This is a club for lady authoresses to honour God ,share their writings,and encourage each other in writing. If you would like to join, just p.m. or leave a comment. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/ en-us Homeschool Blogger Wed, 2 Dec 2009 19:43:00 -0600 Wed, 2 Dec 2009 19:43:00 -0600           Chloe was brimming with curiousity about what would happen next. She looked at the old man in confusion.       He croaked, “Wheech geeft looks good to you? Which appeals?”       She sat staring at the three presents which lay on the bed. This whole ordeal was indeed perplexing. However, she needed to obey her instructions, so she tried to decide. Perhaps the eggs would be a good choice. After all, they did look tasty and fresh. On top of that, the giver of that present had been generally agreeable, despite his repeating himself. She then considered the blanket, but she didn’t take long pondering that. It did not seem like a decent gift at all, and Chloe simply could not stand the ‘little orphan gell’ who gave it. Then there was the sprig of blossoms. They had a certain air of mystery about them for some reason. Maybe it was because the maiden had tried to be secretive about it.       “Having a hard time deciding?”       Chloe said, “Yes, sir.”       “Perhaps eet would help you decide better eef you knew that each of the geefts were... magical. Yes, each one ees. But, ha! I shall not say how they are magical oonteel you choose. So there!”       Chloe couldn’t help herself from staring at the blossoms. Every time she took her eyes away from them, they strayed back.       “Well,” she breathed, “I suppose I will have the flowers.”       The maiden gasped in delight. She looked even comlier now than before.       Chloe was filled with excitement. “What is magic about it, mister?” she cried.       “Feerst I must say, you made a very good choice. Once the clock strikes meednight, the blossoms wheel begin to grow eento an apple, they wheel. By the morning when you wake, eet should be full-grown. And then what? Take a bite of the apple, and then you shall becoam as beautifool as the maiden who gave eet to you.”       The maid blushed and looked down.       “Goodness gracious! really?”       Chloe woke up with a jerk. She looked around the room, and it was morning. All the beds were in place, and David and Clara were still asleep. “What a queer dream!” she said to herself. She felt something hard and smooth resting in her hand. Pulling off the covers, Chloe realized it was an Apple. She felt like her heart stopped for a moment. She could hardly breathe; she was so shocked. The Apple was very red and very shiny. And the red was a deep, rich color. On the stem was a fresh, green leaf, like the Apple had been just picked. But it had been just picked, or something quite like. Chloe looked at the clock. It was 7:30. The magical Blossom had started growing at midnight, so now it had finally grown into this beautiful Apple.       At first, she wanted to take a bite and become as beautiful as the maiden, but then she snapped at herself, “Don’t you dare go ahead taking a bite of a strange apple, Chloe! You don’t want to end up like Snow White, do you?” “You’re right, Chloe, I should listen to you more often. But the maid didn’t seem evil. She seemed kind. And the old man wouldn’t have lied about what the Apple would do.” “Would he?” “Oh, I don’t know! Maybe I shouldn’t listen to you more often.”       Then Chloe wondered how any apple could find its way from a dream into real life. “That’s impossible! But it is a magical Apple, and magic can find the way, can’t it?” She sat staring at the almost-glowing fruit that lay in her palm. It was the most perfect apple she had ever seen. It looked like it would taste juicy sweet. And this Apple could make her divinely beautiful! “Then Mary Alice couldn’t go round bragging about how she’s the prettiest girl in school, now could she? That ought to hurt her pride. Oh, dear, now I’m being prideful, and ‘pride cometh before destruction.’”          She needed to decide what to do quickly. If her brother and sister saw the Apple, they would want to know what it was for and where it came from. Then they might want to have a taste. If it was a poison Apple, she didn’t want to poison David and Clara. Chloe either had to eat it now, or hide it somewhere where they could not find. Perhaps the top drawer of her dresser, where she also hid her journal? That would do fine. Or inside a box under her bed. They would never look there. Or behind the books on the bookshelf? Chloe wished she had three Apples, just so she could use all of the wonderful hiding places.         