Dotty Dimples Flyaway | Page 3

As it was her first
letter, I will copy it.

"MY DEAR DOTTY DIMPWILL first, then MY PRUDY:
"I'm going to say that I dink milk, and that girl lost my pills.
"I see a hop-toad. He hopped. Jennie took her up in his dress.
"And 'bout we put hop-toad in wash-dish. He put his foots out,
stwetched, honest! He was a slippy fellow. First thing we knowed it, he
hopped on to her dress. Isn't that funny?
"Now 'bout the chickens; they are trottin' round on the grass: they didn't
be dead. We haven't got any only but dead ones; but Mis' Gray has.
"I like Dr. Gray ever so much!
"Mis' Gray gave me the kitty to play with. I bundled it all up in my
dress, 'cause I didn't want the cat to get it. When I went home I gave it
to the cat. [You got that wroten?]
"There wasn't any dead little kittens. She gave me a cookie, and I eated
it, and I told her to give me another to bring home, 'cause I liked her
cookies; they was curly cookies. [Got it wroted, mamma?]
"Now 'bout I pumped full a pail full o' water.
"[She knows we've got a house?]
"Now say good by, and I kiss her a pretty little kiss. O, no; I want her to
come and see me,--her and Prudy,--two of 'em! I's here yet. ['Haps she
knows it!]
"That's all--I feel sleepy.
(Signed) "From
"DOTTY DIMPWILL TO FLYWER."
This letter "went into a mist," and so did the next performance, which
you will read in the following chapter.

CHAPTER II.
RUNNING AWAY TO CHURCH.
The little Parlins came the next week. One Sunday morning Dotty
Dimple stood before the glass, putting on her hat for church. Katie
came and peeped in with her, opening her small mouth and drawing her
lips over her teeth, as her grandfather did when he shaved.
"See, Flyaway, you haven't any dimples at all!" said Dotty, primping a
little. "Your hair isn't smooth and curly like mine; it sticks up all over
your head, like a little fan."
"O, my shole!" sighed Flyaway, scowling at herself. She did not know
how lovely she was, nor how
"The light of the heaven she came from Still lingered and gleamed in
her hair."
"I wisht 'twouldn't get out," said she.
"What do you mean by out?"
"O, unwetted, and un-comb-bid, and un-parted."
"That's because you fly about like such a little witch."
"I doesn't do the leastest nuffin, Dotty Dimpwill! Folks ought to let me
to go to churches."
"I should laugh, Fly Clifford, to see you going to churches! All the
ministers would come down out of the pulpits and ask what little
mischief that was, and make aunt 'Ria carry you home!"
"No, he wouldn't, too! I'd sit stiller'n two, free, five hundred mouses,"
pleaded Flyaway, climbing up the back of a chair to show how quiet
she could be.
"O, it's no use to talk about it, darling. Give me one kiss, and I'll go get

my sun-shade."
"Can't, Dotty Dimpwill! My mamma's kiss I'll keep; it's ahind my mouf;
she's gone to 'Dusty.
"Well, 'keep it ahind your mouf,' then; and here's another to put with it.
What do you s'pose makes me love to kiss you so?"
"O, 'cause I so sweet," replied Flyaway, promptly; but she was not
thinking of her own sweetness, just then; she was wondering if she
could manage to run away to church.
"I'se a-goin' there myse'f! Sit still's a--a--" She looked around for a
comparison, and saw a grasshopper on the window-sill: "still's a
gas-papa. Man won't say nuffin' to me, see 'f he does!"
Strange such an innocent-looking child could be so sly! She ran down
the path with Horace, kissing her little hand to everybody for good by,
all the while thinking how she could steal off to church without being
seen.
"You may go up stairs and lie down with me on my bed," said grandma,
who was not very well. So Katie climbed upon the bed.
"My dee gamma, I so solly you's sick!" said she, stroking Mrs. Parlin's
face, and picking open her eyelids. But after patting and "pooring" the
dear lady for some time, she thought she had made her "all well," and
then was anxious to get away. Mrs. Parlin wished to keep her up stairs
as long as possible, because Ruth had a toothache.
"Shan't I tell you a story, dear?" said she.
"Yes, um; tell 'bout a long baby--no, a long story 'bout a short baby."
"Well, once there was a king, and he had a daughter--"
"O, no, gamma, not that! Tell me 'bout baby that didn't be on the
bul-yushes; I don't want to hear 'bout