TROUBLE FOR THE LITTLE BROWN HOUSE
"Oh, I do wish," said Joel, a few mornings after, pushing back his chairand looking discontentedly at his bowl of mush and molasses, "that wecould ever have something new besides this everlasting old breakfast!Why can't we, mammy?"
"Better be glad you've got that, Joe," said Mrs. Pepper, taking anothercold potato, and sprinkling on a little salt; "folks shouldn't complainso long as they've anything to eat."
"But I'm so tired of it--same old thing!" growled Joel; "seems as if Ish'd turn into a meal-bag or a molasses jug!"
"Well, hand it over, then," proposed Ben, who was unusually hungry, andhad a hard day's work before him.
"No," said Joel, alarmed at the prospect, and putting in an enormousmouthful; "it's better than nothing."
"Oh, dear," said little Phronsie, catching Joel's tone, "it isn't nice;no, it isn't." And she put down her spoon so suddenly that the molassesspun off in a big drop, that trailed off the corner of the table, andmade Polly jump up and run for the floor-cloth.
"Oh, Phronsie," she said, reprovingly; "you ought not to. Never mind,pet," as she caught sight of two big tears trying to make a path in thelittle molasses-streaked face, "Polly'll wipe it up."
"Sha'n't we ever have anything else to eat, Polly?" asked the child,gravely, getting down from her high chair to watch the operation ofcleaning the floor.
"Oh, yes," said Polly, cheerfully, "lots and lots--when our ship comesin."
"What'll they be?" asked Phronsie, in the greatest delight, prepared foranything.
"Oh, I don't know," said Polly; "ice cream for one thing, Phronsie, andmaybe, little cakes."
"With pink on top?" interrupted Phronsie, getting down by Polly's side.
"Oh, yes," said Polly, warming with her subject; "ever and ever so muchpink, Phronsie Pepper; more than you could eat!"
Phronsie just clasped her hands and sighed. More than she could eat wasbeyond her!
"Hoh!" said Joel, who caught the imaginary bill of fare, "that'snothing, Polly. I'd speak for a plum-puddin'."
"Like the one mother made us for Thanksgiving?" asked Polly, getting upand waiting a minute, cloth in hand, for the answer.
"Yes, sir," said Joel, shutting one eye and looking up at the ceiling,musingly, while he smacked his lips in remembrance; "wasn't that prime,though!"
"Yes," said Polly, thoughtfully; "would you have 'em all like that,Joe?"
"Every one," replied Joe, promptly; "I'd have seventy-five of 'em."
"Seventy-five what?" asked Mrs. Pepper, who had gone into the bedroom,and now came out, a coat in hand, to sit down in the west window, whereshe began to sew rapidly. "Better clear up the dishes, Polly, and setthe table back--seventy-five what, Joel?"
"Plum-puddings," said Joel, kissing Phronsie.
"Dear me!" ejaculated Mrs. Pepper; "you don't know what you're saying,Joel Pepper; the house couldn't hold 'em!"
"Wouldn't long," responded Joel; "we'd eat 'em."
"That would be foolish," interposed Ben; "I'd have roast beef andfixings--and oysters--and huckleberry pie."
"Oh, dear," cried Polly; "how nice, Ben! you always do think of the verybest things."
But Joel phoohed and declared he wouldn't waste his time "over old beef;he'd have something like!" And then he cried:
"Come on, Dave, what'd you choose?"
Little Davie had been quietly eating his breakfast amid all thischatter, and somehow thinking it might make the mother feel badly, hehad refrained from saying just how tiresome he had really found this"everlasting breakfast" as Joel called it. But now he looked up eagerly,his answer all ready. "Oh, I know," he cried, "what would be mostbeautiful! toasted bread--white bread--and candy."
"What's candy?" asked Phronsie.
"Oh, don't you know, Phronsie," cried Polly, "what Mrs. Beebe gave youthe day you got your shoes--the pink sticks; and--"
"And the peppermint stick Mr. Beebe gave you, Phronsie," finished Joel,his mouth watering at the remembrance.