Then again, maybe she could just eat a few bites now, and throw the core away. Throwing away an entire apple would seem suspicious. Throwing away a core was ordinary. Her thoughts argued with each other in her head, whether to save it or eat it, or just throw it away. If she hid it and saved it, then someone still might find it. If she ate it, it might turn out to be a poison Apple. If she threw it away, Ma or Daddy might ask who threw away a perfectly good apple. Since it was a magical Apple, could it disappear if she didn’t eat it? Chloe kept telling herself to be sensible, but she truly could not decide what to do. After a deep breath, she said:       “Don’t be silly, Chloe, it’s only an apple.” She threw it out the window, and that was the end of it.     _____________________     That is the end. I hope y'all enjoyed it. If any of y'all could maybe suggest a better title for it than "Chloe", I'd sure appreciate it.     ~Finscoth Eire Martin~ http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/749054/ Wed, 2 Dec 2009 19:43:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/749054/       A cold wind blew in through the open window. They both shivered. Chloe got up and tried to close it, but when she began to slide it down, she heard a little sound like “ow!”. Surprised, she called out the window, “Did anyone say anything?”       “I did,” a girl whined.       “Who said that?”       “Me— a poor little orphan gell.”       Chloe sighed heavily, but told her to come in.       The orphan flew in through the window, like she was riding the wind. “Now, that was rude of you, Chloe, to shut the window on me. You wanted to squish me!”       “No, I didn’t. I didn’t know you were there.”       “Well, there are more of us. Two more, actually. There is me, a gentleman with some eggs, and a man with a hunched back.”       Chloe had mixed feelings of excitement, nervousness, and annoyance. She glanced at the maid again, and watched the two other figures float through the window. They each landed on the bed. The man with the eggs stood on the far left, the orphan took her place to his right, and the maiden rushed over to the far right. The hunchback surveyed all this and then walked up to Chloe.        He looked sharply into her eyes. “Mees Chloe, it’s good to see you again.”       “Well, um, thank you, sir. It’s a pleasure to see you again.”       “No! You must have forgoaten that I’m me, not you!”       “So I’m me, and you’re you?”       “No! Just, just nevermind that. Mees Chloe, do you know why I’m back?”       Chloe exchanged glances with the young maiden. The brilliant maid shook her head ‘no’, and also forming the word with her mouth. Chloe nodded in return, smiling sweetly. Stifling a giggle, the maid smiled back. To the hunchback Chloe turned her eyes again. She replied that she didn’t know why he was back.       “Thees ees the best part of the night now. You get to peek your geeft.”       “Do you mean only one, sir?”       “Yes, I do, mees. But eet’s not like you think.”       She looked slightly bewildered. “What do you mean,” she asked, “it’s not like I think? What’s like I think? The gift, or choosing one? Please explain, sir.”       He squinched his eyes up, rubbing his hands together. “I mean what I said.” Chloe tried to cut in, but he finished, “You wheel see when you do.”       The orphan girl, the old gentleman, and the resplendent maid looked at her all at once. She didn’t quite like all these people staring at her, especially the orphan and the hunchback. Chloe couldn’t understand what she was supposed to do. She might have waited for the old hunchback to give direction, but he said nothing. She hoped anyone might say something. Not a word was spoken. Finally, Chloe decided something needed to be done. She asked any, or all, of the people what she was to do now.       Grinning, the hunchback commanded each visitor to lay their gift down upon the bed. First came the old gentleman. Gingerly, he laid the egg basket down on her bed. As Chloe looked into it, she giggled quietly, remembering how he had talked about the white and brown ones. Next came the orphan child. Holding her scruffy dog in her arms, she fakely smiled at Chloe. She threw the tattered blue sheet down, and it landed in a heap next to the basket. The golden maiden twirled as she gently placed the flowering branch near the other two gifts.       to be continued.     