You're listening to S.
D.
Hudson Magic What Katie Did
By Susan Coolidge
This story follows the adventures of a 12-year-old American girl,
Katie Carr,
And her family,
Who live in the fictional lakeside Ohio town of Burnett in the 1860s.
Chapter Eight
Tomorrow I will begin,
Thought Katie as she dropped asleep that night.
How often we all do so!
And what a pity it is that when morning comes and tomorrow is today,
We are so frequently
Feeling quite differently,
Careless or impatient and not a bit inclined to do the fine things
We planned overnight.
Sometimes it seems as if there must be a wicked little imp in the world,
Who is kept up tight
So long as the sun shines,
But who creeps into our bedrooms when we are asleep to tease
Us and ruffle our tempers.
Else why,
When we go to rest,
Good-natured and pleasant,
Should we wake up so cross?
Now there was Katie.
Her last sleepy thought was an intention to be an angel from that time on,
And as much
Like Cousin Helen as she could,
And when she opened her eyes,
She was all out of sorts
And as fractious as a bear.
Old Mary said she got out of bed on the wrong side.
I wonder,
By the way,
If anybody will ever be wise enough to tell us which side that
Is,
So we may always choose the other.
How comfortable it would be if they could!
You know how,
If we begin the day in a cross mood,
All sorts of unfortunate accidents seem
To occur.
Well,
The very first thing Katie did this morning was to break her precious vase the
One Cousin Helen gave her.
It was standing on the bureau with a little cluster of blush roses in it.
The bureau had a swing glass.
While Katie was brushing her hair,
The glass tipped a little so she could not see.
At a good humid moment,
This accident wouldn't have troubled her much,
But being out of temper
To begin with,
It made her angry.
She gave the glass a violent push.
The lower part swung forward,
And there was a smash,
And the blush roses lay scattered
All over the floor.
Cousin Helen's pretty present was ruined.
Katie sat down on the carpet and cried as hard as if she'd been filled himself.
Aunt Izzy heard her lamenting and came in.
I'm very sorry,
She said,
Picking up the broken glass,
But it's no more than I expected.
You're so careless,
Katie.
Now don't sit there in that foolish way.
Get up and dress yourself.
You'll be late to breakfast.
What's the matter?
Asked Papa,
Noticing Katie's red eyes as she took her seat at the table.
I've broken my vase,
Said Katie dolefully.
It was extremely careless of you to put it in such a dangerous place,
Said her aunt.
You might have known the glass would swing and lock it off.
Then seeing a big tear fall in the middle of Katie's plate,
She added,
Really,
Katie,
You're too big to behave like a baby.
Why?
Dory would be ashamed to do so.
Pray control yourself.
This snub did not improve Katie's temper.
She went on with breakfast in sulky silence.
What are you going to do today?
Asked Dr.
Carr.
Swing,
Cried John and Dory,
Both together.
The swing is not to be used till tomorrow.
Remember that,
Children,
Not until tomorrow and not then unless I give you leave.
This was unwise of Aunt Izzy.
She would have been better to explain further.
The truth was that Alexander,
In putting up the swing,
Had cracked one of the staples
Which fastened it to the roof.
He meant to get a new one in the course of the day,
And meantime,
He had cautioned Miss
Carr to let no one use the swing,
Because it really wasn't safe.
If she had told this to the children,
It would have been all right.
But Aunt Izzy's theory was,
Young people must obey their elders without explanation.
John,
Elsie and Dory all pouted when they heard this order,
But Elsie recovered her
Good humour first.
I don't care,
She said,
Because I'm going to be very busy.
I've got to write a letter to Cousin Helen about something.
What?
Asked Clover.
Oh,
Something,
Answered Elsie,
Wagging her head mysteriously.
None of the rest of you must know Cousin Helen said so.
It's a secret she and me's got.
I don't believe Cousin Helen said so at all,
Said Katie Crossley.
She wouldn't tell secrets to a silly little girl like you.
Yes,
She would too,
Retorted Elsie angrily.
She said I was just as good to trust as if ever I was so big,
And she said I was her
Pet.
So there,
Katie Carr.
Stop disputing,
Said Aunt Izzy.
Katie,
Your top drawer is all out of order.
I never saw anything look so badly.
You go upstairs at once and straighten it before you do anything else.
Children,
You must keep in the shade this morning,
It's too hot for you to be running
About in the sun.
Elsie,
Go into the kitchen and tell Debbie I want to speak to her.
