CHAPTER XII.
"A POST OFFICE LETTER."
The "far-off" feeling rather increased upon Dotty. It seemed toher that she had never before reflected upon the immense distance whichlay between her and home. The house might burn up before ever she gotback. Prudy might have a lung fever, and mamma the "typo." It waspossible for Zip to choke with a bone, and for a thousand other dreadfulthings to happen. And if Dotty were needed ever so much, she could notreach home without travelling all those miles.
Then, what if one of the conductors should prove to be a "_non,_" andshe should never reach home at all, but, instead of that, should befound lying in little pieces under a railroad bridge?
Sister Prudy had never troubled her head with such fancies. The dear Godwould attend to her, she knew. He cared just as much about her onelittle self as if she had been the whole United States. But Dotty didnot understand how this could be.
"I wish I hadn't come out West at all," thought she. "They're going totake me up to Indi'nap'lis; and there I'll have to stay, p'raps a week;for my father always has such long business! Dear, dear! and I don'tknow but everybody's dead!"
Just as she had drawn a curtain of gloom over her bright little face,and had buried both her dimples under it, and all her smiles, UncleHenry came home from his office, looking very roguish.
"Well, little miss, and what do you suppose I've brought you from uptown? Put on your thinking-cap, and tell me."
"Bananas? papaws? 'simmons? lemons? Dear me, what is it? Is it to eat orwear? And have you got it in your pocket?"
Uncle Henry, who had had his hand behind him, now held it out with aletter in it--a letter in a white envelope, directed, in clear, elegantwriting, to "Miss Alice B. Parlin, care of H.S. Clifford, Esq., Quinn,Indiana."
There could be no mistake about it; the letter was intended for DottyDimple, and had travelled all the way by mail. But then that title,Miss, before the name! It was more than probable that the people allalong the road had supposed it was intended for a young lady!
DOTTY'S FIRST POST-OFFICE LETTER. _Page 162_.]
When the wonderful thing was given her, her "first post-office letter,"she clapped her hands for joy.
"Miss? Miss?" repeated she, as Horace re-read the direction; for she wasnot learned in the mysteries of writing, and could not read it forherself.
"O, yes. _Miss_, certainly! If it was to me, it would be Mr."
"_Master_, you mean," corrected Grace.
"No, Horace, you are not Mr. yet!" said Dotty, confidently; "you'venever been married."
The next thing in order was the reading of the letter. Dotty tore itopen with a trembling hand. I should like to see another letter thatwould make a child so happy as that one did! It was written by threedifferent people, and all to the same little girl. Not a line to UncleHenry or Aunt Maria, or Horace or Grace. All to Dotty's self, as if shewere a personage of the first importance.
Mamma began it. How charming to see "My dear little daughter," traced socarefully in printed capitals! Then it was such a satisfaction to beinformed, in the sweetest language, that this same "dear littledaughter" was sadly missed. Dotty was so glad to be missed!
There was a present waiting for her at home. Mrs. Parlin was not willingto say what it was; but it had been sent by Aunt Madge from the city ofNew York, and must be something fine.
There were two whole pages of the clear, fair writing, signed at theclose, "Your affectionate mother, Mary L. Parlin."
Just as if Dotty didn't know what mother's name was!
Then Susy followed with a short account of Zip, and how he had stuckhimself full of burs. (He wasn't choked yet, thought Dotty; and that wasa comfort.) Then a longer account of the children's picnic at Deering'sOaks.
Dotty sighed, and felt that fate had been rather cruel in depriving herof that picnic.
"But I have had something better than that," said she, brightening;"I've walked on an Ensmallment, and I have picked pecans."
But the best was to come. It was from Prudy.
"MY DEAR LITTLE DARLING SISTER: I want to see you more than tongue can tell. Norah let Susy bake some biscuits last night, because there wasn't anybody at home but mother, and grandma, and Susy, and Norah, and me. But they were as tough as _sew leather_. Susy forgot the creamor tartar, and soda, and salt. She wasn't to blame.
"I'm so lonesome I can't wait to see my darling sister.
"Now I have some news to tell:--
"Mother is going to be married!
"You will think that is funny; but she is going to be married to the same husband she was before.
"It will be a Crystal Wedding, because it is fifteen years.
"She invites you and father to come home to it; she couldn't have it without father.
"You are going to be the bridesmaid! How queer! Mamma didn't think, the first time she was married, that ever it would be _you_ that would be her bridesmaid!
"From your dear, dear
"PRUDY."
"P.S. There will be wedding cake."
"P.S. No. 2. Johnny Eastman is going to be _bridegroom_, to stand up, if he doesn't do anything naughty before. P.P."
The look of "mouldy melancholy" disappeared from Dotty's face entirely.
"A wedding! A _crystal_ wedding! What can that be? I didn't know myfather and mother would ever be married any more. Aunt 'Ria, were youand Uncle Henry ever married any more?"
"This is a sort of make-believe wedding," replied Mrs. Clifford; "thatis all. And since you are to be bridesmaid, Dotty, I wonder if I cannotfind a pair of white slippers for you. I remember Grace had a pair someyears ago, which she has never worn."
THE WHITE SLIPPERS.--Page 167.]
The slippers were produced, and fitted perfectly. Dotty danced about,embraced her auntie, made a great many wild speeches, and finally foundherself in her uncle's lap, kissing him and laughing aloud.
"I suppose now," said Mr. Clifford, "we cannot keep you much longer andI am sorry, for it is very pleasant to have our little cousin here totalk with us."
"I don't wan't um go 'way, I don't want um go 'way," spoke up littleKatie.
"But I _must_ go to meet my papa," returned Dotty, with a business air."I have to be at home to get ready for the wedding."
It was very pleasant to know people liked her to stay. She ran into thekitchen, and said to Katinka,--
"O, Katinka, my papa and mamma are going to be married again! Do youknow I've got to start day after to-morrow?"
"So?" replied Katinka, not very much impressed. "I'm going to a party.I must up stairs go, and make my hairs and shut my dress. Gute Nacht."
"I'm only going to stay one more day; aren't you sorry?" said Dotty tobroken-nosed Phebe, who came in from the pantry with a long face.
"Why, I reckoned you was going _to-morrow_," was Phebe's cool reply,rolling the whites of her eyes to hide a twinkle of fun. She knew Dottyexpected her to say, "I am sorry;" but, though she really was sorry, shewould not confess it just then, because she was an inveterate tease.
Dotty felt a little chilled. She could not look into the future and seethe tomato pincushion Phebe was to give her, with the assurance that"she liked her a heap; she was a right smart child, and not a bit stuckup."
The day ended with Dotty's dear, dear letter under her pillow. She wasgoing to be very happy by and by; but just now she thought she was sohomesick that she should never go to sleep. She longed to see Prudy, andhear her say, "O, you darling sister!"
Then that wedding! Those white slippers!
How they did all miss her at home! Such dear friends as she had, andsuch beautiful things as were going to happen!
"But they are so good to me here! I've behaved so well they love medearly. If I go home, I can't stay here and have good times. I should behappy if I was at my mother's house and out West too! Every time I'mglad, then there's something else to make me sorry."
 
; So, between a smile and a tear, Dotty Dimple passed into the beautifulland of dreams; and the moon shone on a little face with a frown betweenthe eyes and a dimple dancing in each cheek.
What happened to her on her way home and afterward will be told in thestory of Dotty Dimple at Play.