The Project Gutenberg EBook of Little Prudy, by Sophie May This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: Little Prudy Author: Sophie May Release Date: February 28, 2008 [EBook #24711] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK LITTLE PRUDY *** Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, David Edwards, and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) The A. B. C. Scholars. Page 22 . The A. B. C. Scholars. Page 22 . Little Prudy Stories LITTLE PRUDY BY SOPHIE MAY Author of "Little Prudy Stories," "Dotty Dimple Stories," "Flaxie Frizzle Stories," "Little Prudy's Flyaway Series," "Little Prudy's Children Series," "Pauline Wyman," "Joy Bells," etc. Seal BOSTON LOTHROP, LEE & SHEPARD CO. Copyright, 1891, by Rebecca S. Clarke. DEDICATION TO THE LITTLE PUBLIC A Merry Christmas, dear Children You who have read of Prudy Parlin, in the "Congregationalist" and "Little Pilgrim," and have learned to love her there, may love her better in a book by herself with pictures. To you who never saw her before, we will introduce her now. It is easy to feel acquainted with Prudy; for she is, as you will find, a very talkative little lady. There is no end of things which might be told of Susy, Grace, and Horace; and if you wish to hear more about them, you have only to wait a little while. God is sending us another year as fresh and clean as the purest paper. Let us thank Him for it, and try to write it over with kind thoughts and good deeds; then it will be for all of us A HAPPY NEW YEAR! CONTENTS CHAP. PAGE I. Prudy's Patchwork, 5 II. Prudy going up to Heaven, 12 III. Prudy's Knitting-Work, 19 IV. Prudy's Picnic, 36 V. Prudy in the Pines, 47 VI. Prudy Sick, 57 VII. Prudy's Present, 67 [2] [4] VIII. Prudy Fishing, 78 IX. The Hatchet Story, 89 X. More Stories, 102 XI. Prudy's White Tea, 113 XII. Prudy Trying to Help, 129 XIII. The Gypsy Supper, 141 XIV. The Angel-Baby, 153 XV. Going Home, 166 LITTLE PRUDY CHAPTER I PRUDY'S PATCHWORK I am going to tell you something about a little girl who was always saying and doing funny things, and very often getting into trouble. Her name was Prudy Parlin, and she and her sister Susy, three years older, lived in Portland, in the State of Maine, though every summer they went to Willowbrook, to visit their grandmother. At the very first of our story, Susy was more than six years old, and Prudy was between three and four. Susy could sew quite well for a girl of her age, and had a stint every day. Prudy always thought it very fine to do just as Susy did, so she teased her mother to let her have some patchwork, too, and Mrs. Parlin gave her a few calico pieces, just to keep her little fingers out of mischief. But when the squares were basted together, she broke needles, pricked her fingers, and made a great fuss; sometimes crying, and wishing there were no such thing as patchwork. One morning she sat in her rocking-chair, doing what she thought was a "stint." She kept running to her mother with every stitch, saying, "Will that do?" Her mother was very busy, and said, "My little daughter must not come to me." So Prudy sat down near the door, and began to sew with all her might; but soon her little baby sister came along, looking so cunning, that Prudy dropped her needle, and went to hugging her. "O, little sister," cried she, "I wouldn't have a horse come and eat you up for any thing in the world!" After this, of course, her mother had to get her another needle, and then thread it for her. She went to sewing again till she pricked her finger, and the sight of the wee drop of blood made her cry. "O, dear! I wish somebody would pity me!" But her mother was so busy frying doughnuts that she could not stop to talk much; and the next thing she saw of Prudy she was at the farther end of the room, while her patchwork lay on the spice box. "Prudy, Prudy, what are you up to now?" "Up to the table," said Prudy. "O, mother, I'm so sorry, but I've broke a crack in the pitcher!" "What will mamma do with you? You haven't finished your stint—what made you get out of your chair?" "O, I thought grandma might want me to get her speckles. I thought I would go and find Zip too. See, mamma, he's so tickled to see me he shakes all over—every bit of him!" "Where's your patchwork?" "I don't know. You've got a double name, haven't you, doggie? It's Zip Coon, but it isn't a very double name,—is it, mother?" When Mrs. Parlin had finished her doughnuts, she said, "Pussy, you can't keep still two minutes. Now, if you want to sew this patchwork for grandma's quilt, I'll tell you what I shall do. There's an empty hogshead in the back kitchen, and I'll lift you into that, and you can't climb out. I'll lift you out when your stint is done." "O, what a funny little house," said Prudy, when she was inside; and as she spoke, her voice startled her—it was so loud and hollow. "I'll talk some more," thought she, "it makes such a queer noise.—'Old Mrs. Hogshead, I thought I'd [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] come and see you, and bring my work. I like your house, ma'am, only I should think you'd want some windows. I s'pose you know who I am, Mrs. Hogshead? My name is Prudy. My mother didn't put me in here because I was a naughty girl, for I haven't done nothing—nor nothing—nor nothing. Do you want to hear some singing? 