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Reference and Information Services
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REFERENCE AND INFORMATION
SERVICES
An Introduction
Sixth Edition
Melissa A. Wong and Laura Saunders, Editors
Foreword by Linda C. Smith

Library and Information Science Text Series

Copyright © 2020 by ABC-CLIO, LLC
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in
a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, except for the inclusion
of brief quotations in a review, without prior permission in writing from the
publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Saunders, Laura, 1975– editor. | Wong, Melissa Autumn, editor.
Title: Reference and information services : an introduction / Melissa A.
Wong and Laura Saunders, editors.
Description: Sixth edition. | Santa Barbara, California : Libraries Unlimited,
[2020] | Series: Library and information science text series | Includes
bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2019057161 (print) | LCCN 2019057162 (ebook) | ISBN
9781440868832 (hardcover ; acid–free paper) | ISBN 9781440875045 (paper ;
acid-free paper) | ISBN 9781440868849 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Reference services (Libraries) | Information services.
Classification: LCC Z711 .R443 2020 (print) | LCC Z711 (ebook) | DDC
025.5/2—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019057161
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2019057162
ISBN: 978-1-4408-6883-2 (hardcover)
978-1-4408-7504-5 (paperback)
978-1-4408-6884-9 (ebook)
24 23 22 21 20 1 2 3 4 5
This book is also available as an eBook.
Libraries Unlimited
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This book is printed on acid-free paper
Manufactured in the United States of America
 Contents

Foreword
Linda C. Smith

Preface
Acknowledgments

PART I: Concepts and Processes

1—History and Functions of Reference Service

Dave A. Tyckoson

2—Ethics
Emily J. M. Knox

3—The Reference Interview

Laura Saunders

4—Instructional Strategies for the Reference Interview

Susan Avery

5—Consortia and Cooperation

Kelly Jo Woodside

6—Models of Reference Services

Lili Luo
7—Management of Reference Services
JoAnn Jacoby, M. Kathleen Kern, and Lesley K. Mackie

8—Evaluation and Assessment of Reference Services

Laura Saunders

9—Training and Professional Development

Piper Martin and Lisa Janicke Hinchliffe

10—Marketing and Promotion of Reference Services

Cassandra Graesser and Lillian Sundell-Thomas

11—Reference Services for Children and Young Adults

Amy S. Pattee

12—Reference Services for Diverse Populations

Nicole A. Cooke

PART II: Information Sources and Their Use

13—Introduction to Information Creation and Dissemination

Laura Saunders and Melissa A. Wong

14—Selection and Evaluation of Reference Sources

Carol A. Singer

15—Licensing and Managing Electronic Resources

Michael Rodriguez

16—Search Strategies for Online Sources

Melissa A. Wong

17—Ready-Reference Sources
Opetoritse A. Adefolalu
18—Dictionaries
Stephanie Davis-Kahl

19—Encyclopedias
Melissa A. Wong

20—Bibliographic Sources
Linda C. Smith

21—Readers’ Advisory Services and Sources

Neal Wyatt

22—Indexes and Abstracts

Linda C. Smith

23—News Sources
Barbara A. Alvarez

24—Geographical Sources
Matthew D. MacKellar

25—Biographical and Genealogical Sources

Jeanne Holba Puacz

26—Government Information
Sarah Erekson

27—Data and Statistical Sources

Celina Nichols McDonald

28—Business Sources
Celia Ross

29—Health and Medicine Sources

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 Maura Sostack and Rebecca Davis

30—Primary and Archival Sources

Shelley Sweeney

31—Legal Sources
Paul D. Healey

PART III: The Future of Reference Service

32—Creating the Future of Reference Service

Amy VanScoy

Index
About the Contributors
About the Editors
 Foreword

As the coeditor of the first five editions of Reference and Information

Services: An Introduction (published by Libraries Unlimited in 1991, 1995,
2001, 2011, and 2016 in their Library and Information Science Text Series), I
welcome the publication of this new sixth edition in 2020. Nearly thirty
years have passed since the first edition appeared in 1991. On December 17
of that year, I attended the Third ACM Conference on Hypertext in San
Antonio, Texas, and saw Tim Berners-Lee demonstrate the World Wide Web
project (https://cds.cern.ch/record/1164398). I certainly did not anticipate
how the Web would transform reference and information services. But by
the third edition, in 2001, website URLs appeared for some sources discussed
in the chapters on information sources and their use. Now, in 2020, each
chapter has been updated to encompass a much more extensive list of Web
resources, both freely available and licensed.
This new sixth edition reflects both continuity and change from the
preceding editions. Coeditors Melissa A. Wong (a chapter author beginning
with the fourth edition and coeditor of the fifth edition) and Laura Saunders
(a chapter author beginning with the fifth edition) have guided chapter
authors to ensure that the content reflects how reference and information
services continue to be affected by rapidly developing technologies and
increasing volumes of digital content. They have also placed increased
attention on issues of diversity, equity, and inclusion and insights from
critical theory. The resulting text achieves its goal to provide students and
practitioners with an overview of current reference sources, issues, and
services.
Continuity is reflected in the basic structure of the text. Chapters are
divided into two major parts: Part I—Concepts and Processes and Part II—
Information Sources and Their Use. Part III, The Future of Reference Service,
was added beginning with the fifth edition. All chapters have elements to
enhance student learning and engagement through the use of boxes to
generate thought and discussion and a carefully selected annotated list of
suggested readings. In Part II, rather than merely describing selected
reference tools, chapters emphasize the formulation of strategies for their
effective use. Continuity is also reflected in the collaborative nature of the
text, involving many different chapter authors who draw on their expertise
as practitioners and/or teachers of reference.
Change is evident in the gradual expansion of the scope, from twenty
chapters in the first edition to thirty-two chapters in the sixth edition.
Comparing the lists of chapter titles for the first and sixth editions in Part I,
one finds “Ethics” replacing “A Philosophy of Service”; “Reference Services to
Special Groups” split into chapters titled “Reference Services for Children
and Young Adults” and “Reference Services for Diverse Populations”; and
new chapters titled “Consortia and Cooperation,” “Models of Reference
Services,” and “Marketing and Promotion of Reference Services.” Comparing
the two lists of chapter titles in Part II, one finds “Government Documents
and Statistics Sources” split into chapters titled “Government Information”
and “Data and Statistical Sources”; multiple source types grouped in a new
chapter titled “Ready Reference Sources”; and new chapters titled
“Introduction to Information Creation and Dissemination,” “Licensing and
Managing Electronic Resources,” “Search Strategies for Online Sources,”
“Readers’ Advisory Services and Sources,” “News Sources,” “Business
Sources,” “Health and Medicine Sources,” “Primary and Archival Sources,”
and “Legal Sources.” Finally, the new Part III has a chapter titled “Creating
the Future of Reference Service.”
Not surprisingly, given the passage of nearly three decades since the first
edition, I am the only author who has contributed one or more chapters to
each edition of the text. Authors of the first edition all had some type of
affiliation with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign during their
careers—as a student, librarian, and/or faculty member. Over time, new
chapter authors have been recruited as experts with a much wider range of
affiliations, including one from Canada beginning with the fifth edition and
now one from Australia in the sixth edition. Beginning with the second
edition, an effort has been made to include more reference sources specific to
Canada. A search of WorldCat reveals translations of some earlier editions
into Spanish, Korean, and even Mongolian, expanding the potential
readership even further.
My University of Illinois Library colleague Richard E. Bopp (1944–2011),
lead editor for the first four editions, needs to be recognized for first
proposing the idea of a collaboratively authored reference textbook in the
late 1980s. His influence continues to be felt in the commitment to creating a
high-quality text to prepare a new generation of reference librarians. I am
grateful to Melissa A. Wong and Laura Saunders for all their work to
accomplish this through the publication of this sixth edition.
Linda C. Smith
 Preface

