CHAPTER I A MYSTERIOUS DOG

Theelm-treeavenuewasallovergrown,thegreatgatewasneverunlocked,andtheoldhousehadbeenshutupforseveralyears. Yetvoiceswereheardabouttheplace,thelilacsnoddedoverthehighwallasiftheysaid,"Wecouldtellfinesecretsifwechose,"andthemulleinoutsidethegatemadehastetoreachthekeyhole,thatitmightpeepinandseewhatwasgoingon.Ifithadsuddenlygrownuplikeamagicbean-stalk,andlookedinonacertainJuneday,itwouldhaveseenadrollbutpleasantsight,forsomebodyevidentlywasgoingtohaveaparty. Fromthegatetotheporchwentawidewalk,pavedwithsmoothslabsofdarkstone,andborderedwiththetallbusheswhichmetoverhead,makingagreenroof.Allsortsofneglectedflowersandwildweedsgrewbetweentheirstems,coveringthewallsofthissummerparlorwiththeprettiesttapestry.Aboard,proppedontwoblocksofwood,stoodinthemiddleofthewalk,coveredwithalittleplaidshawlmuchtheworseforwear,andonitaminiaturetea-servicewassetforthwithgreatelegance.Tobesure,thetea-pothadlostitsspout,thecream-jugitshandle,thesugar-bowlitscover,andthecupsandplateswereallmoreorlesscrackedornickedbutpolitepersonswouldnottakenoticeofthesetriflingdeficiencies,andnonebutpolitepersonswereinvitedtothisparty. Oneithersideoftheporchwasaseat,andhereasomewhatremarkablesightwouldhavebeenrevealedtoanyinquisitiveeyepeeringthroughtheaforesaidkeyhole.Upontheleft-handseatlaysevendolls,upontheright-handseatlaysixandsovariedweretheexpressionsoftheircountenances,owingtofractures,dirt,age,andotherafflictions,thatonewouldverynaturallyhavethoughtthisadoll'shospital,andthesethepatientswaitingfortheirtea. This,however,wouldhavebeenasadmistakeforifthewindhadliftedthecoveringslaidoverthem,itwouldhavedisclosedthefactthatallwereinfulldress,andmerelyreposingbeforethefeastshouldbegin. Therewasanotherinterestingfeatureofthescenewhichwouldhavepuzzledanybutthosewellacquaintedwiththemannersandcustomsofdolls.Afourteenthragbaby,withachinahead,hungbyherneckfromtherustyknockerinthemiddleofthedoor.Asprigofwhiteandoneofpurplelilacnoddedoverher,adressofyellowcalico,richlytrimmedwithred-flannelscallops,shroudedherslenderform,agarlandofsmallflowerscrownedherglossycurls,andapairofbluebootstouchedtoesinthefriendliest,ifnotthemostgraceful,manner.Anemotionofgrief,aswellasofsurprise,mightwellhavethrilledanyyouthfulbreastatsuchaspectacleforwhy,oh!why,wasthisresplendentdollyhunguptheretobestaredatbythirteenofherkindred?Wassheacriminal,thesightofwhoseexecutionthrewthemflatupontheirbacksinspeechlesshorror?Orwassheanidol,tobeadoredinthathumbleposture?Neither,myfriends.ShewasblondeBelinda,set,orratherhung,aloft,intheplaceofhonor,forthiswasherseventhbirthday,andasuperbballwasabouttocelebratethegreateven