'O, come, come away, From labor now reposin'; Let busy Caro, wife of Barrow, Come, come away!'" "Prudy, what's the matter?" said mamma, from the next room. "Didn't you hear somebody singing?" said Prudy; "well, 'twas me." "O, I was afraid you were crying, my dear." "Then I'll stop," said the child. "Now, Mrs. Hogshead, you won't hear me singing any more,—it mortifies my mother very much." So Prudy made her fingers fly, and soon said, "Now, mamma, I've got it done, and I'm ready to be took out!" Just then her father came into the house. "Prudy's in the hogshead," said Mrs. Parlin. "Won't you please lift her out, father? I've got baby in my arms." Mr. Parlin peeped into the hogshead. "How in this world did you ever get in here, child?" said he. "I think I'll have to take you out with a pair of tongs." Prudy laughed. "Give me your hands," said papa. "Up she comes! Now, come sit on my knee," added he, when they had gone into the parlor, "and tell me how you climbed into that hogshead." "Mother dropped me in, and I'm going to stay there till I make a bedquilt, only I'm coming out to eat, you know." Mr. Parlin laughed; but just then the dinner bell rang, and when they went to the table, Prudy was soon so busy with her roasted chicken and custard pie that she forgot all about the patchwork. CHAPTER II PRUDY GOING UP TO HEAVEN Prudy soon tired of sewing, and her mother said, laughing, "If grandma Read has to wait for somebody's little fingers before she gets a bedquilt, poor grandma will sleep very cold indeed." The calico pieces went into the rag-bag, and that was the last of Prudy's patchwork. One day the children wanted to go and play in the "new house," which was not quite done. Mrs. Parlin was almost afraid little Prudy might get hurt, for there were a great many loose boards and tools lying about, and the carpenters, who were at work on the house, had all gone away to see some soldiers. But at last she said they might go if Susy would be very careful of her little sister. I dare say Susy meant to watch Prudy with great care, but after a while she got to thinking of something else. The little one wanted to play "catch," but Susy saw a great deal more sport in building block houses. "Now I know ever so much more than you do," said Susy. "I used to wash dishes and scour knives when I was four years old, and that was the time I learned you to walk, Prudy; so you ought to play with me, and be goody." "Then I will; but them blocks is too big, Susy. If I had a axe I'd chop 'em: I'll go get a axe." Little Prudy trotted off, and Susy never looked up from her play, and did not notice that she was gone a long while. By and by Mrs. Parlin thought she would go and see what the children were doing; so she put on her bonnet and went over to the "new house." Susy was still busy with her blocks, but she looked up at the sound of her mother's footsteps. "Where is Prudy?" said Mrs. Parlin, glancing around. "I'm 'most up to heaven," cried a little voice overhead. They looked, and what did they see? Prudy herself standing on the highest beam of the house! She had climbed three ladders to get there. Her mother had heard her say the day before that "she didn't want to shut up her eyes and die, and be all deaded up—she meant to have her hands and face clean, and go up to heaven on a ladder." [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] "O," thought the poor mother, "she is surely on the way to heaven, for she can never get down alive. My darling, my darling!" Poor Susy's first thought was to call out to Prudy, but her mother gave her one warning glance, and that was enough: Susy neither spoke nor stirred. Mrs. Parlin stood looking up at her—stood as white and still as if she had been frozen! Her trembling lips moved a little, but it was in prayer; she knew that only God could save the precious one. While she was begging Him to tell her what to do, a sudden thought flashed across her mind. She dared not speak, lest the sound of her voice should startle the child; but she had a bunch of keys in her pocket, and she jingled the keys, holding them up as high as possible, that Prudy might see what they were. When the little one heard the jingling, she looked down and smiled. "You goin' to let me have some cake and 'serves in the china closet, me and Susy?" Mrs. Parlin smiled—such a smile! It was a great deal sadder than tears, though Prudy did not know that—she only knew that it meant "yes." "O, then I'm coming right down, 'cause I like cake and 'serves. I won't go up to heaven till bime-by!" Then she walked along the beam, and turned about to come down the ladders. Mrs. Parlin held her breath, and shut her eyes. She dared not look up, for she knew that if Prudy should take one false step, she must fall and be dashed in pieces! But Prudy was not wise enough to fear any thing. O, no. She was only thinking very eagerly about crimson jellies and fruit cake. She crept down the ladders without a thought of danger—no more afraid than a fly that creeps down the window-pane. The air was so still that the sound of every step was plainly heard, as her little feet went pat,—pat,—on the ladder rounds. God was taking care of her,—yes, at length the last round was reached—she had got down—she was safe! "Thank God!" cried Mrs. Parlin, as she held little Prudy close to her heart; while Susy jumped for joy, exclaiming,— "We've got her! we've got her! O, ain't you so happy, mamma?" "O, mamma, what you crying for?" said little Prudy, clinging about her neck. "Ain't I your little comfort?