This new sixth edition of Reference and Information Services reflects the
dramatic changes shaped by rapidly developing technologies and increasing
volumes of digital content over the past four years. In addition, the editors
and authors have made an effort to increase attention to issues of diversity,
equity, and inclusion and to integrate more critical theory throughout the
text. In Part I, “Concepts and Processes,” chapters have been revised and
updated to reflect new ideas and methods in the provision of reference
service in an era of increased accountability and emphasis on critical
reflection in professional practice. In Part II, “Information Sources and Their
Use,” discussion of each source type has been updated to encompass a much
more extensive list of Web resources, both freely available and licensed. A
new introduction to this section provides an overview of the information life
cycle and outlines some of the more pressing issues with regard to locating,
selecting, and evaluating information sources. A new chapter on news
sources confronts the challenges of misinformation and disinformation and
offers a thorough overview of a range of resources for accessing current and
historical news. A single final chapter makes up Part III, exploring how
professionals can create the future of reference service.
A number of new authors are contributors to this sixth edition, bringing
to their chapters their experience as teachers of reference or as practitioners
in various types of libraries. Throughout the text, boxes are used to generate
thought and discussion. Despite these updates and changes, the sixth edition
has the same goal as its predecessors’, to provide students and practitioners
with an overview of current reference sources, issues, and services.
Melissa A. Wong
Laura Saunders
 Acknowledgments

A number of individuals assisted the editors and authors in the creation of

this sixth edition of Reference and Information Services. We would like here
to express our gratitude for their valuable contributions.
First, we would like to thank the editorial and production staff of Libraries
Unlimited, an imprint of ABC-CLIO, for their support in publishing this new
edition.
The authors of several chapters in the sixth edition built on the work of
authors who had contributed to previous editions. We would like to
acknowledge our debt to Marcia A. Brandt, Rick Burke, David A. Cobb,
Prudence W. Dalrymple, Eric Forte, Jim Hahn, Frances Jacobson Harris,
Wendy Holliday, Jenny Marie Johnson, Josephine Z. Kibbee, Kathleen M.
Kluegel, Elizabeth Leonard, Mary Mallory, Lori S. Mestre, Carol Bates
Penka, Richard E. Rubin, Joseph E. Straw, Rosalind Tedford, Jo Bell
Whitlatch, Lynn Wiley, and Beth S. Woodward for helping shape earlier
editions of this text.
Thanks go to Corinne M. Henderson for creating the reference interview
figure in Chapter 3, Holly Soboroff for creating the Venn diagram figures in
Chapter 16, and Matthew Beth for his assistance.
We are deeply indebted to Richard E. Bopp (1944–2011) and Linda C.
Smith. Rich first proposed the idea of a collaboratively authored reference
textbook in the late 1980s and served as the lead editor for the first four
editions published in 1991, 1995, 2001, and 2011. Linda C. Smith served as
coeditor from the launch of the textbook in 1991 through the fifth edition in
2016. Through their diligent work and persistent effort, these authors created
a seminal textbook that has served as the foundation for countless library
careers. We are honored to carry on Rich and Linda’s legacy. Finally, we
would like to extend a special thank-you to Blanche Woolls, who served as
editor for the fourth through sixth editions and who provided invaluable
advice and guidance on this sixth edition, as she did for so many authors
during her time at Libraries Unilimited.
Melissa would like to thank her family, Bob, Erica, and Craig, for their
patience all the times this book went on vacation with us. You make it a
wonderful world every day.
Laura would also like to thank her family, David, Lissa, and Will, for their
support, humor, and patience.
 Part I

Concepts and Processes

 Chapter 1

History and Functions of Reference Service

Dave A. Tyckoson
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 INTRODUCTION
This is the information age, where information is available everywhere all
the time. With the devices in their pockets, people are able to find, collect,
and utilize the information that they seek—no matter when it is needed or
where it is located. People can collect statistics on climate change, quote
Macbeth, watch the rise and fall of the stock market, read news stories from
around the corner and around the world, listen to their favorite music, find
out when the bus will reach its stop, figure out which store has the best price
on the product they want to purchase, and watch cat videos—all at the same
time. Every person with an Internet connection has the power to retrieve the
information that they need—so why do we still need libraries? And why do
libraries still need reference librarians?
There are obviously many answers to those questions—and this book will
provide a variety of opinions, options, and actions that will keep libraries
and reference services growing and thriving. To fully understand the roles,
responsibilities, and continuing need for reference librarians, it is important
to look back at the reasons that reference service was established, the things
reference librarians have traditionally done, and how those activities have
evolved to the present day.
 THE LIBRARY AND THE COMMUNITY
The library is not an independent institution in and of itself, but it exists
to serve and support the community for which it was established. Public
libraries serve the residents of a defined geographic area, most often a city or
county. Academic libraries serve the faculty, staff, and students at the college
or university. School libraries serve the teachers and students attending a
specific school. Medical libraries serve the doctors, nurses, staff, and patients
of the clinic or hospital. Law libraries serve the attorneys and staff of the
firm. Corporate libraries serve the management and employees of a specific
company.
When members of the community need information services, the primary
objective of the library is to fill that need. Whether that need relates to
research, business, or entertainment, members of the community often turn
to the library. Most libraries, especially public and academic libraries, also
allow people from outside the primary community to use their collections,
facilities, and services. However, the primary focus needs to be on the people
who make up the parent community. A library that is perceived as vital to
its community will receive the support, staff, and funding to maintain its
role as an information utility for the community. A library that does not fill
the needs of its parent community will slowly wither, will become
marginalized, and may even close. To serve the community effectively,
librarians must learn who comprises that community, what their
information needs are, and how those needs are changing. Know the
community, and the librarian will know what the library should contain,
which services to offer, and what level of support to expect in return.
 WHAT LIBRARIES DO
Libraries perform four basic functions in order to fill the information
needs of their communities. Each is extremely detailed and highly complex,
yet all of the activities of the library can be included in one of these four
functions. The functions of the library have evolved over time as libraries
and their parent communities have coevolved.

Collections

Historically, the first function of libraries was to select, collect, and

preserve information. From ancient times, librarians have collected and
retained documents of interest to their parent communities. From the scrolls
in the Great Library of Alexandria to the books chained to the desks of the
Bodleian Library to the scientific journals of the National Library of
Medicine to the children’s books of the local public library to the digital
content of a university repository, every library has had as its first role the
accumulation of information of interest to its community. This information
takes many forms, which today include books, journals, photographs, videos,
DVDs, websites, MP3s, computer files, and any other form of information
storage that has been used in the past. In response to the needs of the
community, librarians will also collect any new information formats that
will be developed in the future. The popular image of the library as a
warehouse for materials—whether those materials are row after row of
books on shelving, cabinets of microfilm or audio CDs, or a web page full of
links—comes directly from this collection function. This is the oldest
historical function of libraries: to find, select, acquire, and preserve
documents of interest to the community. It remains a vital role to this day.
Part II of this book (Chapters 13–31) discusses collections.