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/747996/ Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:16:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/747996/ Hi! To tell you a little about me, here are 10 random facts about me! My name is Nicole Goodwill (pen name) I LOVE my God and can't Wait in till I get to meet him!! I LOVE being homeschooled! I love having 4 brothers and 1 sister I loved my dog and love my dad's dog I love animals I love going outside and smelling the sping air! I love writting I love taking photos I love my HSB friends! Well that's me! There are some other things, but thats that. ( I can be crazy) I have this one book idea that I plan to start, and post on here. Here is the idea: Carrie Anderson has just lost her husband, and found out that she is expecting. And being a triplet, the change for twins, triplets, ect. are high. All Carrie wants to do is lay down and die, but she has other things to do. SHe has a baby to care for. With the love of God and her baby(s) Carrie learns that there is more then just living life. Its about making a life, and rasing one with it. Its still a little off, but let me know if you like it! (P.S. I don't know how many she is going to have.) (P.S.S. You can call me Nikkie or Nick.) - Nicole. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/747054/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 21:02:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/747054/ It seems, as I have read Finscoth wrote, Lady Authoresses seems to be in hibernation. I just thought I would write and hope mabe everyone would read this and start posting, if only something to say your still here. GOD bless, Lady Felyn http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/746993/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:48:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/746993/       “Goodbye,” said Chloe, though he had already gone by the time she said this. “Well,” she sighed, “this evening is getting stranger and stranger.”       She expected to wait a long time for the next character to approach, as for the others. Chloe didn’t know whether it would come from the end of the room or appear out of nowhere, or maybe something else entirely. All this surprise kept her anxious. She heard a creak as the window by her bed opened up. The cold, frosty wind blew into the room. Chloe shivered. She heard a rustling of the curtains. Then she saw her.       It was a young lady, very small like the other figures who had come earlier, who had slipped through the window. She did not carry a candle. Instead, her whole body shone with a marvellous golden light. Her enchanting brown eyes twinkled, her face shone. Executing a twirl of her golden gown, she flew down towards Chloe.       Chloe smiled as the lady curtseyed to her. Returning a curtsy, she said, “You look beautiful, miss!”       The radiant maiden blushed. “Thank you, Miss Chloe. You are very pretty, too.”       She thanked her for the compliment and sat back down on the bed.       The lady carefully took out a silken bag that hung at her belt. Slowly, she pulled its strings and opened it. Glancing inside it, she giggled a little. She closed it again and looked up at Chloe. “Now, miss,” she said, “what do you suppose I have in this bag?”       “Oh, my present!” she squealed.       The maid nodded her fair head. She ran her dainty fingers over the bag once more and opened it. Out of the bag she took a sprig of some sort of plant. Blooming from the sprig was a pink blossom.       Chloe thought the bag must have been bigger on the inside than on the outside. To fit inside the tiny purse, the branch would have to have been smaller than Chloe’s thumb. But it was a life-sized twig, and a life-sized blossom. “It must be magic,” she thought. And so she was right.       “How beautiful! What kind of plant is it from?”       “It is from an apple tree. Though, the tree isn’t like all others. It is magic— oh, dear.” The maiden frowned. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you. It was to be a surprise. I’m sorry, miss.”       “No, it’s all right. But now that you’ve already revealed that it’s magical... could you perhaps tell me what it does?”       “I’m afraid not. Not yet. He shall tell you very soon.”       “Who do you mean?”        “The hunchback. He is going to come back with all the other gift givers, and you’ll only be able to choose one gift. But each of them is magical, and he won’t say in which way until you decide on a present. Now I mustn’t say any more on the subject.”        “That’s slendid!” Chloe clasped her hands together. “I do wonder when he will come back.” Then she stopped. “Dear! I didn’t think I would want him to come back.”       The pretty maid laughed.       Chloe stared at the blossom, wondering what was so magical about it. Would it turn into something wonderful, like a diamond, or into something horrible and eat her? She could not begin to imagine what it could be. Looking at the pink blossom lying on her bed, she could see that the whole twig was sparkling.      