Aunt Amelia went to visit. She had been gone for two days, and both Ellen and Uncle Henry missed her very much.
It wasn’t a pleasant trip for Aunt Amelia. She had gone to see a sick friend and intended to go home as soon as her friend was better.
And it so happened that as soon as Aunt Amelia was out of the house even who should come, quite unexpectedly, for a short stay, from his Uncle Henry Mary Jane.
Ellen had never seen Aunt Mary Jane. And she was found by a tall, slender lady, her gray hair parted down over her ears, her black silk dress swaying crisply as she walked. Elaine also found that Aunt Mary Jane had a way of looking sharply at someone through her gleaming gold glasses. And though Eileen had promised Aunt Amelia that she would be as good as she could be, and she really tried to be, the sharper Aunt Mary Jane looked at her the more Eileen felt she had done something wrong.
It cannot be said that Aunt Mary Jane was a comfortable person to live with.
Caroline in the kitchen didn’t find it comfortable. Perhaps it was because Aunt Mary Jane told Caroline that she wasted sugar on her blackberry cake.
Uncle Henry did not find it comforting, although he did not say a word to Elaine about it. Aunt Mary Jane told Uncle Henry that he drank too many cups of coffee. And after being told this, Uncle Henry seemed so uncomfortable that Ellen was sure he must feel it too.
The Popovers could not find Aunt Mary Jane a comfort person. For Aunt Mary Jane looked so sharply already through her gleaming gold glasses at the Little Red Doll House and at the Popover family and then said aloud:
“I am amazed that Amelia has kept these childish toys for so many years.”
Of course the Popovers were not pleased. They were rationally looking at each other. Their feelings are very hurt.
And it was the morning of the fourth day that Aunt Amelia was away. Elaine woke up to the sound of rain on the roof. The sky was dark and low. A cold little wind sang around the chimney. As Elaine was putting on her shoes and stockings, there was a flash of lightning and thunder rumbled loudly overhead.
“Maybe she’ll show up at noon,” said Uncle Henry cheerfully at breakfast.
But Aunt Mary Jane shook her head.
“When there’s a thunderstorm in the morning, it’s likely to rain all day,” she said.
“I don’t mind the rain,” Elaine thought. “I’ll play with Popovers all day.”
But after breakfast, Aunt Mary Jane called Ellen to her room.
By now you should know that Ellen has beautiful yellow curly hair. It grew rather tall, almost to her shoulders, and Elaine was fond of standing in front of a mirror, brushing, combing and flicking her sunny locks.
Aunt Mary Jane watched Ellen do this, and shook her head once or twice as if she thought it was a wrong thing for a little girl to do.
This morning, when Eileen arrived at Aunt Mary Jane’s side, she was surprised to see two scissors in Aunt Mary Jane’s hands and still amazed to hear them say:
– I think your hair is too long, Elaine. I will cut it for you now.
At first Eileen was very surprised by the words. Then she grabbed her hair with both hands.
‘No no!’ she cried, trailing Aunt Mary Jane. “My mother likes my hair this way and so does my Aunt Amelia and so do I. You mustn’t touch my hair, Aunt Mary Jane. You mustn’t touch my hair at all.”
But Aunt Mary Jane didn’t seem to understand what Eileen said.
“Turn right, Elaine,” she said, in one of her most intense looks. It would be better if you didn’t have long hair. turn around once. :
And Eileen turned. But not to cut her hair, oh, no! She turned to run out of the room, away from Aunt Mary Jane, as fast as she could run, down the hall, past her bedroom, and into the playroom, where she flung herself on the floor beside Little. Red Doll House and cried as hard as you could.
Why, you might have thought of hearing Elaine cry that she had cut off all her hair, near her head. And in fact, nothing ever happened to Elaine.
It’s hard to say why Elaine behaved this way. Maybe that day was windy. Thunder and lightning in the early morning can be somewhat disturbing. Perhaps it was the sight of the scissors in Aunt Mary Jane’s hands and the sharp way she looked at Ellen through her gleaming gold glasses. And there is no doubt that Eileen missed Aunt Amelia, too.
However, Elaine was lying there crying on the floor next to the little red dollhouse.
The Popovers looked out the window and wondered what could be the matter with their friend.
Caroline slowly worked up from downstairs to see what had made Elaine cry.
