Anna All Year Round Read online

  But the truth is, Anna has never ridden in a car. Not once. Every chance she gets, she begs Uncle Henry to take her out in the limousine, but he's always too busy. "Maybe some other time, sweetheart," he says, and pats her on the head.

  One warm Saturday morning in April, Anna walks to the trolley stop with Father. Every day there are more cars on North Avenue. Shiny black Model T's and Oldsmobiles zip in and out of the traffic, blowing their horns and scaring horses.

  "Why don't you buy a car, Father?" Anna asks. "Then you won't have to ride the trolley to work."

  "I like riding the trolley," Father says. "It takes me exactly where I want to go."

  "But a car would be faster," Anna says. "And we could go for drives in the country on Sundays."

  Father shakes his head. "We can't afford a car, and even if we could Mother would say no. She doesn't trust cars."

  Father kisses Anna good-bye. She watches him ride away on the pokey old trolley. On the way home, she counts cars. Yesterday she counted four. Today she counts six. Soon the Sherwoods will be the only family in Baltimore without a shiny, brand-new car.

  Mother comes outside with a bucket of sudsy water and a small stepladder. Today is window-washing day. Aunt May is already setting up her ladder. Mother doesn't want her sister to finish before she does.

  Anna helps Mother with the ladder. "Wouldn't you like to have a motorcar, Mother? Rosa told me her father is buying one. A brand-new Model T."

  Mother dips a rag into the sudsy water and begins to scrub the parlor window. "The Schumans must be even more foolish than I thought," she says.

  That's that. No car for the Sherwoods.

  While her mother and aunt chat, Anna sits on the front steps and plays with her paper dolls. Yesterday she cut a limousine out of a magazine advertisement, carefully making little slits in the seats for her paper dolls. Now she puts Father in his place behind the wheel. Mother sits beside him. A girl and boy sit in the back seat. They are going on a long motor trip.

  "Ooga, ooga," Anna honks. "Vroom, vroom."

  On their ladders, Aunt May and Mother scrub and polish. It's a contest, Anna thinks. Which sister's windows are the cleanest? Which sister's marble steps are the whitest?

  When Anna grows up, she'll never wash windows or scrub steps. No, Anna will have better things to do. She'll buy a big touring car and drive all the way across America. She'll see the Rocky Mountains. She'll see the giant redwood trees. She'll see the Pacific Ocean.

  Aunt May's big white bulldog Fritzi presses his nose against the window and barks. Aunt May blows him a kiss. "Ach, mein kleiner Hund," she says. "You must stay inside, my naughty Zuckerwürfel."

  Mother mutters something under her breath. "May spoils that ugly hound," she whispers to Anna. "Next she'll be taking him to the park in a baby carriage."

  As much as Anna loves Fritzi, she can't help gigling at the thought of him in a carriage, a lacy cap on his head and a dainty coverlet to keep him warm. What a sight he'd be—that huge head of his, those runny red-rimmed eyes, that pushed-in nose, that big jaw, those enormous yellow teeth. Why, Fritzi would be the ugliest baby in all of Baltimore.

  While Anna is imagining Aunt May strolling in the park with her sugar lump, she sees Duke, the collie who lives up the street. Unlike Aunt May, Mrs. Anderson allows Duke to go outside by himself.

  "Now there's a handsome dog," Mother says. Although she doesn't really like dogs, she can't help admiring Duke's thick fur and his pretty plume of a tail.

  Anna eyes Duke with dislike. He minces toward her, his head and tail high, his long narrow nose sniffing the morning air. He reminds Anna of Rosa—too conceited for his own good.

  But that's not the only reason Anna hates Duke. The collie is Fritzi's worst enemy. If Fritzi happens to be at the window when Duke passes by, the snob stops and does his business right in front of Aunt May's house. Fritzi goes crazy at the sight of the collie watering his sidewalk. He barks and growls and hurls himself at the window, but he cannot get out.

  Duke knows he's safe. Sometimes he ignores Fritzi. Other times he opens his mouth and grins. It's just as if he's taunting Fritzi. "Nyah, nyah, nyah," Duke says. "You can't get me, you ugly beast!"

  This morning, Aunt May is too busy with her chores to notice Duke. Just as the collie saunters past, she makes the mistake of opening the big parlor window. Like a shot, Fritzi jumps out and runs after Duke.

  Aunt May screams, "Fritzi, come back!"

  When Fritzi pays no attention, Aunt May tries German. "Boser Hund, komm her!"