Yes,
Said Elsie in an important tone,
And afterwards I'm coming back to write my letter.
Katie went slowly upstairs,
Dragging one foot after the other.
It was a warm,
Languid day.
Her head ached a little and her eyes smarted and felt heavy from crying so much.
Everything seemed dull and hateful.
She said to herself that Aunt Izzy was very unkind to make her work in vacation,
And she
Pulled the top drawer open with a disgusted groan.
It must be confessed that Miss Izzy was right.
A bureau drawer could hardly look worse than this one did.
It reminded one of the White Knight's recipe for a pudding,
Which began with blotting paper
And ended with sealing wax and gunpowder.
All sorts of things were mixed together,
As if somebody had put in a long stick and
Stirred them up well.
There were books and paintboxes,
Bits of scribbled paper and lead pencils and brushes,
Stocking
Legs had come unrolled and twisted themselves about pocket handkerchiefs,
And ends of ribbon
And linen collars.
Ruffles all crushed out of shape,
Stuck up from under the heavier things,
And sundry
Little paper boxes lay empty on top,
The treasures they once held having sifted down
To the bottom of the drawer and disappeared beneath the general mass.
It took much time and patience to bring order out of that,
But Katie knew Aunt Izzy would
Be up by and by and she dared not stop until all was done.
By the time it was finished she was very tired.
Coming downstairs she met Elsie coming up with a slate in her hand,
Which as soon as
She saw Katie she put behind her.
"'You mustn't look,
' she said,
"'it's my lesson to Cousin Helen,
Nobody but me knows
The secret.
It's all written and I'm going to send it to the office.
See there's a stamp on it.
'
She exhibited a corner of the slate and sure enough there was a stamp stuck on the frame.
"'You little goose,
' said Katie impatiently,
"'you can't send that to the post office.
Give me the slate,
I'll copy what you've written on paper and Papa will give you an envelope.
'
"'No,
No,
' cried Elsie,
Struggling,
"'you mustn't,
You'll see what I've said and Cousin
Helen said I wasn't to tell.
It's a secret.
Let go of my slate,
I say,
Or I'll tell Cousin Helen what a mean girl you are and then she
Won't love you a bit.
'
"'Then take your old slate,
' said Katie,
Giving her a vindictive push.
Elsie slipped,
Screamed,
Caught at the banisters,
Missed them and rolled over and over until
She fell down with a thump on the hall floor.
It wasn't much of a fall,
Only half a dozen steps,
But the bump was a hard one and Elsie
Roared as if she had been half-killed.
Aunt Izzy and Mary came rushing to the spot.
"'Katie,
Push me,
' sobbed Elsie,
"'she wanted me to tell her my secret and I wouldn't.
She's a bad,
Naughty girl.
'
"'Well,
Katie Carr,
I think you should be ashamed of yourself,
' said Aunt Izzy,
"'wrecking your temper on your poor little sister.
I think your Cousin Helen will be surprised when she hears this.
"'There,
There,
Elsie,
Don't cry any more,
Dear.
Come upstairs with me,
I'll put on some arnica and Katie shan't hurt you again.
'
So they went upstairs.
Katie left below felt very miserable,
Repentant,
Defiant,
Discontented and sulky all at once.
She knew in her heart she had not meant to hurt Elsie and was thoroughly ashamed of that
Push.
But Aunt Izzy's hint about telling Cousin Helen had made her too angry to allow her
Confession to herself or anybody else.
"'I don't care,
' she murmured,
Choking back her tears,
"'Elsie's a crybaby and
Aunt Izzy always takes her part.
And because I told that little silly not to go and send a great heavy slate to the post
Office.
'
Then she went out by the side door into the yard and as she passed the shed,
The new swing
Caught her eye.
"'Now exactly like Aunt Izzy,
' she thought,
Ordering the children not to swing till she
Gives them leave.
"'I suppose she thinks it's too hot or something.
I shan't mind her anyhow.
'
She seated herself in the swing.
It was a first-rate one with a broad,
Comfortable seat and thick new ropes.
The seat hung just the right distance from the floor.
Alexander was a capital hand at putting up swings and the woodshed the nicest possible
Spot in which to have one.
It was a big place with a very high roof.
There was not much wooded left in it just now and the little there was was piled neatly
About the sides of the shed so as to leave plenty of room.
The place felt cool and dark and the motion of the swing seemed to set the breeze blowing.
It waved Katie's hair like a great fan and made her dreamy and quiet.
