JOHNNY'S REVENGE.
Dotty's cross behavior had entirely spoiled the pleasure of the evening
for her two sisters. They felt, as they had felt years before, when they
saw her, a mere baby, perched upon the wood-box, with her hands and feet
tied--they felt that it was a family disgrace.
All these little boys and girls, who had never known before what Dotty's
temper was, knew all about it now; they would talk of it to one another;
they would go home and tell of it, and remember it forever and ever.
"And, O dear!" thought Susy, "they won't know she was born so, and
can't help it."
For that this was the case, Susy firmly believed.
"I've got it written in my journal," thought Prudy, "how she promised to
swallow it down; but Dotty isn't well, and that's the reason she can't
remember."
Both the sisters knew that Dotty had left the parlors, and they were
very glad of it. They did not attempt to follow her. They did not know
precisely where she had gone, but presumed she was pouting somewhere.
That there could be danger of any sort for the poor child in that house
they never dreamed. Neither did Mr. or Mrs. Parlin dream it, or they
would have walked home a little faster from their visit to the white
tents on Green Street.
The games went on as usual, and were quite as amusing to the guests as
if they had not been very poor ones indeed. Susy and Prudy need not have
feared that the little people would not have a good time; the "surprise
party" was a perfect success, and Dotty's ill-humor made no one unhappy
but her sensitive sisters. Meanwhile the wretched child was lying on the
pantry floor, thinking very confused thoughts.
"I wish I was dead. No I don't. I'm too wicked. But I wasn't any
wickeder 'n that girl. She said Susy Parlin had a bad sister. What made
her say that? She knew I'd hear. I'm glad I shook her. No, I'm sorry. It
was murder--the Bible says so. Johnny murdered too--murdered me. He
called me a 'cross party.' That was a story. Johnny's wickeder 'n ever
_I_ was.
"Prudy thought I ought to be a baby. Percy thought so. He said, 'I
devise you to let that child alone.' I'm going to let _him_ alone! All
the time! Did I want to fall off that yardstick, right into the
tolly-blow?
"There's Prudy: she can be good; it doesn't hurt her. It hurts _me_ to
be good; it tires me all up.
"And here it is, as dark as a pickpocket." (Dotty raised her head and
took a survey.) "Why, the moon can't get here, nor the sun. Is this down
cellar? No, I didn't see any stairs. Where did I go to when I came? I
walked right on the floor. What floor? Was it the dining-room, or was it
out doors? I didn't look at it to see.
"This is a 'cuddy.' There's ever so many 'cuddies' in this house to hide
in. I've gone and hid. Nobody'll ever find me. My father'll say, 'Why,
where's that child?' And my mother'll say, 'I don't know.' And they'll
hunt all over the house; and I shall keep my head in my apron, and won't
say a word.
"Then Prudy'll say, 'O, my darling sister Dotty! How sweet and good she
was!'
"And they'll think I'm dead! And Susy'll cry out loud, and tell Percy,
and he'll say, 'O, how sorry I am I said "I devise you to let that child
alone"!'"
Dotty sighed as she pictured to herself Percy's conscience-stricken
face.
"And that girl that called me a bad sister--how _she'll_ feel! And
Johnny--I guess Johnny won't say 'cross party' any more!
"Grandma--why, grandma'll read the Bible. And O, such a time!
"That Angeline girl will remember how she rocked that darling Dotty, and
told me stories."
Dotty was seized with a sudden shivering. The stories came back to her
mind vividly. If Angeline had told her simple little tales of every-day
life, Dotty might have forgotten them; but, like all children, she had
an active imagination, and anything marvellous or horrible made a deep
impression.
The current of her thoughts was changed as soon as she remembered those
unknown ghosts of Angeline's description.
"All white, wrapped in a sheet. Put a knife through, and they don't know
it. No blood, no bones, no anything. Go through a keyhole. Will they,
though? Prudy don't believe it. Am I anywhere near a keyhole? I don't
know. I've gone and hid, and I can't find myself. I'm somewhere, but I
don't know where."