  But nothing can stop Fritzi. Not English, not German. He catches Duke right in front of Anna's house. The two dogs hurl themselves at each other. They jump and pounce, they snarl and growl and bite, they roll on the sidewalk. First Fritzi is on top, then Duke, then Fritzi.

  Mother stands on her little ladder and screams for help in German. "Hilfe, hilfe!"

  Aunt May shouts, "Fritzi, Fritzi, come to Mama! Stop that, Fritzi!" She tries to grab Fritzi's collar. Duke snaps at her. She tries again. This time, Fritzi snaps at her.

  Anna has never seen such a terrible dog fight. She wants to run inside and hide under the bed but she cannot move. If only Father or Uncle Henry were here. They'd know what to do. They'd make the dogs stop. But there are no men in sight, not even a boy.

  The dogs thrash around, snarling and biting. Mother stands on her ladder and cries. Aunt May begins to cry, too. Anna must do something. But what? If she tries to pull the dogs apart, one of them will bite her.

  Then Anna remembers the bucket of water Mother was using to wash the window. She runs down the steps. Her arms feel weak and her legs shake with fear, but she picks up the bucket and rushes toward the dogs.

  "Nein, Anna," Mother screams, covering her face with her apron. "Nein! You will be killed!"

  Charlie runs out his front door. "Anna," he shouts. "Wait for me. I'll help you!"

  At the same moment, Aunt May hurries toward Anna, but Anna is too fast. Before anyone can stop her, she hurls the water on Fritzi and Duke.

  The dogs are so surprised they jump apart. Anna grabs Fritzi's collar. It takes all her strength to hold him. Just in time, Charlie grabs Duke's collar. He has to hold tight, too.

  The dogs stand on their hind legs. They bark and growl. They show their big, sharp teeth. Anna knows they are calling each other names too terrible to think about.

  Aunt May gets a firm grip on Fritzi. "Are you all right, Fritzi?" she asks. "Did the nasty bad dog hurt mein kleiner Zuckerwürfel?"

  Mother climbs down from the ladder and presses her hand to her heart. Her face is as pale as her white apron. "Anna," she whispers. "Ach, mein Liebling, don't ever do something like that again! I thought you'd be killed for certain."

  In the midst of the confusion, Mrs. Anderson runs out of her house. She pushes Charlie aside and takes charge of Duke. "You'd better do something about that ugly brute of yours!" she yells at Aunt May. "If he's hurt my collie, I'll sue you for every cent you have!"

  Aunt May's face turns bright red. "How dare you blame Fritzi? It's all Duke's fault," she shouts. "He struts past our window every single day, putting on airs and teasing poor Fritzi! Why don't you keep him home where he belongs?"

  Mrs. Anderson sticks her long narrow nose up in the air. She looks exactly like Duke. "My dog has just as much right to walk past your house as I have," she says in a persnickety voice.

  "Tell that to the dogcatcher!" Aunt May says. Before Mrs. Anderson can think of a reply, Aunt May drags Fritzi into the house. From behind the closed window, he barks a few more insults at Duke.

  Mrs. Anderson scowls at Anna and Charlie. She doesn't thank them for stopping the fight. Holding Duke's collar, she leads her precious dog home. Anna notices Duke doesn't hold his head high nor does he mince along as if his paws are too good to touch the pavement. He walks slowly, limping a little, his tail between his legs.

  Serves you right, Anna thinks.

  "I'm on my way to the corner market to buy a quart
of milk," Charlie says. "Would you like to go with me, Anna? I'll treat you to a big jawbreaker."

  Just as Anna is about to run off with Charlie, Mother grabs her arm and says, "Nein, nein, Anna. You've had enough excitement for one day. Go inside and lie down for a while."

  "But, Mother—"

  Mother interrupts her. "You heard me, Anna. A rest is what you need, not jawbreakers."

  "I'll see you later," Charlie says. He backs away from Mother, waves to Anna, and runs down the hill toward North Avenue.

  Dragging her feet, Anna goes inside with Mother. She hopes Charlie won't treat Rosa to what should be Anna's jawbreaker.

  ***

  That afternoon, Anna looks out the window just as Uncle Henry drives up in Mr. Sinclair's limousine. Anna watches Uncle Henry go into his house. In a few minutes, he comes outside with Fritzi.

  Uncle Henry sees Anna at the window and grins. To her surprise, he knocks on Anna's door. Anna runs to open it. Mother is right behind her.

  "Halloo, Lizzie,"Uncle Henry says. "Halloo, Anna."

