Part 12 (2/2)
thought Dotty.
Horace returned to his manners.
”She's such a firebrand that I like to make her eyes flash; but we must be polite to visitors; so here goes.”
”Cousin Dotty,” said he aloud, dropping his mocking tones, and speaking very respectfully, ”if you are a true Republican, I honor you as such, and I'll never call you a Yankee again.”
”Well, I _am_ a 'Publican to the white bone!”
What Dotty meant by the ”white bone” was rather uncertain, it being one of those little figures of speech which will not bear criticism.
”Then you believe in universal suffering?”
”O, yes,” answered Dotty, quickly.
”And the black walnut bureau?”
Dotty hesitated.
”If the 'Publicans do, and my father does.”
”O, yes; everybody believes in the black walnut bureau--that ever saw one.”
Dotty glanced at Horace stealthily; but his face was so serious that she was sure he could not be making sport of her. They were walking a little in advance of the others, Horace dragging Flyaway, who was intent upon digging her little heels into the ground.
”This place is sometimes called Goblin Valley,” said the boy. ”A goblin means a sort of ghost; but n.o.body but simpletons believe in such things,” added he, quickly, for he was too high-minded to wish to frighten his little cousin.
”O, I'm not at all afraid of such things,” said Dotty quietly; ”I've got all over it. I know what ghosts are now; they are pumpkins.”
”Excuse my smiling,” said Horace, laughing uproariously.
”You may laugh, cousin Horace, but I've seen them. They have a candle inside; and that's why my father brought me out West, because the doctor said it frightened me so. Why, they had to pour water over me and drown me almost to death, or I'd have died!”
”I wonder!”
”Yes, 'twas Johnny Eastman; but his mamma gave me a beautiful little tea-set, with _golder_ rims than the one that was burnt up; and Johnny and Percy both felt dreadfully.”
”Wanted the tea-set themselves--did they?”
”O, no; _they_ never play tea. That isn't why they feel dreadfully; it's because, if they ever frighten me again, the Mayor'll have them put in the _penitential_, and they know it.”
”They were mean fellows; that's a fact,” said Horace, with genuine indignation. ”I used to be full of mischief when I was small; but I never frightened a little girl in my life; and no boy would do it that thinks anything of himself.”
Dotty looked up admiringly at the youth of twelve years, liking him all the better for his chivalry, as any of you little girls would have done.
”Boy-cousins are not always alike,” said she, as if the idea was quite new; ”some are good, and some are naugh--”
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