Produced by Roger Frank and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net
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A SWEET LITTLE MAID
BYAMY E. BLANCHARD
Author of "Little Miss Oddity," "Little Miss Mouse,""Little Sister Anne," "Mistress May," etc.
NEW YORKHURST & COMPANYPUBLISHERS
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Copyright, 1899,by GEORGE W. JACOBS & CO
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To
MY DEAR LITTLE GODDAUGHTERAGNES BLANCHARD WILLIAMSI LOVINGLY DEDICATE THIS STORY OF ANOTHERSWEET LITTLE MAID
A. E. B.
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CONTENTS
CHAP. PAGE
I. DIMPLE AND BUBBLES 9 II. DOLLS 26 III. A QUARREL 44 IV. HOUSEBREAKERS 62 V. ROCK 81 VI. THE TEA-PARTY 97 VII. HOUSEKEEPERS 119 VIII. ADRIFT 139 IX. DOWN TOWN 158 X. THE PICNIC 177 XI. AN UNCLE AND A WEDDING 196
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CHAPTER I
Dimple and Bubbles
"Is yuh asleep, Miss Dimple?"
"No," said Dimple, drowsily.
"I'm are."
"Why, Bubbles," replied Dimple, "if you were asleep you wouldn't betalking."
"Folks talks in their sleep sometimes, Miss Dimple," answered Bubbles,opening her black eyes.
"Well, maybe they do, but your eyes are open now."
"I have heerd of people sleepin' with their eyes open," returnedBubbles, nothing abashed.
"O, Bubbles, I don't believe it; for that is how to go to sleep; mammasays, 'shut your eyes and go to sleep,' she never says, 'open your eyesand go to sleep;' so there!"
Bubbles sat thoughtfully looking at her toes, having nothing to say whenDimple brought her mamma into the question.
"I'll tell you what, Bubbles," said Dimple, after a moment's pause,rising from the long grass where the two had been sitting. "Let's playIndian. You make such a lovely Indian, just like a real one. I am almostafraid of you when you are painted up, and have feathers in your head."
Bubbles grinned at the compliment.
"I will be the white maiden to be captured," said Dimple, as Bubblescoolly proceeded to take off her frock, displaying a red flannelpetticoat.
"I'll hunt up the feathers, and you get ready," Dimple went on. "And theshawl--we must have the striped shawl for a blanket," and, running intothe house, she soon came out with a little striped shawl, and a handfulof stiff feathers. The shawl was arranged over Bubbles' shoulders, andproduced a fine effect, when the feathers were stuck in her head.
"Now if you could only have the hatchet. You go get it, Bubbles."
"I dassent," said Bubbles.
"Oh yes, you dare," Dimple said, coaxingly. "I'd go ask mamma, but it isso hot and I've been in the house once."
"'Deed, Miss Dimple"--Bubbles began.
"Don't you 'deed me. I tell you to go and I mean it. I'll send you tothe orphan asylum, if you don't, and I wonder how you will like that; nomore cakes, no more chicken and corn-bread for you, Miss Bubbles. Mushand milk, miss."
This dreadful threat had its desired effect, and Bubbles' bare blacklegs went scudding through the grass, and were back in a twinkling.
"Hyah it is," she said. "I was skeered, sho' 'nough."
"Oh well, you are a goose," said Dimple. "Who ever heard of an Indianbeing scared at a hatchet? Now I will go into the woodshed--that is myhouse, you know--and you must skulk softly along, and when you get tothe door bang it open with the hatchet, and give a whoop."
So Dimple went in her house and shut the door, fearfully peeping throughthe cracks once in a while, as the terrible foe crept softly nearer andnearer, then with a terrific yell burst in.
"Please, Mr. Indian, don't scalp me."
"Ugh!" said the Indian.
"What shall I do?" said Dimple. "Make me take off my stockings andshoes, Bubbles. You know the captives must go barefooted."
"Ugh!" said the Indian, pointing to Dimple's feet.
"My shoes and stockings? Well, I will give them to you," and she quicklytook them off. The Indian gravely tied them around his neck, and takingDimple by the hand he led her forth in triumph.
