SUSANNA'S
AUCTION
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THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
HEW york • boston • chicago ■ dAULAS
atlanta • s117 francisco
MACMILLAN & CO., Limited
london • bombay • calcutta
melbourne
THE MACMILLAN CO. OP CANADA, LID.
TORONTO
Susanna and Josephine
SUSANNA'S AUCTION
FROM THE FRENCH
With Illustrations by
MB. DE MONVEL
And a preface by
The New York Children's Book Shop
J&eto |9ot:&
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
1928
COPYRIGHT, 1928,
Bt the macmillan company
Set up and electrotyped.
Published August, 1925.
Reprinted December, 1923;
January, July, November,
1924; September, 1923; May,
December, 1926; October,
1927; May,1928.
Printed in the United Stales of America by
THB FSBBIS PRINTING COMPANY, NSW YOBS
PREFACE
Book lovers are daily going
to bookshops everywhere asking
for some book long out of print,
which was valued in its day, but
which is now almost forgotten.
In The Children's Bookshop such
requests are, for the most part,
remnants of childhood associa-
tions. They come from parents,
aunts, uncles and grandparents,
each in search of the stories which
vii
Preface
made vivid impressions on them
as children and still live in their
memory. It is always a gratify-
ing moment when we are able
to find a volume so cherished
and place it again in the hands
of the person seeking it.
"Can you find for me a copy of
'Susanna's Auction'?", inquired
a lady one November afternoon
as she entered the bookshop. ''It
is a story I read as a child and
I want so much to rediscover it.
The title was wholly unknown to
me and I was about to write it
viii
Preface
down when my assistant, Miss
Mary Miller Simpson, said with
eagerness that she knew the book
as a child and loved it and still
owned it, often rereading it as did
her little niece who always asked
for Susanna when she visited her
aunt's house. Then followed
an enthusiastic discussion of
Susanna between Miss Simpson
and our visitor.
It so chanced that during the
winter Miss Simpson had occa-
sion to return to her home in
Louisville, Kentucky, and
ix
Preface
brought "Susanna's Auction
back to New York with her. I
read Susanna's entire experi-
ences, so quaintly written and
illustrated, from beginning to
end with amused enjoyment. The
illustrations at once excited Miss
Simpson's and my attention.
Our curiosity and interest was
aroused by the similarity to the
work of Boutet de Monvel. The
little plaid skirt and black jacket,
so familiar among the groups
seen in "Nos Fils at Garcons,
was Susanna's exact costume,
x
Preface
We searched the illustrations for
some clue of their identity, and
not in vain, for the fifth picture
disclosed the undeniable initials,
BdeM, of Boutet de Monvel.
Miss Simpson at once decided to
have the story reprinted. The
Macmillan Company promptly
accepted the opportunity to re-
publish it and so the little volume
comes to you.
Thanks are, indeed, due to
Miss Simpson who cherished her
loved story-book through child-
hood, and from her childhood
xi
Preface
brought it again to the children
of to-day.
Marian Gutter.
The New York Children's Bookshop.
• •
xn
CONTENTS
page
Preface vii
Susanna 3
Papa Appears 13
They Make Ready for the Auction .... 27
The Auction Begins 39
The Sale Continues 51
Susanna Yields 65
xrn
ILLUSTRATIONS
pagb
Susanna and Josephine Frontispiece
Susanna Tips the Vase 7
Susanna is not Sorry 15
The Precious Purse 19
Susanna Kisses the Purse 23
The Money 29
With Hands Behind Her 33
The Auction 41
Susanna is Indifferent 57
Susanna is Sullen 61
Pardon Papa! Pardon Mamma! 69
Josephine in Her Bedroom 73
XV
SUSANNA
SUSANNA
^^JUSANNA is no longer a
^ little girl. She is now
three years old.
That is not so very old, but
even at that age a girl may be
headstrong and like to have her
own way in everything.
And such is the case with
Susanna. When she has made
up her mind to do a thing she
is not willing to give it up. She
wishes to do just as she pleases.
Susanna is very, very obstinate.
3
Susanna's Auction
And Susanna has another
fault. She will climb up on the
furniture. Nobody can tell how
many times she has fallen and
pulled over the table and chair
upon which she was climbing,
and broken things.
And this very story is written
to tell you the sad things that
happened to Susanna through
these two faults of hers—her
obstinacy and her love of climb-
ing.
One day when she and her
mamma were in the parlor to-
4
Susanna's Auction
gether Susanna climbed upon a
seat, as usual.
Now if she had been content
to sit down upon the seat like
a well-behaved little girl and look
over the picture-book which lay
on the table beside her, nobody
would have said a word.
