More Mother Stories  by Maud Lindsay

The Choice

Once upon a time there was a little girl who started out with her mama one sun-shiny day to visit the city. She was just as happy as she could be for they were going to the Toyman's shop, and she had a silver piece of money in her pocket to buy a toy there.

"Here I go with a hop, hop, hop,

All the way to the Toyman's shop,"

she sang over and over as she danced along beside her mama.


[Illustration]

"Here I go with a hop, hop, hop, all the way to the Toyman's shop."

On the way they met a little boy who was going with his  mama to visit the city that sunshiny day. He was just as happy as he could be for they  were going to the Toyman's shop and he had a silver piece of money in his pocket to buy a toy there.

When he saw the little girl and heard her merry song he wanted to go with her, so he caught hold of her hand, and off they danced singing over and over:—

"Here we go with a hop, hop, hop,

All the way to the Toyman's shop."

There was not a shop in the city so fine and so beautiful as the Toy shop that sun-shiny day when the two little children came dancing along. The windows were gay with lovely dolls, the counters were filled with picture books, the shelves were loaded down with toys, and the Toyman was never too busy their names to tell. When he saw the children he said:—

"Who comes here with a hop, hop, hop,

All the way to the Toyman's shop?

Laughing lassies or merry boys,

All are welcome to see my toys

Bells to jingle, and horns to blow,

Trains and whistles, and balls to throw,

Hoops to trundle and drums to beat,

Dainty dishes and dollies sweet.

Some for lassies and some for boys,

Take your choice of the Toyman's toys."

The little boy had already made up his mind. He wanted a drum. He paid the Toyman for it with his silver piece of money, and hung it about his neck like a drummer boy.

"Bum, bum, bum," said the little drum when he beat upon it with the drumsticks, and he thought it was the finest music in the world.

"Hear that," he said to the little girl. "It sounds just like the band. You had better get one too."

But the little girl did not want a drum. She liked the books with their bright colored pictures, and the tea-sets with flowers painted on them, and the dolls, that could open and shut their eyes.

"Which one shall I buy?" she said to her mama, but at last she decided herself, and what do you think she chose? A doll, the prettiest one. It had yellow hair and blue eyes, and when she had paid the Toyman for it she took it in her arms and hugged and kissed it.

Then the two little children went home with their mamas, singing their merry song;—

"Here we go with a hop, hop, hop,

All the way from the Toyman's shop."

The drum was so fine, the doll was so sweet, and they were as happy as they could be.