to be continued     http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/746991/ Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:46:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/746991/       Hi, it's Finscoth, and I am sad. I had to trash what I had of the Madisons entirely, and now I have to restart it. Why? Because Scott's character changed dramatically. That's great and all, I actually love it when my characters sort of have a mind of their own, but not when it requires me to restart. *sigh*     Oh, well. I guess that means I'll be able to make it better this time. A fresh start is always good!     By the way, I am writing nowadays, just I'm working on another project that won't be finished until later. But now I'm working on two stories about the Madisons! (That's what the other project is.)       ~Finscoth Martin~   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/746038/ Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:41:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/746038/ A Very Fairy Visit.   Mother readied the house for next twenty-four hours. Not wanting to be thought a slob, she went and did every one of her chores. Included in this was sweeping, mopping, dusting, washing dishes, and the laundry.   None of the chores needed to be done, though. All her clothes were clean, savet he dress she wore while cleaning. This dress was only washed once a year. The rest of her dresses, bright and cheery yellows, were what she wire when not cleaning.   The dishes she washed one too many times. She owned only five plates, and four cups. For every plate was a set of utesils. Each set was made up of a knife, a spoon, and a fork. Hankerchiefs were in abundance, for she knitted them to pass the time in the evening after reading The Heavenly Father's Book, and praying to Him.   When the long awaited knock sounded on the little cream colored cottage, mother sprang to the door in a skip and two blissful bounds.   A piece of hair, brown with a grey tint, fell infront of her eyes. Placing it beind her ear, and smotthing her white apron, she gently opened the door with a large smile.   "Margie!" she exclaimed with glee,." Come in, come in." She stepped quickly aside to let them pass.   Margie crosses from the ourtside to the cottage so gracefully, she looked almost royal. As she scolded her children for not wearing smiles, she looked up at her old friend.   "Hello, dearest. You look wonderful....but a great deal taller then I remember you."   Mother's cheeks became rosy. Not from shyness or embarassment, but from a piping pleasure.   "Thank you." she said, wiping the stray piece of hair once more."You yoursekf have grown quite a bit."   Margie chuckled as she looked up and around to what seemed to her a very large home."Well, if you call growing an inch a great deal, then thank you."   Mother folded her hands."For a fairy, you are quite tall. Really you are."   Margie, flapping sparkling white wings that matched he glistening white hair, flew up to level her face with mother's."You always were kind to the fairies."   The cheeks of mother turned redder."It is shame that not everyone seems to like fairies. The Heavenly Father created you as well as humans, you know."   "It is a shame." whispered Margie. She sighed, and the brightened once more."But come, let us not talk of such things."   Flying down to where the two children stood, she landed. Placing her hand on the girl child, for one was a girl and the other a boy, she smiled.   "Dearest, this is my oldest child, Clair." Motioning the black haired boy she continued." And this is my son, Joseph."   Both of the younger fairies frowned, but bowed politely.   Not sure what to do next, Mother shut the door and invited them to come into the kitchen for tea.   She walked around the room  preparing the tea as they sat on the table whispering among themselves. They seemed to be sharing some secret when she came over with a plate of cookies for them. If there was a secret at all, she never found out, for they quieted.   An akward silence filled the room as mother turned to get the tea which was steaming cheerfully over the fire in the little brick fireplace.   Using a hankerchief to protect her elf from burns, mother took the tea carefully away from the fire. Slowly, she walked back over to the table.   Sitting down at one of the seats, for there were two, she pushed the cookie plate in the fairy's direction.   "There you, sugar cookies." She smiled as she poured a cup of tea.   Clair, with a haughty air, frowned."There too big, in case you have not noticed."   Margie frowned at the girl, but Claire continued. This time she adressed her mother.   "You never mentioned that your friend was a human, mother." She crossed her arms over a silk looking wite dress.   