"That day, when you got your toe pounded," added Davie, looking at Joel.
"Oh!" cried Phronsie; "I want some now, I do!"
"Well, Davie," said Polly, "you shall have that for breakfast when ourship comes in then."
"Your ships aren't ever coming," broke in Mrs. Pepper, wisely, "if yousit there talking--folks don't ever make any fortunes by wishing."
"True enough," laughed Ben, jumping up and setting back his chair. "Comeon, Joe; you've got to pile to-day."
"Oh, dear," said Joel, dismally; "I wish Mr. Blodgett's wood was alla-fire."
"Never say that, Joel," said Mrs. Pepper, looking up sternly; "it'sbiting your own nose off to wish that wood was a-fire--and besides it'sdreadfully wicked."
Joel hung his head, for his mother never spoke in that way unless shewas strongly moved; but he soon recovered, and hastened off for hisjacket.
"I'm sorry I can't help you do the dishes, Polly," said David, runningafter Joel.
"I'm going to help her," said Phronsie; "I am."
So Polly got the little wooden tub that she always used, gave Phronsiethe well-worn cup-napkin, and allowed her to wipe the handleless cupsand cracked saucers, which afforded the little one intense delight.
"Don't you wish, Polly," said little Phronsie, bustling around with avery important air, nearly smothered in the depths of a big brownapron that Polly had carefully tied under her chin, "that you didn'tever-an'-ever have so many dishes to do?"
"Um--maybe," said Polly, thoughtlessly. She was thinking of somethingelse besides cups and saucers just then; of how nice it would be to gooff for just one day, and do exactly as she had a mind to in everything.She even envied Ben and the boys who were going to work hard at DeaconBlodgett's woodpile.
"Well, I tell you," said Phronsie, confidentially, setting down acup that she had polished with great care, "I'm going to do 'em allto-morrow, for you, Polly--I can truly; let me now, Polly, do."
"Nonsense!" said Polly, giving a great splash with her mop in the tub,ashamed of her inward repinings. "Phronsie, you're no bigger than amouse!"
"Yes, I am," retorted Phronsie, very indignantly. Her face began to getvery red, and she straightened up so suddenly to show Polly just howvery big she was that her little head came up against the edge of thetub--over it went! a pile of saucers followed.
"There now," cried Polly, "see what you've done!"
"Ow!" whimpered Phronsie, breaking into a subdued roar; "oh, Polly! it'sall running down my back."
"Is it?" said Polly, bursting out into a laugh; "never mind, Phronsie,I'll dry you."
"Dear me, Polly!" said Mrs. Pepper, who had looked up in time to see thetub racing along by itself towards the "Provision Room" door, a streamof dish-water following in its wake, "she will be wet clear through; doget off her things, quick."
"Yes'm," cried Polly, picking up the tub, and giving two or three quicksops to the floor. "Here you are, Pussy," grasping Phronsie, crying asshe was, and carrying her into the bedroom.
"Oh, dear," wailed the child, still holding the wet dish towel; "I won'tever do it again, if you'll only let me do 'em all to-morrow."
"When you're big and strong," said Polly, giving her a hug, "you shalldo 'em every day."
"May I really?" said little Phronsie, blinking through the tears, andlooking radiant.
"Yes, truly--every day."
"Then I'll grow right away, I will," said Phronsie, bursting outmerrily; and she sat down and pulled off the well-worn shoes, into whicha big pool of dish-water had run, while Polly went for dry stockings.
"So you shall," said Polly, coming back, a big piece of gingerbread inher hand; "and this'll make you grow, Phronsie."
"O-o-h!" and Phronsie's little white teeth shut down quickly on thecomforting morsel. Gingerbread didn't come often enough into the Pepperhousehold to be lightly esteemed.