—there, now, you know what you speaked about! You said you'd get some cake and verserves for me and Susy." CHAPTER III PRUDY'S KNITTING-WORK Susy felt as if she had been sadly to blame, and for a long time was very watchful of her little sister. "Your name is Susy," said the child; "and your middle name is Sister Susy, and you take the care o' me!" "No, I don't," thought Susy to herself. "If I had taken any care of you at all, you wouldn't have climbed those ladders." When Prudy was four years old, she teased to go to school, and her mother decided to let her go until she grew tired of it. "O, dear!" sighed Susy, the first day she took her; "she'll talk out loud, I just about know she will, she's such a little chatter-box." "Poh; no I shan't," said Prudy. "I ain't a checker-box, Susy Parlin; but you are! I shan't talk in school, nor I shan't whisper, never in my world!" When they got home that night, Mrs. Parlin asked if Prudy had whispered in school. "No, ma'am. I never done such a thing—I guess. Did I, Susy? How much I didn't talk to you, don't you know?" "O, she was pretty good, mother," said Susy; "but she cried once so I had to go out with her." "Now, Susy Parlin, you told me to cry! She did, mamma. She said if I'd cry she'd give me a piece of her doughnut." Susy blushed; and her mother looked at her, and said, "I would like to see you alone a little while, Susy." Then Mrs. Parlin had a talk with Susy in the parlor, and told her how wrong it was to deceive, and how she must take the care of her little sister, and set her good examples. Susy said she would do as well as she could. [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] "But, mamma, if you are willing, I'd rather not sit with Prudy, now, certainly. She says such queer things. Why, to-day she said she had grandma's rheumatism in her back, and wanted me to look at her tongue and see if she hadn't. Why, mother, as true as I live, she shut up her eyes and put out her tongue right there in school, and of course we girls couldn't help laughing!" "Well, perhaps she'd better sit by herself," replied Mrs. Parlin, smiling. "I will speak to the teacher about her carrying her knitting-work—that may keep her out of mischief." Now it happened that grandma Read had taken a great deal of pains to teach Prudy to knit;—but such a piece of work as the child made of it! The first time she carried the thing which she supposed was going to be a stocking, the A B C scholars looked very much surprised, for none of them knew how to knit. Prudy said, "Poh, I know how to do it just as easy!" But in trying to show them how smart she could be, she knit so fast that she dropped a stitch every other moment. "There, now, you are dropping stitches like every thing," said Lottie Palmer, very much pleased. "I guess I know how to do that!" "Poh, them's nothing but the loops," said Prudy. But it was not long before she broke the yarn short off, and got her work into such a fix that she had to take it home and ask grandma to "fix it out." "Why, child, where's the ball?" said her grandmother. "And here's two needles gone!" "O, I left 'em to school, I s'pose," said Prudy. "I'm sure I never noticed 'em." "I found the ball under the teacher's desk once," said Susy. "Well, 'tain't there now," replied Prudy; "it's all wounded now, and I put it where it b'longs." "Where's that?" asked grandma, laughing. "Well, I don't know," answered Prudy, trying to think; "but I guess it's somewhere." Mrs. Parlin began to think it was a foolish plan to let Prudy take her knitting-work. I was going to mention something she did the last day she carried it. She got tired of knitting, tired of twisting her pretty curls round her finger, and tired of looking at pictures. "Let's guess riddles," she whispered to Nancy Glover, who sat on the bench beside her. "I can make up riddles just as easy! There's something in this room, in Miss Parker's watch-pocket, goes tick—tick. Now guess that:—that's a riddle." "I wish you'd behave, Prudy Parlin," said Nancy. "Here I am trying to get my spelling lesson." Then Nancy turned her head a little to one side, and went to studying as hard as she could, for it was almost time for her class to be called. All at once Prudy happened to look at Nancy's ear, and thought, "What funny little holes folks have in their ears! I s'pose they go clear through. I guess I'll put my knitting-needle right through Nannie's ear while she's a-studyin'. The needle will look so funny stickin' out at the other end!" So Prudy was very sly about it, and said not a word, but began to push in the needle with all her might. O, such sharp screams as Nannie gave! The teacher was frightened; but when she found that Nannie was not so very badly hurt after all, she felt easier about her, and began to talk to little Prudy, asking her "why she didn't sit still, like a lady, and mind?" Prudy began to cry. "I was a-mindin'," said she; "of course I was. I never knew 'twas a-goin' to hurt her." Miss Parker smiled, and said, "Well, you needn't bring that knitting-work here any more. The next thing we should have somebody's eyes put out." When Miss Parker called out the next class in spelling, Nannie sat with her