Organization
 The second function of libraries is to organize the information that they
collect. The fact that librarians organize information may seem obvious, but
it is a much more recent function than collecting. Historically, this was the
second function to arise in libraries, evolving as a corollary to the first
function. When libraries were very small, a user or librarian could simply
browse the entire collection to find what was needed. As the size of libraries
grew, other methods of organization were required.
From alphabetical order to RDA and from MARC to metadata, librarians
have developed a wide variety of methods for organizing and finding
materials in their collections. Most of these tools were initially developed by
librarians primarily for self-assistance. As libraries grew larger, it became
much more difficult for librarians to know where to find specific documents
or pieces of information within the overall collection. As a result, librarians
developed concepts such as subject headings, main entries, authority files,
call numbers, metadata tags, and controlled vocabularies. Although libraries
must have always had some kind of organization, the first modern catalogs
were developed as inventory control devices in the latter half of the 15th
century. The first published catalog was the book catalog of the Bodleian
Library in Oxford, which was printed in book form in 1620. Although no
precise date can be given for when librarians began to organize information
on a large scale, they have been doing so for at least 500 years (Hanson and
Daily 1970).
Librarians have become quite sophisticated in organizing and indexing
the materials contained within their collections. Using the technology of the
times, from scrolls to books to cards to databases, librarians have been and
continue to be leaders in the theory and practice of indexing and cataloging
information. Google may tell library users what exists out on the Web, but
librarian-developed tools such as OCLC’s WorldCat and Springshare’s
LibGuides make useful material easier to find. For more on the organization
function, see Chapter 14.

Service

The third function of libraries is to provide direct assistance to users in

their search and retrieval of information, which is what librarians now call
reference service. This aspect of librarianship began much more recently
than the first two and was first discussed in the mid- to late 1800s. Although
everyone today has grown up with this function of the library and tends to
take reference service for granted, it was truly a revolutionary concept when
first introduced.

Publishing

The fourth and newest function of the library is to serve as a publisher

and distributor of information of value to its local community. With the free
and open Web, everyone has access to the same publicly available content. It
is the unique, local material that is the most valuable to the community.
Many libraries have developed repositories for exactly this type of content,
including local histories, photographs, government documents, and
dissertations and theses. By digitizing these collections, libraries are making
them available to the wider world—and promoting the local community at
the same time.
Random documents with unrelated
content Scribd suggests to you:
 CHAPTER IX
THE LITTLE CITIZENS’ PICNIC