But here a disaster followed, for the captive, thinking it her duty tostruggle, knocked the hatchet out of the Indian's hand, and it fell withits edge on Dimple's little white foot, making a bad gash.
"Oh, you've killed me, sure enough," she cried. "Oh, you wicked, wickedthing!"
Poor Bubbles cried quite as hard as she, and begged not to be sent tothe orphan asylum.
"Oh! your mother will whip me," she cried. "I 'spect I ought to bekilled, but 'deed I didn't mean to, Miss Dimple; I wisht it had been myold black foot."
"I wish it had," sobbed Dimple. "Oh, I am bleeding all to nothing! Takeme to mamma, Bubbles!"
Bubbles stooped down and, being a little larger and stronger, managed tocarry her to the house.
Dimple's mamma was horrified when they appeared at her door. Bubbles inwar-paint and feathers, carrying the little barefooted girl, from whosefoot blood was dropping on the floor.
"What on earth is the matter? Oh, Dimple! Oh, Bubbles! What have youbeen doing?"
But Bubbles was so overcome by terror, and Dimples by the sight of theblood, that neither could explain till the foot was washed and bandaged.
Then poor Bubbles flung herself on the floor and begged not to be sentto the orphan asylum.
"You ridiculous child," said Dimple's mamma. "Of course you ought to becareful, but it is not your fault any more than Dimple's. She should nothave sent you for the hatchet. I am very sorry for my little Dimple; itis not so very serious, but she will not be able to walk for severaldays. Next time you want to play Indian, do without a hatchet. Put onyour frock, Bubbles, and go into the kitchen, for I'm sure I heard Sylvycall you."
Bubbles went meekly out and Dimple was soon asleep on the sofa.
Bubbles' real name was Barbara. She was the child of a former servantwho went away, leaving her, when she was about five years old, with Mrs.Dallas; as the mother never came back, and no one could tell of herwhereabouts, Bubbles gradually became a fixture in Dimple's home.
Dimple, when she was just beginning to talk, tried hard to say Barbara,but got no nearer to it than Bubbles, and Bubbles the little darkey wasalways called.
Dimple herself was called so from the deep dimple in one cheek. Everyone knew her by her pet name, and most persons forgot that her name everwas Eleanor.
She and Bubbles were devoted comrades. Bubbles would cheerfully have letDimple walk over her and never forgot to call her _Miss_ Dimple, therebyexpressing her willingness to serve her.
Dimple was the dearest little girl in the world, but considering Bubblesher special property, made her do pretty much as she pleased, and hermost dreadful threat was to send her to the orphan asylum.
She had once said, "Mamma, if you hadn't let Bubbles stay here, wherewould you have sent her?"
"To the orphan asylum, I suppose," her mamma answered; and Bubbles,hearing it, was ever after in mortal terror of the place, for Dimplegave her a graphic description of it, telling her she would never haveanything to eat but mush and milk.
Dimple's foot did not get well as fast as she expected, and the l
ittlegirl found it rather tiresome to lie on a lounge all day, although hermamma read to her, and tried to amuse her. Bubbles, too, was as obedienta nurse as could be, and, because she had been the cause of theaccident, considered it her first and only duty to wait on Dimple.
"Mamma," said Dimple, "for a colored girl, Bubbles is the nicest I eversaw; but indeed, I should like a white girl to play with, just for achange. Couldn't you get me one?"
"Perhaps so," said her mamma. "We will see what can be done."
"Good-bye, little girl," said her papa the next morning. "I am goingaway and will not be back till to-morrow. What shall I bring you? A newdoll?"
"Oh, please, papa; and papa a white girl if you can get one that is realnice, something the same kind of girl that I am."
"A girl like you would be hard to find, I think," said he, laughing,"but I'll inquire around and see if there is one to be had."
Bubbles looked very sober all day, and rolled her eyes around at Dimplein such a reproachful way that finally she said:
"I know just what you think, Bubbles. You believe I am going to send youto the orphan asylum and get a white girl, but I am not at all. If I geta white girl I shall want you all the same, because you will have towait on her too."
