Little Prudy's Sister Susy

ing what they could to make a cheerful time of it, but it seemed

ns small vexations from morning till night, and when

le the little girls, Flossy, Susy and Prudy were playing it, and trying their best to kee

." Mrs. Parlin had her own private doubts about the advantages to be derived from her friendship,

n windows; and that little was not very agreeable. She saw that Mrs. Love joy dressed in gaudy colors, and l

could not forbid her visits, although she watched her closely; anxious, as a careful mother should be, to make sure she was a proper companion for her

children began the play of housekeeping, because Prudy could join in it. Sus

udy,-no, Rosy,-you shall be Mrs. Shotwell, come a-visiting me; because you can't do anything else. We'll make believe you've lost your husban

h Annie gave to the words, and Prudy imitate

not very well pleased that the fir

your head, just as our girl does; and you must be a little

"will be Mr. Peter Piper

you will make quite a good-looking husband; but I shall be th

eves of her cloak, "I don't know about that; I don't think

e the control of fam

with a toss of the head, "and if there's anything

e, by sticking a fruit-knife into the edges o

ing up to her; "it troubles us; and, bes

the character of Mrs. Piper; "I am mistress of the house, I'd have you to know! There, l

, but hit the musical knife harder than ever, giv

ous or not, and concluded to express her vexation in groans: the groans she was

o "make conversation," "I think I have got somethi

eye looks very well, ma'am; don't you

tling her head-dress, which was Susy's red

feel 'em cold. O, dear, if your husband was

iled. They thought Prudy seemed more like he

id Mrs. Piper, flourishing the poker; "I mean you

ning her head to one side

u don't know how trying it is, Mrs. Shotwell! That hired girl, Bets

hear with her elbows, does she? If she heard with

and their servant, all to laughing, and Betsey looked

dy, "ask Betsey to hot a flatiron?

on," said Mrs. Piper, very hospitably. "Go o

nothing better to do than to repeat his wife's words; for, in

husband's handkerch

for a man," said M

r quick for a thought, "my h

d to make more

and don't keep house! I think my hired girls will carry down my gray

eyes on that corner of her handkerchief wh

he wasalways going to masses and mass-meetings; and there

be waked up when they was dead,

id Mrs. Piper; "of course it isn't true! For my part

ng the silver knife on the edges of the iron grate. "Betsey, why in the

u s'pose the reason is folks can't be waked up? What makes 'em stay in heaven all th

aid Annie. "I'm s

hat when God has sended 'em up to the sky, they like to stay up there th

e," replied Annie

s house, I shan't wear the splint. I can run all over the house, an

mes she almost longe

d Annie, impatiently. "It's most suppe

tch the words which dropped from the lips of her mistress. "Betsey, have you attended to your sister-to my little child, I mean? T

servant; 'what did you

layed it as well as she could, and let Annie mana

e aid of his wife. "Mrs. Piper says eel-jumbles, and sa

Prudy, suddenly remembering

to like jumble-pie! I've for

ch were kept in an old tin chest, on purpose for this play of housekeeping, which had

, and never so much as tasted fruit-cake. Not Prudy, for the poor little thing had grown so lame by this time, that she was unable to bear her weight on her feet, much less to walk into the nurser

reach the cake-chest; so

ad run into the house morning and night, and had often said

n back to Prudy's sitting-room, where her little

me eel-jumbles and things, and

said Mrs. Piper, sere

choed Mr. Piper; and add

e chest. You ate it up, you know, Annie; but it's no matter: we'll cut u

t's no such a thing; I never touched

otten! You went to the cake-chest this morning, and last

too angr

, politely; "you could have it as w

ht she saw a look of surprise and contempt on Flossy's face, and fanc

t was too dry for her company, but it was too rich for little girls, and we must only eat a teeny speck at

ng, but her desire to be

the slices had been cut a great while, and it

ritated; "you keep hinting that I tell wrong stories and steal

t was only anger. Annie was entirely in the wro

ime, merely because she had the truth on her side. B

liar and a thief; so I won't! I'll go right home this very

loak, and flounced out of the room; forgetting, in her wrath, to t

d my mother wouldn't like me to play with her, if she knew how she acts! She said 'victuals' for food, an

of the whole to Flossy,-that she had

y, uneasily. "I don't like to have h

politer'n she was! I wouldn't care, if I would be you, Susy. I don't

e Annie came; but the interest was quite gone. Their quick-tem

yet. What happened next, I wi