Margie, who did turn red from embarassment, took a crumb from one of the cookies."So what if she is a human? The Heavenly Father loves her, as much as he loves you or me."   Joseph spoke up."Mother, do you realize what will happen if someone finds out where we are?"   Mother shifted uncomfortably in her chair."I have little acorns that would be splendid tea cups for one's your size."   Clair smirked."See Joseph?" She stood up."We, the prince and princess of the fairies come and visit a human. Then, as if we were some commoner, she offers acorn tea cups when we are used to gold."   Piir mother. She had been sipping from one of her very fine china tea cups when the girl had said this. She dropped it out of suprisement, and it broke.   "R-r-royal?" She croaked.   Margie, having just finished her cookie crumb, stood and went to her friend.   "I mean't to tell you, Dearest." She sent a glare to her children." You see, I married the fairy prince who is now fairy king."   Mother, in a bit of shock and hurt from the younger fairies words, bent to clean the cup. Salty tears rolled down her white round cheeks as she picked the little cup up piece by piece.   The two younger fairies, ashamed of their cruel words, flew down to help her.   "I'm sorry, Miss Dearest." cried Clair as she held up a chip from the cup to cup to mother."It was quite rude of me, and of Joseph to act so....."   "Meanly." finshed Joseph for her. Unfortunately, he lost his balance as he was holding the handle, and tumbled to the floor, breaking it into two.   Mother gently patted his head when she saw tears in his oval shaped, brown eyes."It's alright, 'tis only an accident."   Margie, having watched her two children, glided over to where the broken pieces laid all over the table.   "Oh!" she squealed excitedly." The cup broke into pefect puzzle pieced."   Mother frowned, despite her effort of not showing how much she would miss the little tea cup.   The white haired fairy's lips turned up."Cheer up." she commanded mother."With this wand of mine, your cup will be as good as new."   A wand the size of a needle appeared in her hand. It sparkled, and shined, making it a pretty thing to look at. Taking the wand, Margie twisted it around and then....   "Your fixed it!" cried mother in triumph."Oh thank you, Margie."   The fairy queen smiled."Anything for an old friend." She watched her children nibble on a very small crumb of cookie."And, to them, a new friend."   So the little tea party went. The faires drank form the hollow acorns, and mother from the newly fixed cup.   Soon they engaged themselves in various topics of conversation. Like what had happened to the freckled boy down the street who had been sweet on mother? Was Heather Flopsy really the richest woman, under the queen, in the land? Why, she had been the dirtiest and poorest thing in all of Roseford(where mother and Margie had grown up.)   Being queen of the fairies, Margie was usally accompanied my guards. It was soon evident that this trip was like any other, for sounds of buzzing wings could be heard all around the little cottage in the woodland.   Tme flew swiftly by, and soon Margie and her children had to leave.   Clair gave mother a daisy of small size, but the thought was counted to mother. Joesph had brought no gift, but gave her a kis on the cheek. He proclaimed that a fairy's kiss keeps the wrinkles away, and mother laughed.   The two younger fairies exited the house, but Margie lingered a moment.   "Dearest?" she said, as mother bent down to give the fairy queen a wrapped present.   Mother, got on her knees, but was still a giant to the smaller woman.   "Yes?" she answered.   Margie flew up again to put there eyes direscty in level."I knowyou want a child, is it not so?"   A true blush of scarlet spread over mother's cheeks."Well,I-yes, I do."   Nodding her head, the fairy queen clapped her ands together in delight."I have reason to believe that soon you will be given the challnge of taking care of a child." She claped once more."It shall not be your child, but you will cherise her as you would a child of your own."   "When?" mother imapatiently asked.   Margie flew out the door, and turned around for one last look at mother."When news of my next's child birth shall come and you hear, then shall the babe appear."   Mother began to follow them outside, but they zipped off in a flash.   The woman in the little woodland cottage closed the door, now pondering if what the fairy said was to be. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/745714/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 14:31:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/745714/ Here's more of Chloe, and thanks y'all for the encouraging comments!       