All About Johnnie Jones Part 10

"At first the baby will be too small and helpless to play, and will need his big brother to take care of him so that he may grow tall and strong.

Then, by and by, he will be able to run about and talk, and play with you. But always, always, he will need you to help him, and teach him, and care for him."

After that evening, when Mother had whispered the beautiful secret to him, Johnnie Jones would ask her each day: "Will our baby wake up and come tomorrow?" But Mother could not tell him, so they just waited, and made ready, day after day.

At last one bright, warm morning when Johnnie Jones awoke, he saw Father bending down over his bed with such a happy face that he asked at once: "Has our baby waked up and come?"

"Yes," Father answered, "there is a Little Brother in Mother's room, and she says she can't wait any longer to show him to you."

Johnnie Jones was very much excited and, as soon as possible, he tiptoed into Mother's room. Father had asked him to be very quiet.

"Come here, dear," Mother said, "I have been waiting such a long time for you." She drew him down beside her, and showed him a tiny baby boy no larger than a doll.

As Johnnie Jones leaned down to see, the Little Brother opened his eyes wide, and looked at him. Johnnie Jones was too happy to say a word. He sat down close to the bed, and Father placed the baby in his arms.

Johnnie Jones held him very carefully, so that he might not hurt him or let him fall.

"He is your Little Brother," Mother said softly, "your Little Brother to love and take care of all your life. You will always remember that, won't you?"

And Johnnie Jones always did.

Little Brother and Johnnie Jones

Little brother was a merry baby with a smile for everyone. Soon he was old enough to be on the floor with Johnnie Jones, and to build houses of blocks, and play with the toys. He learned to walk very early, when he was less than a year old. Then indeed, he kept the family busy, guarding him from harm.

One day he found the sharp scissors, which Johnnie Jones had to take away very quickly before he could cut himself. Another day he tried to eat a paper of pins, and Johnnie Jones had to run very fast to reach him in time. That one baby kept Father and Mother, Johnnie Jones and Maggie, all busy, because he was too young to know that some things are dangerous for babies to have.

Sometimes, because he was too little to know any better, he objected to having the scissors, or knives, or cookies, taken away. Then what do you suppose he would do? He would run straight to Johnnie Jones and pull his hair! He always seemed to feel happier after that.

It hurts to have one's hair pulled, but Johnnie Jones seldom cried or was cross with the baby. He would just laugh and run away when he saw him coming for his hair. Besides, that bad habit did not last long, and you may be sure that Johnnie Jones was glad when it was broken!

The first word the baby learned to say after "Mama" was "Buddy," and he meant Johnnie Jones. He knew when it was time for the big boy to come home from kindergarten, and he would stand at the window watching for him. As soon as he saw him coming he would wave his hand, and run to the steps to meet him. Then they would have a romp. Their favorite game was "I Spy."

One day they were playing "I Spy," and Little Brother was hiding.

Usually it was very easy to find him, because his favorite hiding place was the nearest corner. But this time he wasn't there when Johnnie Jones looked, nor anywhere in the room or hall.

"Where can he be?" Johnnie Jones asked Mother.

She came to help him. They called the baby but heard no answer. Then they began to be worried and looked in every room. Suddenly they heard a great splash in the bath-tub. They ran into the bathroom, and there they found the baby.

Little Brother had forgotten he was playing "I Spy." He had wandered into the bath-room, and climbing on a chair dropped the soap into the tub which was full of water. Then, very soon, he dropped himself in, too! That was the splash the others had heard.

Mother and Johnnie Jones lifted him out, wet as he could be, and very much frightened.

"You dear little rascal!" exclaimed Johnnie Jones. "Didn't you know you couldn't swim?"

"It certainly is a good thing," Mother said, "that he has a big brother to take care of him."

Elizabeth with the Children

One day Elizabeth came over to spend the afternoon with Johnnie Jones, who was very glad to see her.

"Let's play horse," suggested Johnnie Jones. "I have a new pair of reins with bells on them."

"No, I don't want to play horse," Elizabeth said. "I want to play "I Spy," and I want to hide. You must find me."

"All right!" answered Johnnie Jones.

But as soon as it was Johnnie Jones's turn to hide, and Elizabeth's to find him, she decided that she would rather play fire-engine. "I'll be the fireman and put out the fire with your real little hose, and you be the horse and engine," she said.

"All right," Johnnie Jones answered again.

After they had extinguished several fires, Elizabeth said: "Now we'll play grocery-store, and I'll be the man who keeps it. We'll borrow some apples and potatoes from the cook, and you come to buy them."

"No," said Johnnie Jones this time, "I'll be the grocery man, and you the lady who comes to buy."

"I won't play if I mayn't be the storekeeper," threatened Elizabeth.

"But that's not fair," said Johnnie Jones. "You have chosen every game, and have taken the best part in each one for yourself. Now it is my turn to choose."

"I'll go home if you won't let me be the grocery man," Elizabeth told him.

"No," he answered, "because that's not a fair way to play."

Then Elizabeth left him. She did not go home, however, but just next door to Katherine's house. She found Katherine and Mary at home, playing with their dolls.

As soon as the little girls saw Elizabeth, they said: "You can't play with us unless you play the right way. You can't be Mother all the time."

"Well, if you won't let me play my way, I won't play at all," said Elizabeth, and ran on until she came to Sarah's house.

Sarah, Tom and Ned were jumping rope, and they called out to Elizabeth: "You can't play with us unless you will turn the rope part of the time."

"I don't like to turn, I like to jump," Elizabeth complained. But when she realized that she would not be allowed to jump until she first turned the rope for the others, she left these children too, and went next door to visit Sammy Smith.

That little boy and Susie were playing with a big wagon. They asked Elizabeth to play with them, and because they were courteous little children, and she was their visitor, they permitted her to take the first ride, and pretended that they were two strong horses. .h.i.tched to her carriage. When they were tired, they told Elizabeth that it was time for her to become a horse and let one of them ride.

"No," said Elizabeth, "I like to ride better than to pull the wagon."