Bubbles' face lighted up, as she said,
"'Deed, cross my heart, Miss Dimple, I didn't fo' sure think yuh wasgwine to send me off, but I tuck and thought yuh was conjurin' upsomethin' agin me."
"Why, Bubbles, I wouldn't do such a thing, unless you were out and outbad. It has been such a long day," she said, turning to her mamma. "Whenwill it be to-morrow?"
Mrs. Dallas drew up a little table, and Bubbles brought Dimple's bestset of dishes, and with a clean cloth spread on first, the dishes werearranged. Then Bubbles brought in a little dish of chicken, a glass ofjelly, light rolls, little cakes, a pitcher of milk, tea, sugar, andbutter; and then Mrs. Dallas said,
"We will have our supper together, because papa is away, and Bubbles canwait on us here."
Bubbles had disappeared, but presently came back with a bunch of roses,which she put in the middle of the table.
"Why, Bubbles, that is quite fine," said Dimple, and she ate her supperwith a relish; after which, the time seemed very short until to-morrow,for she was soon asleep.
"I believe this day is long too," she said, toward the afternoon of thenext day. "When will papa come?"
"Not till six o'clock," replied her mamma. "You must try to be patient,for I think you will be very glad when he gets here. I have sent Bubblesfor a book, and I will read to you, to pass the time away."
Six o'clock came at last, and soon after Dimple heard her papa's voicein the hall.
"Come right up," she heard him say.
"I do believe he has brought the white girl," she said, clasping herhands; and, to be sure, when he opened the door, some one was behindhim.
"This is the nearest like you I could get," he said, and led forwardsome one in a grey frock and hat.
Dimple screamed, "Why, it is Florence. Oh! papa, you didn't say you weregoing to auntie's!"
"No. I wanted to surprise you," he replied. "And I thought your owncousin ought to be more like you than any one else."
"Well, I am delighted. You are sure to stay a long, long time, Florence.Take off your hat and sit right here," she said, moving up on thelounge. "I never had such a surprise."
"You forgot I promised a doll, too," said her papa, as he opened apackage. "I thought Florence would like one, so I brought two, as nearalike as if they were cousins," he added.
"Oh! you preciousest papa," said Dimple; "let me hug you all to pieces.I do think you are the most delightful man. I don't wonder mammamarried you. When you go down please send Bubbles up here, so I can tellher I am almost glad she cut my foot, for it is worth it, to haveFlorence and a new doll too."
Bubbles came in beaming.
"Bubbles," cried Dimple, "see Florence and our new dolls,--and Bubbles,you shall have one of my old ones,--and Bubbles, when I grow up, youshall live with me always, because you cut my foot, and you must never,never think of the orphan asylum again.
"Now, tell me, Florence," she said, turning to her, "all about yourcoming. Didn't you have to get ready in a hurry?"
"Yes, indeed," replied Florence, "and, oh Dimple, I was so glad whenuncle asked mamma and she said 'yes,' and she just packed up my thingsin a jiffy, and we stopped at papa's office, and said good-bye to him,and uncle bought me oranges and papers on the cars, and we didn't seem abit long coming."
"Well, I am too glad," returned Dimple. "Won't we have fun with thedolls? O, Florence, do eat your supper up here with me instead of goingdownstairs."
"Of course," said Florence, "unless you would rather go down, for unclesaid he would carry you."
"I know," said Dimple, "but it is more fun to have it up here with mytea-set, and Bubbles to wait on us."
So they had their tea upstairs, with the table set by the window, wherethe wistaria peeped in to look at them, and a little brown bird, quiteenvious, put his head on one side, and stood on the sill a full minutebefore he flew away.
"Oh! I think it is just lovely here," said Florence. "Ever so much nicerthan at our house."
"Do you think so?" said Dimple, quite pleased. "You have a lovely house,though, Florence; it is four stories high, and has such beautiful thingsin it, and when you look out of the windows there is so much to see,carriages, and people all dressed up."
"Yes, and dirty old beggars and ragmen," said Florence, "and nasty,muddy streets."
They both laughed.
"What cunning little doylies," said Florence. "Who worked the littlefigures on them?"