As the time drew near for the large farm-wagons to arrive at the
camp to convey the Little Citizens to the picnic ground, many eyes
kept turning in the direction of the farm-yard, and every few
moments one could hear a whisper of: “When will they come, do
you think?”
Finally, however, a rumbling was heard and a great shout went up:
“Here they come! Is everybody ready?”
“Hurrah!” “Hurry up, everyone!” and other calls made the camp
sound like Bedlam for a time. The cook had ordered her assistants to
pack the large baskets with all sorts of goodies, and these most
valuable items of luggage were safely placed under the high seats of
the farm-wagons.
While the men were superintending this work, some of the boys
clambered up on the front seat and sat beside the drivers—quite a
post of honor, too, to sit there! The other Little Citizens piled in
wherever a seat could be found, and soon the merry, noisy crowd
was ready to start.
Meantime the two touring cars had gone on to find the place and
see that all was ready for the reception of the others.
On the way, the Mother’s Helpers and “First Aides” had much to do
to keep order and peace in the crowded wagons of happy children.
Finally the lake was seen and a loud clamoring came from throats
eager to have a rough-and-tumble frolic once more—such as was
common in the city.
The Police and Firemen forgot their duties in the general scramble
for the boats, of which there were three.
“Citizens! Don’t anyone get into the boats—I find they are not water-
proof!” shouted Uncle Ben through his hand-megaphone.
“Oh gee! What’s the fun of comin’ here if we can’t sail?” grumbled
one of the Street Cleaning Department.
“Say, Muller, don’t you give de Boss any sass, now, er I’ll lock yeh up
fer de day!” threatened a Policeman, roused to an abnormal sense of
duty.
“Who’s givin’ him sass! Can’t a feller ask a question widdout de
police buttin’ in?” complained Jakey Muller.
“Dass all right! Jest don’t say nawthin’, see!” returned the Policeman,
as he hurried away to watch a base-ball drawing for pitcher and
batter in the forthcoming game.
“Humph! Think ye’re smart ’cause yuh got on a blue uniform. Ef I
wants to sail de boat, I does, so there!” mumbled Jakey to himself,
as he watched the Policeman disappear.
“Heigh, Jakey—come on over and see the fun!” now called a friend a
short distance away.
The discontented boy turned and saw some friends waiting for the
farm-hands to finish putting up some fine swings, but such a tame
form of sport failed to attract the Little Citizen, who had determined
to ride in a boat or do nothing at all.
Soon after this a score or more of children were having lots of fun
swinging and being the motive-power back of the swings, for
“pushing” the others so high that they would scream in dread of
falling was more delight than being in the swing screaming!
A group of Little Citizens were paddling in the edge of the pond,
watched over by Little Mothers and a few grown-ups. A group went
exploring up the hillside, feeling sure that a bear’s cave, or perhaps,
the secret home of the Wood Nymphs would be found on the
expedition.
Uncle Ben and some of his helpers were clearing away the brush and
stones that were in the way of a smooth eating-spot. The grass
must be clean and level, for dinner to be safely served there. The
boys were wildly applauding a “home-run” and some of the riders in
the swings were “letting the old cat die,” when Jakey stepped into a
boat just to sit down and rock it for fun!
A crowd of little girls were playing “drop the handkerchief” and other
outdoor games, when Jakey felt lonely in the boat. He decided to
ask others to join him.
“Hey, H’lena Bissel—come on over and sit by me—it’s lots of fun
rockin’ t’ boat!” called he.
“Mister Uncle Ben told us not to an’ I won’t!” called back Helena.
“Don’t then! Sugar-lump!—sugar-lump, too good to melt!” taunted
Jakey, making a grimace at the little girl.
“I ain’t ‘sugar ner spice’ but you’re nuttin’ but ‘snails an’ puppy-dog
tails,’ so!” jeered Helena, who had heard the Mother Goose line and
wanted to repeat it at the first occasion.
“Mamma’s pet! Mamma’s pet—what can’t do what she wants cuz
she’s too goody-good!” replied Jakey, turning his back upon the
angry little girl.
Helena marched away from his company, and soon Jakey saw
Maggie’s little sister Prunel with nothing to do.
“Come and play wid me, Prunel,” coaxed he, not mentioning the
boat this time as it seemed to inspire his hearers with doubt and
fear.
Prunel (where Maggie had found the name is hard to say) was really
named Polly, but such harsh sounds could not be tolerated by
Mother Maggie, and when she took control of the six younger sisters
and brothers, she saw to it that each one had a beautiful name, thus
Polly became Prunel.
Prunel was about seven and very energetic for her age. It took much
of Maggie’s time and thought to keep Prunel out of mischief at
Happy Hills. In the city, Prunel had to attend school and look after a
short route of newspaper deliveries after school.
“What’che playin’, Jakey?” asked Prunel, coming over to the lake-
side.
“Oh I’m a navy battle-ship and dat submarine’s tryin’ to blow me up.
I am shootin’ him all to pieces, see?”
As he explained, Jakey aimed stone after stone at the nearest boat
while he stood balancing himself in the other boat.
“Shall I be the German what shoots the torpedo?” asked Prunel, all
intense interest.
“Naw, you git in wid me and both of us kin sink him, I guess,”
replied Jakey.
“It won’t be half as much fun as if we had someone to really fight,”
suggested Prunel.
“I got a fine idea—you jus’ get in here quick!”
So Prunel, without knowing it had been forbidden, got in the boat
with Jakey, eager to hear his plan.
“I’m goin’ to break dis rope what holds the boat, yeh see, an’ float
around both dose submarines by holdin’ fast to dese overhanging
branches, see?”
“Don’t you let go on ’em—cuz yeh hain’t got no rope er oars to get
back wid,” warned Prunel, anxiously.
“Do you t’ink I’m such a silly?” said Jakey, as the boat swung about
to the great excitement of both sailors.
It bumped into the end of the other boat, and the children laughed
gayly as Jakey said: “Maybe I diden’ jar dat Hun dat trip, eh?”
“It would be heaps more fun if you’d get in anudder boat and play
shoot at mine. I could fire back, and we could see which one gets hit
t’ most—den he would be sunk, you know!” said Prunel.
“It sounds good—say, you keep in dis boat while I jump in dat one.
You’ve got a lot of stones left but I kin get some from the bank in a
minute,” consented Jakey.
Jakey went to the end of the boat and stood upon the prow waiting
for an opportunity to spring over into the adjoining boat. This was
easy to do, and soon he jumped and landed safely in the bottom of
the flat boat, but the impetus he used when springing sent the other
boat out from under him and Prunel, being alone and without any
hold on willow-branch or rope, was floated out from shore.
“Say, Jakey Muller—hurry out and get me back!” called Prunel, but
not loud enough for the others to hear, as she knew it was not just
what she should have done without asking permission.
“S-sh! Wait a minute! I’ll wade out and pull you back!” replied Jakey,
in a low voice also.
He sat down and pulled off his sandals and stockings, but the boat
had caught the edge of the current that made a channel quite near
shore at this spot of the lake.
He endeavored to reach the end of the boat but it eluded his hand.
Then he waded deeper and tried again, still the boat moved outward
and Prunel was becoming frightened.
“Oh pshaw—I gotta jump fer it!” growled Jakey, and at that he
reached quickly while taking a far-advanced step. His foot went in a
hole, and he fell face downward into the lake. The boat sped onward
now faster, as it felt the carrying tide of the current.
Before Jakey could regain his footing and splutter out the water that
choked him and blinded his eyes, Prunel was at least fifty feet from
shore. She had remained perfectly quiet until now, thinking Jakey
would surely rescue her. But when she saw him fall, and get up
again without hope of reaching her, she began to whimper with fear.
Jakey took a last look at her and with fear in his eyes as he thought
of his disobedience, he turned to run away from the picnic grove—
even if he had to run all the way back to the city. He could not face
Uncle Ben’s stern rebuke, for he was sure he would be properly
scolded and punished for breaking a law.
Had not Maggie seen a boat with one passenger skim out in the
direction of the old grist-mill, Prunel might have met with more
serious disaster than that which befell her craft.
“Looka dere, Miss Marting! A little girl is out in a boat alone,” called
Maggie to her friend.
“Why—it’s——” Miss Martin quickly glanced at Maggie before
completing her sentence.
But Maggie, too, saw a resemblance to Prunel. She hurriedly hunted
about amongst the groups of children, and not finding her sister
anywhere, she shouted to one of the Policemen.
In the meantime, Miss Martin, understanding the situation, ran to tell
Uncle Ben what had happened to Prunel. He called upon the Police
and Firemen nearest him and all ran to the place where the three
boats had been tied but a short time before.
Here they saw Jakey wading from the water and taking to his heels
so the Policeman who had warned him cried: “Now what’che gone
and done?”
Jakey trembled from head to foot as he was caught and brought
back to Uncle Ben. Then he explained how the accident had
happened to Prunel. As he hurriedly described the scene, the Police
found that neither boat had any oars so pursuit to bring back the
water-waif in that way was out of the question.
“Can anyone swim dat far?” questioned one of the firemen.
“Not in fresh water—I kin swim anywhere in salt water,” returned
one of the boys.
“Mebbe de boat’ll float in to shore down furder. Mister Uncle Ben,
dere’s a finger of land runs out way down, you see!”
“But there is also a mill-race just the other side of that finger of
land, and the current to the mill runs mighty fast about that jutting
bank. If the boat doesn’t come in or isn’t caught before it reaches
that place it is impossible to say what may be the consequences. An
old water-wheel turns the mill and the race feeds the wheel. The
