriped frock and blue tie. "I've a lovely idea," Jack whispered toher twin. "Let's go into mother's room and I'll show you." And the twodisappeared closing the door behind them.

  Half an hour later Nan and Jo returned. Mary Lee met them, red stripedskirt in hand. "Well," she exclaimed eagerly, "did you manage to getanything?"

  "Indeed we did," Jo replied. "Look at these flowers. Aren't they justthe thing? We found an old woman around the corner with a cart full offlowers and we took our pick." She held up a bunch of red and whitecarnations with some blue corn-flowers.

  "Perfect," agreed Mary Lee. "What else did you get?"

  "Some red candies." Nan produced them. "We shall put them in thatlittle blue and white Japanese dish of mother's. We have a beautifulsugary white cake, and I am going to make a little American flag tostand up in the middle of it. We have some lady-fingers which we shalltie up with red, white and blue ribbons, and with bread and butter Ithink that will do. My, Mary Lee! you've done beautifully. It looksfine. Who thought of the red Baedekers and the blue books?"

  "I did, or at least Jack helped out the idea with the blue papercovers."

  "Where are the kiddies?"

  "In mother's room getting ready. I've been basting these red stripes onthis skirt. I've the last one nearly finished. What are you going towear, Nan?"

  "I'd copy-cat your red stripes if I had time, but I can cut outsome stars and paste them on a blue belt, maybe, and wear a whiteshirt-waist and a red skirt. Jo has a striped red and white waist shecan wear with a blue tie. We must hurry up, for time is flying and Ihave still the flag to make."

  They skurried around and soon had everything arranged to their taste."Now I'll make the flag," said Nan, "though I'll never get as manystars as I need on such a tiny blue ground, for there are such a numberof states. Perhaps I can find a scrap of that dark blue challis withthe tiny white stars on it; that would do very well to paste in onecorner."

  Mary Lee and Jo followed her to the room which the three shared incommon. The twins had a little room adjoining and from this issued amurmur of voices.

  "Who has taken my paint box?" cried Nan diving down into her trunk."I've looked everywhere for it. I was sure I left it on this table."

  "I'll bet that scamp Jack has it," declared Mary Lee.

  Nan opened the door leading to the next room and there beheld the twositting on the floor, the color box between them. A mug of water stoodnear. Jack had just painted a series of ragged stripes across her whiteshoes and was regarding this decoration with much complacency. Jean wasabout to emulate her twin by similarly adorning the white stockingsupon her slim little legs. She had carefully begun at the very top andhad just made her first brush mark.

  "Do you think there should be thirteen stripes?" she was asking Jackwhen Nan opened the door.

  "You wretches!" cried the latter. "What are you doing with my paints?"

  "We're just fixing up for Fourth of July," responded Jack thrusting outa brilliantly striped foot for Nan's inspection, and in consequenceupsetting the mug of water over the color box.

  "I should think you were just fixing up," returned Nan. "Just lookat my color box. You've nearly used up a whole pan of vermilion, andnow look what you have done. Get a towel, Jean, and sop it up. You'vespoiled your shoes, Jack. They'll never be fit to wear again."

  Jack looked ruefully at the feet in which she had taken such pride.

  "Mayn't I stripe my stockings, Nan?" asked Jean looking up from hertask of mopping up the water.

  "No, chickie, I think you'd better not."

  "But Jack has such beautiful stripes," said Jean regretfully.

  "I'll tell you what you can have," said Nan. "I've a lot of red ribbonsand I'll wind your sweet little pipe-stems with those."

  Jean was so pleased with this idea that she did not mind the aspersionscast upon her slim legs. "That will be lovely," she agreed, "and itwill save the trouble of painting. I saw it was going to be crite hardto have exactly thirteen stripes and all the same width."

  Nan picked up the sloppy looking color box. "I've got to make a littleflag," she said, "and as soon as that is done I'll get the ribbons foryou." She bore off the colors into the next room and proceeded hastilyto make her flag, sticking a bit of the starred challis in one cornerfor the field. When it was completed she looked around for a properstaff, and finally settled on one of her paint brushes whose pointedhandle served excellently well to stick in the centre of the cake.

  Having put it in place, Nan stood off to see the effect. "It doesn'tlook quite right," she observed. "What is the matter with it, girls?"

  "You've made thirteen red stripes instead of having thirteen in all,red and white included," Mary Lee told her. She was always an exactperson.

  "Dear me, that's just the thing," said Nan. "Why didn't I know enoughto do it right?"

  "Never mind," said Jo. "Nobody will notice it, and I am sure it looksvery well. Isn't the table lovely? I wish they would come."

  "Oh, but I don't," returned Nan. "I've yet to dike, and I promisedJean to wind her legs for her. They will look like barbers' poles, butshe'll never think of that, so please don't any one suggest it. It isso late I'll have to fling on any red, white and blue doings I canfind."

  "I'll wind the legs," volunteered Jo. "I'm all ready as you see, andyou've had the most to do."

  "Good for you," responded Nan. "I'll get the ribbons."

  "Don't you think," said Jo, "that we ought to have speeches orsomething?" Jo was always great at that sort of thing.

  "It wouldn't be bad." Nan was quick to accept the suggestion. "Youget up a speech, Jo. We'll sing Yankee Doodle and Dixie to combaccompaniments, and I'll recite that poem of Emerson's about the firingof the shot heard round the world. What will you do, Mary Lee?"

  "I might give a cake-walk," she replied; "that would be truly American."