Chloe looked around the room now that the girl had disappeared. It seemed calm and quiet without her rantings. “What on earth have I gotten myself into?” she said to herself. She began to forget this was a dream, so she didn’t think to wake up. Chloe knew there were two more people that would come with gifts. Would they all be annoying like the orphan ‘gell’? She had no idea. All there was to do was wait.       She expected for the next character to slowly float across the room with a candle, like the hunchback and the little girl, but the next one did not. As Chloe wondered about how the next person would be, they suddenly showed up in front of her face. There was no gradual appearance about it. The man stood— or floated— right there.       He was an elderly man with a sweet, simple look about him. His soft eyes twinkled in the light of the lantern he carried. He smiled at Chloe, tipping his hat.       “Good evening, Miss Chloe.”       “Good evening, sir.” She stood up on her bed and made a curtsy with her nightgown. “Or is it morning by now?”       The man raised his eyebrows and said, “That don’t matter right now, because I have come to bring you a gift.”       “Oh goody, what is it?” Chloe said.       He looked down at the basket on his arm. “Eggs.”       Chloe looked confused. Twisting up her mouth, she repeated, “Eggs?”       “Yes, ma’am, eggs.”       Looking into his basket, she saw it was full of fresh, large, eggs. “How charming.”       “Aren’t they? I have white eggs,” he said every word very slowly and carefully, “and brown eggs.”       “Oh. That’s, er, lovely, sir.”       “They are indeed lovely. And they fresh, too, so they taste very good.”       There was a silence. Chloe didn’t know what to say about the man’s eggs, and that seemed to be the only thing he wanted to talk about. “Thank you, sir,” she said.       “You’re welcome.”       “Are they from your farm?”       “My farm? Well, that don’t matter much, does it? That don’t change the way they taste.”       “I suppose you’re right.”       “Do you like eggs very much?” he said.       “I guess so. We might have them for breakfast in the morning.”       “Oh, that’s good. You know how good eggs are.”       “I do, sir.”       This simply would not do. Chloe knew if she heard the word ‘egg’ one more time, she might go mad. She tried to think of an excuse to make the man leave. He was sweet, but she could not stand the conversation. There didn’t seem to be a polite way to excuse him. She hoped he would leave on his own.       “Well then, Miss Chloe, I’ll have to go now. There is a young lady who has to show you your last gift.”       The old gentleman tipped his hat once again, and all in a moment vanished.        to be continued http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/745657/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:14:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/745657/ I am not going to post my other story on here, but I have another one. It is my version of Thumbeina, but her name is Thimble. Little Cottage In The Woodland    It was in the eighth year of King Joe, a simple name for a king if you ask me, when mother became an orphan. Being seventeen at the time, however, she was old enough to fend for herself.   So after selling all of her parent's belongings, for she needed the money from them, she packed up to move.   Traveling for days and days on a very boring dirt road, she finally came to a little woodland area. In the woodland she found a house, a cottage to be exact, and with her animals she set up her new home.   The two brown cows that gave the rich creamy milk had been sold. It had been hard, but she was thankful to the Heavenly Father for the large black and white spotted cow. True, it gave more milk then she could ever dream to use, but the extra milk was given to the two curly tailed pigs. The pink pigs enjoyed the milk, and so less was needed to feed them.   Ten horses had been how many she owned, but they too had to be sold. The only one she kept was Digoree , a black male horse that was too old and worn to be sold at a proper price.   Sixteen chickens found their keep, and so she only sold their eggs. They were red chickens, with light red combs, and dull yellow legs. Though their stick thin legs were dull from age, the hens still could lay eggs as good as any bright legged hen. A chicken coop and fencing had already been built at the tiny woodland cottage, and so in they went.   So the young freckled face girl with the chocolate brown hair, deep set green eyes, and the sunny yellow dress lived in the little woodland cottage. For years and years, save the small group of farm animals,  she lived there all alone.   