"Mamma," said Dimple. "Aren't they sweet? She always sends them up withmy supper, one over the milk pitcher, and one over the cake. Do you likelots of sugar in your tea, Florence?"
"Two lumps."
"Only two! Why I like three, and I believe I could take another; mammasays I have a sweet tooth, but I don't know where it is, for I have putmy tongue on all of them and they all taste alike. Bubbles, go down andask mamma if we mayn't have a little teensy-weensy bit more honey, weare both so hungry."
Bubbles took the little glass dish, and went off.
"I wish I had a Bubbles," said Florence. "We have a black man, but Ithink a little girl is ever so much nicer; then there is nurse, shetakes us to walk; and then there is Kate, the cook, and Lena, thechambermaid, they are always fussing and quarreling. I get tired of somany."
"We only have Sylvy and Bubbles," said Dimple. "Sylvy is black too; sheis real nice but she will get mad with Bubbles sometimes. Bubblescleans knives, and runs errands, sets the table, wipes the dishes, andis a lot of help. You don't know how much she can do, and she learnssomething new every little while. Have some more honey, Florence, forthat piece of bread. I never can come out even; sometimes I have to takemore bread for the honey, and then more honey for the bread, till I doeat so much. Have you finished? I believe I have too."
"It is _so_ nice here," said Florence, as they settled themselves aftertheir tea, "just delicious. It is so much pleasanter to see green grass,and trees, and flowers, than brick walls, and pavements. Do you play outof doors much?"
"Yes, all day, nearly; but I haven't since my foot was hurt. I couldn'trun about, and I should have to wait for some one to bring me in; then Ialways want to be close to mamma when anything is the matter with me.Are you that way?"
"Yes," said Florence. "Aren't mammas the best thing in the world? I hopemine doesn't miss me."
"Now, Florence, don't get homesick, for I shall be distressed if you do.Let's talk about the dolls. Here comes mamma. We will ask her what wecan dress them in.
"Mamma, mamma, did you see our beauty dolls? Won't you get out yourreserve bag to-morrow? I have looked over my piece box so much, and itwould be perfectly splendid to have something I had never seen before."
"What is a reserve bag?" asked Florence.
"Why, you see," said Dimple, "mamma has a lot of bags, one
for silkpieces, and one for white pieces, and one for pieces like our frocks,and so on, but the nicest is the one she keeps for occasions, likeChristmas and birthdays and fairs, and there are the prettiest bits ofvelvet and silk in it. Mamma, bring out your reserve bag, that is alovely blue-eyed mamma," said Dimple, coaxingly.
"You are very complimentary," said her mamma, laughing. "If you won'ttease or worry me, to-morrow I will bring it out and you can each choosewhat you want."
"Oh! mamma, you are lovelier and more blue-eyed than ever," said Dimple,"let us both kiss you. We will be good as gold, won't we, Florence?"
"Yes, indeed," said she. "Auntie, you are lovely."
"I think if you don't go to bed," said Mrs. Dallas, "you will keep meawake all night with your flattery."
"Florence is to sleep with me, isn't she, mamma?"
"Certainly, and the sooner you go, the sooner it will be to-morrow."
"Well, we will go now. See me ride, Florence," said Dimple, as her mammaput her in a rocking-chair and pushed the chair along through the doorinto Dimple's little blue and white room.
It was a dear little room, and Dimple, with the help of Bubbles, tookcare of it all herself.
There was a white curtained window around which roses and honeysucklegrew, and threw their tendrils about in a such a reckless way, that oneor two had made up their minds to live in the room instead of outdoors,and were climbing around the window sash.
A little brass bedstead, a mantel with a blue and white lambrequin, ablue and white toilet set, pretty pictures on the wall, and a smallbookshelf, made a very cozy looking nest for a little girl, and soFlorence thought, who had no room of her own, but slept with an oldersister.
They were both tired, and even the delightful topic of dolls could notkeep them awake very long, for a half hour later when the moon looked inon her way across the sky, she saw them both sound asleep, an auburnhead on Florence's pillow, and a yellow one on Dimple's.