"No; feel and see if it does. But there"s a creepy feeling goes over me; don"t it over you?"
"Yes," said I, highly excited. "Got your eyes shut, Fel?"
"Yes, shut up tight."
"Open "em," said I, solemnly; "for how do you know but that Big Giant"s got into this room? Can"t you _see_ the fire coming out of his nose?"
Fell couldn"t, exactly.
"Get out," said I, "and get the wash-bowl and pitcher, and let"s throw it at him kersplash."
"I da.s.sent," said Fel, faintly.
"Nor I da.s.sent neither."
By that time I was out of bed, much more frightened than Fel was, and calling "Cousin Lydia," as loud as I could shout. She came in in great surprise, and it was some time before she could succeed in calming us.
I remember how heartily she laughed, and how my teeth chattered. I actually had to be wrapped in a blanket and dosed with ginger tea. I wonder how many times cousin Lydia said,--
"Well, children ARE perfect curiosities."
We could not think of such a thing as spending the night alone after all this, and Samantha was obliged to get into our bed and sleep in the middle. Cousin Lydia said we made too much hard work for the family by telling "scare stories," and we must not do it again while we staid at her house.
"I have just found out, Marjie, why it is that you are afraid to sleep alone," said she; "it is because you allow yourself to think about such frightful things. Is it not so?"
"Yes"m," said I, quivering in the blanket.
"Well, child, you must stop it at once; it is a very foolish habit, and may grow upon you. Never think of dreadful things. Say your little prayer, asking G.o.d to take care of you, and then lie down in peace, for he will certainly do it. Ruph.e.l.le, are you ever afraid?"
"No"m, only when I"m with Marjie; but I like to hear her tell things; I ask her to."
Fel often said she had beautiful thoughts about angels after she went to bed, and dreamed that they came and stood by her pillow.
Ah, that was no common child; she lived very near the gates of heaven.
Strange I could have a.s.sociated with her so much, and still have been so full of wrong desires and naughty actions!
Julia Tenney, who was not very fond of children, certainly not of me, took a decided fancy to Fel the moment she saw her. I soon found this out, for she did not try to conceal it, and said more than once that "that child was too good for this world." I thought everybody liked her better than me, from Miss Julia down to the cat. I did not consider this at all strange; only I longed to do something to show myself worthy of praise, as well as she.
There was a panic at that time about small-pox, and the doctor came one day to vaccinate everybody in the house. We children looked on with great interest to see the lancet make a scratch in cousin Lydia"s arm, and then in Miss Samantha"s, and Miss Julia"s.
"Now for the little folks," said the doctor, and drew Fel along to him; but she broke away in great alarm, and began to cry. "Well, well," said the doctor, turning to me, "here"s a little lady that will come right up, I know she will; _she_ won"t mind such a thing as a p.r.i.c.k of a needle."
No, I really didn"t mind it; why should I, when I had been gashed and slashed all my life? So I walked up very quickly to show my courage. I guessed they wouldn"t laugh about my Big Giant now! I rolled back my sleeve with an air of triumph, and looked down on Fel, who shrank into a corner. Everybody was surprised, and said, "Well done!" and hoped I wasn"t _all_ the brave child there was in the house.
I walked on thrones, I a.s.sure you; for there was Fel crying, and begging to wait till after dinner. Why, she hadn"t any more courage than a chicken. I was ashamed of her. The doctor said he would wait till after dinner if she would surely have it done then.
"O, you little scare-girl!" said I, as he walked out to talk with cousin Joseph, and we two children were left alone in the room.
The doctor had laid his lancet and the little quill of vaccine matter on the table, having no thought, I suppose, that such small children as we would dare touch them.
"I can waxerate as well as he can," said I, taking up the lancet, "for I watched him. Push up your sleeve, Fel, and I"ll waxerate you, and then when the doctor does it, you"ll get used to it, you know."
"Don"t you, _don"t_ you touch that sharp thing, Madge Parlin."
"Poh! do you think I"m a little scare-girl like you?" returned I, proudly, for my little head was quite turned with flattery. "He didn"t say folks musn"t touch it, did he, Miss Fel? It"s just like a needle; and who"s afraid of a needle but you? I"ll waxerate _me_, if _you_ don"t dast. Just you look! When I"ve done it three times to me, will you let me do it to you?"
Fel wouldn"t promise, but I went boldly to work. Let me count the scars--yes, twenty scratches I made above my elbow, never forgetting the vaccine, saying, as I stopped to take breath,--
"Ready now, Fel?"
She never was ready, but she stood looking on with such meekness and awe, that I was just as well satisfied. After the doctor was gone, and she was in cousin Lydia"s lap, quite overcome by the fright of "waxeration," I told what I had done, expecting to be praised.
"Why, Maggie!" said cousin Lydia, really shocked, "what will you do next? It was very, very wrong for you to meddle with the doctor"s lancet."
"Ah, well," said Miss Julia, "I guess she"ll be a sick enough child when it "takes.""
I did not understand that, but I saw I had sunk again in everybody"s esteem. And that very afternoon Miss Julia allowed Fel, who had been such a coward, to dress up in her bracelets, rings, pin, and even her gold watch, only "she must be sure and not let Maggie touch them."
Of course I see now what a heedless child I was, and don"t wonder Miss Julia wished to preserve her ornaments from my fingers; still she ought not to have given them to Fel before my very eyes. I thought it was hard, after scratching myself so unmercifully, not to have either glory or kisses, or even a bosom-pin to wear half an hour. My arm smarted, and I felt cross. As Miss Julia went out of the room she patted Fel"s head, but took no notice of me, and cousin Lydia did the very same thing two minutes afterwards. It was more than I could bear.
"Ho, little _borrow-girl_," said I to Fel, "got a gold watch, too!
"Fore I"d wear other folks"s things! I don"t wear a single one thing on me but b"longs to me; you may count "em and see!"
It seemed as if I could not let her alone; but such was the sweetness of nature in that dear little girl that she loved me through everything.
"I thought you wanted to go out doors and play with me," said I; "and if you do, you"d better take off your borrowed watch!"
Fel did not answer, but tucked the watch into her bosom; and we went out in no very pleasant mood.
CHAPTER X.
"THE CHILD"S ALIVE."[*]
(* The following is a true incident.)
Samantha and Julia were gone to a neighbor"s that afternoon, and cousin Lydia was filling a husk-bed in the barn. There was no one at home but lame and half-blind grandma Tenney.
"I don"t care if they are gone, for they all think I"m a naughty, bad girl," thought I. "O, why don"t they love me? My mamma loves me, and hugs me every day when I"m home."
I walked along to the well, my eyes half-blinded by tears. That well-sweep had always fascinated me, and I had been allowed to play with it freely; but lately cousin Joseph had observed that the curb, or framework round the mouth of the well, was out of order; the boards were old, and the nails were loosened; he should put on new boards as soon as he could stop; but until he did so, I must let it alone. Would I remember?
"Yes, sir," said I, at the same time thinking in this wise: "Why, I drawed water day before yes"day, and he didn"t say the boards were old. How could they grow old in one day?"