The Little Nightcap Letters Part 4

"Didn't they have a fine time? I think so--and I laughed very much--oh!--I mean, Edith's papa laughed, when he came home and heard about the grand dinner-party, all out of one small beef-steak, and a poor man's pudding. There! how do you like that story?"

"Oh, papa! _I_ know," exclaimed Bella, laughing, and patting his cheek.

"I found you out! it was sister Edith! wasn't it? Dear me! what a funny girl! Did you ever!"

"Yes, it was her, and she was a funny girl--and you are a little darling--and now, kiss papa, and run off to bed."

FIFTH LETTER.

"A LETTER for Miss Bella Curtis; two cents!" bawled the postman.

He was in a hurry this time, and Bella had to run so fast for the money, that it was quite a wonder that she did not get thin after it--only she laughed, too, just as much--and perhaps that may be the reason.

She began to feel as if she was quite a big woman, to be giving the postman so much business to do; and she carried her new letter in great state to her sister, and listened to the reading of it with all her heart and both her ears.

It began thus:--

"+SAVANNAH.+

"DEAR, DARLING BELLA:

"I was perfectly delighted with your funny little letter, telling me all the news about your party, and dolly, and Kitty.

"I am now in Savannah. It is a most beautiful city, and the people in it are very good and kind. The evening before I left Charleston, a lady came to see me, bringing with her a dear little boy who looked and acted just like Stanny. I told him the story of 'Little Red Ridinghood,'

and I thought his eyes would pop out of his head when the wolf eat her up. You see, I growled and snapped my teeth, just like a wolf.

"Then I drew him a picture of the wolf in a bob-tailed coat, talking to Little Red Ridinghood in the wood; and I made him a paper fly-cage, and a paper windmill.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

"He looked at them very much pleased, and said: 'But--say--I don't know which to give to my little brother.'

"I laughed, for I saw that he wanted them all himself, and yet loved his little brother so much that he wanted to give them to him, so I said: 'If you will kiss me and call me "Aunt f.a.n.n.y," I will make some for him, too.'

"Then he put his arms round my neck, and kissed me so hard, that it made his dear little nose quite flat for a moment, and said: 'Thank you, Mrs. Aunt f.a.n.n.y;' and I made him another picture, and cage, and windmill, and then he was delighted.

"There are two beautiful little children in this house, who are twins, because they came into this world at the very same time. They are each six years old--a boy and a girl.

"I asked Richard where he came from? He said: 'Why, don't you know?

Sally and I were dug up from under a cotton tree.' Wasn't that funny?

"Then his mamma said: 'Richard, sing "Morning's ruddy beams, in the Eastern sky,"' and he shouted out--

"'Morning's _ready_ beams Easc.u.m easc.u.m skri,'

then stopped, and giving one eye a queer little twist, said: 'How does _that_ suit you?' In the afternoon the children went to a party, and Richard brought home an orange for his mother, and said: 'I'm going to save this for your Christmas present,' which sounded very funny as Christmas was eight months off.

"The next morning we had flannel cakes for breakfast. Really, and truly, they are made of eggs, milk, and flour; but just for fun I pretended to be astonished, and exclaimed: 'Flannel Cakes! Dear me! who ever heard of such a thing? Why, Richard, what _are_ they made of? Flannel?'

"'Why, no, you goose,' said Richard, 'they are made of _flannel flour_.'

"I could not help laughing when he called me a goose; but his mother said he was very naughty; and then he ran and hid his head in her dress and began to cry. You see, he was a little bit of a boy--and did not mean to be impolite--and I think myself, I would have been a goose, if I _had_ really and truly believed the cakes were made of flannel; don't you, you little darling?

"I have a very curious snake-skin to show you when I return. Edward, Richard's big brother, found it in the woods, and made it a present to me. A snake! What a present! and to think of a snake wanting to wriggle out of his skin! You wouldn't do such a thing, would you?

"Yesterday a beautiful little mulatto girl came to see me, and brought me, from her mistress, a basket full of splendid flowers. She was about five years old. A great black man with his head covered with white wool came with her to take care of her, because she was so little. He looked as if he had been out in a snowstorm without his hat; but really his head was white because he was so old. His name was Jeringo. 'Well, little one,' said I, 'what is your name?'

"'My name Georgia, and I can tell you a story. It is about Blue Man's Beard.'

"'Oh,' said I, 'I would like to hear that very much indeed.'

"Then she put one little fat hand over the other, drew a long breath, and began: 'Blue Man's Beard, he dreffel cross, I tell you; and he say to he _sister_, "Now, don't you go in de rooms; you hear?" and she say, "No, neber;" but she tell story, and go; and oh, my! she drop de key, and de key he c.u.m all over wid blood, and she try, try, try, to wipe um off. But he no c.u.m off--and Blue Man's Beard, he say: "If you don't c.u.m down I gib you popping." Den her brother he c.u.m and tote her off to he home, and make a big fire, and burn Blue Man's Beard all up in de fire.'

"'Oh,' said I, 'how glad I am! Aren't you glad?'

"'Ah, no,' she replied, 'I don't want any body to be burn up--make 'em hurt:' which answer made me feel quite ashamed, because I was more cruel than she; then I gave Georgia some money, and sent her home quite happy.

What do you think of that story? Don't the little mulatto girl talk queerly? All the black people talk so.

"The other night I felt quite ill, and the dear friend with whom I am staying sent Hannah, a black girl, up to me with a tub of warm water to bathe my feet. She dropped a little bobbing courtesy, and said: 'Please missis, you ain't berry well, I'se want to wash you foot.'

"'Oh dear, no, Hannah, I cannot let you bathe my feet; I always do that for myself.'

"'Oh _do_, please missis; I ain't got noting to do. I _like_ to wash um.'

"'But, Hannah, I shall feel very funny to have you poking at my toes.'

"'Now missis, _do_,' said Hannah, in a coaxing tone; 'I'll do um fust rate.'

"Her eyes looked so big, and she made such a queer face at me, that I turned round to laugh; when I looked back she was standing at the long gla.s.s making courtesies to herself; then she turned round, and twisted her head till I thought she would crack it off--and stared at her back and made some more courtesies--and I had to laugh out loud, and she looked quite ashamed.

"Then I said: 'Hannah, do you really want to bathe my feet?'

"''Strue as you live, missis.'

"'Would you like me to read to you?'

"'Oh do, missis! tank you.'

"'Well, then, you may, and I will read Little Susy's Six Birthdays to you.'

"That seemed to be a most delightful idea--and she pulled off my boots and stockings in a great hurry, and lifted my feet into the water, and pa.s.sed her hands so gently over my ankles that it really seemed to do me good; but when she poked between my toes, she tickled me so dreadfully that I squealed, and laughed, and came very near upsetting the tub of water.

"But she liked the book very much, and her great black eyes were full of love and grat.i.tude as she thanked me; and I thanked her, and gave her a penny; but she liked my _thanking her_ better than the penny.