child is in danger out there with no means of helping herself and we
are here with no way to reach her,” said Uncle Ben, anxiously.
“What’s all the excitement—anyone fall overboard?” called Jinks,
coming up and asking his question laughingly.
“Little Prunel is afloat in that boat—see her down the lake there?”
replied Mete, who was standing beside Uncle Ben.
“Great Scott! And all of you standing around here doing nothing?”
cried Jinks, scornfully, running away to the squad of Police who were
still umpiring the last game of ball.
“Hey there! Dutchy—did you bring your dog?” yelled Jinks, when he
had covered half the distance between the two groups.
“Yeh! Why?” came back the answer.
“What’s Jinks going to do with the dog?” asked Uncle Ben, starting
to run after the boy, and thus starting all the other boys on the
ground running after him. Inside of a minute the long line of boys
running, looked like a thriller in a moving-picture play.
“Leave it to Jinks to think up some way of rescue!” called Ned and
Mete, panting beside Uncle Ben.
“Remember that fire we went to when we were on the Canal trip?”
added Don, who came just too late to do all the talking to Jinks.
Before the crowd of curious boys reached the spot where Jinks had
hurriedly explained the situation to Bill, the two boys and a few of
the ball-players had started off along the shore, calling and whistling
to the great mongrel dog that was Bill’s beloved and particular care.
The shaggy, tawny hound came crashing from the bushes with tail
wagging joyously at the unusual outing he was given that day. When
Bill saw him, he snapped his fingers and called excitedly:
“Crummie go in and fetch! Fetch it out, good ol’ doggie!” and at the
same time, he threw a stone far out into the lake to attract the dog’s
attention to the water.
Crummie went in ker-splash and swam about for a short time
looking for the object which his master had thrown for him to bring
out again.
“Say, Dutchy, Prunel is too far out for the dog to reach—let’s run
along shore till we get to the finger over there. You see, the current
runs quite close in to shore there and we can send Crummie out
from that spot. Maybe we can tie a rope to his collar and let him
swim out with it to the boat, then we can pull the girl in to shore,”
quickly explained Jinks.
“Fine! Say you, Dink Brown—run back and get a rope er somethin’
fer us, will you? We’ll be down on that finger waitin’ fer you. Mebbe
we kin shout an’ make the kid hear what we want her to do,” replied
Bill.
Before he had completed his sentence, Dink was running back to
Uncle Ben to ask for a rope. Then the other boys with the dog ran
swiftly away to the spot Jinks had designated.
As they ran, Jinks found a section of newspaper on the pathway, and
this he caught up and began rolling into a long tube.
“What’s ’at fer?” asked Bill.
“Make a megaphone for us to call through, you know.”
“Big idea! Make it wide at the open end so’s she can git the call
better. If you make it narrow the sound won’t go out so clear, you
see.”
At the finger of land, Jinks stood out on a large rock and shouted
and shouted at Prunel who was crying fearfully and kneeling in the
bottom of the boat while clinging to the oar-lock.
At the echo of Jinks’ call she looked about but did not at first see the
boys standing where the channel curved in towards land. At the
second shout, however, she looked in the direction from which the
sound came, and stopped wailing as she saw the group of police
waiting to assist her.
Then she heard her name called and listened to what was said.
“We’re going to send the dog out to the boat—you call ‘Here
Crummie! here Crummie!’ as soon as he goes in the water. He will
come to you and then you will find a rope tied to his collar. Fasten
the rope to the ring in the boat and we will haul you in!”
It needed several trials before Prunel understood the plan, but once
she did it was all right, although the boat was fast reaching the
place where the current flowed in towards land so the dog had to
hurry out with the rope if it was to work as planned.
“Here I come—get him ready!” called the boy who had been sent for
the rope.
The boys turned and saw him racing along with a long coil of swing
rope that had been hastily cut down to use. Dink, being the swiftest
runner in camp, was soon back with the Police and Jinks.
One end of the rope was tied to Crummie’s old leather collar and
then he was sent in to bring out Prunel. At the same time Jinks
shouted through the megaphone:
“Call him, Prunel! Call him, again and again, till he reaches you with
the rope.”
Then they heard the little girl cry excitedly: “Here Crummie! Here
Crummie!”
“See her over there, Crummie? Fetch her out! Fetch her out, I say!
Go get it—get it—good doggie!” coaxed Bill.
And Crummie, sniffing over the water, saw the approaching boat and
heard the child’s cry for help. Instantly the yellow dog understood
what was required of him and in he went, dragging the long line of
rope after him.
The boys on shore held their breath so the dog would not be
confused, and Prunel kept on calling, “Here Crummie! Here
Crummie! Good dog—come to me, Crummie!”
And the dog swam as fast as he could in a direct line for the object
he saw on the surface of the lake. He came within five feet of it
when it swept past him in the current now running fast to the mill-
race.
Groans and cries on shore showed that more than one anxious
group were watching the efforts of the brave dog. But Crummie was
of the nature that resents failure or trickery. He was of the dogged
kind that will fight harder in spite of all obstacles, and perseverance
and persistence always win out!
Crummie kept on swimming after the boat while Prunel continued
calling and pleading, and the boys on the bank kept on anxiously
letting the rope out and wondering if it was long enough to reach.
“Gee, Jinks, it’s the end!” gasped Bill.
And just as Jinks was about to give up in despair, one of the other
boys yelled: “By golly! Crummie’s got hold of the rope that dragged
after the boat!”
Everyone strained their eyes to see, and sure enough the dog had
caught hold of the rope that had tied the boat to the bank and was
swimming back the way he came against the current.
The struggling animal was not making much headway against the
swift stream and Jinks instantly saw that he would tire himself out
and be useless, so he signaled to Bill, and the two ran through the
bushes growing on the shore and reached a place opposite the boat.
Then Jinks called again to the dog.
“Here, Crummie! Crummie, come in here!”
At the strange voice, the dog stopped battling against the current
but did not turn. However, Bill saw through Jinks’ idea and quickly
abetted him.
“Here, good old Crummie! Fetch it home! Fetch it home!”
And at his master’s well-known call, the dog turned and swam for
shore where the two boys were waiting to help. Jinks pulled off his
shoes and stockings, rolled up his trousers and waded in as far as he
could. When Crummie came within arm’s reach, Jinks leaned out to
catch hold of the rope, but the dog growled fiercely.
“Ha, ha, ha! Crummie won’t let you interfere! He don’t know what
you’re after—mebbe you want to take away the prize he’s bringin’ in
to me!” laughed Bill, delightedly, now that the strain was over.
Even Jinks laughed at the treatment he had been given by the dog,
but Crummie dragged the rope straight up to his master and left it in
his hands. Then it was seen that the rope that had been tied to the
old collar had torn it away and was out in the lake.
“When did the swing rope break?” asked Don, who failed to
understand.
“Soon after the strain came on it, most likely,” said Mete.
“I’ll tell you what I think!” ventured Uncle Ben, who had hurried up
with Maggie, and now stood patting Crummie’s wet, matted head.
The children all looked at him for an opinion, and he continued:
“I think that Crummie would have gone for that boat and found his
own way to drag it back to land, whether any of you boys had
interfered with him or not. Now, seeing that our hero dog lost his
neck-band in his effort to save a life, I shall award him the medal for
bravery this month. Anyone opposing this motion say ‘No!’; if there
is no opposition and everyone agrees with me that Crummie shall
have the prize let us all say ‘Aye!’”
Such a tremendous shout of “Ayes” went out instantly, that Crummie
was unanimously voted the hero for the month, and Bill was the
proudest boy in camp.
“What’s the prize going to be, Uncle Ben?” asked Don.
“Oh something that Crummie will appreciate and everyone will stop
to admire and read. I’m thinking a wonderful studded collar with his
name and the story of the rescue engraved on a silver plate might
be suitable.”
“Oh yes—yes, indeed!” chorused most of the Blue Birds and
Bobolinks.
“And, Uncle Ben, spend a lot of money on it to make it as big and
shiny as you can,” advised Dot Starr.
“How much money do you think will do?” asked Uncle Ben, teasingly.
“Well, you know how much a funeral for Prunel would have cost if
Crummie hadn’t saved her life, so you might as well spend that
much anyway,” replied Dot in all seriousness.
“Oh, I’ve got an idea!” cried Don, inspired by his twin’s words. “Have
it tell on the collar that the prize is a souvenir of a watery grave that
was never filled by the saved child ’cause Crummie was here to fly to
the rescue—you might say ‘swim’ to the rescue, only it doesn’t
sound as grand as ‘fly.’”
Everyone laughed heartily at Don’s suggestion, and Ned said: “Don’s
growing a streak of poesy and we all had better beware or he’ll
rhyme us into jingles some day.”
Don scorned such ideas, and after giving Ned a meaning look, he
said: “I wouldn’t be anything so silly as a jingler like Ned Talmage is!
I’m going to buy Crummie and start a kennel of fine life-saving dogs
to send to the Allies! So there!”
“Ha! that’s why Don wants Uncle Ben to spend all that funeral
money on a collar. He’ll sell the collar and keep the money to found
the kennels!” laughed Mete, in a big brother’s tone of voice.
“Say, you kids! Don’t fool yourselves on dat score! Dis dog is mine
and he stays mine till the las’ trumpet blows—see!” was the last
word from Crummie’s master, and the yellow dog wagged his tail
approvingly as he blinked up into Bill’s blue-green eyes.
 CHAPTER X
MISS MARTIN’S NATURE STORIES