  "Let's all do a cake-walk," Nan suggested. "We have the cake, you see,and you can dance a breakdown, Mary Lee, and sing a plantation song."

  "The programme is rolling up splendidly," said Jo. "Go along, Nan, andget dressed. If you stand here talking the guests will be here beforeyou are ready."

  Nan rushed off and, in her usual direct and expeditious manner, soonhad herself arrayed. Her blue skirt, white shirt-waist and red sashgave the foundation of her costume which was further enlivened by ared, white and blue cockade, made hastily of tissue-paper snatched outof various places. This she wore in her dark hair while she had put ona pair of red stockings with white shoes, the latter made resplendentby huge blue bows.

  "Your get-up is fine," cried Jo, regarding her admiringly. "You alwaysoutdo every one else, Nan, and with the least fussing and the slightestamount of material. Here I've taken the trouble to put these whitestars on a blue belt, and Mary Lee has basted all those stripes aroundher skirt, yet look at you with that dandy little cockade and thosefetching blue bows which didn't take you five minutes to make."

  "There they come," cried Mary Lee.

  "Start the teakettle, somebody, while I go tell Miss Joyce. I hopeshe has not gone out." She rushed off leaving the others to begin thetea-making. On the way from Miss Joyce's room, where she fortunatelyfound the young lady, Nan encountered Mrs. Corner and Miss Helen."Happy Fourth of July," cried the girl. "Get your things off, please,and come right in to tea; it's all ready."

  "Good child," answered Miss Helen. "We are ready for tea, for weare both tired out. There was so much red tape connected with thismorning's business. We'll be right in, Nan."

  "You didn't get wet?"

  "Fortunatel
y we didn't, for we had a cab."

  "Good! then you won't have to change your gowns. Don't stop to prink,mother dear, and come as soon as you can." She stopped to snatch akiss from her mother and hurried back. Her costume had indicated thatsomething out of the ordinary was going on, but the grown-ups werenot prepared for what met their eyes when they entered the littlesitting-room.

  "Well, if this isn't just like you children," exclaimed Mrs. Cornerwhen she saw the array.

  "Is it just like them?" Miss Joyce turned with an appreciative smile."Then all I have to say is that you have the dearest children in theworld."

  The entertainment began with Jo's patriotic speech which was givenwhile the ladies drank their tea. There were sly hits at the rightsand wrongs of foot passengers in Paris, references to the difficultiesof the French language, to the law forbidding anything to be placedon the window-sills, to the lack of sweet potatoes and green corn, tothe small portions of ice-cream served, and the whole oration was fullof such humor as brought much laughter and applause. Jo was alwayshappiest in such impromptu speeches. Next each girl provided witha comb covered with tissue-paper gave a shrill rendering of YankeeDoodle and Dixie, then followed Mary Lee's breakdown, and next Nan'srecitation. After this the twins, not to be outdone, sang a ridiculousnegro song, patting juba as they did it. The whole performance endedwith a cake-walk in which Nan and Jack surpassed themselves, taking thecake amid much laughter and applause.

  "I haven't laughed so much for a year," said Miss Joyce, wiping hereyes. "I must confess to having felt rather blue this gloomy day,but you dear things have driven my homesickness so far away that Idon't believe there is any danger of its coming back for a long time,certainly not while you are in the house. How did you think of allthis?"

  "Oh, we often do such things on the spur of the moment," Nan told her."It's much more fun than to plan a long time ahead. We never realizedwhat day it was till Jo chanced to see an American flag hanging from awindow near by. You know down in Virginia we don't make much ado overthe Fourth, but here in Paris somehow it seemed quite different, and wesuddenly felt wildly patriotic, so we had to let off the steam in someway, and this idea of Jo's was very easy to carry out."

  "It's been an immense success," Miss Joyce assured her. "Thedecorations are so original, and such costumes, I don't see how youmanaged to get them up in such a short time."

  Nan looked down at her flaunting blue bows. "It's nothing when you'reused to depending upon whatever comes handy. This blue paper happenedto came around a package, and one can pinch up a couple of bows in notime; as for the other things, it just means a little ingenuity. Whenwe were out in California we used to have a different kind of tea everyweek, and it was lots of fun to think up something new."

  "We like to encourage our girls to exercise imagination and invention,"Miss Helen remarked. "Nowadays when children are not encouraged to readthe old-fashioned fairy tales, and have so many toys that they neverhave a chance to invent any plays for themselves, there is danger ofcertain fine qualities of mind being left out of the composition of thecoming generation."

  "I quite agree with you," said Miss Joyce. "Creatures of 'fire and dewand spirit' must feed on different mental food from the ordinary, andI'm sure your girls will always possess individuality."

  "That is what we are aiming for," returned Miss Helen.

  Jack's intention was so good, that she was spared a scolding on accountof the shoes, and the afternoon ended happily though it continued torain dismally. Jack, it may be said in passing, seldom allowed anoccasion to go by without getting into some sort of scrape, and thatshe had done nothing worse than spoil a pair of inexpensive whiteshoes was really to her credit. Jean admired her own red strappings sounreservedly that she continued to wear the decorations till bedtime,while Nan's cockade still adorned her head at the dinner table.

  "We shall pass but one more national holiday over here," she remarked,"and what's the sense of being in a foreign country if you can'tremember your own sometimes! To be sure the tri-color is French, too,but it means the United States to us." So ended this Fourth of Julywhich was a day long remembered.

  CHAPTER II

  THE DAY OF BASTILLE]