game. Once in a while Peggy thought of a State
beginning with the right letter, but, as a rule, she thought of the
wrong States. Massachusetts would pop into her head when Uncle Joe was
asking for I's, and South Carolina when he wanted the K's. It was quite
discouraging, for the other children had played the game so much.
"This is only the first part of the game," said Diana. "Uncle Joe has
had us each trace a map of the United States, and then we play we have
to live in one of the States that begins with the same letter our first
name begins with; then we put the tracing over white cardboard and cut
out our State, and we can paint it any color we like. We are going to
put in the rivers and big towns by and by. I can't live in any State but
Delaware," she said regretfully.
"There is only Pennsylvania for me to live in," said Peggy.
"Alice can live in Arizona or Alabama or Arkansas," said Christopher.
"I don't want to live in any of them," said Alice gently, with her
sweetest smile. "I want to live just where I do live."
"But New Hampshire doesn't begin with an A," said Peggy.
"I know it doesn't, but I don't want to live in any other State."
"But it's only a game," said Peggy. "Don't you want to play you live in
nice Alabama where they have such warm winters, and there are such lots
of cunning little black children?"
"No, I don't. I want to cut out a map of New Hampshire and paint it
pink."
"But, Alice, you've got to play the game," said Peggy.
"I'm going to play my own kind of game and cut out a map of New
Hampshire and paint it pink."
"If she doesn't care to live in Alabama or Arizona or Arkansas, we might
let her live in a State beginning with the first letter of her last
name," said Uncle Joe. "How do you feel about living in Ohio or Oklahoma
or Oregon?"
"I don't want to live in any of those States. I want to live in New
Hampshire and paint it pink."
"But you can't," Peggy insisted. "You've got to play the game."
Alice looked up beseechingly at Uncle Joe. She smiled and showed her
dimples. "Dear Uncle Joe," she said sweetly, "can't you fix the game
some way so I can live in New Hampshire and paint it pink?"
Uncle Joe looked thoughtful. A bright idea occurred to him. "Alice, what
word do the three last letters of your last name spell if you begin at
the end and spell backwards?"
"New," said Peggy, before Alice could speak.
"She can live in New Hampshire on that account," said Uncl
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