head down, feeling very cross. "I don't like you, Prudy," said she. "You 'most killed me! I'll pay you for this, now you see!" Miss Parker had to call Nannie by name before she would go to her class. She was three or four years older than Prudy, and ought to have known better than to be angry with such a little child. She should have forgotten all about it: that would have been the best way. But instead of that, she kept thinking,— "O, how that knitting-needle did hurt! Prudy ought to be ashamed! I'll pay her for it, now you see!" You may be sure Prudy did not worry her little brains about it at all. [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] Her mother was brushing her hair next morning for school, and Mr. Parlin said,— "Don't you think she's too little to go to school, mother? I don't care about her learning to read yet awhile." Mrs. Parlin smiled in a droll way. "I should be very sorry myself to have Prudy learn to read," replied she; "but she won't keep still long enough: you needn't be a bit afraid." "Look here, Prudy," exclaimed Mr. Parlin, "can you spell any words?" "Poh! yes, sir, I guess I can," replied Prudy, her eyes looking very bright, "I can spell 'most all there is to spell." "O, ho," laughed Mr. Parlin. "Let's hear you spell your own name. Can't do it, can you?" "Poh! yes, I can! That ain't nothin'. Pre-ed, Prood, Pre-i-eddy, Prudy. There!" "Bravo!" cried papa. "You're getting ahead, I declare! Now can you spell Susy's name?" "Spell Susy? Why, I can do it just as easy!" replied Prudy, her eyes shining very bright indeed. "C-ez, Sooz, C-i-ezzy, Susy. There! Can't I spell?" "Why, I should think you could," said papa, laughing. "I can't begin to spell the way you do. Now can you spell Cat?" "Cat? Cat?" repeated Prudy, looking puzzled. "Well, I guess I've forgot how to spell cat. But I can spell Kitty. You just hear! Kee-et, kit, kee-i-etty, kitty! I can spell the big words the best." "What think now?" said Mrs. Parlin. "The truth is, Prudy knew eight letters when she began to go to school, and now she knows but four." "Glad of it," returned Mr. Parlin. "Are you ready for school, little one?" And he held out his arms, saying,— "And now, my own dear little girl, There is no way but this— Put your arms about my neck, And give me one sweet kiss." So Prudy hugged and kissed her father "just as hard." Then she and Susy trudged along to school, and they met Nancy Glover, who was carrying something in her apron. "Mayn't I see what you've got?" said little Prudy. "Not till I get ready," said Nancy. "Who stuck that knitting-needle into my ear?" "You know she didn't mean to," said Susy. "I don't care," cried Nancy, "it hurt!" Prudy felt very sorry. "I wish I hadn't hurt you, Nanny," said she, "'cause I want to see what you've got in your apron." "Well, I guess you'll see it soon enough. I brought it to school to purpose for you." "O, did you?" cried the child. "How good you are, Nanny. I love you 'most as well as I do Susy." When little Prudy spoke so sweetly, Nancy didn't know what to say; so she said nothing. They went into the school- house and took their seats, Nancy keeping the corner of her apron rolled up all the while. By and by, when Miss Parker was hearing the third class, Nancy whispered,— "Look here, Prudy Parlin, you wanted to know what I had in my apron: shall I show you now?" "O, goody!" "Well, then," continued Nanny,— "'Open your mouth and shut your eyes, And I'll give you something to make you wise!'" So Prudy opened her mouth as wide as it would go, and squeezed her eyelids together very hard. Then what should Nancy do, but take out of her apron a wee bit of a toad, and drop it in Prudy's mouth! I can't see how she dared do such a thing; but she did it. She had found the toad in the street, and picked it up to frighten little Prudy. The moment the toad was dropped on the child's tongue of course it began to hop. Prudy hopped too. She seized her tongue with one hand and the toad with the other, screaming at the top of her voice. The scholars were all frightened to hear such a scream, and to see Prudy running out to the teacher so fast. [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] "Do tell me what ails you?" said Miss Parker. By that time Prudy had got rid of the toad, and could speak. "O, dear, dear, dear," cried she, "I didn't know it was a toad till it hopped right up!" "A toad here in the house!" cried Miss Parker. "No, ma'am," said Prudy, trembling and sobbing. "It wasn't in the house,—it was in my mouth,—right here on my tongue." Prudy showed Miss Parker her tongue. Miss Parker laughed, thinking her a very funny child. "I've heard, before now, of little folks having frogs in their throats," said she. "Is that what you mean?" "I guess so," sobbed Prudy. "And it was alive—just as alive as could be! O, O!