Dotty Dimple at Play | Page 8

I get
home I mean to ask mamma and grandma to dress a beautiful doll, and
I'll send it to Emily. She'll keep it to remember me by; and it won't cost
any of my money if papa buys the head."
"Good by, Emily," said she, as she parted from her. "I hope there won't
any more bad things happen to you."
"But I s'pose there will," replied Emily, cheerfully.
Mr. Parlin and Horace were waiting in the hall, and the latter was
impatiently watching the tall clock. They had been in the greenhouse,
looking at the flowers, and in the shop, where the blind boys learn to
make brooms and brushes.
"Well, ladies, are you ready to go?" asked Mr. Parlin, taking Flyaway
by the hand.
"Yes, we ladies is ready," replied she. So this was the end of their visit
at the Institute.
After they had gone away, the little blind girls said to one another,--

"What nice children those are! Which is the prettiest, Alice or Katie?"
For they always spoke of people and things exactly as if they could see
them.

CHAPTER IV
.
A SPOILED DINNER.
Next morning, Dotty Dimple and her father started for Maine. Flyaway
did not like this at all. Her cousin had been so pleasant and so
entertaining that she wished to keep her always.
"What for you can't stay, Dotty Dimpwil?"
"O," said Dotty, tearing herself away from the little clinging arms, "I
must go home and get ready for Christmas."
"No, you musser," persisted Katie; "we've got a Santa Claw in our
chimley; you musser go home."
"It isn't for Santa Claus at all, darling it is for my papa and mamma's
wedding. To stand up, so they can be married over again. Now kiss me,
and let me go."
"Her's goin' home to Kismus pie," remarked Katie, as she took her
mournful way with her mamma to the house where they were visiting.
She did not know what a wedding might be, but was sure it had pies in
it.
"There goes a right smart little girl," said Horace, with a sweep of his
thumb towards the Cleveland cars. "If it wasn't for Prudy, I should like
her better than any other cousin I have in the world."
"She is an engaging child," replied his mother, "and really seems to be
outgrowing her naughty ways."
Thus, you see, Dotty Dimple, in coming away from Indiana, had left in
the minds of her friends only "golden opinions." Perhaps she was rather
overrated. Everything had gone well with her during her visit; why
should she not be pleasant and happy? I am inclined to think there was
the same old naughtiness in her heart, only just now it was asleep. We
shall see.
Nothing remarkable occurred on the homeward journey, except that Mr.
Parlin bought some gold-fishes in Boston, and carried them home as a
present to Mrs. Read. They travelled one night in a sleeping-car, and by

that means reached Portland a day earlier than they were expected.
Dotty hardly knew whether to be glad or sorry for this. There was a
great deal to be said on both sides of the question. She had anticipated
the pleasure of being met at the depot by Susy and Prudy, and now that
was not to be thought of; but it would be delightful to give the family a
surprise. On the whole, she was very well satisfied.
As they drove up to the new home, however, what was their
astonishment to find it closed! There was not even a window open, or
any other sign that the house was inhabited. Dotty ran to every door,
and shook it.
"Why, papa, papa, do you s'pose there's anybody dead?"
"The probability is, Alice, that they have gone away. I will run over to
Mrs. Prosser's, and see if she knows anything about it."
Mrs. Prosser was the nearest neighbor on the left. Her little daughter
came to the door in tears, having hurt herself against a trunk in the hall.
"Miss Carrie," said Mr. Parlin, "can you tell me where Mrs. Parlin and
the rest of the family are gone?"
"Yes, Caddy Prosser, the house is shut up," added Dotty, "and I'm
afraid they're dead."
"I don't know where they're gone, nor anything," sobbed Carrie. "I
didn't know the trunk was in the entry, and I came so fast I fell right
over it."
"I am very sorry you are hurt," said Mr. Parlin. "Is your mother at
home?"
"No, sir, she isn't; her trunk came, but she didn't."
There was no information to be obtained at the Prossers'; so Mr. Parlin
went to Mr. Lawrence's, the nearest neighbor on the right, making the
same inquiries; but all he learned was, that a