Sophie May

“ For there isn't a girl in the world I like so well as I do you, nor begin to."
"O, Hollis," moaned the little one, stirred by sudden jealousy.
"Hullelo! I forgot you, Topknot.—You're my heart's jewel; that's generally understood. When I say I like Prue, I mean next after you."
The jealous Fly was satisfied, and folded her little wings against Horace's breast. Prudy felt greatly soothed, but her cap-strings were still shaking, and she could not trust her voice to speak. Nothing more was said for some time. ”

“ Surprised at the sharp sound of her own voice, dismayed at sight of the wet sugar, and completely discouraged by the aspect of things in general, Prudy burst out into a sort of frenzy. She was ashamed of herself, but she couldn't stop.
"You think I can bear everything—you and Dotty both! People are careful what they say to Dotty, for her temper's just like live coals; but they talk to me, and say anything; anything they've a mind to."
"Why, Prue," exclaimed Horace, as astonished as if Mother Hubbard's dog had spoken; "why, Prue!" ”

“ My house is full of things that make a noise—a canary, a paroquet, a mocking-bird, a harp, a piano, and a guitar. And—"
Mrs. Pragoff did not add that she had invited a little party to meet them. She was afraid of frightening the timid souls.
"Would you like to come, Miss Prudy? Tell me honestly, now."
There was no need to ask Fly. She was dancing for joy—the absurd little image.
"O, yes'm; I'd be delighted," replied Mother Hubbard, a smile lighting up her face even to the floury tip of her nose. "And I think Horace and Dotty would, too. Shall I go and ask?" ”

“ As Dotty lay tossing on her bed, she heard the laughing, and the lively music of the piano, and began to find she had missed a great deal by not going down stairs.
Horace and Prudy were getting a taste of fashionable society. True, Prudy did tire of the fixed questions, "How do you like New York? Have you been in the Park?" asked by girls in pink, and girls in blue, and boys in wondrous neck-ties, with hair parted very near the middle. She was astonished when Mrs. Pragoff proposed games. How could such exquisite children play without tearing their flounces and deranging their criêped hair? ”

“ Prudy dropped upon the sofa and covered her face with her handkerchief, while Dotty, strange to relate, actually slid the rings off her fingers and thumbs, and began to put away the crackers.
"O, dear," thought Prudy, blushing under the cap-border, spectacles, and handkerchief; "what did possess me to talk so? I had been holding in all day; why did I let go? If I ever do let go, I can't stop; and O, how shameful it is!"
It seemed as easy for Prudy to be good as for a bird to sing; but it was not so. She had a great deal of human nature, after all. ”

“ After nibbling a few crackers, and the inside of the cake, the happy family moved away from the table, hungrier than when they had sat down.
"What is home without a mother?" sang Horace, in a plaintive voice; and Dotty joined in, with emphasis.
Prudy looked as low-spirited as the "black-valley cake." ”

“ Tell them I'll try to attend to them the day but one after Christmas. And now, good by, children. You know you're as dear to me as the apple of my eye. Do take good care of yourselves, and be good."
"The apple of your eye appears to be split in four quarters, auntie," remarked Horace; and on the strength of that joke, Mrs. Allen started on her journey to Trenton.
"Now I suppose I'm to be the head of the family," said Prudy, with a majestic air.
"We are the two heads, if you please, mum," said Horace, striking an attitude.
"What am I, then?" asked Dotty.
"You? The foot. You must run and tend." ”

“ Does those snow-specks fly down out o' heaven? Does the little angels see 'em?"
"No, Topknot; they only come from the clouds; they are nowhere near up to the little angels."
"Not half so near as you are, Goldilocks," said Aunt Madge, brushing back the child's soft hair.
"I hope you don't mean Fly's going to die," cried Dotty, in sudden alarm, remembering how crossly she had spoken to the child two or three times since they had been in New York.
"No, Dotty; I only mean that we are told, in the Bible, there are 'ministering spirits,' and we believe they watch over good little children." ”

“ A fierce panther, looking out of a window in the same discontented mood as the vulture.
"See him stoop down," said Dotty; "he makes as much bones of himself as he can."
A horned owl, with eyes like auntie's when she looks "'stonished."
An eagle, with a face, Horace said, like a very cute lawyer.
A "speckled bear," without any spectacles. A "nelephant" like a great hill of stone, and a baby "nelephant," with ears like ruffled aprons.
An anaconda that "kept making a dandelion of himself."
A great grizzly bear hugging a young grizzly daughter.
"Who made that grizzle?" asked Fly, disgusted. ”

“ O, may we keep house!" exclaimed Prudy, her eyes suddenly brightening.
"Why, yes, my child; you may be the lady of the mansion, if that is what you mean, and Horace the lord."
"But may I cook the dinners, and not ask Mrs. Fixfax? Because I really do know a great deal, Aunt Madge. You'd be surprised! I can cook cake, and pie, and biscuit, and three kinds of pudding. Please, this once, let me manage things just as I want to."
"Just as we want, you mean," said Dotty. "I can make gingerbread as well as you can." ”