Dotty began to feel very uncomfortable. There was no longer the
slightest satisfaction in the thought of frightening the family. She
was frightened herself, and with the worst kind of fear--the fear of the
supernatural.
"I can't see the leastest thing, and I can't hear anything, either.
Ghosts don't make any noise. May be there are some in this house: been
locked up, and the man didn't know it."
The silence seemed to grow deeper. Dotty could hear her heart beat.
"My heart thumps like a mouse in the wall. I'm going to get out of this
place. I feel as if there's a ghost in here. It creeps all over me. I
can't get my breath."
Dotty rose cautiously; but she had been lying so long in a cramped
position that both her feet were asleep. While trying to recover her
balance she caught at something, which proved to be a glass jar of
raspberry jam. The cover came off, and the jam poured down her neck in
a thick stream.
"My beautiful white dress with the red spots! Who put that dirty thing
in my way? Smells like purserves. They ought to be ashamed!"
Dotty tried bearing her weight on both feet, and found she could walk.
"But I've whirled round three or four times. I didn't ever know which
way to go, and now I'm sure I don't know so well as I did in the first
place. If I step any more, perhaps I'll step into some molasses."
Dotty's meditations were becoming more confused than ever. Now it was
not only ghosts, but jam and jelly which went to make up the terrors of
the situation. But she was growing desperate. She groped right and left,
saying to herself,--
"Where's the _out_?"
At last she came to the door, which she had unconsciously closed when
she entered the pantry. She opened it, and her eyes were greeted with
light. It was the moon shining in at the kitchen windows.
Her fears vanished. She was just wondering whether to return to the
parlor in a forgiving spirit, or to stay away and make everybody
unhappy, when a strange, horrible object met her view,--not white, but
yellow.
Was it--was it--a truly, truly _ghost_? O, it must be a ghost on fire!
It hadn't any sheet round it. Nothing was to be seen but a hideous head
peeping in at the window. No man ever looked like that. No man ever had
such a mouth. It was as deep as a cave, and all ablaze. Somebody had
gone and swallowed a stove; somebody had come to do--do--O, what had he
come to do?
"It's a yellow ghost!" thought Dotty. "I didn't know they had such a
kind. Angeline never said so. But its eyes are just like her ghosts'
eyes--going to burn you up!"
These thoughts darted through Dotty's mind like lightning-flashes. At
the same time she gave one loud, terrified scream, and fell forward upon
the floor. She did not rise, she did not speak, she seemed scarcely to
breathe. The shock had partially stunned her.
"Why, Dotty--Dotty Dimple!" exclaimed Percy, rushing in at the back
door, and seizing his little cousin by the shoulders. "Look up here,
darling! 'Twas nobody but me!"
No answer.
"Nobody but me and Percy," said Johnny, pulling Dotty's ears to attract
her attention.
"Only a jack-o'-lantern, you dear little ducky," cried Percy.
"A pumpkin, you goosie," said Johnny.
No reply, but a sudden choking, followed by convulsive sobs. Whether the
child heard and understood what was said to her, Percy could not
determine. He was old enough to know that a sudden and powerful shock is
always more or less dangerous. He redoubled his efforts.
"Look, dear, here's the pumpkin. Holes cut out for eyes. A gash for the
mouth. A candle stuck in."
"Smart girl!" ejaculated Johnny, who was too young and ignorant to see
anything but amusement in the whole affair. "Smart girl, scared of a
pumpkin!"
"Johnny was angry with you," went on Percy, rather nervously; "he said
he wanted to tease you. I brought the pumpkin from our house. I'm
sorry. Look up, Dimple, see what it is! Don't be afraid. Laugh, or if
you can't laugh, cry. Here's my handkerchief."
Dotty continued to moan.
Percy caught her up in his arms. "Any pump in the house? Johnny, get
some water somewhere, quick! and then run for the camphor bottle."