But Susanna never looks at
a picture-book long at a time,
no matter how pretty the pic-
tures are. So she soon shut it
up and pushed it one side.
Then she got up on her knees
upon the seat and began to
5
Susanna's Auction
tip a vase of flowers that stood
upon the table first over one
side and then the other with
both hands.
"Take care, Susanna! said her
mother. "You will break the
vase.
But Susanna kept right on
tipping the vase and smelling
the flowers, without minding at
all what her mother said.
"Susanna, do you not hear
me? said her mother, speaking
again. "I tell you you will break
the vase.
6
Susanna Tips the Vase
Susanna's Auction
Then Susanna, without turn-
ing her head, or even looking kt
her mother, replied:
"If I break it J can pay for it.
9
PAPA APPEARS
PAPA APPEARS
IF I break it I can pay for
it! That was the rude
and saucy thing that Susanna
said; and just at that moment
the door opened and in walked
papa!
There stood Susanna looking
sullenly down at the broken vase.
"What is the matter? he
asked. "Has Susanna been
naughty? Has my little daugh-
ter been disobedient?
But Susanna did not answer.
13
Susanna's Auction
She shut her lips tightly, and
did not lift her eyes. So mamma
had to tell the story.
Papa listened. When mamma
had finished he spoke, and his
voice sounded very harsh and
cold, not a bit like the gentle
tones in which he usually spoke
to his little daughter.
"Very well, he said, "it is all
very simple; Susanna said if she
broke the vase she could pay for
it. She has broken it, and now
let her pay for it.
"Unless, he added, "she is
14
Susanna's Auction
really sorry for her disobedience,
and will ask pardon, and will
try to do better in the future.
He stopped and looked at
Susanna. But she only shut her
lips together tightly, and it was
plain that she was not one bit
sorry, and that she did not mean
to speak.
Then mamma came up, oh,
the poor mamma! who was
grieved to see her little daughter
so naughty, and so unhappy—
for we all know we are never
happy when we are naughty.
17
Susanna's Auction
"Come, Susanna, she said
gently. "Ask pardon of papa
and mamma.
But Susanna was mute.
"Will you not ask pardon?
she said.
Not a word from Susanna.
"Ah, very well, said papa.
"It seems that Susanna prefers
to pay for the vase. Then let
her go for her money.
Now Susanna kept her money
in a pretty little velvet purse that
her Uncle Felix had given her
on her very last birthday. And
18
The Precious Purse
Susanna's Auction
in this purse was a gold piece
and some silver coins, all bright
and new. She was fond of the
purse and the money, too. And
when papa said "Let her fetch
the money, she could have cried
right out loud had she not been
so "stuffy.
But though she kept her lips
pressed tightly together, when
she went to get it, she could not
help hugging it and talking to it
and kissing it all the way back.
But there was something worse
than that loss in store for her.
21
Susanna Kisses the Purse
THEY MAKE READY FOR THE
AUCTION
THEY MAKE READY FOR
THE AUCTION
^^UJSANNA came back,
opened the purse, took out
the gold piece and the silver coins,
and handed them to mamma—
in all, two dollars and fifty cents.
"But, said papa, "the vase
cost much more than that. That
vase is not worth less than
twenty dollars! Did you know
that, Susanna?
Susanna did not answer.
27
Susanna's Auction
"My dear, said papa gravely,
turning to mamma, "what do
you think about it all?
"I think that Susanna is sorry
for what she has done, and that
she is gill ready to say so, and to
go to papa and kiss him. Is it
not so, Susanna?
Susanna dropped her head.
"Come, my little daughter,
said mamma, "be a good girl;
give me your hand, and we will
go and ask pardon of papa.
Susanna put both her hands
behind her back.
28
The Money
Susanna9s Auction
"Susanna! said mamma.
"Let her alone, my dear, said
papa. "Since she is determined
not to ask pardon, and her two
dollars and a half is not enough
to pay for the vase, we must sell
what things belong to her. Let
us see! What has she got?
"There are her gowns, her
pretty hat, her"—Mamma was
going to say more, but papa
interrupted her.
"I beg your pardon, he said,
"but a little girl's clothes belong
to her parents. They only pro-
31
Susanna's Auction
vide them for her so that she will
not have to go without.
Here Susanna made up a face.
But papa went on.
"She has really nothing of her
own except her toys and her dolls.
We must sell those. We will sell
them at auction, he added.
"But where? asked mamma.
"Right here, to-morrow, said
papa. "We will invite all the
cousins, boys and girls, to come
and pass to-morrow afternoon
with us. Then we shall have
plenty of buyers.