But into the playroom came Aunt Mary Jane, walking briskly and rustling in her silk skirts.
Elaine said, “Stop crying at this moment, and get back on your feet.”
But Eileen did not stop crying and did not get to her feet. She covered her head with her hands and screamed louder than before. She even kicked Aunt Mary Jane’s feet until Aunt Mary Jane was forced to gracefully step aside. She cried and screamed and kicked until the Popovers were completely unhinged, and Caroline listened to the stairs below, turning red in the face and closing her hands tightly.
But for now, Aunt Mary Jane bent down and raised Ellen to her feet.
“A naughty girl like you is better off in bed,” she said.
And sure enough, Eileen went to bed.
She lay there, crying and crying and clutching her hair tightly. The thunderstorm broke out again. It lit up, thundered, and darkened. It rained in torrents. And for Elaine, it didn’t look like Aunt Amelia’s home at all.
At the Little Red Doll House, the Popovers have been talking about it.
“It is Aunt Mary Jane’s fault,” said Mr. Popover, who was fond of Ellen. She never acted that way until Aunt Mary Jane came.
“Of course the little girl who kicks and screams should be put to bed,” said Mrs. Popover, looking at Velvetina, “but I wish Aunt Amelia and Aunt Mary Jane would come home.”
“Perhaps we can drive her away,” suggested Mr. Popover, who had big ideas.
‘I know. Let the peanuts do it, Velvetina spoke. Ladies are often afraid of mice. Let Peanut tease her until she wants to go home.
“The same,” said Mr. and Mrs. Popover.
Presently, when Peanut came, he was told all that had happened and what he was going to do.
In less than the blink of an eye, he was in Aunt Mary Jane’s room where she sat as she tried to calm her nerves after Elaine’s naughty outburst.
Back and forth, Aunt Mary Jane rocked back and forth.
“I’m never afraid to do right,” thought Aunt Mary Jane, “and Eileen’s hair would certainly look much better if it were short.”
squeak! To Aunt Mary Jane’s horror a little mouse ran across her foot.
Aunt Mary Jane gave a gentle shriek and gathered her skirts about her. There was one thing in the world Aunt Mary Jane was afraid of, and that was a mouse.
“It can’t be like that,” said Aunt Mary Jane, looking down at the ground and seeing nothing there. Amelia did not allow mice in her house. I must imagine that.
Back and forth, Aunt Mary Jane rocked back and forth.
But this time she knew she hadn’t imagined it. Even the skirt of her dress ran a bit of mouse gray. He went over her lap, flicking her fingers with his long, thin tail. whisk! And the little gray mouse ran under the desk from which came a scratch, scratch, scratch that made Aunt Mary Jane grow cold with fear.
I’ll be home at once, said Aunt Mary Jane. “I won’t say why, but I will go home right away.”
So Aunt Mary Jane packed her bag and put on her hood. and Caroline, told by Aunt Mary Jane she was going home, carried an early lunch tray to her room.
Madam, I believe, said Caroline Ellen.
So Aunt Mary Jane went away, without waking Eileen to say goodbye and not even peeking at her shaggy yellow cape.
and her cab quickly turned around, till she came to the door driven by Aunt Amelia, who was glad to be home again, but was surprised to see little red-faced Eileen, with crumbling locks and sleepy eyes, running downstairs to meet her in her nightgown in such the hour of the day.
“are you sick?’ asked Aunt Amelia, feeling Eileen’s forehead. “Have I got the measles? Why is your face red?”
But Ellen and Caroline told all about Aunt Mary Jane and her visit, and Aunt Amelia understood what it was like, because she had known Aunt Mary Jane for many years.
– I’m sorry you yelled and kicked Aunt Mary Jane. said Aunt Amelia. This was wrong. But we certainly won’t cut your hair until your mom asks.
“I will look like a boy.” Elaine said, shaking her locks until they flew. “No one knows me.”
But Eileen soon had other things to think about. First of all, she had to dress again. Then she goes downstairs to call Caroline, who tells her there will be blackberry cake for dinner, with lots of sugar too.
And when it was cleared, as Uncle Henry said, with bright sunshine and blue skies and Aunt Amelia home again, Eileen began to feel happy again and to forget that very strange day.
She never knew what the Popovers had done to her. But the Popovers didn’t care, they were so happy that Aunt Mary Jane had come home.
Previous chapter or continues…