CHAPTER V

DIDDIE'S BOOK

ONE morning Diddie came into the nursery with a big blank-book and a
lead-pencil in her hand.

"What's that, Diddie?" asked Dumps, leaving her paper dolls on the
floor where she had been playing with Chris, and coming to her
sister's side.

"Now don't you bother me, Dumps," said Diddie; "I'm goin' to write a
book."

"Are you?" said Dumps, her eyes opening wide in astonishment. "Who's
goin' ter tell yer what ter say?"

"I'm goin' ter make it up out o' my head," said Diddie; "all about
little girls and boys and ladies."

"I wouldn't have no boys in it," said Dumps; "they're always so
hateful: there's Cousin Frank broke up my tea-set, an' Johnnie Miller
tied er string so tight roun' Cherubim's neck till hit nyearly choked
'im. Ef I was writin' er book, I wouldn't have no boys in it."

"There's boun' ter be boys in it, Dumps; you can't write a book
without'n boys;" and Diddie seated herself, and opened the book before
her, while Dumps, with her elbows on the table and face in her hands,
looked on anxiously. "I'm not goin' ter write jes one straight book,"
said Diddie; "I'm goin' ter have little short stories, an' little