—Nancy, she told me to shut up my eyes, you know, and I didn't see the toad till it hopped right up in my mouth,—and then I didn't see it! O, O!" "Nancy, come here," said Miss Parker, sternly. "What have you been doing to this little child?" Nancy came out, with her fingers in her mouth, but did not speak. "Answer me; did you drop a toad into Prudy's mouth?" "Yes," replied Nancy, sulkily; "but she stuck a knitting-needle into my ear fust!" "For shame, you wicked child," said Miss Parker. "Take up that toad, Nancy, and carry it out of doors; then come to me, for I must punish you." "Now, Prudy," added Miss Parker, "what do you think I ought to do to Nancy for being so naughty?" "I don't know," answered Prudy, crying still. "I don't s'pose my mother would be willing to have folks put toads in my mouth." "But what do you think I ought to do to her?" said Miss Parker, smiling. "Was you goin' to whip her?" asked Prudy, looking up through her tears. "I think I must, my child." "Well, I hope you won't hurt her," said dear little Prudy. "Please to don't." But Miss Parker struck Nancy with a piece of whalebone, and hurt her a good deal. It was the only way to make Nancy remember not to do such a cruel trick again. When Prudy saw how much Nancy was hurt, it was more than her tender heart could bear. She ran up to Miss Parker, and caught hold of the skirt of her dress, hiding her head in it. "O, Miss Parker!" said she, "I've got to cry. Nanny won't do so no more. The toad was just as alive as could be, but it never bit a bit! O, won't you please to don't!" CHAPTER IV PRUDY'S PICNIC This was about the last of Prudy's going to school. In the first place she was very tired of it, in the second place it was vacation, and in the third place the whole family were going to Willowbrook on a visit. It was very pleasant at grandpa Parlin's at any time. Such a stout swing in the big oil-nut tree! Such a beautiful garden, with a summer-house in it! Such a nice cosy seat in the trees! So many "cubby holes" all about to hide in! But this summer I speak of was pleasanter than ever; for the Western cousins, Grace and Horace Clifford, had come from Indiana to visit their friends in Maine. The Parlin children had not seen them for two years; but Grace and Susy became fast friends in a very short time, while little Prudy was thrown one side for Horace to take care of when he could stop. "O dear suz," said she, one morning, "I'm so glad there happened to be a world, and God made me!" "What, you here, Prudy?" said grandma Parlin. "What made you get up so early?" "O, the flies waked me, I s'pose. I was dreaming about my pignig. I thought I had it on top o' the trees." "Ah, it's the day for Grace's party, sure enough," said her grandmother, sighing a little, and stirring faster at her drop- [33] [34] [35] [36] [37] [38] cake. "You mean my party," said Prudy, dancing around the table. "The party b'longs to me. You didn't know that, did you?" "You'd better go and talk to your aunt Madge," said grandma, "I'm busy." "O," said Prudy, "I guess you ain't glad I got up. I tried to keep asleep, grandma, but the flies waked me." Prudy was going out of the room, but turned and came back. "Grandma," said she, "if you love me, why don't you hug me?" "O, I can't stop, dear," said grandma, laughing; "we can't hug little girls all the time." But she did it. After a while Grace, and Horace, and Susy came down stairs, and then there was a great time. As soon as breakfast was over, kind aunt Madge promised to make out a list of the little folks to be invited. "First of all," said she, "are you going to have boys and girls, or only girls?" "O, we don't want any boys," said cousin Grace, tossing her head; "they race round, and act so." "Of course we don't want 'em," said Susy. "I'd laugh if we'd got to have a lot of noisy boys." "Poh! we don't want boys," echoed Prudy. "They are pickin' fusses all the time." Cousin Horace stood by aunt Madge's chair, looking quite forlorn, but too proud to say a word. "See here, Horace," said Grace, very grandly, "we think you'd better go a-strawberrying to-day." "I reckon I won't if I don't want to," said Horace, working the flag out of his cap. He knew the girls thought he was almost always in the way. "I want to tell you something, Horace," said aunt Madge, stroking his hair. "Mr. Allen is going out to North Pond with some other gentleman, fishing, and I begged him to let you go; and he said he would, though he wouldn't take the girls for any thing." "There, girls," cried Horace, with beaming face. "Did Mr. Allen truly say so, auntie? Of course he wouldn't have girls go. If we caught a fish, how they would scream; wouldn't they, though?" Horace darted off to find Mr. Allen, and so he was out of the girls' way. "Now," said aunt Madge, smiling, "tell me what girls you want to ask, Grace." So they gave several names—Grace and Susy—which Prudy repeated after them. "But where is Abby Grant?" said aunt Madge. "Don't you want her?" Grace and Susy looked at each other without speaking. Prudy looked at them. "I don't go with such poor girls when I'm home," said Grace. "Nor I don't," said Susy. "Nor me neither," chimed in little Prudy, glad to know what to say. Aunt Madge shook her curly head. "I guess you mustn't have a party," said she, "if you slight good little girls because they are poor. Why, I should ask her a great deal quicker, because it isn't often she has any thing nice to eat at home." "So would I," said Grace, looking ashamed. "You may put her name down, auntie." "Yes, put her name down, auntie," said Prudy. Such a time as there was to get ready for that party! Aunt Madge and aunt Louise worked with all their might, cooking nice things, and the children were too happy to keep still. Susy's mother had gone back to Portland. When the first little girl arrived, Grace and Susy hadn't the slightest idea what to