Dandelion Cottage

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Dandelion Cottage (1934)
by Carroll Watson Rankin, illustrated by Florence Scovel Shinn and Elizabeth R. Finley
Chapter 1
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Considered a regional classic in the Midwest, it tells of four young girls who negotiate the use of a derelict cottage belonging to a church as a playhouse by pulling dandelions for the senior warden of the church, prosperous Mr. Black.

“

"Good!" said Mr. Black. "Now, we'll all sit down on the steps and I'll tell you what we'll do. It happens that the Village Improvement Society has just notified the vestry that the weeds on this lot must be removed before they go to seed—the neighbours have complained about them. It would cost the parish several dollars to hire a man to do the work, and we're short of funds just now. Now, if you four girls will pull up every weed in this place before the end of next week you shall have the use of the cottage for all the rest of the summer in return for your services. How does that strike you?"

"Oh!" cried Bettie, throwing her arms about Mr. Black's neck. "Do let me hug you. Oh, I'm glad—glad!"

"There, there!" cried stout Mr. Black, shaking Bettie off and dropping her where the dandelions grew thickest, "I didn't say I was to be strangled as part of the bargain."

”

[An audiobook is available at Librivox.]

Carroll Watson RankinFlorence Scovel Shinn and Elizabeth R. Finley2236373Dandelion Cottage1934

​

​
"Yes," said Bettie, "We're looking for a house."—P. 12

​

Dandelion Cottage


BY
CARROLL WATSON RANKIN


With Illustrations by Florence Scovel Shinn and Elizabeth R. Finley



NEW YORK
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

​

Copyright, 1904
BY
HENRY HOLT AND COMPANY

October, 1934

N. R. A.


PRINTED IN THE U. S. A. BY
QUINN & BODEN COMPANY. INC.
RAHWAY, N. J.

​

TO
RHODA, FRANCES AND ELEANOR,
Whose lively interest made the writing
of this little book a joyful task.

​

THE PERSONS OF THE STORY

Bettie Tucker:
Jeanie Mapes:
Mabel Bennett:
Marjory Vale:


The Dandelion
Cottagers.

The Tucker Family:—Mostly boys.
The Mapes Family:—Two parents, two boys.
Dr. and Mrs. Bennett:— Merely Parents.
Aunty Jane:—A Parental Substitute.
Mrs. Crane:—The Pleasantest Neighbour.
Mr. Black:—The Senior Warden.
Mr. Downing:—The Junior Warden.
Miss Blossom:—The Lodger.
Mr. Blossom:—The Organ Tuner.
Grandma Pike:—Another Neighbour.

Mr. and Mrs. Milligan:
Laura Milligan:
The Milligan Boy and
the Milligan Baby"
The Milligan Dog:


The
Unpleasantest
Neighbours.

​

CONTENTS

  1. Chapterpage
  2. I.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		1
  3. II.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		16
  4. III.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		28
  5. IV.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		44
  6. V.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		58
  7. VI.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		68
  8. VII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		77
  9. VIII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		85
  10. IX.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		98
  11. X.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		110
  12. XI.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		119
    13. ​
  13. Chapterpage
  14. XII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		130
  15. XIII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		138
  16. XIV.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		150
  17. XV.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		162
  18. XVI.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		171
  19. XVII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		182
  20. XVIII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		193
  21. XIX.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		204
  22. XX.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		214
  23. XXI.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		221
  24. XXII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		231
  25. XXIII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		239
  26. XXIV.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		250
  27. XXV.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		260
  28. XXVI.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		269
    29. ​
  29. Chapterpage
  30. XXVII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		277
  31. XXVIII.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		289
  32. XXIX.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		299

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ILLUSTRATIONS

  1. PAGE
  2. "Yes," said Bettie, "We're Looking for a House." By Florence Scovel Shinn.
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		Frontispiece
  3. A Middle-aged Young Lady Stood on the Door-step. By Elizabeth R. Finley
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		69
  4. Laura, Perched High on the Fence, Began to Sing. By Elizabeth R. Finley
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		173
  5. " 'We're the People that have been Deceived,' said Mrs. Mulligan." By Florence Scovel Shinn
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		247
  6. "Holding Each Other's Middle-aged Hands. By Florence Scovel Shinn
    ................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
    		305


This work is in the public domain in the United States because it was published in 1904, before the cutoff of January 1, 1929.

The longest-living author of this work died in 1945, so this work is in the public domain in countries and areas where the copyright term is the author's life plus 78 years or less. This work may be in the public domain in countries and areas with longer native copyright terms that apply the rule of the shorter term to foreign works.

Public domainPublic domainfalsefalse

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