All sorts of sleepy ideas began to flit around her brain.
She swung to and fro like the pendulum of a great clock,
Gradually rising higher and
Higher,
Driving herself along by the motion of her body and striking the floor smartly
With her foot at every sweep.
Now she was at the top of the high arched door,
Then she could almost touch the cross
Beam above it,
And through the small square window could see pigeons sitting and pluming
Themselves on the eaves of the barn.
She had never swung so high before.
It was like flying,
She thought,
And she bent and curved more strongly in the seat,
Trying
To send herself higher still and graze the roof with her toes.
Then suddenly,
At the very highest point of the sweep,
There was a sharp noise of cracking.
The swing gave a violent twist,
Spun half round and tossed Katie into the air.
She clutched the rope,
Felt it dragged from her grasp,
Then down,
Down,
Down she fell.
All grew dark and she knew no more.
When she opened her eyes,
She was lying on the sofa in the dining room.
Clover was kneeling beside her with a pale,
Scared face,
And Aunt Izzy was dropping something
Cold and wet on her forehead.
What's the matter?
Said Katie faintly.
Oh,
She's alive,
She's alive!
And Clover put her arms around Katie's neck and sobbed.
Hush,
Dear,
Aunt Izzy's voice sounded unusually gentle.
You've had a bad tumble,
Katie,
Don't you recollect?
A tumble?
Oh yes,
Out of the swing,
Said Katie as it all came slowly back to her.
Did the rope break,
Aunt Izzy?
I can't remember anything about it.
No,
Katie,
Not the rope.
The staple drew out of the roof.
It was a cracked one and it was not safe.
Didn't you recollect my telling you not to swing today?
Did you forget?
No,
Aunt Izzy,
I didn't forget,
But…
Then here Katie broke down.
She closed her eyes and big tears rolled from under the lids.
Don't cry,
Whispered Clover,
Crying herself.
Please don't,
Aunt Izzy isn't going to scold you.
But Katie was too weak and shaken not to cry.
I think I'd like to go upstairs and lie on the bed,
She said.
But when she tried to get off the sofa,
Everything swam before her and she fell back again.
Why,
I can't stand up,
She gasped,
Looking very much frightened.
I'm afraid you've given yourself a sprain somewhere,
Said Aunt Izzy,
Who looked rather frightened herself.
You'd better lie still a while,
Dear,
Before you try to move.
Ah,
Look,
Here's the doctor.
Well,
I am glad.
And Aunt Izzy went forward to meet him.
It wasn't Papa,
But Dr.
Alsop,
Who lived quite near.
I'm so relieved you could come,
Aunt Izzy said.
My brother has gone out of town,
Not to return till tomorrow,
And one of the little girls has had a bad fall.
Dr.
Alsop sat down beside Sophie.
He counted her pulse and began feeling all over her.
Can you move this leg,
He asked.
Katie gave a feeble kick.
And this?
This kick was a good deal more feeble.
Did that hurt,
Asked Dr.
Alsop,
Seeing a look of pain on her face.
Yes,
A little,
Replied Katie,
Trying hard not to cry.
In your back,
Was the pain high or low down in your back?
Then the doctor punched Katie's spine for some minutes,
Making her squirm uneasily.
I'm afraid she's done some mischief,
He said at last,
But it's impossible to tell exactly what.
It may only be a twist or a slight sprain,
He added,
Seeing the look of terror on Katie's face.
You'd better get her upstairs and undress her as soon as you can,
Miss Carr.
I'll leave a prescription to rub her with.
Then he took out a piece of paper and began to write.
Oh,
Must I go to bed,
Said Katie.
How long will I have to stay there,
Doctor?
That depends on how fast you get well,
Replied the doctor.
Not long,
I hope,
Perhaps only a few days.
A few days,
Repeated Katie in a despairing tone.
After the doctor was gone,
Aunt Izzie and Debbie lifted Katie and carried her slowly upstairs.
It wasn't easy,
For every motion hurt her,
And the sense of being helpless hurt her most of all.
Katie couldn't help crying after she was undressed and put to bed.
It all seemed so dreadful and strange.
If only Papa was here,
She thought,
But Dr Carr had gone into the country to see someone who was very sick,
And he couldn't possibly be back until the next day.
Such a long,
Long afternoon that was.
Aunt Izzie sent up some dinner,
But Katie couldn't eat it.
Her lips were parched and her head ached violently.
Little prickles of pain ran up and down her back.
