Lills Travels in Santa Claus Land | Page 8

'Twon't hurt me a tall!"
Ninny shook her head, and kept shaking it; and Flaxie began to push
her toward the closet door.
"Will you get my hat, Ninny? 'Cause when I die 'n' go to hebben, then
you won't have no little sister."
"No, I will not get your hat, miss, so there!"
All this while Flaxie was pushing, and Ninny was shaking her head.
The closet-door stood open, and, before Ninny thought much about it,
she was inside.
"There you is!" laughed the baby.
Then rising on her "tippy-toes," Flaxie began to fumble with the key.
Ninny smiled to hear her breathe so hard, but never thought the wee,
wee fingers could do any harm.
At last the key, after clicking for a good while, turned round in the lock;
yes, fairly turned. The door was fastened.
"Let me out! out! out!" cried Ninny, pounding with both hands.
Flaxie was perfectly delighted. She had not known till then that the
door was locked, and if Ninny had been quiet she would probably have
kept fumbling away till she opened it. But now she wouldn't so much as
touch the key, you may be sure. O, Flaxie Frizzle was a big rogue, as
big as she could be, and be so little! There she stood, hopping up and
down, and laughing, with the blind kitty hugged close to her bosom.

"Laugh to me, Ninny!"
"What do I want to laugh for? Let me out, you naughty girl!"
"Well, you needn't laugh, but I shall. Now I's goin' to grandma's, and
carry my white kitty."
"No, no, you mustn't, you mustn't!"
"You can't help it! I is a goin'!"
"Flaxie! Flax-ee!"
Oh! where was Eva Snow? Would she never come? There was a
sliding-door in the wall above the middle shelf, and Ninny climbed up
and pushed it back. It opened into the parlor-closet, where the china
dishes stood. If she could only crawl through that sliding door she
might get out by way of the parlor, if she did break the dishes.
But, oh dear! it wasn't half big enough. She could only put her head in,
and part of one shoulder. What should she do?
It was of no use screaming to that witch of a Frizzle; but she did scream.
She threatened to "whip her," and "tie her," and "box her ears," and
"burn up her dollies."
But Flaxie knew she wouldn't; so she calmly pulled off her boots and
put on her rubbers.
Then Ninny coaxed. She promised candy and oranges and even
wedding-cake, for she forgot she hadn't a speck of wedding-cake in the
world.
But, while she was still screaming, Flaxie was out of sight and hearing.
She hadn't found her hat; but, with her new rubbers on her feet, and the
blind kitty still hugged to her bosom, she was "going to grandma's."
She ran with all her might; for what if somebody should catch her
before she got there!

"The faster I hurry the quicker I can't go," said she, puffing for breath.
It was a beautiful day. The wind blew over the grass, and the grass
moved in green waves; Flaxie thought it was running away like herself.
It was half a mile to the bridge. By the time she reached Mr. Pratt's
store, which was half way, she thought she would stop to rest.
"'Cause he'll give me some candy," said she, and walked right into the
store, though it was half full of men,--oh fie! Flaxie Frizzle!
Mr. Jones, a lame man, was sitting next the door, and she walked
boldly up to him.
"Mr. Lame Jones, does you want to see my kitty?"
He laughed, and took it in his hands; and another man pinched its tail.
Flaxie screamed out:
"You mustn't hold it by the handle, Mr. Man!"
Then they all laughed more than ever, and clapped their hands; and Mr.
Jones said:
"You're a cunning baby!"
"Well," replied Flaxie, quickly, "what makes you have turn-about
feet?"
This wasn't a proper thing to say, and it made Mr. Jones look sober, for
he was sorry to have such feet. Mr. Pratt was afraid Flaxie would talk
more about them; so he frowned at her and said:
"Good little girls don't run away bare-headed, Miss Frizzle! Is your
mamma at home?"
"Guess I'll go now," said Flaxie; "some more folks will want to see my
kitty."

Mr. Pratt's boy ran after her with a stick of candy, but could not catch
her. She called now at all the houses along the road, ringing the bells so
furiously that people rushed to the doors, afraid something dreadful had
happened.
"I fought you'd want to see my kitty," said the runaway, holding up the
little blind bundle; and they always laughed then; how