The picnic was declared a grand success in spite of the fright little
Prunel had had, for such a thrill as the Little Citizens had been
treated to at the danger and escape of one of their members was
not to be had every day! So that event added glory to the occasion
and was one long to be remembered.
The day after the outing, most of the Little Citizens were seated at
the Auditorium (as they called the Refectory when other occasions
demanded its use) waiting for the Blue Birds who had promised to
come and hear Miss Martin’s nature story that day.
Miss Martin was seen coming from her Nest and soon after she had
greeted the children, the Blue Birds were heard laughing and talking
as they hurried down Harebell Road.
When all were seated Miss Martin began:
“I’m going to tell you about some pests we have in camp, and your
Uncle Ben agreed to be present so he could hear what a nuisance
they are. I see him coming from the Fire-house so he will soon be
here. Before he arrives, however, I want to ask you children a favor.
When my story is finished I shall call upon you to ask how many will
volunteer to work in the Health Department for a few days to get rid
of flies and mosquitoes, and I wish everyone here to offer their
services to Uncle Ben.”
“Oh we will! You don’t have to ask us a favor like that—we’d do it
anyway!” replied one of the Health Inspectors.
“Am I late?” asked Uncle Ben, now coming over to the group
gathered to hear the stories.
“Just in time,” replied Ruth, making a place for him.
“My first story will be about a mosquito that settled down at Happy
Hills and founded the colony of pests that annoys us so at camp.
“Skinny was a malarial mosquito that happened to crawl from the
reeds near the lake into a carpenter’s tool-chest while the man was
eating his lunch late last fall. As his job was completed, the
carpenter caught up the tool-box and hurried towards Miss Selina’s
place to leave it in the tool-house.
“Skinny was very sleepy because of the cold air, and the tool-box
being left in a snug, sunny spot on a shelf in the tool-house, she
soon fell asleep for the long cold winter months.
“But in the spring the warm sun-rays roused her and she began to
open her sleepy eyes and stretch her stiffened legs; her poor wings
she could not use at once—they were so nerveless and stiff that it
took some practice to whip them into general use again. She
succeeded somewhat, just as the carpenter came in and took up the
tool-chest.
“‘Where’re you goin’ to work, Pete?’ asked a man standing outside
the shed.
“‘Down at Happy Hills Camp. I’m goin’ to build some Nests for the
Blue Birds’ Little Citizens, you know.’
“‘Well, thar ain’t no mosquitoes around er no flies, either, so you
won’t be pestered any, I guess,’ said the first man, as Pete walked
away down Daffodil Lane.
“Skinny heard the conversation and smiled. ‘Not a mosquito on the
place, eh? Well I will have to get busy and change that lonesome
state of affairs mighty quick!’
“So poor Pete carried the little pest along in his harmless tool-chest,
and while he left it standing in the sunshine until he could find the
boss carpenter, the sun-rays made Skinny feel so lively that she
decided to try her wings and soar a bit.
“This was easier than she had thought possible, so she flew down to
a little shallow pool in the creek for a drink of water. Here she found
a slimy little back-water puddle so warm and comfortable that she
soon chose that spot for the eggs she proposed laying to found the
mosquito colony of Happy Hills.
“Early the following morning, Mrs. Spot Toad saw hundreds of
oblong-shaped eggs floating on the slimy pool, but it was none of
her business so she did not report the matter to the Board of Health
as one of the Little Citizens would have done. In fact Spot was so
busy with her own family cares that she forgot all about the
mosquito larvæ soon after she had seen the small sooty specks
floating on the water.
“Skinny left her eggs to hatch and went her way rejoicing, but not
for long!
“She had hardly reached a tree where a dozing carpenter tempted
her to eat, when a mother Blue Bird swooped down from her nest
and caught up the lean, lanky mosquito to feed to her babies. Of
course there was no nourishment in a poor thing like Skinny, but it
would help fill the gaping mouths of the baby-birds a bit!
“Inside of twenty-four hours, Skinny’s eggs began to hatch out, but
they were not mosquitoes—they were wrigglers. In appearance they
resembled wooly, little caterpillars, but one end of the squirming
body was the breathing tube for air. The fuzzy part of the wriggler
was the means of its moving about, and they all wriggled or jerked
about continually. Some grew faster than others, but all grew very
fast, their heads seeming to grow faster than their bodies.
“In about six days’ time the wrigglers had grown so strong that they
floated on the top of the water in the hot sunshine, so that the heat
might crack open the skins that enclosed the young mosquitoes. As
one shell opened after another, the insects crawled out and waited
upon the tops of their little boats to dry their wings and legs. The
sun soon accomplished this work, and then the hundreds of young
mosquitoes were flying about waiting for an opportunity to eat
something good.
“About this time the first Little Citizens appeared at Camp, and many
of the children ran down to the creek to play in the water. Of course
Skinny’s family sniffed the sweet young blood of the children there,
and many a young mosquito ate till it almost burst open, and the
Little Citizen had an irritating bite on arms or legs.
“Many, many of the young mosquitoes remained near the creek and
laid eggs for a new family, and others flew away to the puddles in
the woods, or settled on the eaves of the roof where rainwater had
left tiny pools. Others saw the lake, and still others found water in
pails or bottles and vessels of all sorts. In a very short time every
one of Skinny’s children was laying a multitude of eggs that would
hatch out in a day or two, and in ten to twelve days there would be
a pest of mosquitoes at Happy Hills.
“By the time Little Citizens were running about these woods, playing,
or digging by the creek, or making mud-pies from the soft mud in
the little pools, thousands and thousands of nasty mosquitoes were
flying and humming everywhere, while hundreds of thousands were
being hatched from the wrigglers that had been the outcome of
eggs laid by every mosquito in the place.
“Finally the Little Citizens had such itching red spots on their bodies,
and so many of the younger children had to keep away from the
fascinating little brook because of the pesky, stinging insects, that
Uncle Ben said something must be done at once to rid Happy Hills of
this menace.
“But what can we do to so many? If we have to catch every wriggler
or mosquito about Happy Hills, it will take ten times the number of
Little Citizens here to catch and kill them—and then there will be
thousands of insects left to breed new pests.
“Ah, but there is a way that will smother all the young and kill the
old mosquitoes! Now listen carefully!
“We will get kerosene or crude oil, and pour a little on the surface of
the water wherever we think a mosquito has laid her eggs. While we
are doing it, we will oil all the still waters so no mosquito will dare to
settle anywhere and lay new eggs.
“You see the oil will spread out over the surface of the water and
keep the wrigglers from getting air for their bodies—this will soon
smother them and they will sink to the bottom of the pool, dead!
The old mosquitoes that should come to visit the pond or pools, will
light upon the glassy, oiled water and instantly find it impossible to
remove their hairy legs; besides, their noses will be filled with the
fumes and soon choke them so that they, too, will sink down to the