She lay with her eyes shut because it hurt to keep them open,
And all sorts of uneasy thoughts went rushing through her mind.
Perhaps if my back's really sprained,
I'll have to lie here as much as a week,
She said to herself.
I can't,
The vacation's only eight weeks and I was going to do such lovely things.
How can people be so patient as Cousin Helen when they have to lie still?
Won't she be sorry when she hears about it?
Was it really yesterday she went away?
Seems like a year.
If only I hadn't got into that nasty old swing.
Then Katie began to imagine how it would have been if she hadn't,
And how she and Clover had meant to go to paradise that afternoon.
They might have been there under the cool trees now.
And as these thoughts ran through her mind,
Her head grew hotter and her position in the bed more uncomfortable.
Suddenly she became conscious the glaring light from the window was shaded,
And the wind seemed to blow freshly over her.
She opened her heavy eyes.
The blinds were shut and there beside the table sat little Elsie fanning her with a palm leaf fan.
Did I wake you up Katie?
She asked in a timid voice.
Katie looked at her with startled amazed eyes.
Don't be frightened,
Said Elsie,
I won't disturb you.
Johnny and me are so sorry you're sick.
But we meant to keep real quiet and never bang the nursery door or make noises on the stairs until you're well again.
And I brought you something real nice.
Some of it's from John and some of it's from me.
And because you got tumbled out of the swing.
Elsie pointed triumphantly to a chair which she had pulled up close to the bed.
And which was sat a pewter tea set,
A box with a glass lid on which flowers were painted,
A jointed doll,
A transparent slate and two new lead pencils.
These are yours,
Yours to keep.
You can have Pikery too if you want,
Only he's pretty big and I'm afraid he'll be lonely without me.
Do you like these things,
Katie?
They're real pretty.
It seemed to Katie as if the hottest sort of a coal of fire was burning into the top of her head
As she sat and looked at the treasures on the chair.
And then Elsie's face all lit up with affection.
Katie tried to speak.
But she began to cry instead,
Which frightened Elsie very much.
Does it hurt you so bad?
She asked,
Crying too,
From sympathy.
Oh,
No,
It isn't that,
Sobbed Katie.
But I was so cross to you this morning,
Elsie,
And I pushed you.
Please forgive me.
Please do.
Why,
It's all got well,
Said Elsie,
Surprised.
Aunt Tizzy put a thing of a bottle on it and the bump went away.
Shall I go and ask her to put some on you too?
I will.
And Elsie ran towards the door.
Oh,
No,
Cried Katie.
Don't go away,
Elsie.
Come back here and kiss me instead.
Elsie turned as if doubtful whether this invitation could be meant for her.
Katie held out her arms and Elsie ran right into them.
Then the big sister and the little exchanged an embrace,
Which seemed to bring their hearts closer together than they had ever been before.
You're the most precious little darling,
Murmured Katie,
Clasping Elsie tight.
I've been real horrid to you,
Elsie,
But I'll never be again.
You'll play with me and Clover and Ceci just as much as you like
And write notes in all the post offices and everything else.
Oh,
Goody,
Goody,
Cried Elsie,
Executing little skips of transport.
How sweet you are,
Katie.
I mean to love you next best to cousin Helen and Papa.
And,
Racking her brains for some way of repaying this wonderful kindness,
I will tell you the secret if you want me to.
I guess cousin Helen would let me.
No,
Said Katie,
Never mind about the secret.
I don't want you to tell me.
Just sit down by the bed and fan me some more if you would.
But Elsie had made up her mind to part with the treasured secret.
Cousin Helen gave me a half dollar and told me to give it to Debbie
And tell her she was much obliged to her for making her such nice things to eat.
And I did.
And Debbie was real pleased.
And I wrote cousin Helen a letter and told her Debbie liked the half dollar.
That's the secret.
Isn't it a nice one?
Only you mustn't tell anyone,
Just as long as you live.
No,
Smiled Katie faintly,
I won't.
All the rest of the afternoon,
Elsie sat beside the bed with her palm leaf fan.
And Katie made up her mind to be so good to her when she got well.
Aunt Izzie slept in her room that night.
Katie was feverish.
And when morning came and Dr.
Carr returned,
He found her in a good deal of pain,
Hot and restless,
With wide open,
Anxious eyes.
Papa,
She cried at first.
Must I lie here as much as a week?
My darling,
I'm afraid you must,
Replied her father,
Who looked worried and very grave.
But dear Papa,
Sobbed Katie.
Just how can I bear it?
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