CHAPTER VIII.
WASHING THE PIG.
After her grandmother had left the room, Miss Dotty lay on the sofa forfive minutes, thinking.
"Then it doesn't make any difference how much anybody cries, or how muchthey don't cry. If they are truly sorry, then they won't do it again;that's all."
Then she wondered if Jennie Vance had asked her step-mother's pardon. Shethought she ought to talk to Jennie, and tell her how much happier shewould feel if she would only try to be a good little girl.
"That child is growing naughty every day of her life," mused MissDimple, with a feeling of pity.
There was plenty of time to learn the morning's lesson by heart, forDotty was obliged to keep very quiet all day. The thorn had been removedfrom her foot, but the healing must be a work of time; and more thanthat, her throat was quite sore.
It seemed as if Susy and Prudy would never come; and when at last theircheerful voices were heard ringing through the house, it was a welcomesound indeed. They had brought some oranges for Katie and Dotty, withsundry other niceties, from Aunt Martha's.
"Did you know," said Dotty, "I haven't had any breakfast to-day? I'velost one meal, and I never shall make it up as long as I live; for Icouldn't eat two breakfasts, you know."
"I'll tell you what we'll do," said Aunt Louise, laughing; "if you'llwake me up at twelve o'clock some night, I'll rise and prepare abreakfast for you, and that will make it all right."
Dotty looked at her auntie as if she did not know whether to take her inearnest or not.
"I've been sick at home all day, Prudy," said she; "and I s'pose_you've_ been having a good time."
"Splendid! And Lightning Dodger brought us home."
"Who's Lightning Dodger?"
"Why, Aunt Martha's horse; don't you know? They call him that becausethey say he goes so fast the lightning don't have time to hit him."
"O, you don't believe it--do you?" cried Dotty; "I guess that'spoetry."
"Little sister," replied Prudy, speaking in a low voice, "don't say'poetry' ever again. There's something about it that's very queer. Ithought I knew how to make poetry, but they all laugh at me, evengrandma."
Dotty looked greatly surprised.
"Yes," continued Prudy, with a trembling voice; "I can rhyme verses andjingle them; but there's something else I don't put in, I s'pose, thatbelongs there. Some time I'll look in the big dictionary and see what itis."
"Is Prudy telling about the party?" asked Susy, from the corner.
"What party?" cried Dotty, dancing on her well foot.
"There, now, don't feel so happy, darling, for you can't go; its afamily party, and Cousin Lydia wrote she hadn't room for the twoyoungest; that's you and Flyaway."
Dotty looked as if she had received a blow. True, she knew nothing aboutCousin Lydia, who lived twenty miles away; but if that individual wasgoing to have a party, of course Dotty wished to go to it.
"Uncle John is going, all _his_ wife and children," said Prudy; "and Idon't see why Dotty can't."
Uncle John was Aunt Martha's husband, and "all _his_ wife and children"meant only Aunt Martha and Lonnie.
"Cousin Lydia wanted to make me cry," exclaimed Dotty, her eyes shootingout sparks of displeasure; "she 'spected I'd cry, and that'swhy--Katie," added she, drawing the little one up to her, "Cousin Lydiawon't let you come to her house."
"What _for_ she won't?" cried Katie, looking defiant. "If I good wouldher put me in the closet? I don't like her tall, tenny rate."
This was the strongest expression of wrath Katie dared use; and when shesaid she did not like a person "tall tenny rate," it meant that she wasvery, very angry.
"Has Cousin Yiddy got some heart?" asked she indignantly.
"Not a bit," replied Dotty, fiercely.
Mrs. Parlin now tried to explain. She said Mrs. Tenny did not intend anydisrespect to the two youngest ones; but she really had no room forthem, as her guests were to spend the night.
"The mistake she made was in asking Susy and Prudy," said Aunt Louise;"but I suppose she was curious to see our little poetess."
Prudy blushed, and hid her face behind the curtain.