  "Guten tag," Mother says. She sounds as puzzled as Anna feels. Neither Anna nor Mother knows why Uncle Henry and Fritzi have come calling in the middle of the afternoon.

  "I understand Anna was a heroine this morning," Uncle Henry says.

  "Anna was very foolish," Mother says. "She could have been torn limb from limb by those vicious dogs."

  Fritzi wags his tail as if he wants to show Mother how sweet he is, but Mother doesn't look at him. She dislikes poor Fritzi more than ever.

  "I'd like to reward Anna by giving her something she's wanted for a long time," Uncle Henry says. "May I have your permission to take your brave daughter for a spin in my chariot?"

  Anna's eyes open wide and her heart beats fast, but Mother frowns. "I don't approve of automobiles," she says. "They aren't safe."

  "I'll drive just as slowly as a horse walks," Uncle Henry promises.

  Anna holds her breath and waits for Mother to answer.

  "You can come with us, Lizzie," Uncle Henry offers.

  "Me ride in a car?" Mother's face turns pink at the very thought. "Only if May comes, too."

  Aunt May pops outside just as if she knew what Mother would say. "Come, Lizzie," she says. "You must not be so old-fashioned, so altmodisch. Automobiles are here to stay, meine Schwester!"

  Uncle Henry opens the limousine door with a flourish and signals to Anna. "You may ride in the front seat," he says.

  Anna climbs into the car and sinks into the soft, leather seat. She feels like a princess already.

  Mother stays on the sidewalk, watching, her eyes full of worry.

  "Get in, Mother," Anna urges.

  "Yes," Aunt May says. "You're holding up the fun, Lizzie."

  Mother doesn't look happy, but she climbs cautiously into the back seat with Aunt May. When Fritzi jumps in between the sisters, Mother says, "I will not sit beside that ugly Hund, May."

  Anna calls to Fritzi and he joins her in the front seat next to Uncle Henry. "Don't pay attention to Mother," Anna whispers in Fritzi's ear. "You're beautiful and I love you."

  Fritzi licks Anna's nose and wags his stubby little tail. He pants doggy breath in her face and slobbers on her knee. Anna hugs Fritzi tight. If he had not gotten into a fight with Duke, Anna would not be sitting in the limousine's front seat.

  "Are you ladies ready?" Uncle Henry asks.

  "Yes, yes," Anna cries and bounces on the seat.

  Uncle Henry starts the engine. What a noise it makes. Anna puts her hands over her ears and laughs out loud. In the back seat, Mother murmurs a prayer in German. Aunt May tells her not to worry.

  As he pulls away from the curb, Uncle Henry toots the horn. Ooga, ooga! Anna glimpses her neighbors' faces peeking out from behind their lace curtains. She sits up straight and smiles at Mr. O'Neil. She smiles at Mrs. Spratt. She even smiles at Mrs. Anderson.

  Mr. O'Neil and Mrs. Spratt smile and wave at Anna, but Mrs. Anderson frowns and closes her curtains with a snap, right on Duke's nose.

  Fritzi sees Duke and begins to bark. Anna holds his collar tightly to keep him from jumping out. In the back seat Mother mutters something about that noisy Hund.

  Uncle Henry passes Rosa and Beatrice. They look up from their hopscotch game and see Anna in the front seat of the limousine. Anna sticks her nose up in the air and waves in what she hopes is a royal way. Rosa and Beatrice wave back, but they don't smile. Today Anna is a princess and Rosa and Beatrice are her subjects.

  Uncle Henry drives slowly downhill toward North Avenue. It's a little like riding the roller coaster at Gwynne Oak amusement park, but not as fast. And not as scary. Like Fritzi, Anna leans out of the limousine and gulps the air blowing in her face.

  At the bottom of the hill, Uncle Henry waits for a trolley to pass. Charlie comes around the corner, his hands in his pockets. Like Rosa and Beatrice, he's amazed to see Anna riding in the front seat of a limousine.

  Anna touches Uncle Henry's sleeve. "Charlie helped stop the fight, too," she whispers."Can he come with us?"

  "Of course," says Uncle Henry. He beckons to Charlie. "Would you like to go for a ride?"

  Charlie runs to the car, a big grin on his face, and climbs into the front seat with Anna and Fritzi. Like Anna, Charlie has never ridden in a car. He's just as excited as she is.

  "What's this for?" Charlie points at a knob on the dashboard. Before Uncle Henry can tell him, Charlie points at something else. "What's that do?"