“ Grandma said, 'You're welcome to all you can find.' Well, but that didn't mean for Jennie to steal! Prudy needn't go to thinking this is the same kind of a thing, for it isn't. I guess stealing is pretty different from borrowing."
Dotty viewed herself in the glass with secret satisfaction. She really looked like a Fourth of July fantastic; but we do not see ourselves as others see us.
"She won't be the least help to me about the house," thought Prudy, with a feeling of envy. "I shall have every single thing to do; and I declare I don't know what to get for dinner." ”

“ Dotty thought this was certainly a jest.
"Pity there's so many. Why don't they hire men to dig 'em up by the roots?"
Horace smiled on Dotty patronizingly.
"They'll do it some time, Dot. The Park is new. Things can't be finished in a minute, even in New York."
Mrs. Pragoff smiled quietly, but was too polite to tell Horace the rocks had been brought there as an ornament, at great expense.
"I like the Park, if it isn't finished," said Prudy, summoning all her enthusiasm; "I know you'll laugh, Horace, but I like it better for the rocks; they make it look like home." ”

“ What did auntie mean? She meant me. Everybody means me. I wouldn't have thought that of auntie."
Dotty turned away; but the words followed her across the room like the eyes of a portrait.
"'God resisteth the proud.' Well, who said I was proud? People are so queer! Always think it's me wants the best things. 'Giveth grace to the humble.' There, I s'pose that means Prudy. She's just as humble! Never wants to take the best parts when we play. O, no; Prudy's humble? Prudy's a hero-ess!'"
But scold as she might, those burning red words were looking right down into Dotty's soul. ”

“ And, Dotty, I don't believe it of you. You would have told the truth."
"Yes, auntie, I do guess I should. It's better to eat fried pork than to act out a lie." What the truth had to do with eating fried pork, Aunt Madge could not imagine; but she assured Dotty she fully believed her when she promised not to meddle in future; and the child bounded down stairs with a heart like a bubble.
Fly had come up to go to bed. ”

“ Yes, Horace and Dotty were both pleased with the idea.
"She's a foreigner," said Prudy, doubtfully; "but she talks our language beautifully. She's a dear friend of auntie's, too."
"What I object to," said Horace, "is taking Toddlekins; but I may possibly hire her to stay at home."
It was finally decided that Mrs. Pragoff should call next day and take the children to church with her, and thence home to a Christmas dinner. She laughed, as she rolled away in her carriage, thinking what droll figures they were, and how Prudy blinked through her glasses. ”

“ Fly declared "Santa Claus is a darlin'," when she received the King Charles spaniel, which, by the way, had not been purchased without the full consent of Horace, who was even willing, for his little sister's sake, to take him home in the cars.
The youth, in his turn, was made happy by the gift of a silver-mounted rifle; while Prudy rejoiced in a rosewood writing desk, and Dotty in a gold pen.
"All's well that ends well." Uncle Augustus was at home, and that in itself was as good as most fairy stories. ”

“ Rich people are the stingiest in the world. The fact is, the more you have, the more you don't give away."
"O, what a story!" said Dotty. "The more I have, the more I do—I mean I shall, if I ever get my meeting-house full."
Horace laughed heartily.
"What'd I say now, Horace Clifford?"
"I was only thinking, Dot, that's what's the matter with everybody; they're waiting to get their meeting-houses full."
Dotty did not understand the remark, but thought it safe to pout.
"I can't help thinking about that poor Maria," said Prudy. "Do you suppose, Horace, the doctor can help her?" ”

“ Prudy said nothing, but thoughtfully tasted the cake again. How could she tell whether she had left out the soda?
"Are you blind of your ears, Prudy, Can't you hear nuffin what I say? Rag's come off the stick. Please to tie it on. And I want to eat some o' that dough."
Mother Hubbard did her blundering best; but ill luck seemed to pursue the cooking.
"Needn't call that book the 'Young Housekeeper's Friend.' It's an enemy, a real bitter enemy," cried she, in great excitement. "Wood is hotter than coal, too. Mrs. Fixfax must have given it to me to plague me. How it does burn things up! ”

“ Horace rubbed his upper lip thoughtfully. "Will you inform me, ma'am, where I can get a boarding-place? I'm sort of turned round. Growing place. Last time I was down, there were only a few houses here; now it's pretty thick settled back of the meeting-house."
"I'll take you," said Mother Hubbard, putting her handkerchief to her face. "How would my dog feel if he knew I had come to this!"
"Come to what, ma'am?"
"Why, to New York, to take boarders." ”

“ Mother Hubbard had never dreamed a boarder could be so disagreeable. She snatched off the spice-box, and setting a kettle on the stove, boiled paste enough to paper the walls of a room.
Meanwhile Fly was making free with the nutmegs and soda, and the little cook could not remember how far along she had got with the cake.
"Children don't annoy you, I hope," said the doctor, seating the baby at the side of the table, opposite Mother Hubbard, and giving her a stick with a rag wound around the end of it, in order to paste pictures into a scrap-book. ”