"Now," said Mrs. Pepper, when order was restored, the floor washedup brightly, and every cup and platter in place, hobnobbing away tothemse
lves on the shelves of the old corner cupboard, and Polly had comeas usual with needle and thread to help mother--Polly was getting sothat she could do the plain parts on the coats and jackets, whichfilled her with pride at the very thought--"now," said Mrs. Pepper, "youneedn't help me this morning, Polly: I'm getting on pretty smart; butyou may just run down to the parson's, and see how he is."
"Is he sick?" asked Polly, in awe.
To have the parson sick, was something quite different from an ordinaryperson's illness.
"He's taken with a chill," said Mrs. Pepper, biting off a thread, "soMiss Huldy Folsom told me last night, and I'm afraid he's going to havea fever."
"Oh, dear," said Polly, in dire distress; "whatever'd we do, mammy!"
"Don't know, I'm sure," replied Mrs. Pepper, setting her stitchesfirmly; "the Lord'll provide. So you run along, child, and see how heis."
"Can't Phronsie go?" asked Polly, pausing half-way to the bedroom door.
"Well, yes, I suppose she might," said Mrs. Pepper, assentingly.
"No, she can't either," said Polly, coming back with her sun-bonnet inher hand, and shutting the door carefully after her, "cause she's fastasleep on the floor."
"Is she?" said Mrs. Pepper; "well, she's been running so this morning,she's tired out, I s'pose."
"And her face is dreadfully red," continued Polly, tying on her bonnet;"now, what'll I say, mammy?"
"Well, I should think 'twould be," said Mrs. Pepper, replying to thefirst half of Polly's speech; "she cried so. Well, you just tell Mrs.Henderson your ma wants to know how Mr. Henderson is this morning, andif 'twas a chill he had yesterday, and how he slept last night, and--"
"Oh, ma," said Polly, "I can't ever remember all that."
"Oh, yes, you can," said Mrs. Pepper, encouragingly; "just put your mindon it, Polly; 'tisn't anything to what I used to have to remember--whenI was a little girl, no bigger than you are."
Polly sighed, and feeling sure that something must be the matter withher mind, gave her whole attention to the errand; till at last after amultiplicity of messages and charges not to forget any one of them, Mrs.Pepper let her depart.
Up to the old-fashioned green door, with its brass knocker, Polly went,running over in her mind just which of the messages she ought to givefirst. She couldn't for her life think whether "if 'twas a chill he hadyesterday?" ought to come before "how he slept?" She knocked timidly,hoping Mrs. Henderson would help her out of her difficulty by tellingher without the asking. All other front doors in Badgertown wereornaments, only opened on grand occasions, like a wedding or a funeral.But the minister's was accessible alike to all. So Polly let fall theknocker, and awaited the answer.
A scuffling noise sounded along the passage; and then Polly's soul sankdown in dire dismay. It was the minister's sister, and not gentle littleMrs. Henderson. She never could get on with Miss Jerusha in the least.She made her feel as she told her mother once--"as if I don't know whatmy name is." And now here she was; and all those messages.
Miss Jerusha unbolted the door, slid back the great bar, opened theupper half, and stood there. She was a big woman, with sharp black eyes,and spectacles--over which she looked--which to Polly was much worse,for that gave her four eyes.
"Well, and what do you want?" she asked.
"I came to see--I mean my ma sent me," stammered poor Polly.
"And who is your ma?" demanded Miss Jerusha, as much like a policeman asanything; "and where do you live?"
"I live in Primrose Lane," replied Polly, wishing very much that she wasback there.
"I don't want to know where you live, before I know who you are," saidMiss Jerusha; "you should answer the question I asked first; alwaysremember that."
"My ma's Mrs. Pepper," said Polly.
"Mrs. who?" repeated Miss Jerusha.
By this time Polly was so worn that she came very near turning andfleeing, but she thought of her mother's disappointment in her, and theloss of the news, and stood quite still.
"What is it, Jerusha?" a gentle voice here broke upon Polly's ear.
"I don't know," responded Miss Jerusha, tartly, still holding the doormuch as if Polly were a robber; "it's a little girl, and I can't makeout what she wants."
