A Sweet Little Maid | Page 6

having a good time, Florence? I hope Dimple hasn't pinched or scratched you yet."
"Why, papa," said Dimple, looking very much hurt. "Florence will think I am a regular little cat," but seeing a twinkle in his eyes, she knew he was only in fun, and was consoled by the kiss he gave her as he put her in her chair at the table.
There was a long afternoon before them, and, although Dimple could not walk very well with her bandaged foot, she managed to get down to her favorite place, under a big tree, where the grass was long and thick.
"Now we can play beautifully with our dolls, Florence," she said, "and have no one to disturb us, for Bubbles doesn't count. She has to be in the kitchen for a while anyhow."
They had not been out very long before Bubbles came running to them. "There is a lady and a boy in the house, Miss Dimple," she said, "and your mamma's a bringin' the boy out hyah."
"A boy!" said both the girls in horror.
"Think of it, Florence, a horrid boy! What will we do with him? I can't run, and boys despise dolls. As for talking, I never could talk to boys. They shut me up like a clam. I always feel as if they wanted to get away, and I believe they would if they could," said Dimple in a disgusted tone.
But, by this time, Mrs. Dallas had come up to them.
"This is Rock Hardy, girls," said she. "As Dimple is a little lame, I brought him out here, rather than take her in the house," and so saying, she left them. There was a deep silence after they had shaken hands; all looking rather bashful for a few minutes.
Finally Rock took courage to say, "What pretty dolls."
This was encouraging; Florence and Dimple exchanged pleased glances.
"Do you think they are pretty?" asked Dimple. "I thought boys hated dolls."
"I don't," said Rock. "I played with them myself for a long time, and I have one now, but I don't play with it because I like to read better."
"He is a nice boy," thought the girls.
"How funny," said Florence. "How came you to play with dolls?"
"Why, you see, I haven't any brothers and sisters. When I was a little fellow I used to get so lonely, that my mother dressed a boy doll for me, and I talked to it and pretended it was another boy."
"I haven't any brothers, or sisters either," said Dimple, "but Florence has. I have Bubbles, though. Everybody can't have a Bubbles; she is next best to a sister, or a cousin."
"Who is Bubbles?" asked Rock.
"She is the little colored girl you saw when you came out of the house; she has lived here ever since I was a baby; she is a year older than I am; her mother ran off and left her, and she is real nice to play with."
Dimple was fast getting over her embarrassment.
"Don't you go to school?" asked Rock.
"No, mamma has always taught me at home, but I am going next year. It is vacation now."
"Yes, I know," said Rock, "that is why we came here. We are going to stay for some time. I like to play with girls. Will you let me come and play with you sometimes?"
"Yes, indeed," said Dimple, in her warm-hearted way. "My foot is nearly well, and I can soon run about. I think I should like to play with a nice boy."
"I hope I'm a nice boy," said Rock, "but I don't know. I suppose everybody is mean sometimes."
"I think you look nice," said Dimple, honestly, looking at him from head to foot.
"Why don't you say something, Florence?"
Florence thus appealed to, could say nothing.
"Florence is my cousin," said Dimple. "She lives in Baltimore and she came here yesterday."
"Why, I live in Baltimore," said Rock. "What street do you live on, Florence?"
Florence told him, and they found it was in the next street to that on which Rock lived, so they all began to feel like old friends.
"If I had my scroll saw here, I could make you each a chair for your dolls," said Rock. "Maybe my mother will let me send for it. I will ask her."
"Oh, that would be lovely," said the girls.
"And I will lend you some of my books to read," said Dimple. "If you will please hand me that little cane, we will go in and you can choose them."
"Oh, thank you," said Rock. "I shall like to have them, for I like to read better than to do anything else."
They all went in and found Rock's mother and Mrs. Dallas in the parlor.
Dimple told her mamma what they had come for, and her mamma suggested her taking Rock into the library first, as he might find something