bottom of the stagnant pool or float dead upon the oil.
“Happy Hills will then become a comfortable place at night and a
more enjoyable camp for the children at day.”
Miss Martin concluded her first story and the children showed their
interest by the many questions they asked. Among other things, she
was asked if there was more than one kind of mosquito, and this
brought up an explanation of the difference between the malarial
mosquito and the simply poisonous, stinging kind.
“The mosquito that causes malaria by its bite can be detected if you
see it sting, for it always stings with head pointed downward and its
tail and hind legs held straight up in the air. The common mosquito
stands with its body on a horizontal line when it stings, but both
kinds are poisonous and are of no use whatever. The sooner the
country is cleared of such plagues the better.”
“You have done a good work, Miss Martin, by telling us how to rid
the camp of mosquitoes. I ordered several barrels of unrefined
petroleum oil and Jones told me this morning that they are at the
freight station. He is there now with a wagon to bring them back.
When he comes, we will all start in with cans and anything we can
find to hold oil, to hunt mosquitoes,” remarked Uncle Ben.
“There’s another pest to be gotten rid of, Mr. Talmage,” suggested
Miss Martin.
“And have you a story ready for it?” laughed Ned.
“It won’t take a moment to weave one just as long as we may need
for the occasion,” replied Miss Martin.
“Is it the fly that you have such an antipathy to?” continued Uncle
Ben.
“Yes, it is, and if you will do as I advise, Happy Hills will soon be rid
of flies as well as mosquitoes,” rejoined Miss Martin.
“Well, tell us a story and we will judge of the importance of the
battle against the fly,” said Uncle Ben.
So Miss Martin sat thinking for a few seconds before she began:
“‘Oh, Flossy, did you know Uncle Ben Talmage has started a camp at
Happy Hills for the Little Citizens?’ cried a noisy fly to her companion
one nice day in June.
“‘Really! How interesting; but what good will that do us here? We
are keeping house in the pig’s trough, so how could we hope to
reach camp so far away?’
“‘I’ll tell you about a plan I have, Flossy. Of course, there will be lots
of children staying the summer at Happy Hills, and where there are
little ones there is sure to be food and things lying about for flies to
picnic upon. Now we can steal a ride from the pig-sty to the camp
when Farmer Jones feeds the pigs. We can sit in the bottom of his
swill-cans and sneak into camp without anyone seeing us. Once
there we can set up housekeeping at any of the Nests. Soon we will
have a large family and found a great fly-colony.’
“‘How wise you are, Noisy! Let us sit in the dark corner and wait for
the farmer’s can,’ replied Flossy, eagerly.
“So the two flies were carried from the smelly pig-sty to the nice
clean, brand-new Nest built for Miss Martin and her Little Citizens.
But Miss Martin didn’t know the two wicked flies had arrived to live
in her Nest.
“No one knew the two flies were perched on the edges of the milk-
glasses with their filthy, fuzzy legs and feet, and leaving all kinds of
foreign matter on the glass rim where little babies’ lips would soon
sip the milk! Neither did anyone know that one of the pesky flies had
just deposited its filth on a slice of buttered bread for one of the
children. But so it happened just the same!
“There had been a few other flies in the pig-sty when the two
adventurers started forth, and they too decided to follow their
friends. So a number of dirty insects caught hold of the horse’s legs
and belly and thus were brought to camp. Here they sought out
Flossy and Noisy and suggested that they all go to housekeeping
together.
“‘Where shall we set up housekeeping?’ asked Noisy.
“‘Well, when we rode into camp on old Dobbin, we passed by the
stables. There are a number of choice apartments about the
building, and I located one in the manure heap outside. Another
good flat-house is over where the dump-ground is. We can always
find decaying fruit or rotting stuff there,’ returned one of the new
arrivals.
“So Flossy and her husband started housekeeping in the dump-
ground, while Noisy and her spouse settled in the manure heap by
the barns. Noisy crawled about over the damp straws that had been
swept out from the stable-stalls and soon found a fine spot to
deposit her eggs.
“That evening Noisy and her husband flew back to camp to visit
Little Citizens and see what they could do to interfere with the
wholesome plans of Uncle Ben and Miss Martin.
“The hundreds of tiny white eggs laid in the manure heap by Mother
Noisy, as her first brood of children for that summer, and the
hundreds laid by Flossy in the dump-heap to found her big family,
began instantly to hatch out into queer worm-like creatures. In less
than twenty-four hours a swarm of these pests were stirring about
as lively as could be, and in less than a day after they were hatched
from the eggs, they cast off their skins. It took another day for them
to shed a second coat, and then a day or two later they got rid of a
third skin.
“Now they looked like little oval grubs that remained as quiet as if
there was no life within them, but at the end of a week, the shells
cracked open and a multitude of young flies crept out to fly away
just as Noisy did from the pig-sty where she was born.
“The thousands of flies hatched out of the manure heap and
dumping-ground now feasted on all the filth and decaying mess they
could find and soon they were laying eggs wherever a smelly dirty
spot could be found, because flies prefer filth to cleanliness.
“Thousands more hatched from these eggs and in three generations
of flies, and in three weeks’ time, there were millions of horrid pests
flying about camp. Millions buzzed in our ears and slapped their dirty
wings in our faces. Millions crept over our food leaving the nasty
trails of their hairy feet everywhere—but so fine a dirt that we could
not see it with our naked eyes. There were millions to bite baby’s
sweet rosy lip, to tickle our noses with their fuzzy legs and tails, to
drop into the butter, or swim about in our water and milk, always
leaving their filth as a mark of their nuisance!
“Then along came the man with the barrels of oil from the station,
and the pools and damp places about camp were soon saturated
with kerosene. It was noticed that the flies kept away from such
spots.
“‘Suppose we try oil on the hatching places of the flies, Miss Martin?’
asked Uncle Ben.
“‘It will kill the eggs anyway, and may catch some of the flies. But
we can keep everything securely covered and screened so a fly will
have to starve and then be forced to eat from the poisoned saucer
filled with water. Soon we can kill off all the old flies and with the
breeding spots disinfected there will be no flies to sicken us,’ replied
Miss Martin, and so it was.
“Little Citizens hated the flies almost as much as did Miss Martin and
the other grown-ups at Happy Hills, and as soon as the oil-barrels
were opened and ready for use, everyone started out to find
breeding nests of flies and soak them well with oil.
“And what a lovely summer the rest of that season was at camp,
without flies or mosquitoes to annoy the very life out of one!”
“Ha, ha! That’s a better story than the first! Here comes Jones with
the farm-wagon bringing in the barrels! Come on, Police and Health
Board—to work to rid the camp of pests!”
At Bill’s call to Little Citizens, they jumped up and hurriedly thanking
Miss Martin for her stories, ran off to meet the driver with the oil-
cans.
“There, that is one way to plant ambition for better conditions,”
sighed Miss Martin, feeling she had invested her half-hour to some
good purpose.
 CHAPTER XI
THE AMUSEMENT COMPANY

