The Adopting of Rosa Marie Read online

  CHAPTER II

  Rosa Marie

  NOT long after Mabel's ineffectual attempt to borrow an orphan Mrs.Bennett dispatched her small daughter to Lake Street to find out, ifpossible, why Mrs. Malony, the poultry woman, had failed to send theweek's supply of fresh eggs.

  Now, the way to Mrs. Malony's was most interesting, particularly to ayoung person of observing habits. There were houses on only one sideof the street and most of those were tumbling down under the weight ofthe sand that each rain carried down the hillside. But the oppositeside of the road was even more attractive, for there one had a grassy,shrubby bank where one could pick all sorts of things off bushes andget burrs in one's stockings; a narrow stretch of pebbled beach whereone could sometimes find an agate, and a wide basin of very shallowwater where one could almost--but not quite--step from stone to stonewithout wetting one's feet. It was certainly an enjoyable spot. Thedistance from Mabel's home to Mrs. Malony's was very short--a matter ofperhaps five blocks. But if a body went the longest way round, stoppedto scour the green bank for belated blackberries, prickly hazelnuts,dazzling golden-rod or rare four-leaved clovers; or loitered to gathera dress-skirtful of stony treasures from the glittering beach, going toMrs. Malony's meant a great deal more than a five blocks' journey.

  Just a little beyond the poultry woman's house, on the lake side ofthe straggling street, a small, but decidedly attractive point of landjutted waterward for perhaps two hundred feet. On this projecting pointstood a small shanty or shack, built, as Mabel described it later,mostly of knot-holes. She meant, without knowing how to say it, thatthe lumber in the hut was of the poorest possible quality.

  On this long-to-be-remembered day, a small object moving in theclearing that surrounded the shack attracted Mabel's attention.Curiosity led her closer to investigate.

  "It's just as I thought!" exclaimed Mabel, peering rapturously throughthe bushes. "It's a real baby!"

  Sure enough! It _was_ a baby.

  Mabel edged closer, moving cautiously for fear of frightening herunexpected find. She saw a small toddler, aged somewhere between twoand three years, roving aimlessly about the chip-strewn clearing. Thechild's round cheeks, chubby wrists, bare feet and sturdy legs wererichly brown. A straggling fringe of jet-black hair overhung the stoutbaby's black, beadlike eyes.

  Near the doorway of the rickety shack a man, half French, half Indian,stood talking earnestly and with many gesticulations to a dark-skinnedwoman, framed by the doorway. The woman had large black eyes, shadedby very long black lashes. She wore her rather coarse black hair intwo long, thick braids that hung in front of her straight shoulders.In spite of her dark color, her worn shoes, her ragged, untidy gown,she seemed to Mabel an exceedingly pretty woman. The man, too, washandsome, after a bold, picturesque fashion; but the woman was the morepleasing.

  Mabel approached timidly. She felt that she was intruding.

  "Good-morning," said she, ingratiatingly. "Is this your little boy?"

  "Him girl," returned the woman, with a sudden flash of white teethbetween parted crimson lips. "Name Rosa Marie. Yes, him _ma petite_daughtaire. You like the looks on him, hey?"

  "Oh, so much," cried Mabel, impulsively. "Oh, _would_ you do me afavor?"

  "A favaire," repeated the woman, with a puzzled glance. "W'at ees afavaire?"

  "Oh, _would_ you lend your baby to me? Would you let me have her toplay with for---- Oh, for all day?"

  "Here?" queried the mother, doubtfully.

  "No, not here. In my own home--up there, on the hill. _Could_ I keepher until six o'clock? I just adore babies, and she's so fat andcunning! Oh, please, _please_! I'd be just awfully obliged."

  A look of understanding flashed suddenly between the man and the woman;but Mabel, stooping to make friends with little Rosa Marie, did notobserve it.

  "Your fodder 'ave nice house, plainty food, plainty money?" queried thewoman, running a speculative eye over Mabel's plain but substantialwardrobe.

  "Oh yes," returned Mabel, thoughtlessly. "And besides I have aplayhouse. That is, it isn't exactly mine, but I just about live in itwith three other girls, and that's where I want to take Rosa Marie.I'll be awfully careful of her if you'll only let me take her. Oh,_do_ you think she'll come with me? Couldn't you _tell_ her to?"

  The woman, bending to look into Rosa Marie's black eyes, talked loudlyand rapidly in some foreign tongue. The mother's voice was harsh,but her eyes, Mabel noticed, seemed soft and tender, and much morebeautiful than Rosa Marie's.

  "Now," said the woman, turning to Mabel and speaking in broken English,"eef you want her, you must go at once. Go now, I tell you. Go queek,queek! Pull hard eef she ees drag behind. But go, I tell you, _go_!"

  The voice rose to an unpleasant, almost too stirring pitch that jarredsuddenly on Mabel's nerves; but, obeying these hasty instructions, thelittle girl drew Rosa Marie out of the inclosure, led her across thestreet and lifted her to the sidewalk. Looking back from the slightelevation, Mabel noticed that the man was again talking earnestly andgesticulating excitedly; while the woman, once more framed by thedoorway, followed, with her big black eyes, the chubby figure of RosaMarie.

  "I'll bring her back all safe and sound," shouted Mabel, over hershoulder. "Don't be afraid. Good-by, until six o'clock!"

  Escorting Rosa Marie to Dandelion Cottage proved no light task.Her legs were very short, it soon became evident that she was notaccustomed to using them for walking purposes, the way was mostlyuphill and the little brown feet were bare. At first Mabel led, coaxedand encouraged with the utmost patience; but presently Rosa Marie satheavily on the sidewalk and refused to rise. That is, she didn't _say_that she wouldn't rise. She remained sitting with such firmness ofpurpose that it seemed hopeless to attempt to break her of the habit.

  Mabel walked round and round her firmly seated charge in helplessdespair. Rosa Marie and the sidewalk were one.

  "Want any help?" asked a friendly voice. It belonged to a large,freckled boy who was carrying two pails of water from the lake to oneof the tumble-down houses.

  ROSA MARIE AND THE SIDEWALK WERE ONE.]

  "Yes, I do," responded Mabel, promptly. "If you could just lift thischild high enough for me to get hold of her I think I could carry her."

  So the boy, setting his pails down, obligingly lifted Rosa Marie'ssolid little person, Mabel clasped the barrel-shaped body closely, and,after a word of thanks to the kind boy, proceeded homeward. But evennow her troubles were not ended. By silently refusing to cuddle, RosaMarie converted herself into a most uncomfortable burden. Her entirebody was a silent protest against leaving her home.

  "Do make yourself soft and bunchy," pleaded Mabel, giving Rosa Mariesundry pokes, calculated to make her double up like a jack-knife."Here, bend this way. _Haven't_ you any joints anywhere? Do hold tightwith your arms and legs. _This_ way. Pshaw! You're just like astuffed crocodile. Well, _walk_ then, if you can't hang on like a realchild. There's one thing certain, you shan't sit down again. I s'posewe'll get there _sometime_."