Part 21 (2/2)
As the two were chatting, an old lady, evidently from the country, looked attentively at them. She was old and wrinkled, and, from time to time, took a pinch of snuff from a large snuff-box which she took from the pocket of her dress.
”What is your name, little gal?” she inquired at last.
”Emma,” answered the child,
”Come and kiss me,” said the old lady.
Emma surveyed the old lady critically, and answered bluntly, ”I don't want to.”
”Come and kiss me, and I'll give you the first cent I find on the currant bushes,” said the old lady coaxingly.
”I don't want to,” answered Emma again.
”Why don't you want to?” asked the old lady, with a wintery smile.
”'Cause you're old and ugly, and put snuff up your nose.”
answered Emma, who had not yet learned that the truth is not to be spoken at all times.
The old lady gasped with wrath and amazement.
”Well, I never did!” she exclaimed.
”Yes, you did,” said Emma, understanding her to say that she never took snuff. ”I saw you do it a minute ago.”
”You are a bad, wicked little gal!” said the old lady, in high displeasure. ”You're spoiled child.”
”No, I ain't,” said Emma, angry in turn. ”Don't you let her call me names,” she added, speaking to Ben.
Ben found it difficult not to laugh at the old lady's discomfiture; but he felt called upon to apologize for his young charge.
”I hope you'll excuse her, ma'am,” he said. ”She's only a little girl.”
”How old is she?” asked the old lady abruptly.
”Five years old.”
”Then she'd orter know better than to sa.s.s her elders,” said the old lady snappishly. ”She's badly brung up. Is she your sister?”
”No, ma'am.”
”Is she any kin to you?”
”No; I'm her guardian.”
The old lady adjusted her spectacles, and surveyed Ben from head to foot in a scrutinizing manner.
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