Nancy and Plum by Betty MacDonald Page A

Monday, I’m sorry I lost my temper, that was very foolish of me, but you were unfair about the school clothes. I have worn the same school dress for two years and it is all faded and shabby and it is way, way above my knees.”
    Mrs. Monday said, “I feel that I was perfectly justified in telling you that it would be foolish to buy new school clothes at the end of the school year.”
    Nancy said, “But, Mrs. Monday, a new dress wouldn’t be just for school. I could wear it to Sunday School, to Library Day and when company comes.”
    Mrs. Monday said, “I am the best judge of if and when you need new clothes. Now let’s hear no more of this. Pamela, are you ready to come down and apologize to Marybelle?”
    Plum said, “Mrs. Monday, if I apologize will you let Nancy go to the school program?”
    Mrs. Monday said, “I repeat, Pamela, I do not bargain with children.”
    Plum said, “Then I won’t apologize.”
    Mrs. Monday said, “Very well, then, you will both stay in your room until you do apologize.” She went out, closing the door and locking it.
    Plum said, “It’s lucky she doesn’t know how easy it is for me to go out the window and down the maple tree.”
    Nancy said, “Do you think Todd and Allan are right? Doyou think that Mrs. Monday has to let us be in the school program?”
    Plum said, “Yes, but knowing Mrs. Monday, she’ll figure out a way to keep us home and that is why I’m planning on running away the night before.”
    Nancy said, “But how will we get over the fence?”
    Plum said, “I’ll think of a way. You just wait and see. Now I’m going down the tree and ask Old Tom for some fresh milk.”
    Nancy stood by the window and watched Plum climb down the maple tree, take a quick look around to be sure no one was watching, then skitter across the barnyard and through the big barn door. Nancy saw St. Nick and her kittens come running up to Plum. “Oh, those darling kittens,” she said. “I wonder how much they’ve grown.”
    She was squinting her eyes trying to see into the darkness of the barn, when suddenly she thought, “I’ll go down and see the kittens. If Plum can go down the tree, so can I.”
    Rather timidly she eased herself out the window and onto the big limb that was just below the sill. With one hand she held to a branch over her head, with the other she clutched the window ledge. Then she looked down. My goodness, it was far down to the ground. She was right above one of the lightwells of the basement windows, too, and it was deep and dark and solid cement. Nancy shivered and looked longingly back into the little bedroom. Then she looked over toward the barn. She could still see Plum bent over playing with thekittens. Carefully she let go of the sill, moved her hand down to the branch beside her and inched her way along until she got to the main trunk. Still holding to the upper branch, she moved to a lower one. Then she changed hands and moved to a still lower one. It was scary but fun. She was surprised when she finally saw the ground just a few feet away. She jumped down, took a look around the way Plum had done and then skipped across the barnyard and slipped through the door calling, “Plum, I did it. I climbed down the tree.”
    Plum said, “Wow, you scared me. It wasn’t hard, was it, Nancy?”
    Nancy said, “At first I was nervous, especially when I looked down at the ground, but then I started down and the next thing I knew I was almost on the ground.”
    Plum said, “That’s the way with everything the first time you do it. You’re sort of shaky and your stomach feels awfully empty, that’s the way I felt when I went in to ask Mrs. Monday for the new dresses, then you feel a little bit better and then before you know it, whatever it is you used to be afraid of, is over. Look at Prancer, he’s the biggest.”
    Nancy said, “Come here, Prancer, don’t you remember me?” She picked up the fat little kitten and held it against her cheek. Prancer began