{"product_id":"2940013500440","title":"Under the Lilacs","description":"Contents\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e     I.  A MYSTERIOUS DOG\u003cbr\u003e    II.  WHERE THEY FOUND HIS MASTER\u003cbr\u003e   III.  BEN\u003cbr\u003e    IV.  HIS STORY\u003cbr\u003e     V.  BEN GETS A PLACE\u003cbr\u003e    VI.  A CIRCULATING LIBRARY\u003cbr\u003e   VII.  NEW FRIENDS TROT IN\u003cbr\u003e  VIII.  MISS CELIA'S MAN\u003cbr\u003e    IX.  A HAPPY TEA\u003cbr\u003e     X.  A HEAVY TROUBLE\u003cbr\u003e    XI.  SUNDAY\u003cbr\u003e   XII.  GOOD TIMES\u003cbr\u003e  XIII.  SOMEBODY RUNS AWAY\u003cbr\u003e   XIV.  SOMEBODY GETS LOST\u003cbr\u003e    XV.  BEN'S RIDE\u003cbr\u003e   XVI.  DETECTIVE THORNTON\u003cbr\u003e  XVII.  BETTY'S BRAVERY\u003cbr\u003e XVIII.  BOWS AND ARROWS\u003cbr\u003e   XIX.  SPEAKING PIECES\u003cbr\u003e    XX.  BEN'S BIRTHDAY\u003cbr\u003e   XXI.  CUPID'S LAST APPEARANCE\u003cbr\u003e  XXII.  A BOY'S BARGAIN\u003cbr\u003e XXIII.  SOMEBODY COMES\u003cbr\u003e  XXIV.  THE GREAT GATE IS OPENED\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eUNDER THE LILACS\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCHAPTER I\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA MYSTERIOUS DOG\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe elm-tree avenue was all overgrown, the great gate was never\u003cbr\u003eunlocked, and the old house had been shut up for several years.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYet voices were heard about the place, the lilacs nodded over the high\u003cbr\u003ewall as if they said, \"We could tell fine secrets if we chose,\" and the\u003cbr\u003emullein outside the gate made haste to reach the keyhole, that it might\u003cbr\u003epeep in and see what was going on. If it had suddenly grown up like a\u003cbr\u003emagic bean-stalk, and looked in on a certain June day, it would have\u003cbr\u003eseen a droll but pleasant sight, for somebody evidently was going to\u003cbr\u003ehave a party.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eFrom the gate to the porch went a wide walk, paved with smooth slabs of\u003cbr\u003edark stone, and bordered with the tall bushes which met overhead, making\u003cbr\u003ea green roof. All sorts of neglected flowers and wild weeds grew between\u003cbr\u003etheir stems, covering the walls of this summer parlor with the prettiest\u003cbr\u003etapestry. A board, propped on two blocks of wood, stood in the middle of\u003cbr\u003ethe walk, covered with a little plaid shawl much the worse for wear, and\u003cbr\u003eon it a miniature tea-service was set forth with great elegance. To be\u003cbr\u003esure, the tea-pot had lost its spout, the cream-jug its handle, the\u003cbr\u003esugar-bowl its cover, and the cups and plates were all more or less\u003cbr\u003ecracked or nicked; but polite persons would not take notice of these\u003cbr\u003etrifling deficiencies, and none but polite persons were invited to this\u003cbr\u003eparty.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eOn either side of the porch was a seat, and here a somewhat remarkable\u003cbr\u003esight would have been revealed to any inquisitive eye peering through\u003cbr\u003ethe aforesaid keyhole. Upon the left-hand seat lay seven dolls, upon the\u003cbr\u003eright-hand seat lay six; and so varied were the expressions of their\u003cbr\u003ecountenances, owing to fractures, dirt, age, and other afflictions, that\u003cbr\u003eone would very naturally have thought this a doll's hospital, and these\u003cbr\u003ethe patients waiting for their tea.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThis, however, would have been a sad mistake; for if the wind had lifted\u003cbr\u003ethe coverings laid over them, it would have disclosed the fact that all\u003cbr\u003ewere in full dress, and merely reposing before the feast should begin.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThere was another interesting feature of the scene which would have\u003cbr\u003epuzzled any but those well acquainted with the manners and customs of\u003cbr\u003edolls. A fourteenth rag baby, with a china head, hung by her neck from\u003cbr\u003ethe rusty knocker in the middle of the door. A sprig of white and one of\u003cbr\u003epurple lilac nodded over her, a dress of yellow calico, richly trimmed\u003cbr\u003ewith red-flannel scallops, shrouded her slender form, a garland of small\u003cbr\u003eflowers crowned her glossy curls, and a pair of blue boots touched toes\u003cbr\u003ein the friendliest, if not the most graceful, manner. An emotion of\u003cbr\u003egrief, as well as of surprise, might well have thrilled any youthful\u003cbr\u003ebreast at such a spectacle; for why, oh! why, was this resplendent dolly\u003cbr\u003ehung up there to be stared at by thirteen of her kindred? Was she a\u003cbr\u003ecriminal, the sight of whose execution threw them flat upon their backs\u003cbr\u003ein speechless horror? Or was she an idol, to be adored in that humble\u003cbr\u003eposture? Neither, my friends. She was blonde Belinda, set, or rather\u003cbr\u003ehung, aloft, in the place of honor, for this was her seventh birthday,\u003cbr\u003eand a superb ball was about to celebrate the great event. All were\u003cbr\u003eevidently awaiting a summons to the festive board; but such was the\u003cbr\u003eperfect breeding of these dolls, that not a single eye out of the whole\u003cbr\u003etwenty-seven (Dutch Hans had lost one of the black beads from his\u003cbr\u003eworsted countenance) turned for a moment toward the table, or so much as\u003cbr\u003ewinked, as they lay in decorous rows, gazing with mute admiration at\u003cbr\u003eBelinda. She, unable to repress the joy and pride which swelled her\u003cbr\u003esawdust bosom till the seams gaped, gave an occasional bounce as the\u003cbr\u003ewind waved her yellow skirts, or made the blue boots dance a sort of jig\u003cbr\u003eupon the door.","brand":"SAP","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47079507886320,"sku":"2940013500440","price":0.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/2940013500440_p0.jpg?v=1763582088","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/2940013500440","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}