The next few days were very busy ones for the Little Citizens, but
the comfort and peace about camp was remarked by everyone,
especially Uncle Ben.
“I declare, I never dreamed flies and mosquitoes could make folks
so miserable and irritable with each other!” said he.
“Now that those two pests are diminishing, I wish to mention
another cause of impatience and concern in camp. The boys and
girls past the age of eight or nine, who are not actively engaged with
the Police, Firemen, or other departments established at Happy Hills,
really need something to occupy their thoughts and time. In the city
they have so many ways of working or entertaining themselves—
often detrimental, too, that time begins to hang heavily on their
hands now that the novelty of country-life is wearing off,” explained
Miss Martin.
“But I don’t know of anything more we can do to keep them busy,”
replied Uncle Ben, with an anxious frown.
“I have an idea and it may work out to the benefit and amusement
of everyone.”
“I’ll be glad to try anything you say,” returned Uncle Ben,
encouragingly.
“Let us start ‘An Amusement Company.’ Elect managers of the
different departments and ‘stars’ and ‘supers’ and have the Band
furnish music. If you think well of my idea we may even go so far as
to reward the actors and musicians who entertain us best. Let it be
known that this company is formed more as a means of starting
various contests for music, oratory, and acting, and is open for all
entries, young, aged, small or large citizens.”
“Humph! Who is there to teach them such things?”
“I do not believe the street children of a large city need much
teaching in entertaining. They are so precocious and experienced
from their life in general, that they only need suggestions to boost
their ideas,” laughed Miss Martin.
“Well, it will cost us nothing to try out your idea anyway, and no
harm will be done if it fails to inspire your performers as you think it
will.”
“And I know just what you think, Mr. Talmage! You are secretly
laughing at the failure you are sure will follow this endeavor,”
retorted Miss Martin.
“I really hope you will not be disappointed in your high appraisal of
these city children’s brilliant possibilities,” returned Uncle Ben.
“We’ll see! If you will find some sort of a ‘drop-curtain’ even if it
does not drop—we can draw it on rings slipped over a pole; and a
raised stage, it will be all I shall ask of you. The stage can be a bare
platform raised about two feet above the Refectory floor. It can be
built on a rough framework, and take little time or cost to construct.”
“I will get some of the older boys to help me build it, and the
Bobolink Boys will revel in sawing and hammering, I know.”
“Well then, you announce the new society to Little Citizens and have
all who wish to enter the contests register with me during the next
three days, and I will examine each one to find what each one is
capable of doing.”
Uncle Ben smiled indulgently at what he believed to be Miss Martin’s
mistaken judgment, and agreed to call the Little Citizens together
that evening to tell them of the plan for their amusement.
The plan for starting an amusement company met with great
approval as was shown in various ways, and the next morning Miss
Martin was sought by those who wished to join the new club. In fact
some of the children appeared at her Nest before breakfast so as to
be listed in parts they hoped to fill.
“Children, suppose you wait until I have had something to eat and
then we will go into this work,” laughed Miss Martin.
“Well, don’t you let anyone take our place—remember we came
first!” warned several voices.
“This Nest will be too small to hold you all so I suggest that we use
a folding-table as a desk and find some secluded spot in the grove
where we will be away from the confusion of camp work. If one has
to be tried out in any line he can perform without feeling
embarrassed by others watching or hearing him,” said Miss Martin,
to the group waiting anxiously for her.
“I’ll carry the folding-table over when you’re ready to go!” quickly
offered Bill, who had an idea of what he would do in the new
company.
“And I’ll take the chair!” added Joe.
“All right, boys; now let us have breakfast and do our camp chores—
then we will be ready to begin our fun!”
Camp work was through sooner than ever that morning and before
ten o’clock Miss Martin was seated before the impromptu desk in the
quiet shady grove.
“Now, Molly Brown—you were so anxious to sign up this morning—
what can you do to entertain an audience?” said Miss Martin, smiling
at the ten-year-old girl.
“I kin ride bareback!” was the startling answer.
“Ride bareback—but what good will that do us in a show-house?”
gasped Miss Martin.
“You’se don’t have to keep yersels to one show, does you? In Noo
York der’s a theayter an’ a hippodrome, too!” was Molly’s quick reply.
This opened vast possibilities before Miss Martin’s vision, and before
she could collect herself to speak wisely, one of the boys said:
“I t’ink dat’s a good idee! Lots of us kin do stunts dat goes wid a
hippodrome show what can’t be did on a stage in a regerler
theayter.”
“Very well, then; Molly, will you sit down at my left hand side where
I will place all the circus actors, and the stage performers can go to
my right,” said Miss Martin, hastily postponing her other answer.
Molly sat down upon the grass with a satisfied manner—was she not
going to be robed in tarletan and tinsel some day and leap gracefully
from an Arabian horse’s back, then throw kisses at an admiring
audience? That is how Molly pictured herself.
“Bill, what do you propose doing?” asked the investigator of the
theatrical company.
“Well, I kin do lots of stunts, but best of all I kin blow my horn. I will
like to stay in de band wedder you’se have it for the theayter or fer
de circus.”
“All right, Bill, then I’ll enter you as cornetist. But you must practice
and render a solo every now and then for a prize, you know?”
“Yes’m, I knows!”
Bill’s name was entered and he signed himself as a solo-cornetist in
the company. As he was about to place the pen back on the table he
had a brilliant idea.
“Miss Marting, why can’t I enter Crummie fer a show?”
“Ah yes, Miss Martin—Crummie is a swell show-dog! He does lots of
tricks what oughter be known by a real circus man; he would get
paid a lot of money fer ’em,” added several voices back of Bill.
“Really! How interesting! Of course we will enter Crummie with the
other actors. He can’t sign for himself, but we will let Bill do it,”
explained Miss Martin.
A chorus of laughter made her look about at the amused faces, and
Bill placed his two fingers between his lips and gave a shrill whistle.
Crummie had roamed away from the group at the desk in search of
squirrels or chipmunks, but at that call he came bounding back to
his master’s side.
“Say, Crummie, Miss Marting says ye can’t sign yer name! She t’inks
yer a fool dog an’ it’s up t’ you t’ show her she’s mistaken,” laughed
Bill, delightedly, as he took up the pen he had laid aside and dipped
it in the ink.
Miss Martin instantly suspected the act that was to be performed for
her benefit; that it was generally known to the other children was
evidenced by the way they laughed when she suggested that Bill
sign for the dog.
Crummie stood upon his hind legs and placed his fore-paws carefully
on the edge of the table. Then Bill pushed the sheet of paper over
under his nose, and the dog took hold of the pen-handle with his
teeth. By moving his head up and down and from side to side, he
managed to scrawl a number of circles and lines, then he lifted his
nose high in the air to take the pen-point from the paper and when
he brought it down again he made a period very near the ending of
his writing.
Everyone laughed and cried “Good doggie” and Miss Martin patted
his head as she laughingly said: “Crummie is truly a wonder. He is
our first performer for the public pleasure.”
“Dat’s nuttin, Miss Marting; Crummie kin do lots of stunts better’n
dat!” bragged Bill.
It took some time to assure Crummie that he need not show off any
more of his tricks that time, as there was too much clerical work to
accomplish to stop for him. But the dog resented the business-like
tone of Miss Martin, and when she would have removed the pen
from his teeth he wheeled about and ran off to the woods with it.
Bill gave hot pursuit but Crummie was fleet-footed, so everyone
laughed at the trick the dog had turned on the company. After a
time, Bill returned with the pen, but it showed signs of having been
through sharp-pointed teeth before it was recovered.
“He was jus’ goin’ to dig a hole and bury it when I crept up behind
and caught hol’ on his tail. Dat made him open his mouth, y’ know,
and the pen dropped out,” laughed Bill.
No further unexpected interruptions took place, so Miss Martin
proceeded with the programme of actors.
“What is your specialty, Jim?” to a freckle-faced lad of eleven.
“Me fadder was a champeen clog-dancer in Dublin, an’ he teached
me de dance afore he died. I kin clog to beat de band!” said Jimmy,
eagerly.
“Oh fine! Will you show us a sample of it, some time?” replied Miss
Martin as she wrote down Jim’s accomplishment.
“Shure, but not on de grass, ye know, Miss Marting! It needs wood
floors and wood clogs.”
“Yes, and we will have you dance on the Refectory floor soon.”
From Jim she went to one of the girls, who appeared impatient to
tell of her talents.
“Well, Jenny, your turn next.”
“Miss Martin, I kin take off anyone you wants me to! I does it for fun
at home an’ teacher says I’m the funniest girl she ever saw!”
“Jenny, suppose you impersonate Dinah, the cook?” said Miss
Martin.
Dinah was a true southerner and spoke with all the old-time darkey
accent. Jenny beamed at the simple trial given her, and cleared her
throat to begin.
“Oh yo’ Jenny! Come yeah, Ah say, chile! Doan yo’ heah yo’ Mammy
callin’ yo? Heah I’se waitin’ fo’ to carry yo’ ober Jordan an’ yo’ don’
heah me, nohow!”
Jenny’s manner and voice, to say nothing of the expression on her
face, was so exactly the counterpart of Dinah’s that everyone
screamed with enjoyment.
“Jenny, that is very clever! Can you imitate my ways as well?”
laughed Miss Martin, after the fun had subsided.
“Oh you’se is easy to do, but don’che git mad at me?” pleaded
Jenny.
“Of course not, child. It is all done in a spirit of fun.”
Then Jenny mimicked Miss Martin to such perfection that Uncle Ben,
who had quietly approached the group, clapped his hands and
laughed.
Examination went on merrily after Uncle Ben’s appearance, and
many talents were discovered in the number of Little Citizens who
applied that morning. And so diversified were the abilities signed up
for, that Miss Martin felt sure of succeeding not only with a theater
company but with a circus troupe as well.
“I have discovered an embryo Buffalo Bill among the boys, and he
will have charge of the lassoing and broncho busting,” said Miss
Martin looking at her lists.
“And Molly rides bareback. Several boys are pugilists and target
shooters. With practice they will be able to take the part of Indians
in fighting and shooting, then we can have the old scene of Buffalo
Bill’s stage-coach hold-up in the West.
“A dozen boys wish to form a string orchestra, and half of the boys
here are already interested in the Brass Band. With all the other
talent I have discovered, I should say we might give an excellent
circus—lacking only the wild animals and freaks.”
“If I agree to supply the freaks and wild animals will you promise to
produce a good circus troupe for a show?” asked Uncle Ben,
seriously, yet his eyes twinkled humorously.
Miss Martin looked steadfastly at him for a few moments before she
said: “Are you serious?”
“Certainly I am. Don’t you think the Little Citizens ought to give an
entertainment to all the friends who have worked so hard to make
this camp a success?”
“There is nothing they’d rather do, I’m sure, than to give a circus. It
will be the natural outlet of much pent up energy,” laughed Miss
Martin.
“Then let us have a circus, by all means. We’ll get Richards to make
an announcement of it to all the people who are interested in this
venture.”
So it was decided to experiment with the talent at camp, and see if
there would be anything to work on in giving a huge circus to which
all friends and acquaintances would be invited.