"Why, it's Polly Pepper!" exclaimed Mrs. Henderson, pleasantly. "Comein, child." She opened the other half of the big door, and led theway through the wide hall into a big, old-fashioned room, with paintedfloor, and high, old side-board, and some stiff-backed rocking-chairs.
Miss Jerusha stalked in also and seated herself by the window, and beganto knit. Polly had just opened her mouth to tell her errand, when thedoor also opened suddenly and Mr. Henderson walked in.
"Oh!" said Polly, and then she stopped, and the color flushed up intoher face.
"What is it, my dear?" and the minister took her hand kindly, and lookeddown into her flushed face.
"You are not going to have a fever, and be sick and die!" she cried.
"I hope not, my little girl," he smiled back, encouragingly; and thenPolly gave her messages, which now she managed easily enough.
"There," broke in Miss Jerusha, "a cat can't sneeze in this town buteverybody'll know it in quarter of an hour."
And then Mrs. Henderson took Polly out to see a brood of new littlechicks, that had just popped their heads out into the world; and toPolly, down on her knees, admiring, the time passed very swiftly indeed.
"Now I must go, ma'am," she said at last, looking up into the lady'sface, regretfully, "for mammy didn't say I was to stay."
"Very well, dear; do you think you could carry a little pat of butter?I have some very nice my sister sent me, and I want your mother to shareit."
"Oh, thank you, ma'am!" cried Polly, thinking, "how glad Davie'll be,for he does so love butter! only--"
"Wait a bit, then," said Mrs. Henderson, who didn't seem to notice theobjection. So she went into the house, and Polly went down again inadmiration before the fascinating little puff-balls.
But she was soon on the way, with a little pat of butter in a blue bowl,tied over with a clean cloth; happy in her gift for mammy, and in theknowledge of the minister being all well.
"I wonder if Phronsie's awake," she thought to herself, turning in atthe little brown gate; "if she is, she shall have a piece of bread withlots of butter."
"Hush!" said Mrs. Pepper, from the rocking-chair in the middle of thefloor. She had something in her arms. Polly stopped suddenly, almostletting the bowl fall.
"It's Phronsie," said the mother, "and I don't know what the matter iswith her; you'll have to go for the doctor, Polly, and just as fast asyou can."
Polly still stood, holding the bowl, and staring with all her might.Phronsie sick!
"Don't wake her," said Mrs. Pepper.
Poor Polly couldn't have stirred to save her life, for a minute; thenshe said--"Where shall I go?"
"Oh, run to Dr. Fisher's; and don't be gone long."
Polly set down the bowl of butter, and sped on the wings of the wind forthe doctor. Something dreadful was the matter, she felt, for never hada physician been summoned to the hearty Pepper family since she couldremember, only when the father died. Fear lent speed to her feet; andsoon the doctor came, and bent over poor little Phronsie, who still layin her mother's arms, in a burning fever.
"It's measles," he pronounced, "that's all; no cause for alarm; you everhad it?" he asked, turning suddenly around on Polly, who was watchingwith wide-open eyes for the verdict.
"No, sir," answered Polly, not knowing in the least what "measles" was.
"What shall we do!" said Mrs. Pepper; "there haven't any of them hadit."
The doctor was over by the little old table under the window, mixing upsome black-looking stuff in a tumbler, and he didn't hear her.
"There," he said, putting a spoonful into Phronsie's mouth, "she'll getalong well enough; only keep her out of the cold." Then he pulled out abig silver watch. He was a little thin man, and the watch was immense.Polly for her life couldn't keep her eyes off from i
t; if Ben could onlyhave one so fine!
"Polly," whispered Mrs. Pepper, "run and get my purse; it's in the topbureau drawer."
"Yes'm," said Polly, taking her eyes off, by a violent wrench, fromthe fascinating watch; and she ran quickly and got the little oldstocking-leg, where the hard earnings that staid long enough to be putanywhere, always found refuge. She put it into her mother's lap, andwatched while Mrs. Pepper counted out slowly one dollar in small pieces.
