Little Prudys Dotty Dimple | Page 6

"Why--ee!" said Prudy; "how does the snow go up? I never saw it
going."
"Indeed you have, Prudy. It goes puffing up in fog. Why, it's just as if
the snow was a teakettle, and it keeps steaming out clouds."
"O, does it, Susy? Now, when it fogs, I shall know the snow's going
up."
"Please don't talk any more," returned Susy, suddenly lowering her
voice; "we must be very quiet on the street, for it's Sunday. You don't

mean any harm, Prudy, but you say so much that I'm afraid I shall
forget my lesson. I keep saying it over to myself, you know."
Susy and Prudy belonged in different classes. Susy recited from a
question book, and Prudy learned verses from the Bible. Dotty Dimple
went with Prudy into Miss Carlisle's class, where eight or ten little girls
were already seated.
"It's my little sister, Miss Carlisle," whispered blushing Prudy. "Mother
allowed her to come to-day because she isn't coming any more. Will
you please excuse her?"
Smiling, Miss Carlisle was very willing to "excuse" Dotty for her sweet
sister's sake. But Prudy felt rather nervous. She made a place beside
herself for Dotty, who folded her small hands and sat as still as a
marble cherub; but what odd thing she might take it into her busy brain
to do, no one could tell.
When Prudy's turn came she repeated her verse: "Set a watch, O Lord,
before my mouth: keep the door of my lips."
"An excellent text," said Miss Carlisle. "It would make me very happy
if I thought you would remember it all your life, darling. Do you think
you understand it?"
"Mother says it means, 'Be careful to say only what is true and good,'"
replied Prudy, in a low voice.
"That is right," said Miss Carlisle; "but do you understand what is
called the 'figure of speech' in the verse? Do you know what a watch
is?"
"A little thing that ticks."
"There is another kind, my dear. We have in cities watchmen, to guard
us and see that all goes right while we sleep."
"O, I know," replied Prudy, quickly; "the verse asks God to give us a

conscience to walk back and forth before our lips while we talk!"
Miss Carlisle went on to say more about the watch, while Dotty fixed
her bright eyes on her face, thinking, "What booful flowers those is in
her bonnet! Where did she pick 'em?"
The next verse was Sadie Bicknell's:--
"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Dotty listened to this, and Miss Carlisle's remarks upon it, with the
most solemn earnestness, hoping to learn why it was that people should
sit with a lamp shining on their feet. She thought she could now see
why Prudy loved to go to "Sabber school;" it was because she heard so
many funny things.
Soon all the little girls had repeated their texts; but, to her great surprise,
Dotty had not been called upon to say or do a single thing. It was a
marked slight. She hardly knew whether to be angry or not. "I guess the
lady didn't see me," thought Dotty. So she cleared her throat with a
loud noise, which echoed across the room. Then Miss Carlisle looked
at her and smiled. She was off the seat, standing on her tiptoes, Prudy
tried to draw her back; but so much the more Dotty persisted. She
shook off her sister's hand.
"I wasn't a 'peakin' to you," said she.
"Never mind her, Prudy," said Miss Carlisle, for the poor girl was
crimson with shame; "let your little sister come to me; perhaps she
wishes to tell me something."
Miss Carlisle bent forward, and let Dotty place her rosy lips close to
her face.
"Now, what do you wish, little one?"
"You didn't hear me say my werse," whispered Dotty, in a tone of
pique.

"Your verse? Did you learn one, child?"
"Yes, 'm, I did. I learned it all day yes'day."
"O, very well! then say it, by all means, dear."
Prudy's face expressed perfect despair. She tried to hush Dotty; but one
might as well coax the wind to stop blowing. The child's thoughts had
been like caged birds, and now out they must fly.
"Shall I _whisper_?" asked Dotty.
"No, say your verse aloud."
The child planted herself in front of the class, and recited, in a high key,
and with the greatest delight,--
"What you thpose um had for supper? B'ack-eyed beans, un bread un
butter."
It was not possible to help smiling. Prudy in spite of her shame and
distress, shook with laughter; but it was a laughter just ready to tremble
into tears.
"I'll never ask mother to let her come again,