"Poor little sister," thought she, "how she feels!" For Dotty sat in therocking-chair, as stiff as a jointed doll, looking as if she lovednobody and nobody loved her. Her beautiful eyes had ceased to shootsparks of fire, and now appeared hard and frozen, like thick blue ice.In fact, a fit of the pouts was coming on very fast, and gentle Prudydreaded it. She had been so happy in the thought of riding toBloomingdale; could she give up that pleasure, and stay at home withDotty? Nothing less, she knew, would satisfy the child. All her lifePrudy had been learning to think of the happiness of others before herown. She cast another glance at the still face.
"I'm not going to Bloomingdale," sighed she, behind the curtain.
But when she told Mrs. Parlin so, that night, her voice was verytremulous.
"You dear little girl," said grandma, giving her a hearty kiss; "youneed not make any such resolve. Your sister Alice must learn to beardisappointments as well as you. You are going to Bloomingdale with us,my child; so bring your blue dress to me, and let me see if it is inorder."
Though Prudy's offer to remain at home had been made in all good faith,and though she was really sorry to think of leaving Dotty alone, still Icannot say her heart did not bound with delight on being told she _must_go.
Thursday morning came clear and bright, and with it Miss Polly, downcastand sad, in a mournful brown bonnet, the front of which, as Prudy said,was "making a courtesy." Miss Polly was, however, in as good spirits asusual, and had come to keep house with Ruth, and help take care of thechildren for this day and the next.
Till the last minute Prudy and Dotty walked the piazza, their armsabout each other's waist.
"I s'pose," said Dotty, sullenly, "when you are at that old CousinLydia's, having good times, you won't think anything about me and Katie,left here all alone."
"Why, little sister!"
"Maybe," continued Dotty, "the ducks will hatch while you're gone. I sawthe white hen flying over the fence with one of those eggs in hermouth."
"A piece of the shell?"
"O, no, a whole egg, right in her bill," replied Dotty, who supposed shewas telling the truth. "And you know those big strawberries that cost acent apiece, Prudy; you'll be sorry you couldn't be here to help eat 'emin cream."
Perhaps Dotty hoped, even at this last moment, that Prudy would beinduced to stay at home. If so, she was doomed to be disappointed.
"Well," said Prudy, "I'm glad you'll have such nice times, Dotty."
"O, it won't be nice at all. Something will happen; now you see if itdon't," said Dotty, determined to be miserable.
After the two carriages, with the horses "Deacon" and "Judge," haddriven off, and grandpa had given his last warning about fire, andHorace and the girls had waved their handkerchiefs for the last time,Dotty proceeded to the kitchen to see if she could find anythingwherewith to make herself unhappy. Ruth stood by the flour-boardkneading bread, and cutting it with a chopping-knife in a brisk, livelyway. Polly sat by the stove sighing and rubbing silver.
"Dear me, child, what are you doing with my starch?" said Ruth as shesaw Dotty with the bowl at her lips, and a sticky stream tickling downher apron.
"Starch?" cried Dotty, in disgust; "and you never told me, Ruthie! Howdid I know it wasn't arrow-root?"
"You see, Polly," said Ruth in a discouraged tone, "just what we are toexpect from these children to-day. Next thing we know, that morsel of aKatie will be running away. They are enough to try the patience of Jobwhen they both of them set out to see what they _can_ do. And if JennieVance comes, the house will be turned upside down in five minutes."
Ruth might have known better than to complain to Polly, who always hadsomething in her own experience which was worse than anybody else hadknown.
"We all have our trials," sighed that sorrowful woman; "if it isn'tchildren, it's aches and pains. Now, for my par
t, I've been troubledfor ten years with--"
Here followed a list of diseases. Ruth shut her lips together, resolvedto say nothing more about her own trials.
"They don't either of them like me," thought Dotty. "I'm going off inthe barn, and perhaps they'll think I'm dead. Katie," said she, sternly,"I'm going off somewhere, and you mustn't try to find me."