do with her, and aunt Madge had to go in and set them to playing "Puss in the corner." The next girl that came was Abby Grant. "I s'posed ye wouldn't come," said Prudy. "We never asked you." "Why, child," said Grace, blushing, "yes we did ask her, too." "O, so we did," said foolish little Prudy. "We asked you, Abby, 'cause you don't get any thing nice to eat to your house!" [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] Grace didn't shake Prudy, only because she didn't dare to. In a few minutes all the little girls had come, and the whole party went into the front yard to play. Aunt Madge made believe she was a little girl, and played "Ring Round Rosy," "Catch," and "Button," as hard as any body. When they had played till they were all out of breath, aunt Louise sent them to the summer-house in the garden to rest, while she and aunt Madge set the table in the front yard. O, the apple puffs, and lemon tarts, and little seed cakes, and frosted cake, and candy, looked so good to poor little Abby Grant! Then the raspberries, like red coral, and the white currants, like round pearls! Then the flowers, fresh from the garden! The children sat on the double steps of the long piazza to eat their supper. They had plenty of room, and it was nice fun to peep round the great white pillars at their neighbors' plates, and whisper to one another, "I'm having a grand time, ain't you?" "What splendid cake!" "Don't you wish you lived here?" And the two aunties smiled, and said to each other,— "It is worth all our trouble to see these children so happy." After the table was cleared away they sang several pieces, and Prudy's sweet little voice filled all the pauses with some funny little chorus of her own. When the party broke up, the children were quite tired out, and glad to go to bed. "Well," said Grace, as they went slowly upstairs, "didn't my picnic go off nicely?" "Your pignig?" said Prudy; "why it b'longs to me! I had it myself." "Hush," said Susy. "Cousin Grace came two thousand miles to see us, and grandma promised her this party, and she had it." "There, now, Susy," said Prudy, much grieved, "I've got a cent, and I was goin' to buy you some shiny shoes, but now I shan't." Grace and Susy could not help laughing, and poor tired little Prudy could not bear that. "There," cried she, "don't you do that again! If you'll say 'twas my pignig, Susy Parlin, then I'll kiss you; but if you say it isn't, I won't speak to you again—never in my world!" "Well, it wasn't your picnic—so there," said Susy. Prudy settled her cheek to the pillow. "Susy Parlin," said she, drowsily, "I ain't a-goin' to speak to you again—till—you—say—'twas—my—pig——" But in the middle of a word Prudy made a mistake and dropped off to sleep. CHAPTER V PRUDY IN THE PINES "No, my dears," said grandma. "I couldn't consent to let you go strawberrying 'up by the Pines' as you call it. It is Mr. Judkins's mowing-field." "But, grandma," said Grace, "Johnny Gordon went there yesterday, and there wasn't any fuss about it." "Then you may be sure Mr. Judkins did not know it," said grandma. "If he should catch any children in his field, he would be sure to give them a severe scolding." "Besides," chimed in aunt Madge, "Prudy isn't fit to walk so far—she isn't very well." "No, she is quite out of sorts," said grandma. "So if you must go somewhere, you may take your little baskets and go out in the meadow on the other side of the cornfield. Only take good care of Prudy; now remember." "Grandma always says that over," said Susy, as the three children were on their way to the meadow; "and aunt Madge always says it too—'take care of Prudy!' As if she were a little baby." "That is all because she cries so much, I presume," said Grace, looking at poor Prudy rather sternly. "I did hope, Susy, that when Horace went down to the 'crick' fishing, you and I might go off by ourselves, and have a nice time for once. But here is 'little Pitcher' right at our heels. We never can have any peace. Little Miss Somebody thinks she must follow, of course." "Yes, that's the way it is," said Susy. "Some folks are always round, you know." "Now, Susy," said Prudy, forcing back her tears as well as she could, "I guess you don't love your little sister, or you [44] [45] [46] [47] [48] [49] wouldn't talk that way to me." They gathered strawberries for a while in silence, Prudy picking more leaves than berries, and sometimes, in her haste to keep up with the others, pulling up grass by the roots. "Well, I don't think much of this," said Grace; "there ain't more than ten strawberries in this meadow, and those ain't bigger than peas." "O, I know it," said Susy, in the tone of one who has made up her mind for the worst. "I suppose we've got to stay here, though. We could go up in the Pines now if it wasn't for Prudy, and they are real thick up there." "Yes," said Grace, "but grandma knew we couldn't without she would be sure to follow. Do you think Mr. Judkins would be likely to scold, Susy?" "No, indeed," said Susy, eating a dry strawberry. "He keeps sheep, and goes round talking to himself. I ain't a bit afraid of him. What could we little girls do to his grass, I'd like to know? It isn't as if we were great, rude boys, is it, Grace?" "No," said Grace, thoughtfully. "Now if we could only get rid of Prudy——" Little Prudy pushed back her "shaker," and looked