the bobbsey twins at school(读书的鲍勃西双胞胎)-第16部分
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fun。
Finally the afternoon and evening of the party arrived； for the little
folks were to come just before supper； play some games； eat； and then
stay until about nine o'clock。
Flossie and Freddie had been dressed in their prettiest clothes； and Nan
and Bert also attired for the affair。 The ice cream had come from the
store； all packed in ice and salt； and Dinah had set it out on the back
stoop； where it would be cooler。
Dinah was very busy that day。 She hurried about here and there；
helping Mrs。 Bobbsey。 Sam； her husband； also had plenty to do。
〃I 'clar t' gracious goodness！〃 Dinah exclaimed； 〃I suah will get thin
ef dish yeah keeps up！ I ain't set down a minute dis blessed day。 My
feet'll drop off soon I 'specs。〃
〃Will they； really； Dinah？〃 asked Freddie。 〃And can we watch 'em
fall？〃
〃Bress yo' hearts； honeys！〃 exclaimed the colored cook； 〃I didn't mean
it jest dat way。 But suffin's suah gwine t' happen … I feels it in mah
bones！〃
And something was to happen； though not exactly what Dinah
expected。
Finally all was in readiness for the guests。 The good things to eat
were in the kitchen； all but the ice cream； which； as I have said； was out
on the back porch。 Flossie and Freddie had gone to the front door
nearly a dozen times to see if any of the guests were in sight。 Snap； as
a special favor； had been allowed to stay in the house that afternoon； for
the twins were going to make him do tricks for their friends。
There came a ring at the door bell。
〃Here they come！ Here they come！〃 cried Flossie。
〃Let me answer； too；〃 cried Freddie； and they both hurried through the
front hall to greet the first guest at their party。
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
CHAPTER XIII AN
UNPLEASANT SURPRISE
QUICKLY； after the first guests had arrived came the others。 Nellie
Parks； Grace Lavine friends of Nan； and Willie Porter and his sister
Sadie； came first； and Freddie and Flossie let them in； the Porter children
being some of their bestliked playmates。
All the children wore their best clothes； and for a time they were a bit
stiff and unnatural； standing shyly about in corners； against the walls； or
sitting on chairs。
The boys seemed to all crowd together in one part of the room； and the
girls in another。 Flossie and Freddie； Nan and Bert； were so busy
answering the door that they did not notice this at first。
But Aunt Sarah； their mother's sister； who had come over to help Mrs。
Bobbsey； looking in the parlor and library； saw what the trouble was。
〃My！〃 she cried； with a goodnatured laugh； as she noticed how 〃stiff〃
the children were。 〃This will never do。 You're not that way at school；
I don't believe。 Come； be lively。 Mix up … play games。 Pretend this
is recess at school； and make as much noise as you like。〃
For a moment the boys and girls did not know what to think of this
invitation。 But just then Snap； the circus dog； came in the room； and；
with a bark of welcome； he turned a somersault； and then marched around
on his hind legs； carrying a broomstick like a gun … pretending he was a
soldier。 Bert had given it to him。
Then how the children laughed and clapped their hands！ And Snap
barked so loudly … for he liked applause that there was noise enough for
even jolly Aunt Sarah。 After that there was no trouble。 The boys and
girls talked together and soon they were playing games； and having the
best kind of fun。 For some of the games simple prizes had been offered
and it was quite exciting toward the end to see who would win。 Flossie
and Freddie thought they had never had such a good time in all their
lives。 Nan and Bert were enjoying themselves； too； with their friends；
who were slightly older than those who had been asked for the younger
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
Bobbsey twins。
〃Going to Jerusalem；〃 was one game that created lots of enjoyment。
A number of chairs were placed in the centre of the room； and the boys
and girls marched around them while Mrs。 Bobbsey played the piano。
But there was one less chair than there were players； so that when the
music would suddenly stop； which was a signal for each one who could；
to sit down； someone was sure to be left。 Then this one had to stay out
of the game。
Then a chair would be taken away； so as always to have one less than
the number of players； and the game went on。 It was great fun；
scrambling to see who would get a seat； and not be left without one； and
finally there was but one chair left； while Grace Lavine and John Blake
marched about。 Mrs。 Bobbsey kept playing quite some time； as the two
went around and around that one chair。 Everyone was laughing；
wondering who would get a seat and so win the game； when； all at once；
Mrs。 Bobbsey stopped the music。 She had her back turned so it would
be perfectly fair。
Grace and John made a rush for the one chair； but Grace got to it first；
and so she won。
〃Well； I'm glad you did； anyhow；〃 said John； politely。
Other games were 〃peanut races〃 and 〃potato scrambles。〃 In the first
each player had a certain number of peanuts and they had to start at one
end of the room； and lay the nuts at equal distances apart across to the
other side； coming back each time to their pile of peanuts to get one。
Sometimes a boy would slip； he was in such a hurry； or a girl would
drop her peanuts； and this made fun and confusion。
Nan won this race easily。
In the potato scramble several rows of potatoes were made across the
room。 Each player was given a large spoon； and whoever first took up all
his or her potatoes in the spoons one at a time； and piled them up at the
far end of the room； won the game。 In this Charley Mason was
successful； and won the prize … a pretty little pin for his tie。
The afternoon wore on； and； almost before the children realized it the
hour for supper had arrived。 They were not sorry； either； for they all
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The Bobbsey Twins at School
had good appetites。
〃Come into the dining room； children；〃 invited Mrs。 Bobbsey。
And Oh！ such gasps of pleased surprise as were heard when the
children saw what had been prepared for them！ For Mr。 and Mrs。
Bobbsey； while not going to any great expense； and not making the
children's party too fanciful； had made it beautiful and simple。
The long table was set with dishes and pretty glasses。 There were
flowers in the centre； and at each end； and also blooms in vases about
the room。 Then； from the centre chandelier to the four corners of the
table； were strings of green smilax in which had been entwined
carnations of various colors。
The lights were softly glowing on the pretty scene； and there were
prettily shaded candles to add to the effect。 But what caught the eyes
of all the children more than anything else were two large cakes … one at
either end of the table。
On each cake burned five candles； and on one cake was the name
〃Flossie；〃 while the other was marked 〃Freddie。〃 The names were in
pink icing on top of the white frosting that covered the birthday cakes。
〃Oh！ Oh！ Oh！〃 could be heard all about the room。 〃Isn't that too
sweet for anything！〃
〃I guess they are sweet！〃 piped up Freddie in his shrill little voice；
〃'cause Dinah put lots of sugar in 'em； didn't you； Dinah？〃 and he looked
at Dinah； who had thrust her laughing； black； goodnatured face into the
dining room door。
〃Dat's what I did； honey！ Dat's what I did！〃 she exclaimed。 〃If
anybody's got a toofache he'd better not eat any ob dem cakes； 'cause
dey suah am sweet。〃
How the children laughed at that！
〃All ready； now； children； sit down；〃 said Mrs。 Bobbsey。 〃Your
names are at your plates。〃
There was a little confusion getting them all seated； as those on one
side of the table found that their name cards were on the other side。 But
Flossie and Freddie； and Nan and Bert； helped the guests to find their
proper places and soon everyone was in his or her chair。
