`` She do n't eat enough for a bird . The doctor , he says there ai n't nothing the matter with her as he can find out , but she 's just pining away . '' Tommy heard this , and a queer , big lump came up in his throat . He had a horrible fear that he , Tommy Puffer , was going to cry . To prevent it he began to whistle loudly . But the whistle was a failure , very unlike the real Tommy-whistle . Bessie was sick -- and it was all his fault , Tommy believed . If he had never taken her to see that hateful , blue-silk doll , she would never have got so fond of it as to be breaking her heart because it was sold . `` If I was only rich , '' said Tommy miserably , `` I 'd buy her a cartload of dolls , all dressed in blue silk and all with brown eyes . But I ca n't do nothing . '' By this time Tommy had reached the paling in front of Miss Octavia 's lawn , and from force of habit he stopped to look over it . But there was not much to see this time , only the little green rows and circles in the brown , well-weeded beds , and the long curves of dahlia plants , which Miss Octavia had set out a few days before . All the geraniums were carried in , and the blinds were down . Tommy knew Miss Octavia was away . He had seen her depart on the train that morning , and heard her tell a friend that she was going down to Chelton to visit her brother 's folks and would n't be back until the next day . Tommy was still leaning moodily against the paling when Mrs. Jenkins and Mrs. Reid came by , and they too paused to look at the garden . `` Dear me , how cold it is ! '' shivered Mrs. Reid . `` There 's going to be a hard frost tonight . Octavia 's flowers will be nipped as sure as anything .
It 's a wonder she 'd stay away from them overnight when her heart 's so set XXXXX them . ''
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