Every morning, whether crispy blue or dreary grey, she would set to doing her chores. First she would milk the cow, who enjoyed swiping it's long tail in her face. Next she would give the curly tailed pink pigs some milk and the previous night's leftovers. Then she would go the barn,  give Digory an apple, and get the corn for the sixteen red feathered hens. After feeding the hens, who sometimes pecked at her bare toes, she would go inside to fix herself some breakfast.   Eating breakfast never took long ince she only had one person to cook for, and one person to wash dishes for. So after asking the Heavnly Father to bless the food, she would eat her usal scrambled egg, and drink her one glass of milk.   Then after eating her eggs, and drinking her milk, she would clean. Starting with washing her dishes, she would then dust all four rooms on the first floor, and then the four rooms on the top floor. Moving on to cleaning the windows, she would wipe them until they were speckle free. Carefully she would shake out the green bed covers of her bed. Then neatly and orderly, she would make her bed bed up.   On Tuesdays, and on Thurdays, she would do the laundry. This consisted of washing the blankets, flowered pillow cases, her three dresses, animal blankets, and any other unclean material the house had.    Mondays, Wednesdays, and on some Saturdays, she would  go over the whole house with a mop. Up and down, left and right, no tiny crumb or spot of dirt would be left in sight.   Sweeping was an everyday, twice a day job. Aside from feeding the animals, and fluffing her two little pillows, this was one her favorite chores.   Finally came the first day of the week, Sunday. She would set aside all chores to worship The Heavenly Father and read His book of Love and Truth. After that, she would eat, feed the animals, and rest.   Those were her days for twenty years. Day in and day out she lived this way, and never did it bother her. That is, until one day a letter from a childhood friend put a longing in her heart.   The letter read:   My dearest friend,   It has been a great many years since we last spoke. Since you departed to go and live in your little woodland cottage, much has happened. I have wed(remember how we used to stay up late describing the man we would marry?), and have been blessed by The Heavnely Father above with two children. Another child is on it's way, but before I can no longer get out, I would love to come and visit you. Please send a letter in return with your answer. Until then, my friend, The Heavenly Father bless you, Margie.   Mother was quite glad of receiving the letter, and yet a prick of sadness came with it.   But, being the grateful and happy woman she was, she prudently replied that she would enjoy a visit from her friend. She also added that she would be glad if Margie brought her children along for the visit.   Two weeks later as mother checked the little tree stump mail box for a letter, Margie's long awaited reply came.   Dearest, thank you for answering. I had begun to fret that I had the wrong address. I and my two children, The Heavnly Father willing, shall be there two days after the full moon in autumn. My husband shall not be able to come due to his work, but he trusts that you will keep us safe. With a happy heart, The Heavenly Father bless you,   Margie.   The news was very exciting for mother. Only two days after the full moon, and the first guest she ever had would be there.    Rushing into the house she scurried to check the little homemade calender on the double door cubbard. Placing a finger on the date of the full moon, she realized that it had been the night before.   This of course mean't Margie and her children, The Heavenly Father willing, would be arriving the very next day.   And she went about to redo the mopping. After all, it was Wednesday. http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/745177/ Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:13:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/745177/       “That was very odd,” Chloe said to herself, “Things just keep getting stranger tonight. I do wonder what will happen next? I hope the gift won’t be something like a spider; I detest spiders! How terrible that would be, for me to expect a real gift and then get spiders! Well then, I shan’t expect anything good at all. That way I won’t be disappointed when I do get a spider.”        She suddenly had a feeling that spiders were crawling up her back. Letting out a scream, Chloe jumped up and tried to get them off. Then she realized that there were no real spiders on her. She crawled back into bed, though sometimes fearing the spiders had gotten into her bedcovers. She reprimanded herself for being so foolish and waited for her present. The clock ticked slowly. Chloe wondered how long it would be until her gift would arrive. She wanted to get out of her bed and light a candle to see if it was already there, but there was no candle to light. She also wondered whether the gift would appear out of nowhere, or whether someone would bring it to her, and if it was going to be a person, would they be like the old hunchback? She grunted in frustration and gave the quilts a kick.       