Chapter 5.
Patty Pans One day, Jo found Daisy sitting on the stairs, pouting.
It was quite unlike her niece to be this way, and so Jo asked kindly, What's the matter, Daisy?
The boys won't let me play with them, she replied.
Jo put her hand on the girl's shoulder and tried very hard not to smile.
And why is that? because they're playing football.
Even Demi won't let me join.
He used to let me, but now the boys laugh at him.
I'm so tired of playing alone.
Well, I'm about to go into town to see your mother.
Why don't you come along?
Maybe you'd like to stay home for a couple of days.
Daisy stood up and said, I should like to see mother, but I don't want to stay there.
I'll come back here or else Demi will miss me.
You'll need to find something to do while I get ready to go.
Why don't you go see Asia downstairs in the kitchen?
Maybe you can help her with lunch.
Daisy nodded and flew off downstairs to help Asia with her baking.
I'll need to find something else for her to do, Joe thought.
I never would have imagined that it's more difficult to keep one girl occupied than it is to keep a dozen boys going.
As she put away the last of the laundry and closed the wardrobe door, Joe had an idea.
That's it, she said out loud.
That'll be the perfect hobby for Daisy.
Now if I can just figure out a way to make it work.
All the way into town, Joe teased Daisy about having a grand surprise.
Daisy begged her aunt to tell her what she was planning, but Joe wouldn't budge.
While Joe went and did all the shopping, Daisy stayed behind with her mother.
But when her aunt returned, she still wouldn't say anything about the surprise.
To make matters worse, Daisy watched as her mother and aunt had a long visit that felt like forever to a little girl dying to know a secret.
Finally, it was time to go.
As her mother tied on her bonnet, she said, Be a good girl, Daisy, and learn Aunt Jo's new game.
It's very kind of her to teach you, and she'll even play with you herself, although I know she doesn't like it very much.
Aunt Jo and her mother laughed.
Something rattled in the back of the carriage on the way home, and Daisy said, Is that it?
Is that the new game?
Jo answered, It is, indeed.
Why, it's making a lot of noise.
What's it made from?
Iron, tin, wood, brass, sugar, salt, coal, and a hundred other things.
How strange, Daisy said.
What color is it?
All sorts of colors, Aunt Jo replied.
Daisy asked many questions, all of which her aunt answered without ever telling her the one piece of information she wanted above all others the name of the game.
When they got home, Daisy inspected every little bundle for a clue.
Then Joe took the bundles upstairs, where Daisy heard hammering and all sorts of noise.
Still, no one would tell her the secret.
All of this made Daisy so excited she could barely contain herself.
When she thought she could simply not wait another moment longer.
Jo told her that the secret would be revealed after her lessons the next day.
As hard as it was to sleep, Daisy found school almost impossible.
The bell had barely chimed when she raced to Jo's parlor and shouted, I've done all my lessons.
Please tell me what the surprise is now, please.
It's all ready for you, Jo said as she tucked Teddy up under her arm.
Come on upstairs.
Daisy threw open the nursery door and looked around.
I don't see anything.
But do you hear anything?
Joe asked.
Daisy stood still until she heard a large crackle from behind a curtain drawn in front of a big bay window.
Oh, she exclaimed as she raced forward and pulled the curtains apart.
Oh, my.
Aunt Jo and her helpers had set up a small cooking stove which was all ready to prepare an entire meal for a whole cast of hungry dolls.
One of the window panes had been replaced with tin, which sent the smoke outside in a way that was of no danger to anyone.
A tea kettle steamed away on top of the stove and seemed almost as happy as Daisy herself.
Her eyes leapt from one charming object to the next, until she couldn't contain her happiness any longer.
She flew into her aunt's arms and said, Oh, Auntie, it's so splendid.
I can make meals and cookies and all kinds of fun.
What on earth made you think of it?
Joe laughed and said, You always want to help Asia in the kitchen.
I told your Uncle Laurie, and he promptly went out and found the very best small stove he could find.
Daisy was so excited she couldn't speak.
Joe continued.
This way, you won't dirty Asia's kitchen and you can still learn all sorts of useful knowledge about cooking.
It's the sweetest, dearest little kitchen in the world.
I would rather learn all about it and all the things I can make in it than anything else in the world, Daisy said.
She promptly put on the little apron and cap that were hanging with great care beside the stove and got to work.
She and her aunt played for hours, and even went to market downstairs in Asia's well-run kitchen.
"'Now, put everything away in your cupboard,' Joe said with a smile, for there was another surprise.
When Daisy opened up the cupboard doors, she saw all kinds of small jars filled up with anything she might need.
Flour, sugar, cornmeal, and even two sweet little doll-sized milk pans with fresh milk.'
After a while, the boys all clambered outside the door to see what was going on.
Once they were allowed in, they set about inspecting every inch of the stove in the little kitchen.
Demi offered to buy her boiler on the spot, for it would make a very good addition to the steam engine he was building.
And when Tommy saw the large saucepan, he declared it would be just perfect to melt lead.
Aunt Jo stood back and declared that no boy could touch the stove or the pieces of the little kitchen without Daisy saying it was okay.
None of these items will ever be for sale, either.
Am I making myself clear?
Jo said sternly.
Before long, the day was over and it was time for bed.
As Jo tucked Daisy into bed, she asked her if she liked her kitchen.
Oh, it's the dearest game ever made.
What shall we call it, Joe asked, for every game needs a name.
You name it, Aunt Jo.
It was you who came up with it and had it built, even if Uncle Laurie did help a great deal.
Fine, fine, Joe thought for a moment.
We'll call it Patty Pans, after the nursery rhyme.
It's perfect, Aunt Jo, Daisy said as she drifted off to sleep.
Just perfect.
