Ginny in Second Grade

Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a little girl named Virginia, but often times called Ginny. She was in the second grade, with big blue eyes, freckles across her nose and a Butcher Boy haircut--bangs and hair cut just to the bottom of your ears. Her hair was red-brown.
Ginny and Gladys who was also in the second grade and lived on the next hill over were going home from school, walking on the narrow dirt road and just chatting. Ginny knew she was to come straight home but might be able to go to Gladys' house later. They both congratulated each other-on not
having homework and that meant playtime for sure.
 
 Gladys headed on home and Ginny headed for the attic. The most prized
 treasure could be found there--several large sacks, and I do mean
 large--the size of pillowcases were filled with dried apples. How absolutely
 delicious--bite into a dried apple slice--yum, yum. Grabbing a handful,
 Ginny proceeded downstairs to see if she could find the new puppy.
 Probably she would find it at the barn. Oh, no, she had to go back in and change
 into her play clothes or Mama would certainly fuss at her. OK--mouth
 loaded with dried apples, clothes changed . It would be fun to go to Gladys'
 house.
 
 Mama who was down in the garden picking beans had no objection but she
 must be home by five. Up the dusty road with dust squishing wonderfully
 between her toes --how utterly delightful and so soft!
 
 The one most important wonderful thing at Gladys' house was their
 player-piano. Yes, it looked like a regular piano, well almost, except
 where you would put the music you were going to play--well that opened
 up and you put rolls. long rolls that had holes in them and went round and
 round and you pumped the pedals and it played all kinds of songs. This
 was truly stupendous and such great fun. Much better than our piano which
 you had to know all the notes and how to play songs!!! So Gladys asked her
 mother if we could play and she said OK but only four songs. Well, four
 songs would be just right and it would be time to go back home. We
 looked over the rolls with their titles, found four and put them in very, very
 carefully and then pedaled like crazy, laughing like fools and loving
 every minute of it.
 
 Soon it was time for me to go home. Gladys' mom gave me a little basket
 of damson plums to take home. My mom had given her some strawberries a few
 days ago. No, I must not taste them--although they looked awfully good!
 
 Home I went, gathered the egg basket, gathered all of the eggs and there
 were lots of them. Washed my face and hands, set the table, ate dinner
 and soon was sleepily heading for bed. Of course there was no TV and no
 radio, but plenty of books to read and so I would read myself to sleep.