up, showing a pair of flushed cheeks damp with tears. "I don't think you are very polite to me," said the child. "Bime-by I shall go to heaven, and I shan't never come back any more, and then I guess you'll cry." "What shall we do?" said Grace, looking at Susy; "we mustn't take her, and we can't go without her." "Well, I'm a-goin' right straight home, right off—that's what I'm goin' to do," said Prudy, "and when I say my prayers, I shall just tell God how naughty you be!" Prudy turned short about, and the girls went toward the Pines, feeling far from happy, for a "still, small voice" told them they were doing wrong. They had got about half way up the hill, when, looking back, there was Prudy, puffing and running for dear life. "I thought you had gone home," said Susy, quite vexed. "Well, I didn't," said Prudy, who had got her smiles all back again; "I couldn't get home—'cause—I got my feet 'most damp and some wet. I won't be no trouble, Susy." So the girls made the best of it, and helped little "Mother Bunch" up the long, steep hill. Prudy had one hearty cry before the long walk was over. "Her nose fell on a rock," she said; but as it was only grazed a little, she soon forgot about it. "This is something worth while, now," said Grace, after they had at last reached the field, and were seated in the tall grass. "The strawberries are as thick as spatter." "Yes," said Susy, "and grandma and aunt Madge will be so glad to see our baskets full they'll certainly be glad we didn't stay in the meadow. Big as your thumb, ain't they?" [50] [51] [52] Flying From The Field. Page 54 . Flying From The Field. Page 54 . You see the girls were trying to stifle that still, small voice, and they tried to believe they were having a good time. Grace and Susy had got their baskets nearly half full, and Prudy had covered the bottom of hers with leaves, stems, and a few berries, when a man's voice was heard muttering, not far off. "O Grace," whispered Susy, "that's Mr. Judkins!" He carried a whetstone, on which he was sharpening his jackknife. "Ah," said he, talking to himself, and not appearing to notice the girls, "I never would have thought that these little children—ah, would have come into my field—ah, and trampled down my grass! I shall hate—ah, to cut off their little ears—ah, and see the blood running down!" I suppose it was not two minutes before the children had left that field, pulling the screaming Prudy through the bars as roughly as if she had been a sack of wool instead of flesh and blood,—their hair flying in the wind, and their poor little hearts pounding against their sides like trip-hammers. If the field had been on fire they could not have run faster, dragging helpless Prudy, who screamed all the way at the very top of her voice. Susy and Prudy had thrown away their pretty little baskets. Grace had pushed hers up her arm, and her sleeve was soaking in the red juice of the bruised strawberries, while little streams of juice were trickling down her nice, buff- colored dress, ruining it entirely. "You hadn't ought to have took me up there," sobbed Prudy, as soon as she could find her voice; and these were the first words spoken. "O, hush, hush right up!" cried Susy, in terror. "He's after us, to take us to jail." The family were really frightened when the panting children rushed into the house in such a plight. "It was a crazy drunk man," cried Prudy, "and he had a axe——" "No," said Grace, "it was that wicked Mr. Judkins, and it was his jackknife." [53] [54] [55] "And he snips off your ears and nose," broke in Prudy, "and blood comes a-runnin' down, and he kills you dead, and then he puts you in jail, and then he chased us—don't you hear him comin'?" "What does all this mean?" cried grandma and aunt Madge in one breath. "Have you been in that mowing-field, children?" Grace and Susy hung their heads. "Yes, they did," said Prudy, "and I wasn't well, and they shouldn't have gone and took me up there, and 'twas 'cause they were naughty." "What shall I do with children that disobey me in this manner?" said grandma, much displeased. "Worst of all," said aunt Madge, pulling off Prudy's shoes, "this child has got her feet wet, and is sure to be sick." CHAPTER VI PRUDY SICK When aunt Madge went up stairs that night she found little Prudy hiding her head under the pillow, and screaming with fright. "O, there I was!" cried the child, tossing up her arms, "all tumbled out of the window! And the man got me, and I begun to be dead!" "Why no, darling!" said aunt Madge, "here is auntie close by you, and here you are in your pretty white bed;—don't you see?" "No, no!" screamed Prudy, "I'm up in the Pines, I ain't here." "Perhaps you'd like to have me sing to you," said aunt Madge; and she began, in a low voice, a little ditty Prudy loved: "There was a little darling I used to know, And they called her Prudy, Long time ago." "Stop, Nancy," said Prudy, "you put a toad in my mouth!