Percy was at his wit's end. He ran round and round, with the little girl
in his arms. She had life enough to cling to his neck. Johnny saw a pail
of water, dipped a tea-strainer into it, and dashed two drops in
Dotty's face.
"That won't do, boy! Throw on a quartful! Hurry!"
Johnny promptly obeyed. Dotty gasped for breath, and uttered a scream.
Percy felt encouraged.
"More, Johnny; the whole pailful. We'll have her out of this
double-quick--"
Just as Percy had extended his little cousin on the floor, and Johnny
had poured enough water over her to soak every thread of her clothing,
there was a sound of foot-steps. Mr. and Mrs. Parlin were coming in at
the back door.
"What does this mean?" they both exclaimed, very much alarmed, as might
have been expected. There lay their little daughter, screaming and
gurgling, her mouth full of water, her dress stained with the raspberry
jam, which was easily mistaken for blood.
"Why, uncle Edward," stammered Percy, "'twas a--"
"Why, auntie," cried Johnny, "'twas only a pumpkin. She went and was
afraid of a pumpkin!"
The cause of this direful affright, the lighted jack-o'-lantern, was
lying face upward on the floor, the candle within it smoking and
dripping with tallow. One glance explained the whole mystery.
But by this time there seemed to be no further cause for anxiety with
regard to Dotty. She gathered herself together, sat upright, and began
to scold.
"'Twas blazing a-fire, mamma. He lighted it to plague me--Johnny did."
"I'm ever so sorry, auntie," said Percy, and his regretful face said as
much as his words.
"Johnny scared me to death," broke in Dotty; "and then he pumped water
on me all over--Johnny did."
"I'll never do so again," said Percy, shamed by the look of reproach in
his uncle's face.
"See that you remember your promise, my boy. You have run a great risk
to-night."
No one supposed, at the time, that Dotty had received a serious injury;
but she did not sleep off the effects of her fright. She was remarkably
pale next morning, and declined her breakfast. She had not been well for
some time, but she had not trembled as now at the opening and shutting
of a door. It was plain that her nerves had been quite unstrung.
Days passed, and still she did not seem quite like herself. Her father
told the family physician she was not well, and asked what it was best
to do with her. The doctor said he thought she only needed time enough,
and she would recover her "tone."
"I have an idea," said Mr. Parlin to his wife some days after this. "If
you approve, I believe I'll take the child West with me, next time I go
there on business. I took Prudy once, and it is no more than fair that
the other children should have their turn."
"We will see," said Mrs. Parlin; and so it was left. The subject was
never mentioned before Dotty; but here is what Prudy said of it in her
journal:--
"_Sept. 5th._--I think my little sister Dotty will go out West to
see aunt Maria, &c.; but anybody mus'n't ever tell her of it. She is
very pale, they poured so much water over her that night, and she
thought it was a yellow ghost.
"I _told_ her it was very, very wrong to sit in Angeline's lap and
hear her talk so. We mus'n't believe anything for certain except
Bible stories.
"She has had temper, and shook Ada Farley. But that was before she
was frightened by the ghost, so she couldn't get her breath; and she
won't do it again. Finis."
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Transcriber's Notes:
Inconsistent hyphenation of words in original text has been retained
(afire, a-fire).
Inconsistent or unusual spelling of contractions in the original text
has been retained (sha'n't and shan't, mus'n't and musn't, are'n't).
Page 9, missing close quote inserted. (mamma? _Is_ I?")
Page 35, misplaced apostrophe fixed. ('twill)
Page 42, "woful" changed to "woeful". (that woeful Fourth of July)
Page 46, word after comma starts with uppercase. Original text retained.
(she added, faintly, "If 'twasn't)
Page 56, missing close quote inserted. (cross old party, miss.")
Page 73, unusual spelling of "Monuement" retained. (make a Bunger Hill
Monuement)
Page 144, word after comma starts with uppercase. Original text
retained. (The trying question was, What would the child)