"Here sir," said Mrs. Pepper, holding them out towards the doctor; "andthank you for coming."
"Hey!" said the little man, spinning round; "that dollar's the Lord's!"
Mrs. Pepper looked bewildered, and still sat holding it out. "And theLord has given it to you to take care of these children with; see thatyou do it." And without another word he was gone.
"Wasn't he good, mammy?" asked Polly, after the first surprise was over.
"I'm sure he was," said Mrs. Pepper. "Well, tie it up again, Polly, tieit up tight; we shall want it, I'm sure," sighing at her little sickgirl.
"Mayn't I take Phronsie, ma?" asked Polly.
"No, no," said Phronsie. She had got mammy, and she meant to improve theprivilege.
"What is 'measles' anyway, mammy?" asked Polly, sitting down on thefloor at their feet.
"Oh, 'tis something children always have," replied Mrs. Pepper; "but I'msure I hoped it wouldn't come just yet."
"I sha'n't have it," said Polly, decisively; "I know I sha'n't! norBen--nor Joe--nor--nor Davie--I guess," she added, hesitatingly, forDavie was the delicate one of the family; at least not nearly so strongas the others.
Mrs. Pepper looked at her anxiously; but Polly seemed as bright andhealthy as ever, as she jumped up and ran to put the kettle on thestove.
"What'll the boys say, I wonder!" she thought to herself, feelingquite important that they really had sickness in the house. As longas Phronsie wasn't dangerous, it seemed quite like rich folks; and sheforgot the toil, and the grind of poverty. She looked out from time totime as she passed the window, but no boys came.
"I'll put her in bed, Polly," said Mrs. Pepper, in a whisper, asPhronsie closed her eyes and breathed regularly.
"And then will you have your dinner, ma?"
"Yes," said Mrs. Pepper, "I don't care--if the boys come."
"The boys'll never come," said Polly, impatiently; "I don'tbelieve--why! here they are now!"
"Oh, dear," said Joel, coming in crossly, "I'm so hungry--oh--butter!where'd you get it? I thought we never should get here!"
"I thought so too," said Polly. "Hush! why, where's Ben?"
"He's just back," began Joel, commencing to eat, "and Davie; somethingis the matter with Ben--he says he feels funny."
"Something the matter with Ben!" repeated Polly. She dropped the cup sheheld, which broke in a dozen pieces.
"Oh, whocky!" cried Joel; "see what you've done, Polly Pepper!"
But Polly didn't hear; over the big, flat door-stone she sped, andmet Ben with little David, coming in the gate. His face was just likePhronsie's! And with a cold, heavy feeling at her heart, Polly realizedthat this was no play.
"Oh, Ben!" she cried, flinging her arms around his neck, and burstinginto tears; "don't! please--I wish you wouldn't; Phronsie's got 'em, andthat's enough!"
"Got what?" asked Ben, while Davie's eyes grew to their widestproportions.
"Oh, measles!" cried Polly, bursting out afresh; "the hate-fullest,horridest measles! and now you're taken!"
"Oh no, I'm not," responded Ben, cheerfully, who knew what measles were;"wipe up, Polly; I'm all right; only my head aches, and my eyes feelfunny."
But Polly, only half-reassured, controlled her sobs; and the sorrowfultrio repaired to mother.
"Oh, dear!" ejaculated Mrs. Pepper, sinking in a chair in dismay, atsight of Ben's red face; "whatever'll we do now!"
The prop and stay of her life would be taken away if Ben should be laidaside. No more stray half or quarter dollars would come to help her outwhen she didn't know where to turn.
Polly cleared off the deserted table--for once Joel had all the breadand butter he wanted. Ben took some of Phronsie's medicine, andcrawled up into the loft, to bed; and quiet settled down on the littlehousehold.
"Polly," whispered Ben, as she tucked him in, "it'll be hard buckling-tonow, for you, but I guess you'll do it."