—I must have a drink—dreffully!" Aunt Madge brought some water, but her fingers were not steady, and the glass trembled against the child's hot lips. She watched till Prudy dozed again, and then stole softly down stairs to get a "night candle," and to tell her mother she was really afraid Prudy was going to be sick. But Mrs. Parlin said aunt Madge mustn't be nervous; that children were very apt to be "out of their heads" in the night, and she was pretty sure Prudy would wake up bright in the morning. Aunt Madge tried to hope so, but she hardly slept a wink, for Prudy tossed and twisted all night. Sometimes she thought she was picking berries on the tufted coverlet. Sometimes she cried out that "the crazy man was coming with a axe." When grandma saw her purple cheeks by daylight she did not laugh at aunt Madge. She brushed the soft curls away from the little one's hot temples, and said softly,— "How do you feel, Prudy, darling?" A wild light burned in the child's eyes. "It isn't Prudy!" screamed she, "I ain't her! Go 'way! You're goin' to snip off my nose! O, go right off!" You may be sure that Grace and Susy were far from happy that day. When they noticed that their grandmother grew more and more uneasy, and when they saw the doctor's gig at the gate, their hearts were very heavy. "O Grace," said Susy, sobbing, "Prudy thought we didn't love her! We kept saying she was always round. How much do you suppose she is sick?" "O dear, I don't know," said Grace, wringing her hands; "but I'll tell you one thing—we ought to have seen to her, Susy!" "O Grace," said Susy, "you don't begin to feel so bad as I do—you can't, because you haven't got any little sister. Only think of my scolding to such a darling little thing as she is!" [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] "Come, you go up stairs and see what the doctor says," said Grace; "you steal in easy." "O, I don't dare to," whispered Susy, "I'm all of a tremble." But the moment their grandmother's step was heard in the passage they flew to her. Mrs. Parlin set her vial down on the hall table. "I don't like to tell you," said she, shaking her head sadly; "the doctor calls her a very sick child, and says he is afraid of brain fever." "Do they die with that?" cried Susy, seizing hold of her grandmother's dress. "O, stop a minute; is she going to die?" "We hope not," said Mrs. Parlin, "but she is so sick that we shall send a despatch for your mother. I want you to try and keep the house still, girls, and coax Horace to stay out of doors." "Keep the house still? I guess we will!" said Grace. "O grandma, will you forgive us for being so naughty yesterday?" "Can you forgive us?" said Susy. "I tell you we feel awfully about it, grandma!" Mrs. Parlin took off her spectacles to wipe them. "My dear children," said she, gravely, "I am ready to forgive you with all my heart; but I hope that before this you have asked pardon of your dear Father in heaven. That is the first thing, you know." Susy stole off into the nursery, and threw herself on the lounge. "O God," sobbed she, "I should think you would hate me, I have acted so bad! O, can you forgive me, and not take Prudy? I never will do so again! I didn't mean any thing when I said she was always round. O, don't let her die and be put in the ground! Please don't, dear God! Seems to me I love her the best of any body. When we have any fuss, it's always me that's to blame." Here Susy's prayer was drowned in sobs; but her heart felt a little lighter because she had told her kind Father just how she felt, and if it was best for Prudy to get well, she was sure he would save her. Prudy's mother came in the cars that night, looking pale and troubled. Prudy did not know her. "Why don't you bring my own mamma?" said she. "Look at me, darling," said her mother, "here I am, right here. Mother won't leave her little Prudy again." "I ain't Prudy!" screamed the child; "Prudy's gone to heaven. God came and helped her up the steps." One of the first things Mrs. Parlin did was to cut off her little daughter's beautiful curls, and lay them tenderly away in a drawer. "Ah, sister Madge," said she, "you can't guess how it makes my heart ache to have my child take me for a stranger." "Perhaps she may know you to-morrow," said aunt Madge; though in her heart she had very little hope of the child. But Prudy did not know any body "to-morrow," nor the next day, nor the next. O, the long, weary time that they watched by her bed! The terrible disease seemed to be drinking up her life. Her cheeks looked as if fierce fires were hidden in them, and when she raved so wildly her eyes shone like flames. A deep hush had fallen on the house. Grace and Susy would go and sit by the hour in their seat in the trees, and talk about dear little Prudy. Horace had the heartache, too, and asked every day,— "Do you think she's going to die?" Nobody could answer him, and he had to wait, like all the rest. But God did not mean that Prudy should die. At last, after many days, the fever died out like a fire when it has burned the wood all down to cinders. Then there was a pale little girl left, who looked as if a breath would blow her away like white ashes. I think a little baby, that tips over if you touch it, could not be weaker than Prudy was when she began to get well. Ah, but it was so joyful to see her own sweet smile once more, though never so faint! And every low word she spoke now dropped from her lips like a note of music. Her father and mother, and the whole family, were full of joy, and Grace and Susy went to their cosy seat in the trees to talk over the pretty things they were going to make for Prudy when she should be well enough to enjoy them. CHAPTER VII PRUDY'S PRESENT [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67]