What Happened in the Night
Introdution
Ashton, Lucy. “What Happened in the Night.” Infant's Magazine 54.1 (1920): 25-26.
“What Happened in the Night” appeared in the 1920 volume of Infant’s Magazine, a didactic periodical for very young children. It was printed in the January issue of the magazine, and the time of year influenced the subject matter of the story—waiting for the snow to come. While it is a short, simple story, it bears lessons on patience and respect intended to instruct young children. This story in particular is interesting because readers are witness the relationship between the children and the “Nurse.” The presence of a nurse and the relationship portrayed between children and nurse are likely typical of this time period.
Transcription
What Happened in the Night
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“I say, Nurse,” cried Dick, “you said a little while ago that we should have snow this winter, yet here we are, less than a week away from Christmas.”
“Yes, Nurse,” added a chorus of voices, “if the snow is coming, why doesn’t it come?” They were all at play in the Nursery—Dick, Walter, Nettie and the rest, and time goes so fast when we are at play that the bed hour comes round before we expect it. Truth to tell, the games had lasted so long that everyone in the Nursery had become a little tired. Nurse knew this quite well.
“My dears,” said she, “do you know it is seven o’clock? All little people must get ready for bed.”
“Yes, but what about the snow?” cried Dick.
“The snow will come in its proper time,” said Nurse.
“If December is not the proper time,” put in Walter, “I should like to know what is.” And all the others felt the same as Walter did, so that poor Nurse had a troublesome crowd to put to bed that night, but in the end they were all snugly tucked away dreaming of coming Christmas.
When the first bright beam of the wintry sun stole into Dick’s bedroom the next morning he got up at once and went to the window. It was just seven o’clock. Only twelve hours had passed away since he had been cross to Nurse because the snow had not come. But now his eyes opened wide with wonder, for a wonderful sight lay before him. All the world was dazzling white. Trees, fields, hills and houses were covered with snow several inches deep. With a cry of joy Dick ran from the room, and bursting open the doors of the rooms in which the other children slept, he cried:
“Get up, get up! The snow has come! It has fallen silently all the night, and covered the world.”
And before he was dressed all the other children were ready to go out and enjoy this beautiful new wonder.
Notes
Edited by: Roberts, Jordan Lee: section 1, Winter 2013