32
Susanna's Auction
The next day at two o'clock
they arrived—all the boy and
girl cousins, and all the uncles
and aunts. There were a great
many, for the family was a large
one. Some little friends were also
invited. The parlor where the
auction was to be held was
crowded. All the heavy pieces
of furniture were taken out, and
five rows of chairs were set for the
children. The elder people stood
behind them, and in the dining-
room.
And Susanna? What did she
35
Susanna's Auction
say to all this preparation? Not
a word! She remained sullen.
Once during the night mamma
thought she heard a stifled sob
or two from the little bed which
stood near her own; and she asked
Susanna if she were crying.
"No, mamma, said Susanna,
"I am wiping my nose.
There was nothing then but
to go on with the auction. And
this was done.
36
THE AUCTION BEGINS
THE AUCTION BEGINS
ALL Susanna's dolls and toys
were brought out and ar-
ranged upon the table, and the
auction began.
Uncle George was the auc-
tioneer. Now Uncle George is
usually the j oiliest of uncles. He
knows how to play all sorts of
games and can tell the most
delightful stories. But on this
occasion he was grave. He did
not even smile. He walked slowly
up the steps and in behind the
table. He had a small ivory
39
Susanna's Auction
hammer in his hand. He looked
around upon the boys and girls
with a sad and gloomy air.
Uncle Julius, who has a loud
voice, took his place beside Uncle
George to help him. "Gentle-
men, he said—an auctioneer
never addresses the ladies—
"gentlemen, we will open the sale
with this doll. It is dressed and
has joints; its hair is frizzed and
it has a china head and blue
enamel eyes. Pass it on, please,
and he handed it down to the
buyers to examine. There was
40
The Auction
Susanna's Auction
a murmur of delight among the
girls as they passed it from one
to another.
4 'Oh! what a sweet china head,''
whispered Mamie to Helen.
"What am I offered for it?
asked Uncle Julius.
No one answered.
"Such dolls are certainly worth
five cents, said Uncle George.
There was a stir among the
buyers.
"Why don't you bid? asked
Andrew of his little sister Marie.
"Call out three cents.
43
Susanna's Auction
"Three cents! said little
Marie.
"I beg your pardon! inter-
rupted Uncle George. "But this
is a real sale. I must warn you
that I can have no joking. I
said that such dolls were worth
five cents. At auctions all articles
bring more than in the shops.
The only way to do is to make a
higher bid—say six cents, seven
cents, eight cents.
"Eight cents! shouted Eliza
very loud.
"That's right, said Uncle
44
Susanna's Auction
George. "I see that you under-
stand, Eliza. Go on!
"Ten cents! shouted Helen,
making a bid for Marie.
Eliza stood up, trembling with
eagerness, and cried "Eleven
cents!
Helen, too, sprang up from her
chair, and the struggle began.
"Twelve cents! "Thirteen
cents! "Fourteen! "Fifteen!
Then there was a dead silence.
Eliza sat down; she had to give
up. She had got to the end of
her money.
45
Susanna's Auction
"Sixteen cents! I am offered
sixteen cents for this fine china-
headed doll. Shall I not have
another bid? Shall I not have
seventeen cents? asked Uncle
George.
He waited an instant, but no
one spoke. Then he brought his
ivory hammer down upon the
table. ' 'The doll belongs to Miss
Helen, that is—I believe—to the
little Marie, he said. And it
was handed to Marie.
After that the rest of the dolls
were sold, and then came toys
46
Susanna's Auction
of all kinds. For Susanna had
had many presents from her
uncles and aunts as well as from
the friends of her papa and
mamma. And those kind friends
had never suspected that some
day their gifts would have to be
sold at public auction, just on
account of Susanna's obstinacy.
47
THE SALE CONTINUES
THE SALE CONTINUES
TT would take too much
space to tell how toy after
toy was sold, in order that
Susanna's possessions might pay
for the broken vase.
But some things must not be
passed by.
You remember the struggle
between Eliza and little Maria
over the fine doll with a china
head and blue enamel eyes?
Before the sale of the dolls was
over they had another.
51
Susanna1s Auction
This time it was a sleeping doll
that they both wanted, that is,
a doll that shuts its eyes and
goes to sleep when laid in the bed.
But Maria outbid Eliza a second
time and the sleeping doll was
knocked off to her.
But when it was handed to her
by Uncle Julius she found that
it would not go to sleep. It was
out of order, and it lay flat with
its eyes wide open. Then Maria,
being a small girl only three years
old, began to cry.
Eugene was also very young,
52
Susanna's Auction
and when he saw his dear little
cousin crying he, too, began to
cry out of sympathy. And the
two made such a disturbance the
auction had to stop till Maria
was comforted.
