the cogs as she did so to see how they fit into each other so neatly and
then so quickly slipped out again.

"I do think that's funny," she said thoughtfully; "there must be something
in there that makes them act so, I guess I'd better see what it is." And
slowly turning the handle with one hand, she stuck an inquiring finger in
between the cogs.

Of the few minutes that followed, Mary Jane never had a very good idea.
She knew she must have screamed with the pain of a hurt finger because the
laundress rushed in from the yard, mother came from upstairs and in a few
minutes Aunt Effie hurried breathlessly down the stairs. Then, before long,
the doctor was there too, and her finger was all tied up with sticks on
each side and father hurried in the front door and asked her how she'd like
a nice, long, Christmasy stick of candy. It all happened just that quick.

"I think things is so funny," said Mary Jane later as she luxuriously
licked her candy. "If Marie Georgiannamore hadn't hid and if Kewpie hadn't
gone to the washing and if I hadn't wondered about that wringer thing, I
wouldn't have had this candy that I've wanted for--for ninety-seven days."

"Yes," agreed the doctor as he went out of the door, "things is funny. And
my advice to you, young lady, is this; next time you want to see how a
wringer works, ask before you investigate. Another time you might lose,
instead of bruise, your finger."

"I will," nodded Mary Jane, "only I don't want to know how it works any
more--I know enough now, I do."