She could not tell what time it was, and felt she would go mad if she could not know the hour. She presumed it had to be after 10:30; more likely 11:00. As she wondered, Chloe did not realize that another person appeared in the dark corner of her bedroom.       Chloe turned her head to this corner and saw the silhouette of the tiny figure. This creature, like the hunchbacked old man, was miniature, and floated towards her very slowly. They held a candle that produced a dim light, being dim because it was such a small candle and it was at the other end of the room. Full of anxiety, Chloe watched it move closer towards her.       The figure stumbled (though Chloe didn’t know how someone could stumble and float at the same time) towards her, and once it was about three feet away from her face, she could make out what it was.       It was a girl. She appeared to be around nine years old, dressed in a dingy dress. She wrapped a blanket around herself and pulled the top of it around her head like a hood. Her boots were worn, and her hair was dirty and tangled. She held an empty, shabby basket, and was followed by a little brown terrier. She kept a maudlin smile on her face, which Chloe did not very much like.       “Hello, Chloe,” she whispered timidly.       She answered, “Hello. Are you bringing the first gift?”       “Yes, I am, but I’m a little o-o-orphan gell!” The child said the last five words with a distinct rhythm and her voice went up or down on each word.       “You are?”       “Yes, I’m a little orphan gell.” The orphan said this with the same inflections as before.       “I’m sorry.”       Holding out her basket, the “gell” called out, “Alms for the poor, alms for the poor!”       Chloe was rather confused. She thought the girl would give her a gift, not the other way around. She didn’t have any money left, because she had spent it all on Christmas gifts.       “I’m sorry, but I don’t have anything to give you, but I supposed you would be bringing me my gift,” ending the sentence like a question.       The orphan looked around, acting a little perplexed. Her eyes suddenly grew large as she shouted, “Ooh, now I remember! Hmm, but I can’t remember where I put the gift. I was to bring it to you. I don’t even know how I could manage to come here, because I work at the factory all day and all night. My life is just so hard, and I don’t have enough money to eat, so I have to skip meals often. Oh, my life is so hard! Aren’t I sad? Isn’t my life miserable? Aren’t I a poor wretch?”       She didn’t know what to say in reply. What the child had said might have been sad if she hadn’t been determined she was the most pitiable creature ever lived. In truth, she was downright annoying.       The orphan’s dog suddenly started barking and shaking the little basket he held in his mouth. The girl gasped in delight, surprise, and remembrance. She picked up the basket, pulled out a small, blue blanket. After unfolding it, she shook the dust and dirt off the thing. Finally, she smoothed it out and held it to Chloe.        Chloe didn’t much like the appearance of the blanket. It look thin and scratchy, and it had holes in it. At first, she wanted to scold herself for being so ungrateful. Then she noticed that if the girl had made it with care, it would have showed on her face. Her countenance bore no loving expression. Despite her opinion of the gift— and the girl— Chloe thanked her.       “You are welcome. I made it in the few hours I get at night when I don’t have to work. Because you know I am a miserable wretch who has to work from 5:00 in the morning to 10:00 at night. I don’t even know how I got my poor hands on the supplies to make this little blanket, even though I work night and day at a cotton factory. Oh, poor me! poor, poor me!       “Anyway, I’ll have to set the blanket down on your bed, Chloe. All right? And you musn’t touch it until the hunchbacked man comes back. All right? Because you’re going to get two more gifts tonight. All right? So I’ll have to go now. All right? Back to the factory, where I’ll spend the rest of my poor, wretched life. All right? Good night.”       The orphan child dissolved into the darkness just as the old man.       “Now what?” Chloe said, alone in the dark.       to be continued   http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/744939/ Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:36:00 -0600 http://www.homeschoolblogger.com/ladyauthoresses/744939/