When the animals were put
up for sale the boys began to bid,
and soon a battle was raging
between Andrew and Leopold
over an elephant with big ears.
They bid very fast, one over the
other, and the elephant seemed
likely to be sold at a high price,
when Leopold suddenly thought
53
Susannas Auction
to remark that his left ear was
torn. He said this so loud that
Andrew heard him. He was
going to outbid Leopold, but
when he heard him say that, he
stopped an instant to examine
the elephant. While he was look-
ing, Uncle Julius, hearing no one
bid, knocked it off to the crafty
Leopold.
Mention must be made, too,
of a lovely sheep, which had real
wool. It wore a blue ribbon
around its neck, and went on
wheels and could bleat. There
54
Susanna's Auction
was much lively bidding for this,
and great excitement, as Uncle
Julius caused it to bleat after
every bid, and Leopold paid the
last cent in his purse to secure it.
There was a cow which had a
great success and brought a good
price. She gave milk and could
bellow. A general scrimmage
took place over this cow, for
everybody wanted her. She was
finally knocked off to Helen
for forty cents. Leopold, who
had farming tastes, was quite
wretched because he could not
55
Susanna's Auction
even bid upon her, and resolved to
make a private trade with Helen,
and exchange his elephant for her.
"But where was Susanna dur-
ing all this time? 4'How did she
appear while her auction was
going on? 4'Was she sorry to
see her dolls and cows and sheep
and elephants sold? "Did she
not run to papa and ask pardon
and beg him to stop it? I hear
these questions from the readers.
Alas, no!
She looked on, at first, with an
air of indifference.
56
S'iftanna is Indifferent
Susanna's Auction
She did not seem to care even
when Uncle Julius milked her cow
to show that it really did give
milk. During the battle between
Andrew and Leopold over the
big-eared elephant, she showed
no interest. Soon after that she
became sullen and put her chin
down into her collar and set the
toe of one boot over the other
and was "the very picture of
obstinacy.
But the story is not yet fin-
ished.
59
Susanna is Sullen
SUSANNA YIELDS
SUSANNA YIELDS
TjWERYTHING was sold.
^ Uncle Eugene had just
bought the last—a whole lot of
toys for three cents, to give to the
poor children in that part of the
city—when Susanna's nurse dis-
covered another doll tucked away
in a corner of the closet where
Susanna's playthings were kept.
She brought her out and gave
her to Uncle Julius.
It must be owned that she was
65
Susanna's Auction
a very shabby doll. She had,
however, seen better days. She
had been given to Susanna by her
friend Joseph. And Susanna had
been so much pleased with her—
for she was then a beautiful
creature—that she had named
her Josephine as a compliment
to the giver.
But of late Susanna had been
so taken up with her other chil-
dren that she had allowed poor
Josephine to be knocked about,
until she had lost first an arm,
then a leg, then an eye, and at
66
Susanna's Auction
last more than half her hair. Yes,
she was a very shabby child—
a poor useless invalid. But,
shabby as she was, she must be
sold with the rest of the family.
Uncle Julius held her up that
all might see her, and said, "We
will now sell a sick doll, which"—
But his sentence was never
finished. Susanna, struck with
shame and sorrow at the thought
of having her sick child sold,
threw herself upon Uncle Julius
and tried to seize hold of
Josephine, crying out: "No! no!
67
Susanna7s Auction
it is Josephine! I can't have
Josephine sold!
Then came a great flood of
tears. As her papa and mamma
hastened to her, she cried
again: "Pardon, papa! Pardon,
mamma! It is Josephine! I can't
have Josephine sold. Pardon!
pardon!
The auctioneer arose from his
chair with dignity. "Do you
ask pardon, Miss? he said.
"Yes. I want Josephine,'' was
the answer.
"That is sufficient, said Uncle
68
Pardon, Papa! Pardon, Mammai
Susanna's Auction
George. "The auction is over.
Uncle Julius, return Josephine
to her mother.
Uncle Julius did so, and Susan-
na hugged her and covered her
with kisses. And at the same
time her papa and mamma kissed
Susanna, who promised to be a
good child in the future.
"And so I suppose they gave
back to her all her playthings,
somebody says. By no means.
You forget that Uncle George
said the sale was a real one. So,
of course, the things were really
71
Susanna's Auction
sold, and could not be taken
back.
But to keep Susanna in mind
of her promise to be a good child,
her papa and mamma bought a
set of bedroom furniture for
Josephine. Still, although her
little mother now loves her dearly,
and with constancy, Josephine
can never regain the leg and arm
and eye which she has lost. But
Susanna tells her that if she is
obedient her hair will grow again.
72
Josephine in Her Bedroom