  Uncle Henry answers all of Charlie's questions. While he talks, he follows the trolley downtown. Steering carefully, he weaves around horses and carts, blowing the horn now and then at other cars.

  Sometimes the car's horn startles a horse, and the cart driver shouts at Uncle Henry. When this happens, Mother reaches forward and covers Anna's ears with her hands. "Such language," she says. "For shame to speak so in public where ladies and innocent children can hear."

  "It's the way of world," Uncle Henry says with a shrug.

  Charlie laughs but Anna isn't listening. She's just spotted Father waiting for the outbound trolley. "Stop, Uncle Henry, stop!" she cries. "There's Father! Let's give him a ride, too!"

  Uncle Henry pulls up beside Father. "Hop in, Ira."

  "Sit in front with me," Anna says, but there isn't enough room for Father to squeeze in between Charlie and Fritzi.

  "Please, Ira," Mother pleads, "Sit back here with me."

  "Yes," Aunt May says. "Poor Lizzie needs you to protect her, Ira. She's convinced Henry will kill us all."

  Father laughs and gets into the back seat. "Hold my hand, Lizzie," he says. "And enjoy yourself."

  Uncle Henry steps on the gas and toots the horn. Fritzi barks. Charlie asks more questions. Mother says another prayer.

  Anna smiles at Father. Riding in the limousine is even more fun than she thought it would be.

  9. Great Aunt Emma Moree and the Burglar

  ANNA'S GREAT AUNT EMMA MOREE IS A WIDOW who lives all by herself in a tiny house on McCullough Street. She's small and thin, hardly bigger than Anna herself. Her black dresses have stiff lace collars that come up to her chin. Her long skirts sweep the floor. Her hats are decorated with plumes plucked from birds that lived long ago. Her hairstyle is many years out of fashion, but Anna loves the perfect little spit curls on her aunt's forehead.

  Father says Great Aunt Emma is an anachronism. When Anna asks what that means, he says she is out of step with the times. He doesn't mean it as a criticism. He loves his tiny little aunt as much as Anna does.

  Today, Aunt Emma is visiting Anna. Father is at work and Mother has gone shopping with Aunt May. Anna is playing with her doll in the front parlor and Aunt Emma is sitting nearby, reading her Bible. Suddenly they hear a loud bang on the second floor.

  "What was that?" Anna moves closer to her aunt. They both stare at the ceiling.

  "I don't know," Aunt Emma says. She puts her arm around Anna. "Maybe it's the wind."

  Anna and Aunt Emma stare at
each other. Anna knows it's not the wind. "It sounds like someone is upstairs," she whispers. "Could it be a burglar?"

  "How would a burglar get in?" Aunt Emma asks.

  "He could stand on top of the fence and pull himself up to the bedroom window," Anna says. She's heard Mother worry about this very thing. In fact, it happened to Mrs. Stein not too long ago. The burglar climbed through the back window and stole poor Mrs. Stein's jewelry, every bit of it, even the fake jewels.

  Aunt Emma's face tightens into a scowl. "No burglar will get the best of me," she says fiercely. "No-sirree-bob!"

  To Anna's surprise, her tiny aunt gets to her feet and picks up the poker Father keeps on the hearth. Gripping it tightly, she goes to the foot of the stairs. As loudly as she can, she calls, "Whoever is up there had better come down before I give you what for, you rascal!"

  Anna clings to her aunt's arm. They wait for someone to come down the steps. No one does. Nor do they hear any more bangs.

  "I think you scared him away," Anna says. She's very proud of her aunt.

  "I believe you're right," says Aunt Emma. Looking pleased with herself, she returns to the living room and sits down in her chair. Anna notices she keeps the poker beside her—just in case.

  When Mother comes home, Anna tells her what happened. "Great Aunt Emma chased a burglar away. He came in through the back bedroom window, but he was too scared to come down and face us."

  Anna's mother sits down in a chair, her face pale. "Did you go up there to make sure he's really gone?"

  Anna shakes her head and Aunt Emma flourishes the poker again. "I tell you I scared him away!" she says.

  "Suppose he's still here?" Mother asks. "He might be hiding under a bed, waiting to kill us in our sleep!"

  "Just let him try," cries Aunt Emma, waving the poker again. "I'll give him a whack he won't soon forget"

  If Anna hadn't been so scared she would have laughed. Her aunt is so frail and tiny—how could she give a big fierce burglar a whack?

  Just then Father comes home. "Anna, Lizzie," he says. "What's the trouble? Why are you so upset?"