Prudy Keeping House | Page 5

it out of the oven and put in the ginger and molasses. No, I'm not proud. I don't want to keep house. I shouldn't know how. It would be very much better to go back and behave, for I can't stay here without being lonesome."
Dotty looked again at the red and gold text. "How different it seems to me now I'm humble! People needn't be proud if they'd swallow it down like a pill."
Dotty's reasoning was rather mixed; still it is worthy of notice, that she was doing a remarkable thing for her, as she slowly walked back to her auntie's room.
But all this while Prudy, too, had been suffering. She could never bear to have her young sister angry, and, if it had not been for Horace, would have gone to her with all sorts of promises--anything for peace.
"She's an outrageous little tyrant, Prue. She ought to have a sound whipping."
"O, Horace," said Prudy, quite shocked; "she can't help her temper; she has to be humored."
"Poh! that's just what ails her! Been humored to death."
"But, Horace, can't we change our play, somehow? It never will do for me to try to order her about."
"Nonsense, Prue! But if you're going to be so fussy, you might keep boarding-house, and have her for lady boarder."
Prudy's brow cleared.
"Just what'll suit her, Horace! A lady boarder is so fashionable,--like the one they had at Mrs. Penny's,--always washing out laces. Now I'll go tell Dotty."
Just then Miss Dimple appeared at the door with an uncertain smile.
"I--I--thought--"
"O, how kind of you to come back to us, my Lady Magnifico!" cried Horace, bowing himself double. "Your landlady was afraid you objected to your boarding-place."
"You see," said Prudy, eagerly, "we are making believe I keep boarders. I've 'seen better days,' or something of that kind, as they say in story-books--O, seems to me my husband died."
"Yes; I saw his death in the papers," said Dotty, briskly; "so you don't want me for your hired girl--do you?"
Then she thought, "How glad I am I came back! It's always better to be humble!" and added aloud, with a fine-lady drawl,--
"No, mim; it's not the style I've been subject to. I was necessiated to leave you, mim, because I can't eat out of anything but gold teaspoons."
"That sounds so like Mrs. Pitkin Smith!" said Prudy, laughing. "She used to board at Mrs. Penny's, Horace. Come, let's go and dress in our costumes. I'll be Mother Hubbard; and Horace, you go into uncle's dressing-room and see what you can find."
[Illustration: Little Miss Fly.]
CHAPTER III.
BORROWED JEWELS.
"Of course I must take the best things," said Dotty; "for I'm to have the best part."
So she chose a blue poplin dress, a pink sash, a scarlet bow, and a green pin. The dress was half a yard too long, and she caught it up in front with some artificial flowers she found in a box. Her head she surmounted with an old chignon, which bobbed back and forth, as she walked, like a pedler's pack.
"O, see, Prudy," said she; "here is auntie's jewel cabinet. What cunning little sliding drawers!"
"Don't open it; don't touch it, Dotty. I saw auntie look it up in her safe once; but I suppose she took it out again to get her watch."
"No, she didn't; here's her watch," said Dotty, swinging open one of the little drawers.
"That's her other watch, Dotty. She says it needs mending."
"Then I'm going to wear it; it is just as good for a lady boarder, as a whole one."
"Don't, Dotty; that's the watch Uncle Augustus gave her when they were married, and she thinks the world of it."
"Well, he gave her the other one too--didn't he?"
"Yes; last Christmas: don't you know how she found it in an orange?"
"O, I remember. And she ought to think the most of that one, Prudy, because she loves him better now than she did when he gave her this one; ever so much better."
"It's of no consequence to you if she does, or if she doesn't, Dotty Dimple. What right have you with that cabinet, I should like to know? Shut it right up this minute. O please do, Dotty."
Dotty's contrary spirit began to rise. She opened every one of the drawers, and poured out the glittering jewels. Of course Fly was on the spot in a twinkling; but Prudy caught her, and playfully pinned her little arms down to her sides; so her prying fingers had no chance to do mischief.
"Didn't auntie tell us to dress up in her old finery?" said Dotty, thrusting the watch into her girdle.
"Old finery, Dotty Dimple!"
"And isn't this old? 'You're welcome to whatever you can find;' that was just the words she said, Prudy Parlin."
"O, how many ways there are for people to do wrong if they want to!" cried Prudy, in despair.