Free Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald Page A

castles in England, slums in London, gardens in Japan or, most important of all, into happy homes where there were mothers and fathers and no Mrs. Mondays or Marybelles.
    Of course, as soon as Mrs. Monday realized how important reading and Library Day were to Nancy and Plum, she either gave them so many extra chores to do that they had to get up at dawn in order to finish in time for Old Tom to drive them to town or she kept them at home as a punishment for some slight little mistake, usually something Marybelle had made up. Unfortunately for her, one spring, in a fit of spite, she kept them at home for three times in succession and Miss Appleby, having learned from the other children the reason for Nancy and Plum’s absences, took the matter up with their teacher. The result was a letter to Mrs. Monday from the principal of the school, stating that he considered Library Day a most important part of education and from then would excuse only children too sick to walk.
    Mrs. Monday, who didn’t believe in libraries or reading butdidn’t want an investigation of her methods of punishment, replied that from then on Nancy and Plum could attend Library Day but she would not be responsible for any book fines. The principal showed Mrs. Monday’s letter to Miss Appleby, who said that if necessary she would pay the fines herself. She said, “My story-telling sessions and reading the books they borrow from the library are obviously the only pleasures those poor little mites have. What kind of a woman is this Mrs. Monday anyway?”
    Miss Waverly, who had come to the library with the principal, said, “Well, all I know is that she is tall and gaunt, doesn’t smile with her eyes and is very strong on punishment. I sometimes wonder if those children have enough to eat. They are all so small and scraggly looking.”
    Miss Appleby said, “Do Nancy and Plum have any parents?”
    Miss Waverly said, “No they have not. They have been at Mrs. Monday’s year in and year out for a long time.”
    Miss Appleby said, “What is the matter with people who dump children in boarding homes without investigating them first. Of course, Mrs. Monday’s children are all very well behaved, use correct English and have nice manners but, with the exception of Nancy and Plum, they are all so subdued, so sad and so timid.”
    Miss Waverly said, “I believe that you are responsible for Nancy and Plum’s fine spirit.”
    “What do you mean?” Miss Appleby asked.
    “I mean,” Miss Waverly said, “that you have encouragedthem to read, which has given them wisdom and understanding and humor way beyond their years.”
    Miss Appleby said, “Well, I wish I had enough money to give them a big meal with every story-telling hour.”
    Miss Waverly said, “Sometimes food for the soul is more important than food for the body. I wish I could learn more about Nancy and Plum. They don’t seem to know anything about their background beyond the fact that their parents were killed in a train wreck and they are supposed to be in the care of an uncle who has never written or been to see them since he deposited them in Mrs. Monday’s Boarding Home.”
    Miss Appleby said, “I’d like to have a chance to talk to that uncle or any of the other people responsible for those little waifs that live with Mrs. Monday.”
    Miss Waverly said, “Just wait until I tell you about Christmas and the doll Eunice’s aunt gave her.”
    When she got through with the story, Miss Appleby said, “Where did Nancy and Plum go for Christmas?”
    Miss Waverly said she didn’t know. She hadn’t asked them. She said, “Nancy and Plum are proud. They don’t complain. The only reason I learned anything at all about Christmas was because they needed help in making that doll for Eunice.”
    Miss Appleby said, “The thing that makes me so boiling mad is that I know of at least a dozen homes right here in Heavenly Valley where a child would be as welcome as sunshine. Homes where they either