"Why, the way you tell me about it, I think I do. But the way I meant it, seems so different."

"Well, I've thought it over, and I've decided on this. You dislike to sew; don't you?"

"Yes, I do!" said Marjorie, emphatically.

"I know you do. But I think you ought to learn to sew, and, moreover, I think this would be an appropriate thing to do. I want you to make a little dress for Totty. I will do the more difficult parts, such as putting it together, but you must run the tucks, and hem it, and overhand the seams. And it must be done very neatly, as all babies'

dresses should be dainty and fine. You may work half an hour on it every day, and, when it is finished, it will be a pretty little gift for Mrs.

Harrison, and it will also teach you something of an old-fashioned but useful art."

Marjorie drew a deep sigh. "All right, Mother. I'll try to do it nicely; but oh, how I hate a thimble! I never again will mix up people's babies. But I didn't think it was such an awful, dreadful thing to do."

"You're a strange child, Midget," said her mother, looking at her thoughtfully. "I never know what you're going to do next."

"I never know myself," said Marjorie, cheerfully, "but you can always punish me, you know."

"But I don't want to. I want you to behave so you won't need punishment."

"I'll try real hard," said Midge, as she kissed her mother, again and again.

CHAPTER XIV

A n.o.bLE SOCIETY

The Jinks Club was having its weekly meeting, and all of the members were present.

"I think," the President was saying, "that we ought to do something that's of some use. It's all very well to cut up jinks to have fun, and we did have a lot of fun on the straw ride last week; but I mean we ought to do some real good in the world."

"But how could we, King?" said Marjorie, looking at her brother in awe.

"There are lots of ways!" declared King. "We might do something public-spirited or charitable."

"I think so, too," said d.i.c.k Fulton. "My father was talking last night about the selfishness of citizens."

"Goodness, d.i.c.k," said his sister, "we're not citizens!"

"Yes, we are, Gladys. Why aren't we? Everybody born in America is a citizen, whether old or young."

"I never dreamed I was a citizen," said Gladys, giggling. "Did you, Kit?"

"No," said Kitty; "but I'd just as lieve be. Wouldn't you, Dorothy?"

"Yes, indeed. It's nice to be citizens. Sort of patriotic, you know."

"Well," said Midget, "if we're citizens, let's do citizens' work. What do they do, King?"

"Oh, they vote, and----"

"But we can't vote. Of course we girls never can, but you boys can't for years yet. Don't be silly."

"Well, there are other things besides voting," said d.i.c.k. "Some citizens have big meetings and make speeches."

"Now _you're_ silly," said Kingdon. "We can't make speeches any more than we can vote. But there must be things that young folks can do."

"We could have a fair and make money for the heathen," volunteered Gladys.

"That's too much like work," said King. "Besides, we're all going to be in the Bazaar in December, and we don't want to copy that! And, anyway, I mean something more--more political than that."

"I don't know anything about politics," declared Marjorie, "and you don't, either!"

"I do, too. Father told me all about the different parties and platforms and everything."

"Let's have a platform," said Kitty. "You boys can build it."

King laughed at this, but, as the others had only a hazy idea of what a political platform was, Kitty's suggestion was not heeded.

"I'll tell you," said d.i.c.k. "When Father was talking last night, he said if our citizens were public-spirited, they'd form a Village Improvement Society, and fix up the streets and beautify the park and the common, and keep their lawns in better order."

"Now you're talking!" cried King. "That's the sort of thing I mean. And we children could be a little Village Improvement Society ourselves. Of course we couldn't do much, but we could make a start, and then grown-up people might take the notion and do it themselves."

"I think it would be lovely," said Marjorie. "We could plant flowers in the middle of the common, and we'd all water them and weed them, and keep them in lovely order."

"We couldn't plant flowers till next spring," said Gladys. "October's no time to plant flowers."

"It's not a very good time for such work, anyway," said d.i.c.k, "for most of the improvement is planting things, and mowing gra.s.s, and like that.

But there are other things, 'cause Father said that such a society could make all the people who live here keep their sidewalks clean and not have any ashes or rubbish anywhere about."

"I think it's great," said King. "I move we go right bang! into it, and that we first change the name of the Jinks Club to the Village Improvement Society. Then let's keep just the same officers, and everything, and go right ahead and improve."

"Yes," said Marjorie, "and then whenever we want to turn back again to the Jinks Club, why, we can."

"Oh, we won't want to turn back," said King, confidently; "the other'll be more fun."

"All right," said d.i.c.k. "I'm secretary, so I'll make out a list of what we can do. How much money is there in the treasury, Midget?"

"Sixty cents," said Marjorie, promptly.

"Huh! Just what we paid in to-day."

"Yes, you know we spent last week's money going on a trolley ride."

"So we did. Well, we'll have to have more cash, if we're going to improve this town much."

"Then I can't belong," said Marjorie, decidedly. "I've got to begin now to save money for Christmas. I'd rather have it for that than plant flower beds."