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Little Never-upset

Military Handbooks: Infantry Drill Regulations United States Army 1911

Little Never-upset was a roly-poly fellow, with weights in his little

body so placed that no matter how he was treated or tumbled about he

always bobbed up smiling.



His face was a jolly little round one, with a smile that could not be

rubbed off, and no matter how the other toys fussed or disputed among

themselves, Little Never-upset did not take a part.



One night when the clock struck the m
dnight hour Miss French Doll and

Miss Calico Doll began to fuss.



"You treated me very badly," said Miss Calico Doll. "When we were in

the carriage riding in the park one would have thought we did not live

in the same playroom."



"Why do you not have something to wear besides that old calico dress?"

asked Miss French Doll. "I never was so disgraced as when we met Miss

Marie Doll in her beautiful clothes. I am sure she wondered who you

were."



"Anyone would think you never had a broken arm and had to go to the

hospital," replied Miss Calico Doll. "You were a sorry-looking sight

without your hand and part of your arm, but I did not feel ashamed of

you when we sat in our chairs on the front porch."



"That is a very different thing," said Miss French Doll, with a toss of

her head. "I could not help having an accident."



"I cannot help wearing this calico dress," said Miss Calico Doll. "It

is painted on me just like my face."



"My goodness!" exclaimed Jack-in-a-box, jumping up with a spring,

"whatever is all the trouble? A body cannot get an extra wink for you

two fussing."



"Bow-wow-wow!" barked little Dog-on-wheels, "why don't you scare a body

right out of his skin, Jack? I was asleep right beside your box."



Teddy Bear began to growl. "Anyone would think this was a menagerie

instead of a playroom," he said.



"Yes, they would," said Calico Cat, with a spiteful twist of her tail.

"Your growl helps me to make it real."



Calico Cat humped her back ready to spring at Teddy if he answered, and

Little Dog-on-wheels barked, ready to jump at any one who gave him the

least cause.



Jack-in-a-box quivered on his spring with anger because French Doll

told him he had no legs and he better keep quiet, while Miss Calico

Doll tried to think of something spiteful to say to Miss French Doll.



It was this very moment that Little Never-upset, who was listening to

all the fussing from the shelf where he was sitting, set a good example

to the playroom toys.



"Get off my shelf!" said old Elephant, who always stood there and

thought he owned it, and as he spoke he gave Little Never-upset a bang

with his trunk and over he went on the floor, right on his head!



All the toys stopped fussing to watch, and quick as a flash up jumped

Little Never-upset on his feet and rolled from side to side with

laughter.



"You are the best-natured fellow I ever saw," said Teddy Bear. "Don't

you feel like paying Elephant back for doing that?"



"Not a bit," answered Little Never-upset; "life is too short to

quarrel. Think of all the fun you lose taking time to wrangle."



"You are right," said Teddy Bear. "What was all the fuss about,

anyway?"



No one could say just what began it, and in a few minutes everybody was

laughing and having a good time, and all because Little Never-upset had

bobbed up smiling.



Old Elephant took time, however, to lean over the shelf and call to

Little Never-upset. "Say, old fellow, I am sorry I was so rude," he

said. "Come up again and stay as long as you like."



And Little Never-upset nodded his head and said he would, smiling as if

he never had been tumbled off the shelf.



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