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!”
“Ah,” said papa, “I am delighted he is so satisfactory.”
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