Little Fanny Desmond was a dear child, and, like a good many
other little children, she liked to do whatever she saw the grown
people do.
She would listen with great interest when she saw her mother use
the telephone. She was especially surprised when her mother
ordered things, and later in the day they would be brought to the
house.
"I wish I had a telephone of my own," she said to her papa. "Mama
just puts her mouth up to that funny thing, and gets whatever she
asks for. Yesterday she asked somebody to send us ice-cream for
dinner, and sure enough, it came."
Papa laughed. "It does seem a very convenient thing," he said. "I
will try to arrange one for you." So papa took a horn which had
been put away in a closet and hung it up where Fanny could talk
into it. "There, that shall be your own private telephone," he
said.
"Now, shall I get whatever I ask for?" said Fanny.
"Not if you ask for impossible things," replied her papa.
"But what are impossible things?" asked Fanny.
"Well," laughed papa, "I think if you should ask for the moon you
would not get it."
"But I don't want the moon," said Fanny.
"Ask for something before I go down-town," said papa.
Fanny thought a moment, and then spoke up quite distinctly:
"Please send me some peppermints, and some new shoes for my doll,
and a bunch of pansies for my mama, and a new bicycle for my
papa, and--and--that's all this time. Good-bye."
"That's a very good order," said her papa, "but kiss me good-bye,
for I must be off."
About half an hour later the front door-bell rang. Very soon the
maid appeared with a package directed to Miss Fanny Desmond. In
great excitement, Fanny opened it. It was a box of peppermints.
The child's delight was great, but when, in another half hour,
there came a bundle which proved to be a new pair of shoes for
her doll, she was too happy for words. But that surprise was
hardly over when another package was brought her. She opened it
in great excitement, and behold there was a bunch of beautiful
pansies.
"They are for you, mama," she cried, "and now everything has come
but papa's new bicycle."
Just then she looked out of the window, and there was her papa
coming up the drive on a fine new wheel. She rushed down to meet
him, exclaiming, as she threw herself into his arms:
"Oh, papa, papa, I did get everything; my telephone is beautiful,
and the man at the other end is just lovely!"