“ Pragoff said we might just as well stay here all night as to go home," continued Prudy.
"O, dear, dear! we're not going to stay here. Prudy Parlin? Why didn't you come and ask if I was willing?"
"I did hunt for you, Dotty, but I couldn't find you. I thought you'd like to stay. They are playing so beautifully down stairs. I'm just proud of Horace; he acts like a little gentleman."
"I don't care how Horace acts, and I don't want to play with people that have their hair frizzed. I want to go back to auntie's.'
"But you can't, Dotty. Mrs. Pragoff has sent to Mrs. Fixfax for our night-dresses." ”

“ Prudy took her into auntie's room, and proceeded at once to robe her in her own night-dress, with a lace night-cap, and a cologne-mat for a bib.
"Hollis didn't say for me to be such a long baby," sniffled Fly, trying in vain to clear her feet from the trailing skirt.
"This is your slip, dear. You're only a baby—musn't try to walk."
"Then my papa must carry me down stairs," said Fly, entering into the spirit of the play. "You tell him so—I can't tell him, for I can't talk. Argoo-goo. My teeth haven't camed."
"If you please, Master Clifford," said Nathaniel, appearing at the head of the stairs. ”

“ Dotty rolled herself up in the curtain, and screamed into the folds of it.
"Why, Dotty, what am I going to do with you? Please come down, and behave."
"O, Prudy, I don't want ever to go down again. I don't want ever to see folks, or behave, as long as I live."
"But, Dotty, all these little boys and girls came here just to see us. It is our Christmas party. You'll mortify Mrs. Pragoff. You know how Fly mortified her this morning. ”

“ Pragoff is enough."
"Yes'm.—Well, I was going to ask you, Mrs. Yetski, will you please sit between me and Fly when we go into church? O, you don't know how funny she acts, or you never'd dare take her. I wouldn't laugh in church for anything in this world; but Fly always makes me."
"Does she, indeed! Ah me, that is very unfortunate!" said the queenly lady, looking down on little Miss Toddlekins as if she were actually afraid of her. She took care to put Dotty out of harm's way, by placing the untamable Fly between Horace and Prudy. ”

“ Fixfax, there is a little old cooking-stove in the attic. Don't you remember you had it in your room when you were nursing Rachel through that fever?"
"O, yes'm, so I had; and it shall be set right up there again, mum, if you say so," said the obliging housekeeper; "and I'll carry up flour and sugar, and what not, and move out my own things, so the children can have the room pretty much to themselves."
"No need of that, Mrs. Fixfax," spoke up the cook, very pleasantly. "Let 'em come right into the kitchen. I should admire to see 'em enjoy themselves."
Patty Diggles was a singular woman. ”

“ Well, no wonder, with such troublesome boarders. Suppose you and my lady go down to the parlor. I don't believe I'm a bit interesting, you know. I'll call you when dinner is ready."
"Agreed! Sharp five, remember."
"There," said Mother Hubbard, taking off her spectacles; "now I can cook."
Could she?
"Little folks we is to keep house—isn't we?" buzzed the little torment that was left behind. "Hush! don't you talk, Prudy. When you shake the table, then I make blots with my pastry." ”

“ Then he stopped short with surprise, hardly knowing the children in their strange attire; but being too dignified to laugh aloud, added, with a grim smile,—
"The woman that brought Miss Fly home the other day is down in the dining-room, and says,'Can she see one of the family?'"
"A little girl with her, Nat?"
"Yes, sir; the blind girl is with her."
"And the freckled doggie!" asked "the long baby," suddenly raising her head from her father's shoulder. "I meant to told 'em to bringed that doggie."
"Let's all go down and see," said Mother Hubbard. ”

“ Nothing to us can ever be quite so delightfully charming as were the 'Dotty Dimple' and the 'Little Prudy' books to our youthful imagination, but we have no doubt the little folks of to-day will find the story of 'Flaxie Frizzle' and her young friends just as fascinating. ”

“ 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." ”

“ When the doctor said, carelessly, "Some people think themselves great cooks, my lady; but the proof of the pudding's in the eating," why, that speech was "the pin in the end of the lash."
Prudy saw now that she had pretended to know a great deal more than she really did. Pretension is very apt to get laughed at. She had always scorned Dotty's self-conceit; but hadn't she shown quite as much herself? Making her auntie suppose she understood cooking, and putting Mrs. Fixfax to all this trouble for nothing? ”

“ He's a hero, she a hero-ess! They think I like to be laughed at. She said it only took one woman to manage a house; but she never made any fuss when Horace spoke up, and wanted to help. It's me that can't manage—just because it's me. Who wants Horace for the head of the family? He don't know more'n the head of a pin! When'd ever he make ginger-bread?"
By this time Dotty had reached her own room in a tumult of rage.
"Prudy wouldn't 'low three heads to it, I s'pose? ”