Then there was some one else who felt quite alone in the world, and thatwas little Katie. Her cousin had pushed her one side as if she was of novalue. Katie was a very little child, but she was old enough to feelaggrieved. She went into the parlor, and threw herself face downwards onthe sofa, thinking.
"Somebody leave me alone. O, dear! Some naughty folks don't think I'many gooder than a baby."
Then the poor little thing ran out to "breve the fleshy air." No, shewasn't quite alone in the world after all, for there was Charlie Gray atthe gate.
"Is um _you_?" she cried gleefully.
Charlie said it was.
"You didn't came to see big folks--did you? You camed to see Katie. Ilove you deely."
Then she tried to kiss him; but Charlie drew away.
"O, is your face sore?" asked the little girl.
By this time they had got as far as the seat in the trees, and Charliehad found his tongue.
"I didn't come thee _you_," said he. "I came thee your grandpa'th pig."
"O," said Katie, perfectly satisfied.
Off they started for the pig-pen.
WASHING THE PIG.--Page 137.]
"I'm glad Dotty Dimble goed away," said Katie, swinging Charlie's hand;"her's stinchy and foolidge."
"Good girlth don't thay tho," said sweet little Charlie rather shocked.
"Well, I do; stinchy and foolidge!" repeated Katie, as severely as ifshe had known what the words meant.
The pig was not expecting any visitors, and when he found that Charlieand Katie had brought him nothing to eat, he did not seem very glad tosee them.
"How you do, piggy?" said Katie, swinging a stick through the opening bythe trough.
Piggy ran away, looking very unamiable; and then he came back again,rolling his little eyes, and grunting sulkily.
"He don't look pleathant," said Charlie.
"No," replied Katie, archly; "I guess um don't want to be kissed."
Piggy winked his pink eyes, as if to say, "Ah, but I do."
"Does you?" said Katie, kindly, "then I'll frow you one;" and she did itfrom the tips of her clean fingers.
"But piggy's velly dirty," said she, wiping her lips on her apron.
"Don't they wath him?" said Charlie; "they wath theep."
"Um isn't a sheep," returned Katie; "um's a pig."
"But your gwampa could wath him."
"No, gampa couldn't; gampa's deaf. I'll tell Ruthie, and Ruthie'll washhim with the toof brush."
"I with thee would," sighed Charlie; "thee ought to. O ho!" he added, abright thought striking him; "you got a mop?"
"A mop?"
"Yes; a bwoom 'thout any bwoom on it; only wags."
Katie knew what he meant in a minute; and soon her hair was flying inthe wind, as she ran into the house for her handled mop. She lookedfirst in the parlor, and then in the front hall; but at last she foundit in the wash-room. She was very sly about it, for she was not sureRuthie would approve of this kind of housework. Then Charlie tugged outa pail of water, and dipped in the mop; and between them both theythrust it through the opening of the pen, upon piggy's back. But thedirty creature did not love clean water. When he felt the mop comingdown, he thought the sky was falling, and ran as fast as Chicken Littlefrightened by the rose-leaf.
It was of no use. The mop was wilful, and fell into the trough; andthere it staid, though the children spent the rest of the forenoon invain attempts to hook it out. When Ruthie went that noon to feed thepig, she found the trough choked with a mop, a hoe, a shovel, andseveral clothes-pins. She did not stop to inquire into the matter, buttook the articles out, one by one, saying to herself, with a smile,--
"Some of that baby's work. I couldn't think what had become of my mop;she's enough to try the patience of Job. And now," added Ruth, throwingher apron over her head, "I may as well look up Miss Dimple. There's nota better child in the world than she is when she pleases; but deary me,when things do go wrong!"
Just then a wagon drove up to the gate, and Ruth said, as she saw aburly figure alight from it,--
"Why, that can't be Uncle Seth? I'm afraid something has happened at ourhouse!"