Part 6 (1/2)

”I do wish,” thought Susy, privately, ”that cousin Flossy would be more polite to little Johnny. I really think he wouldn't be so rude if she would treat him as a lady should.”

”There's another play we used to have,” said Prudy, ”where you sit round on the floor, right among the dishes, and eat your supper.”

”Well, I declare for it,” said Angeline, ”those people off there do need missionaries more than ever I thought they did.”

”Yes,” replied Susy, ”they tell such horrid stories to their little children. The children don't dare go out after dark, for they suppose there are demons up in the high trees, just ready to dart down and whisk them off.”

”Angeline tells just such stories her _own_ self,” said Dotty.

”Then she's a heathen,” said Florence, who usually spoke the first thought that came into her head.

”If that's the case,” retorted Angeline, with dignity, ”you'd better all walk out of this kitchen before you are entirely ruined.”

As Angeline was evidently in earnest, the children slowly took their way into the dining-room.

”Are there real live ghosts, though, Susy?” asked Dotty, anxiously; ”and if a bird comes to the window will you die?”

”Why, no, indeed, child! Mother told me once, when I was right little, that I mustn't let people tell me such foolish stories. If Angeline talks so to you, you must stop your ears. Now, remember!”

Dotty remembered; but she was not quite convinced. Those awful stories might be true, after all; perhaps Susy didn't know.

CHAPTER V.

RUNNING WILD.

You begin to see how the children were running wild at Mrs. Eastman's.

One morning Dotty climbed the hat-tree to get away from her cousin Percy.

”Don't believe 'cousin Dimple' knows a hat-tree wasn't made for little girls to sit on,” said Percy.

”No, 'twas made to swing on,” replied Dotty, tilting herself backward and forward like a bird on a bough. ”I'm going to stay here till somebody carries me off pick-aback.”

Percy, having nothing better to do, took his little cousin on his shoulders, danced her about the hall and through the house, and finally tossed her backward into a pile of shavings. Dotty sprang up, shook off the shavings, and ran after Percy, laughing so boisterously that Angeline said to the chambermaid,--

”I know of one person that will be glad when Mrs. Parlin gets back.”

”And I know of another,” replied Janey. ”The child behaved like a lady when she first came; but what can you expect in this house with those boys?”

”How's that bird?” said Percy, as he and Dotty raced through the kitchen. ”Can he stand on both legs yet?”

”Yes, indeed! He could stand on _three_ legs if he had 'em. He's most well--I must go and 'tend to him.”--(”I wonder what's going to happen that's bad,” thought she, as she fed the bird in her own chamber with cream biscuit. ”I hope it isn't a fire!”)--”Why, Johnny Eastman, I shouldn't think your mamma'd let you scream so loud!”

”Then you must hear the first time. Come, let's go out and have some fun; mother's gone to c.u.mberland.”

As if Johnny did not have fun all day, and every day, whether his mother was at home or abroad!

”Prudy,” said Dotty, ”good by, for Johnny 'n' I are going down to the beach to get some sh.e.l.ls.”

Prudy looked up from her writing.